Have you ever been creative? Thought of a solution that is different.?
If the Answer is yes, you have already been part of the Process called ‘Creative
Problem Solving’. If the Answer is no….No issues, this write up will guide you
to be a Creative Problem Solver...
“Creative problem solving
is - looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something
different.” - Albert Szent-Gyorgi, former Nobel prize winner
Creative Problem Solving is a proven method for approaching a
problem or a challenge in an imaginative and innovative way. It’s a tool that
helps people re-define the problems they face, come up with breakthrough ideas
and then take action on these new ideas.
Sounds Exciting!
Let us get into what constitutes Creative Problem Solving……
Step 1:State what appears
to be the problem.
The real
problem may not surface until facts have been gathered and analyzed. Therefore, start with what you assume to be
the problem, that can later be confirmed
or corrected.
STEP 2. Gather facts, feelings and opinions
Answer the 5 W
(when, where, why, what, who) and the How questions..
zWhat happened?
zWhere, when
and how did it occur?
zWhat is it’s
size, scope, and severity?
zWho and what
is affected?
zLikely to
happen again?
There might be
a need to assign priorities to critical elements.
STEP 3: Restate
the problem
Restating the problem helps in reassessing the problem.
Actual Problem , might not be what was stated before.
STEP 4
Identify alternative solutions
Think of the alternative solutions. At this step the
ideas are generated, no idea should be ruled out until several have been
discussed. There should not be a hesitancy to discuss an idea, as it may seem
unfeasible, many times such unfeasible ideas become what we call as creative
solutions.
STEP 5: Evaluate
alternatives
Ask these 4
questions:
zWhich will
provide the optimum solution?
zWhat are the
risks?
zAre costs in
keeping with the benefits?
zWill the
solution create new problems?
At this step you
are moving very closer to your final solution.
Discuss all the alternatives, keeping in mind the different parameters.
By the end of this step you would have
arrived at your Optimum solution.
STEP 6.
Implement the decision!
Just arriving at the solution, does not solve
the problem! The Solution needs to be implemented…
Time for asking some more questions…
zWho must be
involved?
zTo what
extent?
zHow, when and
where?
zWho will the
decision impact?
zWhat might go
wrong?
zHow will the
results be reported and verified?
After finding answers to these questions, you are
ready to implement your ‘Creative Solution’.
STEP 7. Evaluate the results.
zTest the
solution against the desired results.
zMake revisions
if necessary.
After the solution has been implemented, it needs to
be verified if it serves its need.
If it needs any modifications, the same are to be re
implemented.
TOOLS
& TECHNIQUES
BRAINSTORMING
To generate a large number of ideas in a short
period of time.
The more ideas
the better!
No discussion
No idea is a bad idea
Display all
ideas
Build on one
another’s ideas
MULTIVOTING
A way to vote
to select the most
important or popular items (alternatives) from a list.
MIND MAPPING
: A visual picture of a group of ideas,
concepts or issues.
Purpose:
yUnblock our
thinking.
y See an entire idea or several ideas on one
sheet of paper.
y See how ideas relate to one another.
yLook at things in a new and
different way.
y Look at an idea in depth.
Now,
you are on your way to be a ‘Creative Problem Solver’….Enjoy the journey….
Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor was a management professor at MIT
Sloan School of Management and president of Antioch College from
1948 to 1954. He also taught in IIM Calcutta.
In his 1960 book, The Human Side of Enterprise, Douglas McGregor
proposed two theories by which to view
employee motivation. He avoided descriptive labels and simply called the theories Theory X and Theory Y. Both of these theories
begin with the premise that management's role is to assemble the factors of production,
including
people, for the economic benefit of the firm. Beyond this point, the two
theories of management diverge.
Theory X
Theory X assumes that the average person:
Dislikes work and attempts to avoid it.
Has no ambition, wants no responsibility, and would rather follow than
lead.
Is self-centered and therefore does not care about organizational
goals.
Resists change.
Is gullible and not particularly intelligent.
Theory X - The Hard Approach and Soft Approach
Under Theory X, management approaches can range from a hard approach to
a soft
approach.
The hard approach relies on coercion, implicit threats, close
supervision, and tight
controls, essentially an environment of command and control. The soft
appoach is to be
permissive and seek harmony with the hope that in return employees will
cooperate when
asked to do so. However, neither of these extremes is optimal. The hard
approach results
in hostility, purposely low-output, and hard-line union demands. The
soft approach
results in ever-increasing requests for more rewards in exchange for
ever-decreasing
work output.
The optimal management approach under Theory X probably would be
somewhere
between these extremes. However, McGregor asserts that neither approach
is appropriate
because the assumptions of Theory X are not correct.
The Problem with Theory X
Under Theory X the firm relies on money and benefits to satisfy
employees' lower needs, and once those needs are satisfied the source of motivation
is lost. Theory X management styles in fact
hinder the satisfaction of higher-level needs.Only way that employees can attempt to satisfy their higher level needs
in their work is by seeking more compensation, so it is quite predictable that they will
focus on monetary rewards.
While money may not be the most effective way to
self-fulfillment, in a Theory X environment it may be the only way. Under Theory X, people use work to
satisfy their lower needs, and seek to satisfy their higher needs in their leisure
time. But it is in satisfying their higher needs that employees can be most productive.
McGregor makes the point that a command and control environment is not
effective because it relies on lower needs as levers of motivation, but in modern
society those needs already are satisfied and thus no longer are motivators. In this
situation, one would
expect employees to dislike their work, avoid responsibility, have no
interest in
organizational goals, resist change, etc., thus making Theory X a
self-fulfilling prophecy.
From this reasoning, McGregor proposed an alternative: Theory Y
Theory Y
The higher-level needs of esteem and self-actualization are continuing
needs in that they are never completely satisfied. As such, it is these higher-level needs
through which employees can best be motivated.
Theory Y makes the following general assumptions:
Work can be as natural as play and rest.
People will be self-directed to meet their work objectives if they are
committed to
them.
People will be committed to their objectives if rewards are in place
that address
higher needs such as self-fulfillment.
Under these conditions, people will seek responsibility.
Most people can handle responsibility because creativity and ingenuity
are
common in the population.
The higher-level needs of esteem and self-actualization are continuing
needs in that they
are never completely satisfied. As such, it is these higher-level needs
through which
employees can best be motivated.
Theory Y makes the following general assumptions:
Work can be as natural as play and rest.
People will be self-directed to meet their work objectives if they are
committed to
them.
People will be committed to their objectives if rewards are in place
that address
higher needs such as self-fulfillment.
Under these conditions, people will seek responsibility.
Most people can handle responsibility because creativity and ingenuity
are
common in the population.
Theory Y Management Implications
If Theory Y holds, the firm can do many things to harness the
motivational energy of its
employees:
Decentralization and Delegation - If firms decentralize control and
reduce the
number of levels of management, each manager will have more subordinates
and
consequently will be forced to delegate some responsibility and decision
making
to them.
Job Enlargement - Broadening the scope of an employee's job adds
variety and
opportunities to satisfy ego needs.
Participative Management - Consulting employees in the decision making
process
taps their creative capacity and provides them with some control over
their work
environment.
Performance Appraisals - Having the employee set objectives and
participate in
the process of evaluating how well they were met.
If properly implemented, such an environment would result in a high
level of motivation
as employees work to satisfy their higher level personal needs through
their jobs.
CONCLUSION
Though
these theories are very basic in nature, they provide a platform for future
generations of management theorists and practitioners to understand the
changing dynamics of human behavior. Taken too literally, Theories X and Y seem
to represent unrealistic extremes. Most employees (including managers) fall
somewhere in between these poles. Recent studies have questioned the rigidity
of the model, yet McGregor's X-Y Theories remain guiding principles to the
management to evolve processes which help in organizational development. A mix
of practices which ensure a healthy blend of systems and the freedom to perform
at the work place is likely to motivate the employees more. This mix of
practices calls for induction of technology into HR. How we can practice Talent
Management in all types of organizations will indicate how well we have
understood & deployed these theories X and Y in our real time environment
So you got to make a choice! is it Theory X or is it Theory Y.
Learning in Class through Animated Movie: The Three Monks
A new
chapter in the POM class. Learning through The Animated movie
Sounds
Interesting…..
Lets
have the clip first:
The
movie was good.
Time for some analysis:
An old
Chinese Proverb goes,” One Monk will shoulder two buckets of water, two monks will share the load , but add a third
and no one will want to fetch water”.The proverb is based on a story of three
monks which can be easily seen. The story highlights the different aspects of group
dynamics and the different methods adopted to perform the same task.
Method
1: A single monk carrying two buckets of water.
Method
2: Two monks carryig a single bucket of water.
Method
3: Three monks working together as a team, to fetch buckets of water .
Analysing
the Clip:
The First Method:
A single monk, fetching two buckets of water.
It is
easier to bring two buckets of water carried on a bamboo stick
than a single bucket by hand. Innovation
in the sense that, use of the bamboo stick.
Here, the monk being single, is free to carry out
the work as he intends. Though the task takes a toll on his body as is visible
when he returns, he goes off to sleep.
The Second Method:
When the
second monk arrives, the first one shrieks from his responsibilities, thinking that
the second one would bring the water. But he is for forced to accompany the
second monk. This is where the Group Dynamics come into picture.
The two
monks use one bamboo stick to bring one bucket of water. Initially it may seem
as low productivity as compared to the method 1 but the productivity per person
is more in method 2.
Initially
there are differences between the two monks regarding how to carry the bucket, but at the end they reach on a
consensus. The bamboo stick is measured, from the centre and then the bucket is
carried.
A few
concepts arising out of this :
1.Measurement
should be scientific and objective.
2. Let
one person measure and the other person mark .
Innovation
again comes into picture. One more thing that needs to be highlighted is that after the two monks return they have time for
praying, as opposed to the first case.
The Third Method
As the
Third monk arrives, the two monks expect him to fetch the bucket of water. As
the monk is very tired he finishes all the water available in the monastery. So,
no water left in the monastery.
As fate
would have it , a fire breaks out, and it is at this moment that the 3 monks
work together as a team with a same
intention of dousing the fire .This is where the Group dynamics, with a lot of team work comes into picture.
Another
aspect that is highlighted is, innovation. The 3 monks innovate a new mechanism to bring
water to the monastery. This is pure innovation.
We
witness at each step, there is new innovation that leads a step further towards
excellence.
On Careful examination, we can see the
expressions on the face of Lord Buddha changing. This reflects how at every
step others view the situation.
The
Biggest Learnings:
1. Synergy:
More individuals bring out a higher output than each individual working alone.
2.
Scientific and objectives measurements and instruments should be used to
resolve the conflict .
3. Necessaity
is the mother of innovation. At each
step we see innovation and a drive towards excellence.
4.
Crisis situation drive individuals towards a common goal , and the team goal
takes precedence over individual goals.
5. Being
prepared for a disaster, helps when the disaster actually occurs.
In this
class, the class revolved around the Nature of functions and the Decision Making of an Organisations
THE VALLEY
CROSSING:::::
One look at
the picture , and one feels , hey what is going on….
Through this
example we were given one of the most
important lessons of management….
Step wise
Analysis of the Valley Crossing Example:
Person
First Person
Second Person
Third Person
Steps:
1
Safe
Safe
Safe
2
Half Risky
Safe
Safe
3
Fully Risky
Safe
Safe
4
Half Risky
Half Risky
Safe
5
Safe
Full Risky
Safe
6
Safe
Half Risky
Half Risky
7
Safe
Safe
Full Risky
8
Safe
Safe
Half Risky
9
Safe
Safe
Safe
Idea behind
the whole exercise was to understand the intricacies involved from designing the task to the execution of
the task..
Designing
the Task:
1. Safety
of each of the worker
2. Effective
execution of the Task’
Safety of
the People:
At any given
point of time Two people are fully
involved in the task and the third person is in the safe state. If one goes
through the entire cycle for this exercise one realises , each person
was assigned the same amount of task without any difference…
For each
Person the state analysis is as:
Safe:- 6
Half Risky
-2
Full Risky-1
In that
case, there would not be a question of unfair task allocation , a very important requirement while designing
the task.
Effective execution of the task
Role assignment
The beauty
of this task lies in the Role assignment and the execution of that role.
Each member
at one point of time, enters into a role and executes that. The very next
moment, a new role is assigned to that member and the other member very easily
fits into the role of the other member. This is the real beauty of this Role
Switching.
Irrelevance of Physical Power
Focus of the
design Process , has been the
elimination of the relevance of
physical power.
Here, in
this design process, the Physical Stamina is not important.
Highlights of This Task
Clear Goal Setting
In this case
a clear goal is defined, that is crossing the valley.Any ambiguity in the goal
can lead to confusion among the team members proving fatal for the task.
TeamWork
This
activity requires all the 3 team members to be in sync with each other.All the
3 people involved have to work as a team to accomplish the end goal:
ie: Crossing
the Valley
Communication
Good
Communication starts with a clear
understanding of the goal. It allows the team members to work towards attaining
that goal. The Delivery of the goal depends on the
Miscommunication
communication of the team.Any
miscommunication from any member of the team can prove fatal for the entire
team.