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Take A Hard Look at Soft Skills
2017 Monthly Webinar SeriesProblem Solving
Webinar #11 | November 2017
Presentation © Wonderlic, Inc. 2017
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Welcome to the Webinar
Winnie Clonts
Principal and Creative Consultant
For almost 30 years, Winnie Clonts has been developing content for Wonderlic’s assessments and surveys and is currently a member of the Wonderlic Soft Skills Bootcamp development team. She has managed corporate divisions including Learning Outcomes, Research and Development, Marketing and Educational Services.
Winnie co-authored the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (WBST), and was responsible for the development of WebApp, Wonderlic’s original Internet pre-employment screening service. She was an author of the Wonderlic Personnel Test – Revised (WPT-R), the General Assessment of Individual Needs (GAIN) and the Situational Judgement Test (SJT).
Today’s agenda
1. Soft Skills for Problem Solving
2. The Six Step Rational Decision Making Process
3. Wrap-Up and Q&A
Top Ten Soft Skills – The Basics
Interpersonal Skills – Building professional working relationships and areputation for reliability.
Communication Skills – Professional courtesy, and giving and receiving constructive feedback
Listening and Nonverbal Communication Skills – Listening and reading body language
Professionalism – Demonstrating honesty, integrity, and a positive attitude.
Teamwork – Productive team behavior and skills for compromise.
Top Ten Soft Skills – Intermediate
Cultural Sensitivity – Skills for working productively with people from all backgrounds
Self-Management – Effective management of time and workplace stress
Critical Thinking – Differentiating between facts and opinion, evaluating information to determine truth
Problem Solving – Systematic, logical and unemotional guidelines for problem solving
Demonstrating Initiative – Addressing problems and challenges proactively and effectively
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Step 1: Define the problem.
Step 2: Identify the decision criteria.
Step 3: Rank order or weight decision criteria.
Step 4: Consider all possible solutions.
Step 5: Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the potential solutions.
Step 6: Choose the best alternative.
Audience Poll #1
In your experience, which step in the problem solving process has been the most important?
Step 1: Define the problem.
Step 2: Identify the decision criteria.
Step 3: Rank order or weight decision criteria.
Step 4: Consider all possible solutions.
Step 5: Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of
the potential solutions.
Step 6: Choose the best alternative.
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Step 1: Define the problem.
Source: http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/archives/2016/11/how_einstein_lo.shtml
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Problem Definition
The difference between the way something is and the way we want or expect it to be = the problem.
Key Soft Skills: Communication Skills Critical Thinking Skills
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Examples of Problem Definitions
Incorrect• There aren't enough Customer Service Reps to handle peak phone
hours. (CSRs)• Customer Service Reps need better training to speed up handling of
calls. (Training Dept.)• We need a better software for monitoring CSR productivity. (Manager)• We need a new phone system that won't make customers make as
long. (Tech)
Correct • During peak telephone hours, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to
6:00 p.m., customers are waiting an average of 15 minutes for assistance.
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Problem Statements
A good problem statement is a clear and concise description of the issue(s) that need(s) to be addressed. It contains a detailed and quantitative analysis of the problem and the effect it is causing.
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Analysis: Using the 5 Whys
Who - Who does the problem affect? Who needs the solution, and who will decide the problem has been solved?
What - What are the boundaries of the problem? What is its impact? What happens if we do or do not solve it?
When - When does the issue occur? – By when does it need to be fixed?
Where - Where is the issue occurring (exact location)?
Why - Why is it important to fix the problem? - What impact does it have on the business, customers, employees and other stakeholders?
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
The Root Cause Analysis ProcessStep One: Define the Problem
Step Two: Collect Data• What proof do you have that the
problem exists?• How long has the problem existed?• What is the impact of the problem?
Step Three: Identify Possible Causal Factors• What sequence of events leads to the problem?• What conditions allow the problem to occur?• What other problems surround the occurrence of the central problem?
Step Four: Identify the Root Cause(s)• Why does each causal factor exist?• What is the real reason the problem occurred?
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Defining the boundaries of the problem
• Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions, even "dumb” ones.
• Use active listening techniques to make sure you understand.
• Challenge assumptions.
• Gain multiple perspectives.
• Gather viewpoints from outsiders.
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Step 2: Identify the decision criteria.
Decision criteria are those variables or characteristics which are important to the organization or person making the decision. They incorporate any limitations or restraints that influence the selection of a solution.
Key Soft Skills: Professionalism, Critical Thinking Skills
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Typical decision criteria
• Ease of implementation• Cost• Ease of modification, scalability,
flexibility• Employee morale• Risk levels• Cost savings• Increase in sales or market share• Return on investment• Increase in customer satisfaction
Source: https://www.b2ttraining.com/choose-the-right-decision-criteria/
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Step 3: Rank order or weight decision criteria.
• Rank ordering decision criteria creates an objective tool for evaluating potential solutions.
• Emotion and personal preferences can be managed when priorities for decision making are clearly established.
• Always back up your assertions with facts.
Key Soft Skills: Teamwork, Communication Skills
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
What could go wrong?
"Loading the dice" by individuals who have already determined their preferred solution. In other words, ordering decision criteria in a way that will make their solution the best choice.
It is important that decision criteria rankingsupports company priorities, rather than personal goals or opinions.
Audience Poll #1
Have you experienced "loading the dice" in group decision making?
Yes, I realized it while we were setting
decision criteria.
Yes, I realized it when it came to choosing
a final decision.
No, I felt the decision criteria was set independently.
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Step 4: Consider all possible solutions.
• Defer any judgement – Record ever suggestion without editing.• Gather LOTS of ideas. More ideas allow for a better the solution.• Think outside the box. Unusual and even wild ideas can stimulate
additional creative contributions.• Combine ideas or build on them. Don't
hesitate to put together, add to or modify the ideas of others.
Key Soft Skills: Interpersonal Skills, Cultural Sensitivity
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
What could go wrong?
• Predetermining the value of suggested solutions during the brainstorming session.
• Stopping with only a few ideas.• Undervaluing the ideas of certain
participants. (bias)• Allowing strong personalities to
intimidate others.• Not encouraging everyone to speak.
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Step 5: Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the potential solutions.
• Evaluate each idea independently. Don’t compare them.
• Utilize the rank-ordered decision criteria.• Gather additional information if needed to
properly evaluate an idea.• Document the pros and cons of each solution.• Record any thoughts that would contribute
to an objective evaluation of the solution.
Key Soft Skills: Professionalism, Self-Management Skills
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Step 6: Choose the best alternative.
• Consider the facts, the pros and cons of each solution and ways to overcome any drawbacks.
• Eliminate solutions that don’t meet highest ranked decision criteria.• Identify any potential biases in thinking.• Dig deeper into solutions if questions remain.• Use the decision criteria!
Key Soft Skills: All Basic and Intermediate Skills
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
What could go wrong?
• Rushing – Burnout• Failure to investigate all alternatives• Jumping to conclusions• Bullying• Stubbornness• Failure to keep minds and
communication open.
Six Step Rational Decision-Making Process
Learning from Decisions
• How can the process be improved for next time?• What were the short term and long-term effects of the decision? • Should the decision be modified?• Which soft skills could improve
individual contributions to the process?
Wonderlic Soft Skills Training
Try ONE of Wonderlic’s Soft Skills Training Courses for free!
• Go to our ecommerce platform: https://wonderlic.nuvolaacademy.com.
• Select one of the ten 60-minute courses.
• Use the code WEB11 at checkout.
Learn more about Wonderlic’s Soft Skills Training Program.
• Go to https://www.wonderlic.com/soft-skills-training/
for course information and links to our eLearning portal.
(Note: these links will also be provided in your follow-up email.)
Wrap-Up and Q&A