How do you share your problem-solving process with your team?

I find systemic approaches very pragmatic and accessible to most team members. We would first spend the required time to identify and describe the issue so that it makes sense to everyone’s mind map. Then my first go to process is the hypothesis driven process or issue tree, where we would point out viable assumptions and develop their content until we uncover the facts behind the hypothesis. This process eventually narrows down the issue to its core and unveils actionable items to solve the mentioned problem and it’s root cause.

Just as much as identifying the problem, it is important to find what is causing the problem. This means doing a root-cause analysis based on facts. Often in group problem solving sessions, team members try to bring in opinions of the cause of problem. Stay away from this and focus on the facts.

With events, urgency has different forms. If there is an agenda of speakers who pull out with a few days notice your programme can look very thin very quickly. In this instance it’s important to communicate promptly with your programme committee for replacement content. It is always worth having relevant back up material which can be updated with the latest developments. On the day of the event the urgency could be that your speaker may not arrive on time. In this scenario advise the AV teams of any likely changes and make other speakers aware that their slot may be brought forward. This can be done in the background through instant messaging such as Teams. The chair can calmly announce any changes calmly without confusing the audience.

There are many possible solutions for solving a situational problems but one of the traditional way is to approach the person and ask questions even a veteran needs guidance. As a producer one can always do ask me anything session with the entire team for 10 to 15 minutes and advice on further steps. Discussing the issue with team members will encourage them to share their opinions without restrictions you might find some more detailed insights than originally anticipated and event execution is not individual achievement instead it is a collaborative and inclusive effort to achieve the valuable output.

Even more important, to me, is to be able to catch issues before they raise their ugly head. This means watching the crew and all that they are doing, thinking things ahead, and watching for potential problems as you go!

There are many great methods for exploring the options. To get the widest range of views ensure you use collaborative and inclusive tools. It's best not to rely only on meetings as many will not share what they think in a meeting. Use online collaboration tools, conversations and combine that with meetings. And for any creative meetings, share information in advance, during and after to get the best responses and ideas

sometimes solving a problem may not be the best way forward. We sometimes view problems as mathematical issues and straightway try to solve them. But problems can be solved, resolved or dissolved. The later may not need as much energy and resources as the former.

Having spent worked in a challenging hi tech environment, problem solving was virtually part and parcel of the role. From a range of options we would adopt a process most applicable to the situation. Of course, a proper understanding of the issue was an essential starting point and drilling down to the root cause was imperative. From a management perspective it was necessary to understand the style to adopt. The "commander" role would be applied if the situation was critical, more routine problems were addressed with a "management" style applying tried and tested processes. With a problem not previously experienced, a leadership style with a team of knowledge experts would be adopted. Understanding which approach to adopt is essential.

Here is where your skills as a soothsayer come into play! You have to use your knowledge and your experience to not only figure out why the problem occurred but to find a solution that doesn't have a problem of its own!

From my perspective, involving your team in decision-making is transformative: Diverse Perspectives: In my experience, team members often offer unique insights, potentially uncovering overlooked solutions. Building Trust: My take is that when you value team members' opinions, it fosters trust and enhances team cohesion. Shared Responsibility: In my opinion, collective decisions lead to shared ownership. This ensures a united front during execution. Enhanced Communication: I believe that open dialogue about potential solutions improves team communication, which is vital for event success. By integrating these principles, you ensure its effective implementation. A united team is committed, driving the chosen solution to success.

Before you charge off ... "problem solved" ... ALWAYS study what you have done closely and evaluate not only if it will work successfully, but, can it be implemented in the future? And above all, whenever you are evaluating a change, you must deep dive into any safety issues.

Safety first, and then see how the change can be adapted and made more scaleable and agile. Then start in a small area to test. Then move to a larger implementation area. Always do a post-mortem review to document any lessons learned.

As an agile leader I think the reflection and evaluation part is the most important. You need to do it often and with each step rather than waiting till the end. Getting other perspectives from a diverse group is also important, so that your reflection pool doesn’t become an echo chamber.

I believe problem solving is not always a skill that you can codify and impart to others just like teaching how to solve a math problem. It requires experience, empathy, ability to listen and very often, think out of the box. If the problem is closer to you or personal, then its much harder to find a good solution. So bets if you try to distance yourself from the problem mentally if its too close to you.