All posts by Marisa Weissman

01-Structuring a problem, problem statement, Uncategorized

Einstein’s Secret to Amazing Problem Solving

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“Einstein is quoted as having said that if he had one hour to save the world he would spend fifty-five minutes defining the problem and only five minutes finding the solution.”

In the beginning of our MP journey we discussed the importance of fully understanding the problem at hand. With that we were tasked with evaluating the problem for our projects by using the idea of a problem statement summary. This tool helped guide us to clearly define the problem. I have found this tool a great resource, but always look to find even more resources to help in this department, as it is so important.

There are many times I still find it challenging to spend a lot of time on the problem at hand. It is so tempting to just dive right into a solution. Although I may know how important it is to analyze, develop, and clearly understand the problem, it is easy to jump ahead without even realizing it.

This article explains that being able to clearly define a problem is something that can be learned and developed over time.  It also explains that you may need to use a multitude of strategies or tools to help you get there.

Below are 10 strategies that you can use to help define a problem (see full article for an in depth description)

1) Rephrase the problem

2) Expose and Challenge assumptions

3) Chunk Up

4) Chunk Down

5) Find Multiple Perspectives

6) Use Effective Language Constructs

7) Make it Engaging

8) Reverse the Problem

9) Gather Facts

10) Problem-Solve your Problem Statement

Please be sure to take a look at the full article to give you a deeper understanding of the strategies listed.
https://litemind.com/problem-definition/

04-Managing a project team, team dynamics, team roles

Exerting Influence Without Authority

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In the business environment today the “I leader, you follower” mentality may not always be the most appropriate approach anymore.

With so many business structures relying on partnerships and working with teams inside and outside the company, the traditional leader tactic will not always work. Many managers and executives need to be able to adopt a more lateral style of leadership in order to coordinate, communicate, and complete work with these interwoven relationships.

The article explains lateral leadership as the ability to combine multiple essential skills. The article explains 4 essential capabilities to assist you with understanding how to use lateral leadership to your benefit.

1) Networking – “Cultivate a broad network of relationships with the people inside and outside your company whose support you need to carry out your initiatives.”

2) Constructive persuasion and negotiation – Look at persuasion and negotiation as a way to  heighten your influence not as way to manipulate.

3) Consultation – “Take time to visit the people whose buy-in you need. Ask their opinions about the initiative you’re championing. Get their ideas as well as their reactions to your ideas.”

4) Coalition building – “It’s a fact of human nature that several people who are collectively advocating an idea exert more influence than a lone proponent.”

A few more take aways:

  •  Lateral leadership can be challenging for managers to execute. It is difficult to master many of the capabilities that go into achieving lateral leadership. It may take time.
  • It is important to find the people in your company that have a lot of influence. Take the time to meet these people and get to know them before jumping into a project with them.
  •  A natural positive environment can help bring relationships together. A company should encourage opportunities for people to meet, but let the relationships form on their own and not be forced.

Exerting Influence Without Authority

 

04-Managing a project team, team dynamics, team roles

Discovering Your Authentic Leadership

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This Harvard Business Review  article outlines how to be an authentic leader and explains that you do not have to be born with a specific set of characteristics that labels you a leader. Rather authentic leadership develops from a multiple of facets that make up ones life. Their study shows that you do not have to be in a high position at your organization or wait for that tap on the shoulder to be recognized or portray authentic leadership.

The authors and their research team surveyed over a 125 leaders at multiple levels. This proved to be one of the most extensive study on leadership development.  The team wanted to know how these leaders developed their leadership skills. They found that after “Analyzing 3,000 pages of transcripts, our team was startled to see you do not have to be born with specific characteristics or traits of a leader. Leadership emerges from your life story”.

One of their interviewees was Ann Fudge, Chairman and CEO for Young & Rubicam. She stated, “All of us have the spark of leadership in us, whether it is in business, in government, or as a nonprofit volunteer. The challenge is to understand ourselves well enough to discover where we can use our leadership gifts to serve others”.

There are 7 areas in which the authors express make up authentic leaders. Please read below for a brief description of these 7 areas.

1) Learning from Your Life Story – Many leaders use life experiences and happenings to help motivate their leadership. They use these experiences to give meaning to their lives and find the inspiration to lead.

2) Knowing Your Authentic Self -This article expresses that one of the most important capabilities of a leader to possess, is to have self awareness. As time goes on many leaders who may find benefits from the outside world such as money, fame, and power will eventually feel like something is missing. These leaders have left no time for them to understand and develop the inside part of their leadership.

3) Practicing Your Values and Principles – The article explains “leadership principles are values translated into action. Having a solid base of values and testing them under fire enables you to develop the principles you will use in leading”.

4) Balancing Your Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivations – It is easy to get caught up in the external motivators such as promotions or financial rewards, but in the end of the day intrinsic motivators work closer with your values and will be more fulfilling then extrinsic motivations.

5) Building Your Support Team – Authentic leaders maintain strong relationships in multiple forms. These relationships help them continue their forward movement. These relationships can include family, mentors, colleagues, and close friends.

6) Integrating Your Life by Staying Grounded – This can be very challenging for many leaders. It is important to integrate a balance between work, family, friends, health, and even spiritual practices. This allows leaders to maintain an authenticity.

7) Empowering People to Lead – An authentic leader recognizes that leadership is not defined by their success but rather the success of an organization by empowering leaders at all levels. Authentic leaders will motivate and encourage people to lead.

I found that this HBR article offered a great perspective of what we can focus on to develop our abilities as authentic leaders. We do not have to wait to start becoming the leaders we want to be, the best time to start is now using our life stories and experiences to lead the way.

I want to end with my favorite quote from the article.

“Authentic leaders demonstrate a passion for their purpose, practice their values consistently, and lead with their hearts as well as their heads. They establish long-term, meaningful relationships and have the self-discipline to get results. They know who they are.”

Here is pdf version of the article

Discovering Your Authentic Leadership