Unit one: Principles of personal responsibilities and working in a business environment
Session 7 Handout //
Dealing with problems in business
The types of problems that may occur in a business environment Minor problems – have obvious, easy to implement solutions Major problems – have serious consequences and need careful consideration. Some examples of problems in the workplace include: Pre-ordered supplies not arriving on time A colleague is absent The deadline for a task to be completed is shortened A technical difficulty arises that you cannot put right Equipment failure Your colleague is slow and you have to wait for him/her to finish. How to deal with these problems Use your knowledge and experience (for minor problems) Ask an experienced colleague (for major and minor problems) Refer problems to an appropriate member of staff (major problems). Finding solutions to problems Ask the expert – talk to someone who has overcome a similar problem. Get creative: Use these steps Identify Prepare Instruct Incubate Eureka! Use comparisons and analogies State your challenge Choose a keyword or phrase in the challenge Choose a parallel List the images that you associate with your chosen field, then choose a particularly vivid one Look for similarities and connections between the two components of your analogy. How and when to refer problems to colleagues It’s important in business to decide whether you should act on a problem or refer it to someone else. An appropriate reaction depends on the type of problem and how easy it is to put right. You can: Solve it yourself Solve it with permission Get help.
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