Page 81 - Becoming a Successful Manager

72 ESTABLISHING A SOLID DEPARTMENTAL FOUNDATION

orative, resolution-based fact finding. Team members should know
to ask themselves the following diagnostic questions whenever a
problem arises:

Diagnostic Problem-Solving Questions
•What specifically do I want? Is it reasonable (i.e., attainable)?

• Am I committed to resolving the problem methodically and
conscientiously?

• If negative thoughts or outside influences are sidetracking

me, what specifically can I do to rid myself of those thoughts
and infl uences?

In a problem-solving culture, these questions enable employees
to progress from articulating a problem through a methodical,
cohesive effort to fi nd a solution.
Let’s review fi ve situations you might encounter as a man-
ager. Each one contains a description of the situation followed by
the problem stated in positive terms. To bring about resolution,
you must fi rst frame a problem and present it to your employ-
ees in positive terms. Proper presentation of a problem statement
includes two key attributes:

• It states what you need, want, or expect and is based on
what is currently happening, or what you wish to happen,
but is not.
• It is stated in positive terms.

Situation: You have a staff member whose contributions are
substantially less than what she is capable of giving.
Problem statement: You need her to contribute at an
agreed level and she is not.
Situation: Two staff members need to work together, but
they don’t like each other and would rather not be teamed.