The Issue Resolution Model

by Unre Visagie

Use this process for issue resolution and management

Master Career Coach, Unre Visagie explaines in the following video how to apply the “Issue Resolution Model” in your career. This model can be applied to any challenging scenarion that you experience as an issue. Handel the issue in such a way that you always grow your career.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tJmBdjFTwg

Question

When I think back to some situations that I have had to deal with recently, I’m not so sure that I go about resolving issues in the best way possible.

What process can I follow that will ensure optimum results?

Answer

By applying the steps, guidelines and questions in the Issue Management and Resolution process when dealing with a situation, you will enhance your ability to resolve issues involving customers, suppliers and colleagues, as well as issues within your family and social context.

Advice

The key concept is identifying alternative solutions; having options is the wealth of life.

Question

But can a company use a Win-Win decision making process that maximizes the value to all parties?

Answer

Companies can subscribe to an inclusive transparent decision making process. As illustrated below, this process is self-correcting and is an effective mechanism to check the use of personal and positional power in decision making.

Seeking objective criteria.

Getting input from others

Initiating.

Seeking/giving information and opinions.

Encouraging others to action.

Facilitating

Focusing discussions.

Clarifying and elaborating.

Summarizing.

Integrating.

EvaluatingAssessing relevance.

Identifying personal preferences and agendas.

Set a SMARTM action plan.

Making a decision

Use appropriate tools, for instance:

Decision matrix
Force Field
T-chart

Communicate to people who must know.

Communicate to people for whom it would be nice to know.

Advise

This process encourages true Elephant behavior from all concerned if you ask me.

Explain

Know who you need to consult when making a decision.

Know who your decision will affect and how.

Seek information internally and externally.

Decisions are not to be made alone.

Advise

Decision making is not about independence.

It is about interdependence.

Refer also to Steven Coveys Interdependence, the 7 habits of highly effective people.

Question

Sometimes when I need to make a decision, I find it difficult to choose between the different available options.

Can you show me some techniques that will make it easier for me to decide on the optimum alternative?

Answer

Let me introduce you to three practical techniques that can help you evaluate alternative options:

The T-chart

Force Field Analysis

The Decision Matrix

The T Chart

Force Field Analysis

Focus on each option in turn and identify both Pro’s and Con’s.

Write input on a flip-chart for the whole group to see and for it to serve as visual stimulus.

Encourage conscious thought about the implications, benefits, losses, etc. of the decision.

Specify the options/possible solutions/alternatives.

List all the forces working against the attainment of the goal (the impeding forces).

List all the forces working for or promoting the goal (the impelling forces).

For each impeding force list all the possible factors that could possibly reduce or eliminate
that force.

For each impelling force list all the factors that could possibly increase that force.

Evaluate the effort and “cost” involved in implementing each option.

The Decision Matrix

Identify the different options available.
Identify criteria for decision making or evaluation.
Quantify importance of criteria on a scale (e.g. 1 to 10).
Evaluate each option in terms of each criterion and quantify on a scale (e.g. 1 to 10).
Write score in lower part of block in each column.
Multiply each score with the value of the corresponding criterion and write it in top part of the block.
Add the scores written in the top part of the blocks in each row to get a score for each option.