Soft Skills – Thinking Process ﺑﺎ ﻋﺭﺽ ﺳﻼﻡ ﻭ ﺩﺭﻭﺩ ﻭ ﺍﺣﺗﺭﺍﻡ ﺣﺿﻭﺭ ﮐﻠﻳﻪ ﺷﺭﮐﺕ ﮐﻧﻧﺩ ﮔﺎﻥJalal Ashayeri Ph D Soft Skills/Hard Skills: What Are They? Why Do You Need Them? Good Self-Management Allows Great People Management Self-Diagnosis comes before Self-Management Self-Management improves People Management People Management is Soft Skill! - Social skills: any skill facilitating interaction and communication with others THINKING PROCESS Sea of Decision & No Compass!
Transcript
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
احترامودرودوسلامعرض باکليه شرکت کنند گانحضور
Jalal Ashayeri Ph D
Soft Skills/Hard Skills: What Are They? Why Do You Need Them?
Good Self-Management Allows Great People Management
Self-Diagnosis comes before Self-Management
Self-Management improves People Management
People Management is Soft Skill!-
Social skills: any skill facilitating interaction and communication with others
THINKING PROCESS
Sea of Decision & No Compass!
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Creative and Critical Thinking SkillsAviate – Navigate – Communicate!
If we roll a die 3 times the sum will be between 3 and 18, right?
What will be the sum of the 3 rolls?
Please write down your answer
The Unknown Known Experiment!
What will be the next number in this series?
Please write down your answer
The Known Known Experiment!
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, ?
What was differentabout these two
scenarios?
&What would happen if we
want to address unknown unknown?!!
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Current Knowledge Threshold,Patterns
Paradigms
OUR BRAIN FILLS IN THE
BLANKS
Mental Models:Knowledge Threshold, Patterns, Paradigms Say the color, Not the word
YELLOW BLUE ORANGE BLACK
GREEN PURPLE YELLOW RED
ORANGE GREEN BLACK BLUE
The left brain will try to say the color while the right brain will read the word!
Apply to Listening....Then You have....
!!
What is the color?
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Cognitive of Thinking (Critical & Creative Thinking)
Creative ThinkingCritical Thinking
Collective Behavior!
“Our science is but a drop, our ignorance a sea…... Whatever else be certain, this at least is certain: that the world of our present natural knowledge is enveloped in a larger world of some sort….., of whose residual properties we at present can frame no positive idea.
Embracing the Elephant!
William James was an American philosopher and psychologist(January 1842 – August 1910)
Not Seeing the Big Picture!
A battery pack for a Tesla Model 3 pollutes the climate with 11 to 15 tonnes of CO2. Each battery pack has a lifespan of approximately ten years and total mileage of 94,000, would mean 73 to 98 grams of CO2 per kilometer (116 to 156 grams of CO2 per mile), Buchal said. Add to this the CO2 emissions of the electricity from power-plants that power such vehicles, and the actual Tesla emissions could be between 156 to 180 grams of CO2 per kilometer (249 and 289 grams of CO2 per mile).
http://brusselstimes.com/business/technology/15050/electric-vehicles-emit-more-co2-than-diesel-ones,-german-study-showsWednesday, 17 April 2019 19:29
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool!”
Richard Feynman
Execution Decision Making Systems!
Cognitive biases cloud every decision and judgment we make. Awareness is not “the answer”—but it helps. We are all students of these phenomena. We hardly urging paralysis—we must move forward. We simply urging study/ reflection / awareness.
How often is our judgment twisted by cognitive biases?
100% of the time.
(Not a joke line.)(Not a rounding error.)
Cloud (Cognitive Biases) in Every Decision
Cloud in Every Decision
“….very often our brain is to lazy to think slowlyslowlyslowlyslowly and
methodicallymethodicallymethodicallymethodically. Instead, we let the fast way of thinking take over.
As a consequence, we often ‘see’ imaginary causalitiesimaginary causalitiesimaginary causalitiesimaginary causalities, and
thus fundamentally misunderstand the world.”
Source: Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and ThinkBig Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and ThinkBig Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and ThinkBig Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think, by Viktor Mayer-Schonberger and Kenneth Cukier
What is Bias?
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Procrastination in Every Decision
“…procrastinating in every commitment is something is written in DNA of human beings.”
Every time we have a task, our brain automatically search for a deadline, the last moment within which we will be able to perform such a task.
Do you know the student syndrome?
(E.Goldratt)
We Are Frequency!
0.005%
Persistence
When we interpret reality, neural paths are formed in our brain; the interpretation is stored in our brain as “Knowledge” ready to be re-used!
Re-interpreting costs more energy than re-using
We are more open to signals that confirm our interpretation then to signals that our interpretation is wrong
Confirmation strengthens the neural paths
It becomes harder & harder to see things differently
Failures….after Failure…
Zero Inventory Just-in-Time Lean Six Sigma Agile Scrum ????
An understanding is needed to be a change in mindset!
From "bolt-on" 'quality' to "built-in" 'improvement'...
You can't "bolt on" a "built-in" mindset...
Root causes of executive self-absorption and poor organization processes must also be addressed…
Leading change requires to encourage and empower positive change......Not words packaged & repackaged......
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
But what if we learned differently… But what if we learned differently… But what if we learned differently… But what if we learned differently…
improvingimprovingimprovingimproving
Know How!
TOOLS FOR THINKING
Types of Thinking!
“Creative Thinking is not a talent, it is a skill that can be learned. It empowers people by adding strength to their natural abilities which improves teamwork, productivity and, where appropriate, profits.”
“Critical Thinking does seem a superior sort of thinking because it seems as though the critic is actually going beyond the scope of what is being criticized in order to criticize it. That is only rarely a true assumption because, most often, the critic will seize on some little aspect that he or she understands and tackle only that.”
~ Edward de Bono
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
ChangeManagement
Theory ofConstraint
ConcurrentEngineering,
BPR,TQM (6σ)
Entrepreneurship, Risk Management
Industrial & Digital Engineering Management Consulting Toolbox
Design ThinkingThinking Process
OrganizationCoaching &Consulting Business Dynamics
System Thinking
SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is identifying strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
A gap is the difference between the current state and the future state.
GAP Analysis
Tons of other Tools!
Mind Map
Design Thinking
Understanding Design Thinking
Design Thinking
DesignChallenge
DesignSolution
P r o b l e m S p a c e S o l u t i o n S p a c e
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Double-Diamond ApproachDesign Thinking Steps in Perspective: The Attention Span
The promise: A process - we get better each time we use it!
Solutions developed: too soon, for the wrong problem or ‘looking for a problem’
Designers falling in love with their own ideas
Fear of failure or ridicule
Paralysis by analysis / paralysis period
Acting on existing knowledge, assumptions and biases
Acting impulsively or on instinct alone.
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Thinking ProcessTP
A Good Reference Book
The Logical Thinking Process: A Systems Approach to Complex Problem Solving Hardcover – August 31, 2007 by H. William Dettmer (Author)
Types of Constraints in TOC
Physical (logistical)
Internal
Capacity
Capabilities
External
Materials (vendors)
Sales (market)
Policy (managerial) Rules, measures
Paradigm (behavioral) Beliefs, assumptions
Take-Aways
As Taiichi Ohno of Toyota had a saying; we need to think “beyond common sense,” and this is where we must reach to in order to overcome errors of logical type in finding solution
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
The (Logical) Thinking Process (TP)
The (Logical) Thinking Process is an intriguing collection of logic-based tools that promise to help people diagnose problem, find solution, and draw up successful implementation plans. It is quite general and can be applied to many kinds of problems from the shop floor to the executive suite.
Guidelines for ECE Analysis & Building Current Reality Tree (CRT)
Basic Principles:
Do your homework (individual brainstorming for UDEs)
Limit your entry list of UDEs to max 10
No evaluation, no judgement when listing
No interruption, No discouraging words!
Then each UDE is subject to “Existence Reservation”
Connect between 2 or more UDEs if you see apparent connection
Choose the most undesirable or a random UDE without an incoming connection
Ask "why" is it present, Postulate a Cause (Cause Reservation, next step)
Guidelines for E-C-E Analysis & Building Current Reality Tree (CRT)
Hypothesize another undesirable effect.If it exists then the cause is validated, go to 7otherwise go to 6
Postulate another cause and hypothesize supporting effect, if not possible STOP.
The cause now becomes an effect (UDE)
Repeat 3 through 7 until no further cause can be postulated
Guidelines for E-C-E Analysis & Building Current Reality Tree (CRT)
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Categories of Legitimate Reservations
Clarity Meaning concern, no reasonable cause-effect connection
Entity Existence Completeness, Structure (compound), Validity (The sky is falling)
Causality Existence Does the cause really result in effect
Cause insufficiency The stated cause for the considered effect seems not enough
Additional Cause Other causes may result in the same effect
Cause-Effect Reversal If many fishermen are fishing and their stringers are full of fish then fishing is good
Predicted Effect Existence Most causes result in more than one effect
Tautology Circular logic : Our football team lost the game because they played poorly
1. Did I write an undesirable effect or a statement of the need to correct it? e.g. We need more order!
2. Did I write an undesirable effect or just the area in which it exists? Market Share.
3. Does the effect exist?
4. Is the effect negative?
Self-Scrutinizing Process
Sales are going down % unavoidable effect
Quality has deteriorated
1. Causality Existence (Validation)
?
A. Direct check
Sales are going down
New Competitors entered the market
Cause Existence
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Sales are going down
The market's taste has changed
tangible Effect ??
B. Not tangible, impossible to check directly
Cause Existence
A comparable increase in the
sales of an alternative
product
C. Avoid Circular logic (Tautology)
Sales are going down
Insufficient sales efforts
Our team lost the game
They played poorly!
Cause Existence
Sales are going down
competitor improved We have not improved
his product offering our product offering
2. Cause Insufficiency
&
Sales are going down
Down-turn
in Economy
New competitor
entered the market
3. Additional Cause
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Sales are going down
4. Un-clarity
We just started to market abroad
Sales are going down
Sales domestically are down
Sales abroad are not yet significant
We moved some sales persons abroad
We just started to market abroad
4. Un-clarity
Activity 1
Objective:
Understand how to identify UDEs in an organization.
Instructions:
1. Work in small groups
2. Select a case study to work on. Ideally, the case study should
be one of your organizations, however, you can also choose
the retail case study
3. List the undesirable effects
4. Select the three most important ones
Timing: 15 minutes
Building an Evaporating Cloud – New Problem
We will be using a retail company case study to illustrate how to use the Thinking Processes. This is a national electronics retailer with several hundreds of stores throughout the country.
Their challenges:
Limited credit available for the stores The stores have a thin operating margin Cash flow is a constant challenge for the stores New products sales are low Some stores have difficulties paying their vendors Some stores have difficulties getting new merchandise The inventory levels at the stores are high Obsolete inventory is a real problem for most stores
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
What to Change: Current Reality Tree (CRT)
Building a Current Reality Tree helps us better understand the situation:
Validate the Core Conflict
Understand the existing cause-and-effect relationships
identify the formal and informal policies, measurements and behaviors that perpetuate the existence of the UDEs.
UDE
UDE
UDE
A
B
D’D
Assumption
UDE
UDE = Undesirable Effect (Problem)
C
1. Build a Current Reality Tree from the Core Conflict Cloud
What to Change: Evaporating Cloud (EC)
What are the conflicts in the organization that perpetuate some of the undesirable effects?
What underlying core conflict is causing all of these the undesirable effects or problems in the organization?
Check the logic: In order to have …., we must …. (necessary condition).
Don’t want and do have
Do want and don’t have
Long-term
Objective
Short-term
Cloud System
Activity 2
Objective:
Learn how to build and scrutinize clouds.
Instructions:
1. Work in the same small groups from Activity 1.
2. Select one of the UDE or CP you discussed in Activity 1
3. Build the cloud
4. Check the logic using: In order to have… we must…
(necessary condition)
5. If ok, move on to build the clouds for the three most
important UDE’s
Timing: 30 minutes
Finding the Core Conflict
CP from the CRT
Generic D
D’
B
C
A
CP from the CRT
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Systemic Cloud: Logical Error
We anchor ourselves to the local view and we erroneously extend it to cover more than it should
To stress the point, our world view looks like this …
Do want and don't have
Global PositiveNeed
Objective
Local View – Individual/Department
LocalPositiveNeed
Do have and don’t want
It Erroneously Extends to Here
Activity 3
Objective:Find the core conflict that underlies the different clouds.
Instructions:
1. Continue working in the same small groups from Activity 1.
2. Build the core conflict cloud from the three clouds you constructed in Activity 2
3. Check the logic and make sure it makes sense.
Timing: 30 minutes
Moving to the Current Reality Tree (CRT)
Generic D’
Generic D
Undesirable Effects UDE’s
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
...
Core Conflict
Check whether the UDE’s are related to the core conflict. If one seems not related, then revisit the core conflict using this UDE’s EvCl as the 4th one.
Activity 4
Objective: Learn how to surface assumptions and find
injections to break the cloud.
Instructions:1. Continue working in the same small groups
2. Start surfacing the assumptions underlying each arrow in
your core conflict cloud. Find, at least, 5 assumptions under
each arrow.
3. Brainstorm ideas on how to invalidate some of these
assumptions and break the conflict
4. Prepare to present to the group
Timing: 30 minutes
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Future Reality Tree FRT: Future Reality Tree
My Gasoline expenses go down even more
Gasoline consumption is reduced
Gasoline expenses are down
I increase tire pressure Higher tire
pressures reduce gasoline
consumption
My engine runs smoothly
Smooth engine use less gasoline
I have an engine setup
My car’s engine runs poorly
Negative Branches TT : Transition Tree
Provide step-by-step method for action/implementation
Enable effective navigation through a change process
Detect deviation in progress toward a limited objective
Adapt or redirect effort, should plans change
Communicate reasons for action to others
Execute the injections developed in CRD/FRT
Attain intermediate objectives identified in PRT
Develop tactical from conceptual / strategic plans
Preclude UDE from arising out of implementation action
I have located for job
opportunities suitable for my
qualifications
I have a « short list » of
job opportunities in my
chosen field that match
my qualifications.
I have little job-
related experience
in my chosen
field.
All possible job
openings in my chosen field are
identified
I don’t know where
to look for possible
job opportunities.
I ask respected
faculty members
for career advice.
I research resources
at the campus career
center
I narrow my choice
to entry-level
positions
I apply for jobs on
my « short list »
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
The Effectiveness of Communication
There is no point in being right, if no one understands you!
Effectiveness of communication is based on 80% of the meaning of the words we use!
Personality vs. Behavior
Behavior: What you say (verbal) and do (non-verbal)
Personality: The combination of ideas, values, hopes,
dreams, attitudes, abilities, as well as the behavior that others can observe that encompasses everything a person is
Personality
SOCIAL STYLES are focused on observable behaviors
ObservableBehaviors
Behavior
Feelings
Thoughts
Observable Behaviors
Quiet • Loud
Slower-paced • Faster-paced
Facially controlled • Facially animated
Monotone voice • Inflected voice
Indirect eye contact • Direct eye contact
Casual posture • Rigid posture
Leans back • Leans forward
Below are some examples of behaviors that we can observe
93% is conveyed through observable behavior, 38% of the way we say the words 55% of nonverbal clues
Research (1970) by A. Mehrabian, Prof. emeritus UCLA, “Silent Messages: Implicit Communication of Emotions and Attitudes
The SOCIAL STYLE ModelTM
Analytical Driving
Amiable Expressive
ASKS TELLS
ASKS TELLS
CO
NT
RO
LSE
MO
TE
S
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
Analytical Style
Risk-adverse
Slower-paced
Cautious action
Structured
Want to see the detail
Want to see how
Historic timeframeWant to be right!
Analytical Driving
Amiable Expressive
ASKS TELLS
CO
NTR
OLS
EM
OT
ES
Amiable Style
Risk-adverse
Slower-paced
Very relationship-oriented
Want harmony and consensus
Present timeframe
Want to be liked!
Analytical Driving
Amiable Expressive
ASKS TELLS
CO
NT
RO
LSE
MO
TE
S
Expressive Style
Faster-paced
Unstructured
Impulsive action
Focused on innovation and vision
Future timeframe
Want to be appreciated!
Analytical Driving
Amiable Expressive
ASKS TELLS
CO
NT
RO
LSE
MO
TE
S
Driving Style
Faster-paced
Structured
Interested in results and speed
Tomorrow timeframe
Want to win!
Analytical Driving
Amiable Expressive
ASKS TELLS
CO
NT
RO
LSE
MO
TE
S
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
How to Handle Conflicts
When under pressure
How to Address
AnalyticalAvoids
• Do not challenge or pressure• Ask for help in deciding how you might proceed
to set up a plan, get data, or take the steps for regular follow-up
AmiableAcquiesces
• Encourage to provide input to a working relationship
• Ask for their help with small requests
ExpressiveAttacks
• Be a sympathetic listener who does not evaluate or defend
• Demonstrate empathy
DrivingTakes Control
• Do not attempt to compete with him or her• Channel the energy into a mutually productive
area
“The Minto Pyramid Principle”
• The main message of your communication.
• Key messages represent a logical
grouping that supports the thought above it
(a sub-message).
• Supporting messages, in turn supported by
detailed information (research data and
facts) that support the thought behind it.
Key Message 2
KeyMessage 3
Key Message 1
Support Message A
Support Message
B
Situation
Complication
Question
Support Message
A
Support Message C
Support Message
BSupport Message A
Introduction
Main Message (Answer)
Main Body (Support)
• Structured introduction framework.
Main Message(Answer)
Support Message
C
Support Message
B
Source: The Minto Pyramid Principle®, SCQ, copyright of Barbara Minto.
Begin Your Message with an S-C-Q-A Introduction That Tells the Story
Relevant facts about the situation; facts the audience would not dispute
S
Q
Situation:
The trigger; the event, problem, etc. that created the need for this communication
Answer: The main message
The one fundamental issue this communication will address
Complication:
Question:
C
Source: The Minto Pyramid Principle®, SCQ, copyright of Barbara Minto.
A
What are T-shaped professionals?Ready for Life-Long-LearningReady for T-eam-workReady to Help Build a Smarter Planet
Successful Implementation - Factor T
Computer Scientists, MBAs, Industrial Engineers, Operations Research, Management of Information
Systems, Systems Engineers
Soft Skills – Thinking Process
“If you think it’s expensive to hire “If you think it’s expensive to hire “If you think it’s expensive to hire “If you think it’s expensive to hire
a professional to do the job; wait a professional to do the job; wait a professional to do the job; wait a professional to do the job; wait
until you hire an amateuruntil you hire an amateuruntil you hire an amateuruntil you hire an amateur”!!!”!!!”!!!”!!!
