Donovan-on-Leadership

 

 

Critical Thinking about Problems

Are you asking the right questions?

 

By: Michael Donovan, Ph.D.

 

The Importance of a Well-Defined Problem

Ill-defined problems often lead to false starts or solutions that don’t work requiring you to start over having wasted valuable time and resources. On the other hand, well-defined problems lead breakthrough solutions. By defining problems properly, you make them easier to solve, which means saving time, money and resources.

As a manager almost every day individuals will be coming to you with problems, recommendations, and opinions about what should be done. But are their perceptions of the problems or their recommendations accurate? Or are they based on faulty thinking or assumptions that are untested?

As a manager you need to ensure that problems are well defined, and solutions are carefully evaluated. But, how do you do that? The answer lies in applying critical thinking to the problems you see and asking questions to encourage critical thinking in your employees.

 Avoiding Poorly Defined Problems

Problems are often poorly defined at the start. It requires some critical thinking to get problems defined correctly.

Imagine you are the manager and an employee comes to you with one of the problems listed below. Read these problem statements. Which of these problems is well defined?  Which is poorly defined?

1. 1. Boss, the dirty cargo containers are contaminating panel parts after painting.
   2. Boss, we need new storage racks to enable us to better utilize the plating line.
   3. Boss, the old worn Brown and Sharpe #13 cylindrical grinder in shop is too worn to achieve accuracy.
   4. Boss, there are no standardized air hose connections in department.

As a manager you are expected to take action to solve problems. Consider what actions you might take if you thought some of these problem statements were good.

For example, if the first problem sounded good to you, you might have authorized the purchase of some new cargo containers or approved some overtime for a crew to clean the old dirty containers. But, what if the “dirty cargo containers” were not the cause of the contaminated parts? You would have wasted time and money fixing the wrong problem.

Also, consider what actions you might have taken if you thought the first problem was poorly defined. What questions might you have asked the employee? Supposed you asked: “When did the problem of contamination of panels start? And, the employee responded: “in August”. Then you might ask: “Were we using the same dirty cargo containers prior to August? And, the employee responds “Yes.”

If those were the employee’s answers to your questions, you would know that “dirty cargo containers” could not be the cause of the contamination. You would have sent the employee back to the drawing board to more carefully define and analyze the problem. Your critical thinking and questions would have kept you from making a bad decision to a poorly defined problem.

So, back to the four (4) problems listed above. They are all poorly defined. Each of these presenting problems contains one of two basic but common mistakes.

First, we often define problems in terms of a preconceived solution.  Approaching problems with the solution already fixed in our mind can block us from seeing other, possibly more effective, ways of solving the problem.

Problems 2 and 4 suffer from this error. Each contains a “pre-conceived” solution.

Boss, we need new storage racks to enable us to better utilize the plating line. (Contains a Solution i.e. new storage racks)

Boss there are no standardized air hose connections in department. (Contains a Solution i.e. standardized air hose connections)

The second common mistake is to define problems in terms of an assumed cause.

Since we think we know the cause of the problem already it is easy to jump to a solution …. but a solution to the wrong problem.

Problems 1 and 3 suffer from this error. Each contains an “assumed cause”.

Boss, the dirty cargo containers are contaminating panel parts after painting. (Contains an Assumed Cause i.e. the dirty cargo containers)

An old worn Brown and Sharpe #13 cylindrical grinder in the shop is too worn to achieve accuracy. (Contains an Assumed Cause i.e. old worn grinding machine)

 So, the first challenge is to initially define problems without reference to either pre-conceived solutions or assumed causes.   A useful technique for taking the pre-conceived solution and assumed causes out of the problem statements is to begin your problem statement with the words:

“In what ways might we . . .”

Phrasing your problem as a question gets members to think of more ideas and more options for solving the problem.  Exploring many possible solutions — rather than going with the easy, most obvious solution — will help your group to devise better solutions to problems you face.

For example, the problems above could have been re-phrased as follows:

1. In what ways might we reduce contaminated parts after painting?
2. In what ways might we better utilize the plating line?
3. In what ways might we achieve better accuracy in the grinding operation?
4. In what ways might we reduce lost time searching for proper hose connectors?

Critical Thinking Questions

So, once you have a problem in mind the first step is develop a more specific definition of that problem and determine what data you might need to collect to more fully understand the problem. This step sounds simple, but it isn’t.

As a manager you need to get in the habit of asking questions about the problems and recommendations employees bring to you to make sure you do not spend time and effort reacting to symptoms and not addressing the root causes of problems. The questions should cover the full scope on the problem-solving process from defining the problem, to generating and evaluating possible solutions, and implementation of the best solution.

Below is a list of questions you can use to make sure critical thought is applied to solving problems.

Defining the Problem

• Help me to understand what you see as the problem?
• What is the impact of the problem?
• What is the evidence you considered to assess the impact of the problem?
• Where is the problem occurring? Where is it not occurring?
• When does it occur? When did it start?

Analyzing the Problem

• What do you see as the cause of the problem?
• What other possible causes did you consider?
• How did you verify that this was the “root cause” of the problem?

Generating and Evaluating the Solution

• What alternative solutions did you consider?
• Help me to understand how you chose your recommended solution? What criteria did you use?
• Who did you consult with in forming this recommendation?

Implementing the Solution

• What is the plan? What will be done? By Who? By When?
• What resources and support will be needed to implement your recommendation?
• Who will need to be involved or informed in the implementation?
• What could go wrong? What concerns do you have?
• What impact will this recommended solution have?

Evaluation and Control

• How will you evaluate success?
• What evidence will you seek to ensure the solution solves the problem?
• What steps will you take to ensure the problem does not re-occur or that the solution will remain in place?

 Asking these types of questions might make your employees uncomfortable at first. None of us liked to be questioned about our perceptions and recommendations.

But, by repeatedly asking these kinds of questions of your employees you will be training them to think critically about problems before they get to you. And your team will become stronger as a result.

 

Fact Based Decision-Making Requires Strong Critic

 

Acting with Intention

By: Michael Donovan, Ph.D.

 

Abstract:

Many people simply muddle through their lives responding to whatever happens in their situation. They react out of instinct but there’s another option …. you could choose to lead your life with intention.

Technology is a great thing. You can hold a GPS device in your hand which, in some mysterious way, communicates with three satellites and then can tell you exactly where you are on the face of planet within 3 meters. You can also wear a device on your wrist that can tell you your body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and how many steps you’ve taken today. Technology can tell you both your current location and condition.

But for all its wonders, technology has its limitations. Technology cannot tell you where you want to go. Your destination in life something you need to decide for yourself.

• What are your goals for your life and career?
• What kind of work would be rewarding for you?
• What kind of relationships do you hope for?
• What quality of life would bring you happiness and joy?

These are the things you need to figure out and decide for yourself.

There’s a famous passage from the book Alice in Wonderland that contains a valuable life lesson.  Alice comes to a fork in the road and asks the Cheshire cat in the tree for direction.

• Alice asks: “Which way should I go?”
• The Cat replies “Where do you want to go?”
• Alice replies “I don’t know.”
• To which the cat replies “Then it doesn’t matter.”

If you don’t know where you want to go in life, then it doesn’t matter what you do or which path you take.  Many people simply muddle through their lives responding to whatever happens in their situation. They react out of instinct but there’s another option …. you could choose to lead your life with intention.

 Living Intentionally

Living intentionally means having goals, hopes, and aspirations. It also means discovering and developing your talents and gifts and using them to achieve your goals. The hardest part of living intentionally is letting your goals guide your choices in the present. The quality of your life will largely be determined by the choices that you make.

One thing you can be sure of … you will wind up someplace.  And that “someplace” in your life will be the result of those choices that you made or didn’t make along the way.

The question is: Will you wind up where you want to be?

 Present, Past, and Future

It is important to be mindful of your choices and actions in the present. For your present will soon become your past and be a shadow that follows you into the future.  And if that shadow contains guilt, shame, or regret it can rob of you of happiness.

Fill your present with good decisions and choices, healthy supportive relationships, and efforts to pursue your dreams. So that one day you can look back at the shadow of your past and say with pride “no regrets”.

 Example: Living with Intention

Benjamin Franklin, one of our Founding Fathers, believed that a person’s character needed to be forged.  He made a list of character traits he wanted to be known for.

Each month he would pick just one trait from his list. Each day of the month he would identify what he could do that day to demonstrate that trait. Each night he would reflect on his success or failure of his action.

The next month he would work on another trait. He continued to develop his character and reputation systematically day after day, month after month, year after year, for over 50 years. That’s living with intention.

Your Intentions Shape Your Behavior

Your intentions can influence your behavior and the choices you make. For example, if I asked you to describe a refrigerator to another person you could do it. You would just think of your refrigerator at home and describe it.

But, if I asked you to describe a refrigerator in a way that would “disgust” the other person, you would choose different words and deliver them in a different way. Or, if I asked you to describe a refrigerator in a way that would “impress” the other person you would choose different words, voice tone, and body language. Your intention about what you wanted the other person to envision and feel would shape your behavior and your behavior, in turn, influences the outcome.

When you go into a situation do you pause and consider:

• What do I want to happen in this situation?
• What could I do to help that to happen?
• Who else will be present, and how could I influence them?

Or, when you when you are about to have an important conversation with another person do you pause and consider:

• What do I want to happen in this conversation?
• What do I want this other person to know and feel?
• What perspective do I want them to see?
• What do I want them to do?

By clarifying your intentions, you can be more effective in achieving your goals.

 

Developing Leaders

The Importance of Establishing Mental Frameworks

 By: J. Michael Donovan, Ph.D.

Leadership

At its core, leadership is about influencing the thoughts and behavior of others and shaping the outcomes of events. All great leaders, the noble ones and as well as the evil ones, are able to influence and organize others and achieve goals.

What is the tool that leaders use to achieve their ends?  The answer is “themselves”.

When a leader walks into a conference room for a meeting, begins a negotiation, take over a new team, or arrives at a new job, all they bring is themselves. Leaders are their instrument …. what they say, how they think, the actions they take, and who they are, is what influences others and shapes the outcome and results of events.

But, how do leaders actually exert that influence to accomplish results? What can we, as developers of leadership talent, provide to help leaders become more effective?

 The Instinct to Lead

First it is important to understand not everyone is a leader. It is a rare gift and some people are actually genetically wired for leadership. They instinctively step into leadership roles and behaviors even from a young age. Dr. Alan Nelson, in his book the “O Factor,” summarizes the research on the genetic predisposition to lead that some individuals have. These individuals have a gift for influencing others in social situations and instinctively can organize others around them. You can spot these individuals with this instinct to lead on elementary school playgrounds, in youth groups, and as peer leaders in high school. As Dr. Nelson points out, these early instinctive leaders are sometimes overlooked and/or labeled as troublemakers in school.

But, for these individuals to hone their gifts in leading, other people (teachers, parents, coaches, bosses) need to recognize, nurture, and develop their potential.

Mental Frameworks Can Help

In my current position as a University Professor, I get to work with business students who aspire to leadership roles and sign up for my class on Leadership. I realize that most of my students are not natural or instinctive leaders, possessing what Dr. Nelson calls the “O” Factor” (although a few are). So, the challenge in a University Leadership class is to help students develop some awareness of their own potential for leadership and provide them with opportunities to practice and demonstrate their skills.

What I have found helpful in working with aspiring leaders is to provide them with simple mental frameworks or models for guiding their efforts to influence and organize others in accomplishing goals.

For example, I often start a leadership class by conducting an “emerging leadership” team exercise. This is usually a timed team problem-solving exercise, like a survival exercise or a challenging physical task, but with no leader assigned. The purpose is to see who “emerges” as the team’s leader(s) and what leadership behaviors are seen as helpful by the team in achieving their goal. I’ve conducted this exercise literally hundreds of times.

What happens is that those individuals, with what Dr. Alan Nelson calls a “predisposition for leading”, step up and try to exert influence on the other members of the team. Sometimes this takes the form of suggesting a method for achieving the task, or assigning roles, or pushing for a solution they have thought of.

But within a few minutes, those who initially try to play leadership roles in getting things organized, join into the problem-solving activities of the team. They don’t maintain their leadership role through the entire exercise. They drop their leadership role and get sucked into performing the task. I could count on one hand the individuals who stepped up to the leadership role in the first few minutes and sustained that role until the goal was achieved.

One of the important learnings in this kind of leadership development exercise is that leaders mentally remove themselves from the doing of the assigned task and concentrate instead on focusing and organizing others to achieve the goal.

Often a student leader will attempt this for awhile but quickly get absorbed in the excitement of doing the task. In the debrief of the exercise, those who try to lead often comment that “they did not know what to do next.”

What they need in this situation is a simple mental framework that could act as a roadmap to guide their actions. My suggestion is:

“whenever you are in a situation where leadership is required, bring a “SAD APE” with you.

A SAD APE – A Mental Framework that Can Help

A SAD APE is an acronym for the basic things a leader can do to exert influence and get results. The elements of the acronym act as a mental framework guiding your actions as a leader. Let’s look at what a SAD APE stands for.

SA = Situational Awareness

The first thing a leader does is to assess the situation they are in… what is the issue, problem, or opportunity we are here to work on? Are we here to make a decision, solve a problem, plan a project, address a conflict, introduce a change, improve a process, develop recommendations, or plan an event? Who do I have to work with? Who else do we need? What is the urgency or time frame?

Situational Awareness is understanding challenges, opportunities, and resources in the situation.

D = Direction

Once the leader understands the challenges and opportunities of the situation, the next thing they do is provide direction. This may mean creating a compelling vision for where the organization needs to go or what it needs to be in the future. It also entails setting specific, measurable, challenging goals and objectives to achieve that vision. Or, in the case of a meeting, this might be as simple as clarifying the purpose and objective of the meeting.

In an article entitled 6 Secrets to Making Business Decisions That Get Results, author Stan Popovich states:

 “Leaders need to focus on the outcomes and results. Think about what you want to achieve in this situation and consider the possible outcomes of your actions and decisions. A leader needs to focus on the short-term and long-terms goals regarding every situation they are in”.

The Direction challenge for the leader is to ensure that the direction is clear to the team … Where do we need to go? What are our goals? It involves getting everyone involved “on the same page” as to the goal to be achieved, the resources available, the constraints, and the time frame for achievement.

AP = Action Plan

The next is getting an plan into place. This involves a planning process, clarifying the specific tasks to be carried out, making assignments, and setting a timetable. Getting others involved in the planning process helps create ownership and reduces resistance. It is also useful to focus on some early “breakthrough projects” or “quick win” tasks that can be accomplished rapidly to get momentum started.

The Action Planning challenge for the leader is to get a realistic plan in place … How will we get there? Who will do what, by when?

E = Execution

The final element of the SAD APE framework is execution. This involves following up to make sure that progress on the plan is being made. Conducting periodic reviews to monitor progress, confronting delays and barriers, and providing feedback are all key things leaders do to see that the plans are implemented, and the results are achieved.

The Execution challenge for the leader is getting it done … Are we on track? What do we need to get back on track?

Using Frameworks Like the SAD APE to Guide Debriefing

It’s not enough to simply introduce a mental framework such as the SAD APE. You must use and reinforce it. In my classes, following the initial “emerging leader” team exercise we conduct several other short leadership development exercises where the leadership role is assigned.

After the exercise, we use the SAD APE model as a debriefing framework with questions such as these:

• What were the important elements the situation? What was the nature of the task to be achieved, i.e. a problem to be solved, a decision to be made, a project to be planned, etc.? What resources or constraints existed?
• What did you understand as the goal to be achieved?
• How did the leader get the goal communicated and agreed upon? What were some other ways this could have been done?
• How did the leader get a process for achieving the goal into place? What are some other ways of clarifying or establishing a process?
• How did the leader facilitate the process and interaction among members as the team began to work? What are some other ideas for how this could be done?
• How did the leader monitor progress, provide feedback, take corrective actions to keep the team on track?

Developing leaders, particularly those who have had little experience and or formal training in leadership, requires critiqued practice. Mental frameworks can provide a roadmap to help leaders understand what to do when they are called upon to lead. The same frameworks, when used as a debriefing tool, helps students see how others approach a leadership situation and learn from the experience.

The SAD APE is just one framework. We try to develop similar frameworks useful for leading specific situations such as:

• Solving a problem
• Managing a change
• Resolving a conflict
• Planning an event or project
• Improving a work process

Arming aspiring leaders with ways of thinking about leading in specific situations, combined with opportunities for critiqued practice is a way to help individuals develop their potential.

 Summary

Leaders use themselves to exert influence on others and to get results. But, keeping the SAD APE acronym in mind, a leader can remember the key elements for focusing and organizing others to achieve their goals.

  References:

Nelson, Alan, The O Factor, Summit Crest Publishing, Fort Collins, CO, 2016

Stan Popovich, Entrepreneur Magazine, Article: 6 Secrets to Making Business Decisions That Get Results, Sept. 2014

Do you want to get promoted?

Do you have what it takes to perform a leadership role?

The key to getting a promotion opportunity is being able to demonstrate your strengths and capabilities on your current job to those who make the promotion decisions.  But, therein lays two problems that could be limiting your opportunities.

Problem # 1 – Lack of Self Awareness

Research shows that only 1 in 3 employees can accurately identify their top two strengths as seen by their supervisor or manager.  This means that: 1) they have strengths that their bosses are unaware of, or 2) their bosses see strengths in them that they are unaware of.  In either case this is a problem.  Or worse yet, they may feel they have a strength but others may see it as a weakness. For example, I might see myself as a strong assertive leader, whereas others may see me as a domineering bully.

If you are not accurately aware of your core strengths and capabilities then how can you demonstrate them?

Getting a realistic understanding of your values and character traits, competencies, motivations, aspirations, personality traits, and your impact on others is a very difficult task. The Dean of a famous west coast business school was asked: “What was the most important thing for his graduates to attain?”  His answer was self-awareness.

Problem # 2 – Lack of Demonstration

Research shows that only 17% of employees report using their strengths in their jobs on a consistent basis.

So, if you are not using or demonstrating your core strengths for leadership on your current job, how will those who make promotion decisions be able to judge your potential and readiness for a leadership position?

You might say: “My job doesn’t offer any opportunities to demonstrate my leadership potential.”  My response would be that you just aren’t looking hard enough. You could:

• Expand your knowledge of the processes; procedures; and equipment used in the operation to enhance your expert power to exert influence. Become” the go-to person” in your work area
• Systematically collect and analyze data to identify a business problem or opportunity.
• Ask to form and lead a team to plan and carry out a project.
• Identify and solve an operational problem in the areas such as: cost; quality; productivity; safety; schedule performance; or customer satisfaction.
• Document; analyze, and improve a work process by eliminating wasted: time, material, movement, inventory, and re-work.
• Ask your boss if you could take over a task that he or she currently does.
• Lead problem solving discussions in response to issues raised by employee survey data.

The point is there are more opportunities on your current job than you realize for taking the initiative and leading.

Want to learn more?

Go to: https://www.centerforappliedleadership.com

Look in the Articles Section of the Menu and download the article:

Do You Have Leadership Potential?

By: John Michael Donovan, Ph.D. and Kevin Donovan

 

 

Do you have leadership “potential?”

Unfortunately in business, your perception of your own potential counts for very little. Your “potential” is a judgment made about you by others. So the question is: “How do those who can provide you with career leadership opportunities judge your potential?”

• Do you know what managers look for when assessing leadership potential?
• Do you know what your core strengths for leadership are?
• Are your important leadership traits and capabilities clearly seen by others?
• What are the opportunities in your current job or situation for demonstrating your potential?

If you are currently in a leadership position, or aspire to a leadership position, and you want to take increased initiative in your career progress, I recommend you take a look at our new book:

“So You Think You Can LEAD? A Guide to Discovering and Harnessing Your Potential for Leadership

This book can help you take increased responsibility for and accelerate your career progress

First, the book provides access to 10 FREE self assessment tools to identify your unique qualities and strengths for leadership. Next, it guides you in creating a Career Network Map of the individuals who can provide opportunities and influence your career. Then, the book also helps you identify and design opportunities to demonstrate your potential in your current job or situation. Finally, readers can create a specific plan for developing your strengths and demonstrating your potential.

The book is available on our web site: https://www.centerforappliedleadership.com   or as an e-book from your favorite distributor like: Amazon; Barnes and Noble; Smashwords; or IBook.

 

Welcome to my BLOG.

This will be a place to explore thinking about the components of leadership potential. Things like core values and traits, competencies, thinking patterns, personality preferences, motivation, and other aspects of one’s psychological make-up.

We will also be exploring how organizations identify and develop their high potential leaders.

I appreciate your reading the BLOG and your comments and perspectives are more than welcome.

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