Real Problem Solving: How to Unblock Thinking and Make Obstacles Disappear - Softcover

Smart, JK

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0273663305 ISBN 13: 9780273663300

Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2003

Synopsis

Real Problem Solving is for every manager who knows that if it was as easy as most books and trainers make out, they’d be doing it already. Overworked managers know that management is about doing the best you can with what you’ve got, in the real world of organisations that are demanding more and more, for less and less.
Managers who know that doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity and know there is a better way of managing.  But what if someone else had read all the management books, tried out all the ideas, worked out why they didn’t work in the real world, developed an approach that works and put it all in one practical accessible source. And what if that someone wasn’t a management guru, academic or consultant but an overworked manager like you who knew what you were up against and who didn’t preach at you about the one right way to do things or try to get you to be something you’re not.

This book offers you a way of blending the author's thinking framework with your experience to help you to be the best you can at solving problems.

About this title

About the Author

Karen Smart’s background is in individual and organisational development. However, unlike some in her field, first and foremost Karen sees herself as a line manager. In recent years, she’s worked primarily on enabling managers to manage – developing and delivering everything from individual skill building and management development programmes to management systems design and organisation wide culture change. In addition to managing her team, Karen has coached senior managers and facilitated cross-functional working, problem solving and conflict management. Although she has two degrees and has researched extensively across a range of disciplines, ultimately Karen feels she’s learnt most about management from her experience as an overworked and undervalued manager, disempowered by bureaucracy. From this experience - and inspired by the man she says "puts the J into KJ Smart and a lot of the smart too" - the philosophy of real management for real people was born.

From the Inside Flap

'Problem solving is so much of my job - people problems, project management problems, customer problems, supplier problems. And so many of them are so tricky to solve. I've read a lot about problem solving but it just seemed to be about 'creative' problems rather than practical ones - the methods just didn't seem to work in the real world. So my question was: am I a bad problem solver or is there another way? Reading this book is like somebody switching on the light: suddenly you can see for yourself what you need to do differently. It doesn't tell you what to do, because frankly it's going to be different for everybody and one size doesn't fit all. It triggers the thoughts that let you work it out for yourself. So you create your own solutions, instead of your own problems. And that actually makes you feel good as well as getting the results you want. A real manager. Real management is for every manager who's read a book and thought that if it was that easy they'd be doing it already. There are no 'one size fits all' answers in this book, just real-life situations managers can relate to, and techniques for turning their past experience into the key that unlocks their best ever performance.

Edition details

• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0273663305
• ISBN 13: 9780273663300
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192