X Table of Contents Introduction 1.1 Gospel Centered Training 1.2 Maintaining a Clear Focus 1.3 Weekly Development Plan Discussion 1.4 Quarterly Development Plan Discussion 1.5 Master Your Role 1.6 The Cadence of Accountability 1.7 Utilizing the Blessings of the Lord's Storehouse 2.1 Accountability and Talent Improvement (ATI) 2.2 Using the Leadership Pattern as a Learning Tool 2.3 Lead Like the Savior 3.1 Disability Awareness 3.2 Substance Abuse: Causes of Addiction 3.3 Substance Abuse: Signs and Symptoms 3.4 Substance Abuse: Recovery 3.5 Managing Stress 3.6 The Hidden Rules of Two Economic Classes 4.1 Inspiring Others to Become Converted in the Doctrine of Work and Service 4.2 Using AWARE Form as a Tool for Development 4.3 Attendance and Punctuality 4.4 Accepting the Work Role 4.5 Preparing for and Responding to Change 4.6 Managing My Work and Work Needs 4.7 Accepting Supervision 4.8 Coaching Associates on How to Work with Their Coworkers 4.9 Increasing Productivity 4.10 How to Use the Life Skills Library 4.11 History, Foundations, and the Spirit of Motivational Interviewing 4.12 The Stages of Change in Motivational Interviewing 4.13 Reflective Listening 4.14 Open-Ended Questions, Affirmations and Summaries 4.15 Change Talk 4.16 Ambivalence and Rolling with Resistance 4.17 The ABCs of Behavior 4.18 Using Positive Reinforcement to Achieve Behavioral Change 4.19 Introduction to Behavior Modification 4.20 Behavior Modification: Correcting Poor Behavior 4.21 Behavior Modification: Prompting Good Behavior 4.22 How to Use Positive Attitude to Facilitate Change 4.23 Conflict Management 4.24 Decision-Making Skills 4.25 Problem-Solving Skills 4.26 Improving Performance 5.1 Incorporating Assessment Results in the Development Plan 5.2 Ethics 5.3 Maintaining Confidentiality 5.4 Writing Effective Case Notes 5.5 Business Partnerships 6.1 Honoring Agency While Influencing Behavior 6.2 Teaching Self-Reliance
Lesson 4.25

Problem-Solving Skills

Lesson Preparation

Before coming to your training, please do the following:

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9.
  • Outline your personal method for solving a problem step by step. Be prepared to share your method with the group.
  • Read the decision-making process example found in the “Lesson Resources” section, resource 1.
  • Complete one of the following items:
    • Incorporate the principles in Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9 into your problem-solving method. Be prepared to share how your method changed when you included personal inspiration.
    • Think about the common problems associates face. Come up with a solution to one of these common problems using your problem-solving method. Be prepared to share how you can coach an associate to work toward a solution with your problem-solving method.
 

Lesson Preview

Problem solving is a complex mental method that uses broad-based, orderly techniques to find solutions to a challenge. Developing a problem-solving method will help you to resolve issues quickly and find solutions that are based on gospel teachings. Problem solving may be one of the skills that the associates you work with need to develop. Coaching an associate in developing problem-solving skills is an important skill to master.

The World Café activity in the “Lesson Resources” section, resource 1, will teach all three principles outlined in the lesson. If you choose the World Café activity, you will cover all the material for this lesson and will not need to do any of the other activities.

Define Problem Solving

From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.

Group Icon
Activity 1

Using a copy of the puzzle provided in the “Lesson Resources” section, resource 2, follow the guidelines to complete the puzzle. After a few minutes, share any frustrations you may have felt while trying to complete the puzzle. If you were able to solve the puzzle, share how you did so. If no one has reached a solution, the facilitator will share the solution that is provided in the “Solutions” section.

  • Which of the skills needed to solve the puzzle are also useful at work?
Discuss the importance of gaining problem-solving skills. Focus on thinking “outside the box.”

Write Icon
Activity 2

Think about your definition of problem solving. As a group, create a list of skills that are needed for effective problem solving. Make a list of the skills on the board. Discuss how to develop these skills and why it is important to gain problem-solving skills.

Exploring Problem-Solving Methods

From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.

Study Icon
Activity 1

Divide into small groups. As a group, read the following case study. When you have read the case study, use the Five-Step Problem-Solving Method provided in the “Lesson Resources” section, resource 3, to help Mark find ways he can solve his problem.

Case Study:

Mark is one of the associates you are working with. His vocational goal is to become a police officer. He served in Iraq as a security sergeant on two separate tours and has the aptitude and interest to pursue law enforcement. Right now, he is 50 pounds over the maximum weight allowed to be accepted into a police academy. Over the past year he has tried various times to lose the necessary weight with little success, and he is very discouraged about the likelihood of his being able to do so.

Write Icon
Activity 2

A few volunteers will write on the board the steps of the problem-solving method they outlined in preparation for this lesson. As a group, decide which of the steps listed on the board are essential to an effective problem-solving method. Compare the lists on the board with the list provided in the “Lesson Resources” section, resource 3.

Coaching Associates on Problem-Solving Skills

From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.

Group Icon
Activity 1

Divide into small groups. With your group, brainstorm how you can coach your associates to help them gain problem-solving skills. Use the problem-solving method that was discussed during the previous activity, whether you chose activity 1 or 2 (or both) in the previous section.

Group Icon
Activity 2

Divide into groups of two or three. As a group, think of a potential problem that one of your associates may encounter. The problem could be one that occurs at work or in their personal lives. Have one group member act as if he or she were an associate who is experiencing that problem. Practice coaching the associate with the Five-Step Problem-Solving Method found in the “Learning Resources” section, resource 3, or with a similar problem-solving method. During the practice, encourage the members of the group to focus on teaching and coaching the associate on how to build problem-solving skills instead of trying to solve the problem for him or her. Once your group has resolved the problem, discuss what was done well, what could be improved, and what principles you can use with your associates.

Ponder and Plan

“What Lack I Yet?”

Seek to identify a personal or business gap or need.

Spend a few minutes silently pondering what you've discussed during this lesson. Listen as the Holy Ghost helps you identify areas where you can improve. Record your impressions in your journal under the question “What Lack I Yet?”

“What Must I Do?”

Seek ways to close the gap or develop the required talent(s) to meet the need.

With the guidance of the Spirit, create your plan of how you will improve and close the gap(s) you have identified. You may use one or more of the exercises below, your own strategy, or a combination of both. Record this plan in your journal under “What Must I Do?”

  1. 1 Identify a current problem in your life. Apply the problem-solving method of your choice to roadmap how to solve this problem.
  2. 2 Meet with an associate who is having a problem that is difficult for him or her to overcome. Using a problem-solving method that you have used successfully, assist the associate in creating a plan to overcome the problem. Walk the associate through each of the steps in the problem-solving method. You may want to give the associate a copy of the problem-solving method.

After a few minutes, those who are comfortable doing so can share their impressions with the group.

“Therefore, What?”

Seek understanding, and then share what you learned.

During the week, focus on implementing the plan you created. Record your impressions or lessons learned in your journal under “Therefore, What?” You will be given time at the beginning of next week's lesson to share your experience with the group.

“It is critically important that you understand that you already know right from wrong, that you're innately, inherently, and intuitively good. When you say, 'I can't! I can't solve my problems!' I want to thunder out, 'Don't you realize who you are? Haven't you learned yet that you are a son or a daughter of Almighty God? Do you know that there are powerful resources inherited from Him that you can call upon to give you steadiness and courage and great power?'”

Boyd K. Packer, “Self Reliance” [Brigham Young University devotional, Mar. 2, 1975], 7–8, speeches.byu.edu

Lesson Resources

Resource 1

World Café

Divide into groups. Each group will gather at a different station. At each station, discuss with your group the designated principle and the questions associated with it. You will have five minutes to discuss the principle.

After five minutes, each group will rotate to a new station to discuss a different principle. After each group has visited all six stations, gather together and ask any questions you may have. Discuss the Five-Step Problem-Solving Method found in “Lesson Resources,” resource 3.

Six Principles of Problem Solving

As you discuss the steps and associated questions outlined below, think of a problem you are currently facing.

  1. 1 Determine what specific decision needs to be made or what is wanted or needed.
    • a.How is problem solving different from decision making?
    • b.What skills are needed for effective problem solving?
    • c.How can I teach my associates the importance of gaining problem-solving skills?
  2. 2Identifying the Problem
    • a.What is it that I want to do?
    • b.What am I currently doing that is different from what I want to do?
    • c.How can I teach this step to my associates?
  3. 3Analyzing the Problem
    • a.Why is this problem occurring?
    • b.How can I teach this step to my associates?
  4. 4Developing a Solution
    • a.What goals do I want to achieve?
    • b.What actions can I take to reach those goals?
    • c.How will I measure the progress I am making toward reaching those goals?
    • d.How can I teach this step to my associates?
  5. 5Implementing the Solution
    • a.What changes do I need to make to start taking the actions that were identified while developing the solution?
    • b.Am I implementing the solution as planned?
    • c.How can I teach this step to my associates?
  6. 6Evaluating the Solution
    • a.Did the solution I implemented successfully solve the problem?
    • b.How can I teach this step to my associates?

Resource 2

Problem-Solving Puzzle

Try to connect the nine dots with four straight lines without lifting your pencil or pen from the paper. You may start at any point you choose. Remember, the solution is often found “outside the box.”

Resource 3

The Five-Step Problem-Solving Method

Additional Study Material

Use this material if you would like to learn more about problem solving.