About This Course .....ix
How to Take This Course .....xi
Pre-test xiii

1 Why You Need to Be a Problem Solver..... 1

For Whom This Course Is Designed
Why Problem Solving Is Becoming a Business Necessity
The Changing Global Economy
Why American Employers Are Looking for Problem Solvers
The Meaning of Problem in a Business Setting

Problems May Be Big or Small
Middle-range Problems
What Employers Say About Problem-solving Employees

Assume Responsibility for Solving Small Problems Yourself
Involve the Boss Early When the Problem Exceeds Your Responsibility
What Boss Means in This Book
Recap
Review Questions

2 Portraits of Successful Problem Solvers ......11

One Portrait of a Problem Solver: Andrea Jefferson
The Attributes of Successful Problem Solvers
Gathering, Sorting, and Analyzing Information
Having Confidence in Yourself
Being Flexible
Taking Risks
Being Objective
Communicating Your Ideas Effectively
Recap
Review Questions

3 Identifying Work-related Problems .....23

Problem Identification Is a Real Skill
The Alarm Goes Off
Make Sure You're Listening for the Alarm
A Problem Interrupts the Flow of Your Work
Problem Versus Distraction
Knowing What to Do Next

Can You Continue Your Work?
The Yes Branch: Make Sure You Are Not Evading a Problem
The No Branch: Situations in Which You Cannot Complete Your Task
Identifying Typical Problems in the Workplace

Processing
Interacting with Customers
Special Assignments
Supervising
You Have a Problem
Recap
Review Questions

4 Defining the Problem .....39

The Importance of Defining the Problem

Defining Is a Process
The Process Has Two Steps
How to Define Problems

Learning How to Talk to Yourself: the Ws
Using the Ws: An Example
Don't Confuse Solutions with Problems
Recap
Review Questions

5 Gathering Information .....51

The Importance of Information Gathering in Problem Solving

The Information at Hand
Gathering Further Information
When Information Gathering Is Appropriate
When Information Gathering Is Not Appropriate
Figuring Out What You Don't Know

Remember the W Questions
Start with the General, Then Get Specific
Research Methods: How to Find Out What You Need to Know

Networking for Information
Researching Documents
Recap
Review Questions

6 From Problem to Project .....63

Understanding the Elements of a Project
Knowing Your Destination
Developing a Project-objective Statement
Plan the Route to Take to Get to Your Destination
Identifying Essential Project Tasks

Category Sorting
Last-to-first Sorting
Applying a Critical-needs Test
Recap
Review Questions

7 The Work Plan: Organizing and Managing Your Project Tasks .....77

The Purpose of a Work Plan
The Elements of a Work Plan: Task Analysis
Recap
Review Questions

8 Managing and Evaluating the Progress of Your Project..... 89

What Project Management Is All About
Turning Your Work Plan into a Project-management Tool
Establishing a Project-milestone Schedule
More Advanced Methods for Displaying Your Project

Management Plan
Gantt Charts
PERT Charts
Some Last Words on Problem Solving
Recap
Review Questions

Bibliography .....101
Post-test..... 103
Index ...... 109

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