PROBLEM SOLVING AND

DECISION MAKING SKILLS

 A very important life skill
 Problems are part and partial of life
 World is full of problems
 “A baby cries immediately its born”
Why?
 Will lead us to guidance and
Counselling

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A Problem
 Something that causes trouble or difficulty in ones life,
something that has effect on someone’s health.
 Vary in magnitude/ size and type,
 Could be at Organisational or personal level
 Could be faced by client, friend, relative, workmate etc
 Require a solution
 Running away from a problem is not the solution
 Problem solving means the process of finding solutions to
problems.
 Problem solving is one of the most essential skills in life.
Regardless of who you are or what you do, you will face
obstacles. How you deal with such challenges will often be a
determining factor in how successful you are at life.

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A problem 1
 Imagine you are the in-charge of Mayo
Clinic a health centre in Lira district,
Uganda. You notice that for two months
now, employees report for work late, past
10:00Am and leave early, around 3:00PM.
The Executive director has asked you to
devise a long lasting solution to this
situation. Using the problem solving skills,
show how you would arrive to a
solution(s) to this situation.

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A problem 2
 A client, Akello present to you the following concern:
 “I am tired of this marriage! How can my husband
quarrel and beat me every night he comes back home?
Imagine, he slapped me yesterday just because he did
not find hot water to bath and now I feel serious
headache. Some times he quarrels saying that the food
I give him is not enough or the source is not fried or
the food is too cold. If I do not go back to my parents,
this man may kill me one day! Yes, I must go back”
 Explain how you would use the Problem Solving skills to
deal with Akello’s situation

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A problem 3
 Give an example…
 Academic
 Relationships
 Other interpersonal
 Etc

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Steps to problem solving
One step leads to another
 Step 1. Define the problem and gather all required
information
 Step 2. Look at potential causes for the problem

 Step 3. Develop alternatives to resolve the problem

 Step 4. Select an approach to resolve the problem

(Decision)
 Step 5. Implement the best alternative/ decision

 Step 6. Monitor the implementation progress

 Step 7. Verify if the problem has been resolved or not

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Step 1- Define the problem and
gather all required information
 first and most important step to problem solving
 Defining the problem: (with input from yourself and others)
Ask yourself and if possible others, the following questions:
a. What can you see that causes you to think there's a problem?
b. Where is it happening?
c. How is it happening?
d. When is it happening?
Why is it happening?
What is the problem?
 Other questions
Is it my problem?
Can I solve it? Is it worth solving?
Is this the real problem, or merely a symptom of a larger one?
If this is an old problem, what's wrong with the previous solution?
Does it need an immediate solution, or can it wait?
Is it likely to go away by itself?
Can I risk ignoring it?
Does the problem have ethical dimensions?

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Gather Information
 Be aware of stakeholders, Facts & ideas, boundaries, boundaries
Opinions and assumptions.
 Stakeholders
Individuals, groups, organizations that are affected by the problem,
or its solution. Begin with yourself. Decision makers and those
close to us are very important to identify.
 Boundaries
The boundaries or constraints of the situation are difficult to
change. They include lack of funds or other resources. If a
solution is surrounded by too many constraints, the constraints
themselves may be the problem

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Step 2. Look at potential
causes for the problem
 Help in identifying possible solutions
 Write down a description of the cause
of the problem and in terms of what is
happening, where, when, how, with
whom and why.

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Step 3. Develop alternatives to resolve the
problem- possible solutions

 keep others involved (unless you're facing a

personal and/or employee performance
problem)
 Brainstorm for solutions to the problem
 Rapid noting of alternatives no matter how
silly, is an excellent discovery process.
 Do not weigh or judge the alternatives at this
step!

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Step 4. Select an approach to resolve
the problem (Decision making)
 Weigh each alternative
 When selecting the best approach, consider:
a. Which approach is the most likely to solve the problem for
the long term?
b. Which approach is the most realistic to accomplish for now?
Do you have the resources? Are they affordable? Do you have
enough time to implement the approach?
c. What is the extent of risk associated with each alternative?
(The nature of this step, in particular, in the problem solving
process is why problem solving and decision making are highly
integrated.)
 Consider one which is most suitable, feasible and flexible

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Step 5. Implement the best
alternative/ decision
 Consider: Step by step/ action, resources allocation (Time and
money)
What steps should be taken to implement the best alternative to
solving the
What resources will you need in terms of people, money and
facilities?
How much time will you need to implement the solution?
Write a schedule that includes the start and stop times, and when
you expect to see certain indicators of success.
Who will primarily be responsible for ensuring implementation of
the plan

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Step 6. Monitor the
implementation progress
 monitoring your solution,
 the effects of it on resources and
stakeholders,
 Your timeline, and your progress.
 As you monitor your progress, if results
are not what you expect, review your
options and alternatives

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Step 7. Verify if the problem
has been resolved or not
 Still, you should consider:
a. What changes should be made to avoid
this type of problem in the future?
b. Lastly, consider "What did you learn
from this problem solving?"

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Problem solving and decision
making- Tips and final word
 Always try to remain calm and logical when approaching a
problem, resolution ultimately lies in this approach.
 Involve others unless very special or top secret personal problem
 Be flexible
 Have positive attitude
 We solve problems and make decisions everyday/all the day: at
home, at work, at play, even at the grocery store!
 Some problems and decisions are very challenging, and require a
lot of thought, emotion, and research. Find a way to make good
decisions
 Naturally, common sense (which is derived from logic) is vital to
solving any problem. Do not follow any procedure that results in
endangerment, unless such hazards are unavoidable.
 Don't turn away from your problems. It will come back sooner or
later and it will be more difficult to solve.

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Tips cont…
 Have hope amidst troubles
 Do not lose your hope, there is still
hope
 Is it a job, he who gave you one…
 Sickness, he who gave you life…

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GUIDANCE AND
COUNSELLING
 Next

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