When faced with a problem, many of us jump immediately to finding a solution. That’s why some of our meetings end up in frustratingly-long debates over the best solution. Everyone comes to the table with his or her idea of what the problem is and what should be done about it. The discussion becomes a war of ideas with battlefield casualties. Sound familiar?
Try this process the next time you lead a group that is solving a problem. You'll reach a better solution -- one that benefits from everyone's thinking and is likely to have the group's full commitment -- and have more fun getting there.
1) Reality Check
Begin by brainstorming all the things the group knows to be true about the problem. Consider factors such as laws, rules, perceptions, expectations, assumptions, predictions, decision makers, stakeholders, and political and social forces and conditions. This step will help bring to the surface any underlying "facts" that group members disagree on. Often, it is the disagreement over what’s real that is behind the conflict over the best solution. If you discover a fact that people disagree about, work to resolve the disagreement or, at a minimum, acknowledge that more than one perspective exists that needs to be considered in the final solution.
2) Ideal Outcome
Now brainstorm what the ideal outcome will look like. Include on your list any outcomes you want to avoid. Resist the temptation to leave off an ideal outcome because someone thinks it isn't doable. When you’ve reached agreement on the ideal outcome, then you are ready to talk about a plan for getting there.
3) Plan
Now you can talk about specific solutions — means, ploys, strategies, procedures — to achieve the ideal outcome. At this point in the process, the best proposal may become obvious to the group since they’ve already reached agreement on the nature of the problem and ideal outcome. If not, give participants a chance to fully explain how each proposed solution addresses both the current reality and the ideal outcome.
There still may be disagreement about which proposed solution is the best. My advice if you get stuck at this stage? Go back and work steps one and two a little harder. That’s where the real obstacles for effective group problem-solving usually lie.
