1.5 - About University

6.3 S ORTING O UT C OMPLEX S ITUATIONSInspired by Benjamin Kepner, Charles Tregoe, and George Campbell.Dealing with complex situations is crucial to your success as a leader. Often presented as generalitiesand couched in simple phrases like “the systems problem” or “the communicationsproblem,” we call these “big fuzzies.” Your leader’s antennae should be tweaked when you hearproblems described in such general terms as the “maintenance problem” or the “supplier problem.”Rarely can such complex concerns be traced to a single cause or resolved with a singlesolution, yet ineffective quick fixes are often suggested to solve these multifaceted problems.One indicator of the need for this tool is that, when these quick-fix actions are taken, the problemdoes not disappear. In fact, it may get worse after the quick-fix “solution” has beenapplied!This tool will help you deal with the multicausal nature of big fuzzies; their need to be brokeninto their constituent parts, then prioritized; and subsequently, how to plan action for thehighest-priority areas.Specific ConcernsPriority ActionsItem 1 Priority Action 2A Big FuzzyItem 2Item 3Priority Action 1Item 4, etc.Use these four steps to turn your big fuzzies into prioritized action plans.Process step1. Persuade your workgroupto take adifferent approachto the problem.How to’s✔ Explain the complexity of the concern and the need to use this process to develop a fullunderstanding of the problem situation. This may include widening or narrowing theproblem frame. The outcome for this step is a clear, manageable frame for the problem andan action plan for working the problem.[☛ 7.1 Problem Framing]176 SECTION 6 TOOLS FOR CRITICAL THINKING AND INNOVATION