101 Ways to Improve Customer Service: Training, Tools, Tips, and Techniques

Chapter 60. Breaking Barriers: Obstacles to Problem Solving

When the caveman encountered a charging animal, he had to decide quickly whether he was in danger or not. Those who made the right decision survived. Today, our decisions may not always cost us our lives, but bad choices often cause mistakes that can lead to bigger problems.

Directions: On a scale of 1 (never) to 5 (always), rate how often you encounter the following obstacles to solving problems in general. After you have rated all of them, check the solutions column for suggested ways to overcome these barriers and identify those pertinent to you.

Rating	Barrier to Problem Solving	Solution
	Lacking clarity when stating the problem (Example: Employees must be unhappy since there is a high turnover rate.)	State what, why, who, when, where, and how much. Avoid wording that will dictate the solution.
	Accepting the first information you get as being correct (Example: You take the side of the first person who tells you about a conflict situation.)	Question everything you hear and be skeptical of about half of what you see.
	Being unable to verify if information is correct (Example: Employees complain that supplies are being stolen.)	Be skeptical about any information. Make sure to double-check: Is what you hear really “fact” or only “opinion”?
	Rejecting information that contradicts what you think you already know (Example: If you believe you lack creativity, you won’t try to be creative.)	Decide that what you “know” is either conditioning ...