Irish Times
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Problem Solving

Carmel Wynne

Are you aware of how you think when you have a problem to resolve?  Do you examine an issue or ignore it?

Do you try to come up with a solution but give up easily if it’s not working?  Are you the persistent type who will not give up until you find a solution?

Do you have a belief that you must work it out yourself or do you have the freedom to seek help and advice?  Using the expertise of others to resolve an issue is a recognised problem solving skill.

What might happen if the next time you encounter a problem you look on it as a challenge and an opportunity?  Will your attitude change if you believe there are no problems only opportunities?

Altering a word is such a simple strategy but one that has huge potential to change how you feel.  The way in which I make a request of you will influence how you respond.

Say your manager has a problem he wants you to resolve.  How adaptable he is in communicating about the issue will influence the response you give.

If he describes the issue to be resolved as a ‘problem’ he will probably get a different response than if he calls it a ‘challenge’ or an ‘opportunity’.

I don’t know how you would respond but I’d feel confident to accept a task that was so described.  I’d be challenge and motivated by one that invited me to discover an opportunity but I’d be reluctant to agree to deal with a problem.

The language used to describe the task would have a big influence on my willingness to consider a positive response.

There is always a communication problem that needs to be resolved when colleagues refuse to cooperate.  The wrong word can create misunderstandings.

Peoples’ feelings are hurt very easily.  Two managers may say exactly the same thing.  They get totally different responses because they have different relationship skills

One smiles, walks to the desk and says ‘Have you got a minute?’ in a friendly tone of voice.  The other stays at his desk and shouts ‘Have you got a minute?’ when the person passes his door.  The same words – but different messages.

You can learn to find the right language to get the message you intend across in a way that will avoid misunderstandings.  To find solutions you need the emotional intelligence skills of self-awareness, empathy, reality testing and adaptability.

I have changed and adapted exercises with so many groups over the years that I am no longer sure of the authorship that led me to devise the ‘Solar System’ as a strategy for problem solving.

It is a very simple yet effective method for communicating about a problem and finding a solution.  SOLAR stands for:


State your case – be specific about how you see the problem.  Describe it accurately.  See it from different perspectives.

Offer Suggestions – brainstorm.  Offer suggestions regarding how the problem can be resolved.  At this stage you are not interested in whether they will work.  Write everything down.  Be creative.

Look at the advantages and disadvantages of each suggestion – questions like ‘What will I gain if I adopt that suggestion?’ and ‘What would I lose?’ are helpful.  Can you make it a win/win solution?

Action – the solution may be to take immediate action or you may have to agree to defer action or compromise.

Review – setting a date and time to review the outcome of the action you take gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you have learned and how you will use it.

Marvin Levine author of Effective Problem Solving suggests there are three rules for problem solving.  Externalise – have all the elements in front of you.  Visualise – imagine yourself as you solve the problem.  Simplify – break the problem down to its simplest common denominator

Knowing how to use effective problem-solving strategies will not give you the confidence to confront problems rather than avoid them.

When you understand how you think that understanding will give you the skills to change a potential problem into a challenge and an opportunity.  Change happens the instant you change your mind.


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