Encyclopedia of Leadership

The difficulty with a general model such as this one is that you may need a more power-

ful tool to deal with a highly unique problem. Here are other tools found elsewhere in this

book that will help.

HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL

“The most effective managers were also the best investigators. ... From the announcement of a problem until its

resolution, they appeared to follow a clear formula in both orderly sequence and the quality of their questions

and actions. In fact, when something went wrong, without a ready explanation, these managers asked remark-

ably similar questions to determine whether available information was relevant or irrelevant, important or triv-

ial, critical or marginally useful. Since the same information, in the hands of equally experienced and intelligent

managers, might result in distinctly different results, it was evident that successful problem solving involved

more than the availability of information. Equally critical was the quality of logic applied to that information.”

—Charles Kepner and Benjamin Tregoe, THE NEW RATIONAL MANAGER

General tools such at this one work best when adapted to your unique organizational

needs (but not made more complicated). Adaptations might include:

❑ Use language that is currently being used in your organization.

❑ Integrate this tool with other accepted problem-solving, cause-finding, and decision-

making processes (e.g., quality tools, project management, systematic troubleshoot-

ing).

❑ Integrate this tool with meeting planning processes [☛11.1 Process Cycle, and other

meeting tools in Section 11]

Adapting this tool to your workgroup or team may involve any or all of these steps:

❑ Prepare a wall chart and other visuals to track the path of problem solving.

SECTION 7 TOOLS FORPROBLEMSOLVING, DECISIONMAKING, ANDQUALITY 205

5. Plan
   implementation
   of the change.


6. Follow through
   and evaluate
   implementation
   of the change.

Decide on the best

way to implement the

solution (i.e., the

change).

How do we make sure

the solution is work-

ing? How do we refine

the solution, if

necessary?

You may need many

people to buy into

the change. The

change may not fit

well into the existing

system.

Implementing

difficulties always

occurs in real life. If

not dealt with, these

difficulties will cause

additional problems.

[☛5.9 Resistance]

Use a project

management or

change leadership

model to implement

the change.

[☛5.1 Change

Equation]

Have a follow-

through process in

place, and ensure that

each step of the

change is supported

and realigned as

conditions change.

Develop a workable

plan for implementing

the change.

[☛7.6 Potential

Problems]

Evaluate the change

implementation, and

complete a “lessons

learned” review to

continuously improve

your change

initiatives.

Too few ideas or potential

solutions

People being vested in

positions

Handling data in a

systematic way

☛1.9 Paradigms, 5.10 Appreciative Inquiry, 6.6 Six-Hat Thinking, 6.7 Creativity and

Innovation, 6.9 Brainstorming, 7.1 Problem Framing

☛6.2 Assumption Analysis, 8.5 Metacommunicating, 8.7 Active Listening, 9.5 Negotiation,

12.7 Dealing with Conflict

☛5.1 Change Equation, 6.3 Complex Situations, 6.5 Force-Field Analysis, 7.3 Finding

Cause, 7.5 Decision Making, 7.7 Quality Tools, 10.10 Closure, 10.11 Priority Setting

If your difficulty is: Look at these tools: