Solution oriented leadership

Humanistic Leadership is Solution Oriented Leadership. There are several benefits to being solution oriented.

1.    It encourages collaborative problem solving. A lot of the interpersonal problems go away when we stop trying to “win” arguments and start focusing on how best to solve a problem. The added bonus is you get better problems solved and that means, better business solutions.

2.    Solution oriented leadership also tends to be more moral. In order to focus on the “best” solution, your team has to discuss what a good solution is. That means discussing morality. What do you mean by a good solution?  Can you solve for multiple problems simultaneously? Even better.

3.    Being focused on solutions can also lead to more creative solutions. If you give yourself over to the process, and focus on problem solving well, which means, inclusive problem solving, then you can often create and find creative solutions that not only work to solve your problem, but do so in a way that is ethical and that solves multiple problems at the same time.

Obviously, this is an ideal. Reality, makes doing this hard. So how can leaders strengthen their problem solving skills?  

I recommend a 3-pronged approach and really, this is about asking yourself better questions. 

1.    What is your real problem? It is amazing how many people try to solve the wrong problem or proxy problems.  By drilling down and challenging your assumptions about what your real problem is, you can both save yourself time but also create better solutions. The example I give in my training programs is crops and rain. If you are focused on trying to make it rain, you are focused on the wrong thing. Your real problem is that you need to water your plants. Rain is just one of the many ways you can water your plants. If you focus on trying to make it rain, you will not only NOT be successful, you will have wasted your time energy and money on solutions that don’t work. This problem is real and it has destroyed civilizations. A good problem-solving leader focuses on solving their real problem.

2.    What is really causing your real problem? People make all sorts of assumptions. If you want to be successful, find out what is really causing your problem. That way you can figure out what will really work to fix it. This is similar to the solving the wrong problem. If you misdiagnose the cause of your problem, you will waste time energy and money on solutions that don’t work.

3.    What will really work to fix the real cause of your real problem? Not all solutions work. Figuring out what will really work is worth the effort. This is why having a diverse, yet cohesive workgroup is so important. They help you identify possible causes and solutions better and thus help create a better solution that will really work to solve your real problem. 

The best way to train your team is to constantly ask questions? Learn the art of Socratic Questioning. Encourage people to present ideas and encourage thinking about them. The single most effective way to do this is through Socratic Questioning.

The 2^nd thing leaders need to do is create psychologically safe spaces for people to collaborate. If there is any bullying or harassment going on, it will shut down effective problem solving.

Hope this helps, let me know if I can be of further assistance. I offer an online course on reality based problem solving (https://humanistlearning.com/realitybaseddecisionmaking/) and also courses on humanistic leadership, Socratic method and more.