Problem Solving & Team Building

Unfortunately, we do not live in a world in which problems are instantly resolved with the snap of our fingers. Knowing how to effectively solve work related problems or conflicts is an important professional skill and ability to have. Square Marshmallows have the skill, experience and genuine desire to ensure you get the most effective solution. We use some of the following to help facilitate solutions whilst also building stronger and more agile teams in the workplace.

• Better Communication and Emotional Honesty

All teams crave and thrive off better communication, and solving problems inclusively with the whole team is one of the most effective way to achieving this. When working out a problem together, team members gain a better understanding of the issues involved.

Leaders should model emotionally honest behaviour (the practice of being aware of and expressing your feelings or thoughts while also being able to listen to others' without judgment) and recognise that emotional intelligence is not incompatible with effective strategy. Every team member brings a slightly different context to each problem due to their individual experiences and values. They can highlight the risks and benefits of any potential solution while staying informed about what is going on and how the activities of other team members will intersect with their area of responsibility.

• Increased understanding

Along with better communication, team problem-solving leads to a greater understanding of the context the team operates within and the roles and responsibilities of their colleagues. As team problems are typically complex, a collaborative approach helps team members gain some knowledge and appreciation for the work of other team members and the challenges they may face.

• Better Risk Handling

With so many different perspectives to consider, teams are better able to identify risks and mitigate them in advance if they share increased understanding. And because a team is better at anticipating the risks, they are more likely to assume a greater amount of risk if the reward is high, versus a single person accepting a high amount of risk on their own shoulders. This is especially true if the team has confidence in their solution and an willingness to accept the consequences if success is not achieved. And on occasions, teams will face failure but with failure and vulnerability comes analysis, creative ideas, strategic development and progress moving forward.

• Bring educed possibility of bias

Wherever we go, our biases (conscious or unconscious) and preconceptions follow and as a result, this can often get in the way of our individual judgement and problem-solving. Individually, we bring pieces of a jigsaw together, which is only a fraction of the whole. When the entire team works together to solve the problem, the collective knowledge, skill and experience can be combined to create a greater understanding of both the problem and the solution, thus bringing together the entire puzzle.

• Greater commitment

Problems that need to be solved collectively often require a high level of commitment and determination. When a team faces a problem that they collectively need to solve together, and ideas and solutions are created, then individuals experience a higher level of commitment to the team and the team’s overall potential and the value the team brings to themselves individually. The feeling you get when you find a solution together is priceless!

• Greater increase in talent potential

New ideas create new opportunities. When solving problems in a team, the number of ideas generated broadens the team’s potential for success by creating pathways to develop and pursue those opportunities.

In addition to providing opportunities to develop new skills, team problem-solving prepares individuals to take on larger challenges – whether it is greater responsibility or advancement as a leader. Working through and analysing complex challenges, considering higher-level strategies, and synthesising the inputs and ideas of others are required skills at the higher levels in any organisation. The ability to be flexible and agile to individuals needs and values is also an added reward.

• Increased creativity

Team problem-solving generates more ideas and solutions, which then lead to greater and more productive outputs than any one person can likely generate on their own.

The process of brainstorming potential solutions, naturally leads to creative ideas and thought processes. When teams work together to solve a problem, they consider more solutions than they would when working as individuals. Often, ideas mentioned by others spark 'off-shoot' ideas that would have never been considered otherwise.