Problem Solving
Create calm out of chaos by remembering the story of Apollo 13.
In many organizations, administrative professionals are the unofficial, de facto help desk people. People go to you because you’re always doing miracles, seem to be able to figure anything out and get everything done. Here are two techniques you can employ to make the most of the time you spend helping people and reduce the number of repeat performances necessary for a single issue.
Kronos, the HR and payroll provider, has been hacked, with its private cloud services being held for ransom. Whether or not you are a Kronos client, here are contingency plans you need to make.
Negative brainstorming, or reverse brainstorming, is just what it sounds like. Beginning on a negative note may sound a bit iffy, but this actually may be the direction our minds more naturally go.
When you’re working out a problem with employees, vendors, or customers, making threats can be risky. People resent them, and you may decrease the likelihood of cooperation and even risk inciting revenge. Yet, as negotiation experts Adam D. Galinsky and Katie A. Liljenquist point out, threats can be effective—if you follow these three principles.
For customers, time spent waiting for help is anxious time. Train your employees to take these steps when responding to customers.
What if we … ? Or maybe we should … ? Whatever the challenge you’re facing, it’s easy to get so caught up in trying to find creative solutions that you end up running around in circles and accomplishing nothing. Apply a little logic to the task by following these steps.
When you receive rude or poor quality service from, say, another department or a vendor, it’s right to complain. Just do it in a way that leads to improvement.
There are some specific steps you can take to break through your preconceptions and view problems and situations in new ways that will help you become a problem-solver for your boss.
You don’t have to be a lawyer or a paralegal to work at a law firm. Legal offices and partnerships rely on great assistants and support teams to keep them running smoothly. Whether you’re considering a position at a law firm or already work in a legal environment, here are some ideas and principles to keep in mind.
When you must decide how to resolve a problem, ask yourself these questions to make a decision you can live with.
The next time you find yourself caught in a conflict at work, pause, take a breath and follow EVA to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
When you hit a wall while trying to execute a task or solve a problem, don’t let your frustration kill your productivity and motivation. Follow this advice to keep moving in the right direction.
