Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Strategies

Book excerpt: Everyone encounters a wide range of difficulties, mishaps, and obstacles. You can think of a "problem" as anything from a mild irritation - like a sticky keyboard - to a complete disaster that puts your job or even your life at risk.A problem is a question or situation that causes doubt or perplexity, or presents a difficulty. It's something that needs to be corrected or overcome so you can achieve a desired state. A problem often requires a unique or creative solution.In other words, you have a "problem" when you have a goal but can't readily see how to reach it - when you have to think, plan, and devise suitable actions to solve the problem and achieve the goal.Barriers to achieving your goals can vary widely in kind and importance. Your problem might be as small as spilling coffee on your tie right before going into an important business meeting.Or it could be much more serious - say if the laptop your presentation was on got stolen and you didn't have a backup.But if you know just what to do in response to a problem, it's no longer a real problem. This is because there's no doubt or complexity involved for you - the path of action you need to take to achieve your goal is clear.Problems come in two basic varieties. The first is an unexpected disruption to the normal course of things. For example, your supplier fails to deliver crucial items or your car breaks down on your way to a conference. You may or may not know what caused the disruption.The second type is a gap between your current state and a desired state, or goal. If you aren't sure how to bridge that gap, you have a problem.For example, you might want to find ways to meet a new consumer need. Or you might want to improve your own efficiency in terms of managing your time, meeting sales targets, or designing products.Everyone needs to solve problems, from the trivial to the life-threatening, at some point.