A520.3.3.RB - Constraints on Creative Problem Solving

A520.3.3.RB – Constraints on Creative Problem Solving

I think the first thing we need to get rid of to not stifle creative problem solving is the hierarchical approach to leadership.  What I mean by this is the fear of saying something that may be construed as against the boss.  We have to not limit the potential of those who are in the lower levels of the organization.  When we shut down those who are not in the management or leadership positions we are cutting out valuable insight into how we can make the organization better and solve our problems.  In Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox and Uncertainty it is stated that 60% of all solutions to problems come from the lower levels of the organization (Obolensky, 2014).   The text describes this as noninquisitiveness.  This is summed up as the inability to solve problems because of fear of asking questions (Whetton & Cameron, 2016).  I believe this is especially true when dealing with a supervisor or your boss.  Another constraint you may face is thinking outside the box.  Many times when facing a problem you tend to focus on the issue and then one and only one way to solve this problem.  This is referred to as bias against thinking.  This mental block is a hindrance to problem solving when you tend to avoid doing any mental work or thinking.  Another constraint toward problem solving is functional fixedness (Barriers, 2016).  This is when a person attempts to solve a problem with a narrow minded mentality.  Functional fixedness is when you get the “you can’t do that” attitude toward solving the issue.  This approach will stifle creative thinking and limit your problem solving attempts.  Irrelevant information is another block to problem solving.  This is a major problem I face in the office I work in now.  This is when you are focusing on solving a problem and cannot stay on point.  It happens when you begin to discuss or research information that is not related to the problem at hand.  This happens in brainstorming sessions and when working in groups and people begin to have sidebars and other conversations and the next thing you know everyone is off topic and not working toward solving the issue.

One constraint I have placed on myself which has limited my problem solving is nonnquisitiveness.  I think however, comes from being in the military and being taught that as long as it is not illegal you do not question your supervisor or boss.  While the Air Force has made considerable progress in this area to help increase innovation this is still an area I struggle with.  A good example of this is when dealing with a recent supervisor and report writing.  My office uses a new database for storing data and producing reports based on the inspections we conduct.  This program however, is utilized by all offices across the Air Force who do this job.  Once all the data is entered into the system the report is automatically produced.  No matter what I would do the reports that were generated were not good enough for this particular supervisor.  Even though the program generated these reports and it was standardized across the Air Force he would make changes to the way the report was formatted.  Even though all other bases within our command were doing them the same way every one of the reports we would submit would be in different formats.  This to me was a problem and instead of asking him why he felt the need to change every report and to change them in different ways I just continued to send them to him and he made all his changes and then we published them. 

Another constraint I face pretty much on a daily basis is dealing with irrelevant information.  I work in an office with 8 people and no matter what we are trying to do we always get sidetracked and end up talking about other things.  We will sit down at our conference table and begin to look at a process we have and within five minute we will be talking about our kids or the score to a game we all watched or politics you name it and we will probably be talking about it.  The one thing I can tell you is we will not be focused on the problem or issue we were working anymore.  

Now I do not want to make it seem like I am completely ineffective at solving problems.  These are a few examples of times when the constraints to problem solving have crept in and hindered my effectiveness.  From time to time I think that all people face these constraints however.  If this was not true there would not be any problems anymore.  If one finds themselves facing these constraints there are some ways they can look to get passed them.  Some of these ways include making the strange familiar and the familiar strange, elaborate the definition, reverse the definition, defer judgment and several others.  All one has to do is recognize they are facing a constraint and then utilize one of these methods to bypass the constraint and get re-focused and back on track to solving their problems.

 

Barriers to Problem Solving. (2016). Free Management Books.  Retrieved from:

            http://www.free-management-ebooks.com/news/barriers-to-problem-solving/

Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox and Uncertainty.

           Grower Publishing. New York, NY.

Whetton, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2016). Developing management skills,

        9th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.

A520.2.3.RB - 10 Minutes a Day

First off this was by far one of the best homework assignments I think I have ever had assigned.  When I told my wife and co-workers about it they did not believe me.  When it comes to spending 10 minutes a day doing nothing this to me is your time to re-charge and re-focus.  We spend a majority of every day in a very fast paced and hectic environment.  Even if we think we have a good work and home balance chances are we live minute to minute.  For me a good example of this would be that I do feel like I have a pretty good balance however, when I am home spending time with the family it tends to be go, go, and go mentality.  This is especially true during the work week when school is in session.  For instance I normally work a pretty straight 8 to 4:30.  However, after work three nights a week my daughter has dance so we are running there, then my wife has work appointments so she is running there, then there are nights when my wife has a class she attends so I have to go to the school and day care to pick up my kids.  After all this we have to get home and get homework done, we have to make dinner and sit down to eat.  Then we try to do some family time either playing a game or just hanging around talking about our day.  Next we have to get ready for bed and get the kids to bed to wake up and do it all over again.  Before my wife and I can go to bed however, I have school work and she has notes and reports that she needs to work on for her job. 

After watching the Andy Puddicombe video for this assignment I can see what he is aiming for by taking the ten minutes a day (2012).  I enjoyed how he made jokes about incense and sitting on the floor cross legged humming.  He references the fact that he is a monk and how he learned how to be more mindful and peaceful.  For me this exercise was interesting and beneficial however, this is not something I think I will be continuing.  For me it was the aspect of nothing that I did not like.  Now I understand the point of the 10 minutes of nothing is so you can decompress and not have the hundreds of things that you deal with daily to be bothering you.  I am a firm believer in what “me time” however, I like to use this time to do things that I enjoy doing.  I would much rather spend my time even if it is just ten minutes reading a leisure book.  I also like to consider my time at the gym just as beneficial to me as the 10 minutes Puddicombe suggests.  I am an the kind of person who wakes up early while my wife and kids are still sleeping and use this time to read and relax.  Additionally when I go to the gym I do not carry my phone with me while working out.  Same if I am out going for a run.  I still have an old school iPod original with plenty of music and movies to occupy my time.  I consider this time my off the grid time.  I do not worry about work and also do not like to talk to people either.  Whether running or on the treadmill or in the weight room I keep to myself and focus on my time while focusing on my mindfulness and well-being.  

I did encourage others who I work with to take part in this exercise with me.  The response was not very receptive of those I work with.  I was meet with several people who claimed that would be a waste of time and that they have better things to do with their time.  Even after I let them know of some of the benefits associated with exercise I was met with resistance. 

I also agree with Puddicombe’s advice to live in the present.  This is one area were many people struggle.   By trying to focus on the here and now and thinking of things you could have, should have done and just focusing on doing the things you need to do now.  While impossible to completely negate your thoughts of the past and future being able control these thoughts and focus on living in the present moment can help you in becoming more mindful and having a better well-being.

 

Puddicombe, A. (2012) All it takes is 10 mindful minutes.  retrieved from:
https://erau.instructure.com/courses/57520/assignments/905637

A520.1.3.RB - Self-Awareness Blog (Take 2)

A520.1.3.RB – Self-Awareness Blog (Take 2)

            Since beginning with my degree program I have experienced both management and leadership courses.  During these courses I have read and took part in many different experiences involving both leadership and management.  According to the Whetten and Cameron text (2016) there are five core aspects of self-awareness.  These five aspects are emotional intelligence, values your attitude toward change, cognitive styles, and core self-evaluation.  These five core aspects are critical areas of self-awareness which have been found through research to produce successful leaders.   Research into these core aspects also show that these aspects are predictors of effective personal performance as well as managerial performance. 

            Throughout my course work and in my career I have not been one to evaluate myself or be very self-aware.  However, recent changes in the USAF and attending the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy have change the way I view this and myself.    Reflecting on time working on my degree and these five core aspects I have notice a few things about myself.

            To start with my values toward leadership and management have changed.  When you begin your career in the military you see rank as something you want to attain so you can be in charge and tell people what to do.  As I have progressed in my career and through this degree I have realized that being a good leader and manager is about more than that.  I have grown to understand that being put in positions of management and leadership is an opportunity to help others.  At the end of the day you can tell people what to do and they have to do it.  However, when I am in leadership and management positions I do not want to have to tell people what to do.  I now look at how I can develop them to understand why we do what we do and then have the drive and initiative to go out and get it done.  I want to help others succeed in areas I have struggled with.  I value the opportunity I am given to lead and manage some of the best people in the greatest Air Force on earth.  My values have also changed during the duration of this program because during the first week of my first course my son was born.  This obviously changed the way I looked at thing. (and was not the most convenient time to start a Master’s degree)

            I have struggled most in my career when dealing with change.  As a younger Air Force Airman I never really understood why things always needed to be changed.  Now however, I have been thrust in to more leadership positions and have a better understand of the need for change.  I realize that in the technological world we live in that the fancy gadget you buy today is already being changed before you buy it.  Where I struggle most I would have to say when dealing with change is in ambiguity.  The text discusses ambiguous situations and how people have a hard time dealing with it (2016).  This is where my real struggles lie.  I do not like being told I do not understand the big picture and then not ever be told what the big picture is.  The text discusses people who have a tolerance to ambiguity are better at transmitting information (2016) and I think this is a perfect definition and reference to my inability to tolerate ambiguity. 

            When dealing with information and cognitive styles I would have to say I am more inclined to be the knowing style.  My time as an aircraft mechanic has made me quite detail focused.  When facing a problem I tend to look for the clear fix to the issue.  I also tend to focus on accuracy and precision.  However, during my progression through the degree program and in my current position within the Inspector General office I have changed some of my behaviors in this area.  When dealing with a complainant I still must focus on the facts and details as outlined in the knowing style.  When investigating a complaint I must seek out the credibility of data and focus on clear and accurate recommendations.  However, when working in the inspection section of the IG I must focus on planning and preparation to accomplish the inspection at hand.  In this section we make clear agendas and outline how we will accomplish our inspections to ensure we are validating compliance within our wing. My time in these courses has shown me that there is not just one cookie cutter way to gather and process your information.  I think this has helped me become a better inspector in my current position.

            When dealing with my emotional intelligence I have experienced a great deal of changes.  Studying leadership and management has helped me realize that one must be in control of their emotions if they want to be taken seriously.  The text states that emotionally intelligent people are able to accurately recognize and label the emotions they are experiencing while regulating and controlling them as well (2016).  Early on in my career I was not very good at this.  Mainly due to my problems with dealing with change I would tend to lose control and become very frustrated with situations at hand.  I would make this very evident by my actions and behaviors and was counselled on this frequently.  The example in the text about how individuals react to a bad call during a sporting event is a very good example of how I would behave.  The difference is I would not become upset and yell at my television.  I would become upset and voice my concerns with my co-workers (not a good idea especially with your boss).  The true leader and manager is the one who you see who can keep their cool no matter the situation.  These leaders and managers are the ones who can normally produce the best results and are good at helping others keep their cool and control their emotions as well.   

            Core self-evaluation is summed up as the fundamental evaluation each person has developed about himself or herself (2016).  The concept of core self-evaluation can also be looked at as overall positive self-regard or how a person values themselves and feels proficient as an individual.  Much research has gone into personality psychology in regards to self-evaluation.  From this research five key personality traits have become increasingly popular.  These traits include extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness.  For me this area has remained relatively unchanged since the start of this program.  I have not been the type of person to evaluate myself very much.  I do feel that my self-esteem and overall perception of self is high.  I would say however, after completing research on this topic I would say I have a positive core self-evaluation of myself.  I have received feedback both personal and professional that I feel validates this.  Several people whom I am friends with make statements about my positive attitude towards things.  My supervisor has given me feedback several times on this topic.  He has told me I keep the office running smooth even when facing a daunting task or issue.  I like to try to keep things positive because in my opinion you gain nothing from having a negative attitude.   So even when things get rough if you maintain a positive attitude accomplishing your mission should be attainable.

            Being self-aware is a key facet of being a good leader and manager.  During the readings and discussions for this week a lot of information was discussed involving how to be more self-aware and evaluate yourself.  Reflecting back on these concepts and topics and the five core aspects of self-awareness I have noticed some changes in my self-awareness.  These changes in my opinion have benefited me and my leadership and management abilities.    

 

 

Whetton, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2016). Developing management skills,

        9th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.

A520.1.3.RB Self-Awareness Blog

A520.1.3.RB – Self-Awareness Blog

            The text lists of what are known as the Big Five attributes when discussing personality.  These five attributes are extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness (Cameron & Whetten 2016).  These five attributes have wildly become the most popular attributes when looking into one’s own personality.  Some psychologist says these are the most important aspects of personality and due to this they are the most researched.  Whether or not these are the most important these attributes play an important part in people’s evaluation of self.

            During my journey through this program I have not given much thought to my own personal self-evaluation.  But looking back now I would have to say there has been some changes.  First off I would say I have become more open.  To begin with I had to adapt to completing my degree only utilizing the worldwide campus.  During my undergrad work I use both online as well as on campus work.  Beginning my Master’s program however, I knew I was going to solely use the worldwide campus due to my current location.  Another aspect of openness would be this very assignment.  Most all of the courses I have completed so far require the use of the blogger website.  This blogging aspect has required me to be a lot more personal with my experiences and not relying on book answers or research to complete assignments. 

            Along with the increase in my openness I would say I have become more extroverted.  I am not a big fan of social media and staying connected to everyone every second of the day like many other people are.  However, during this program I have made new friends and become more apt to talk to others in the classes on things other than just assignments.  I am more inclined now to make a joke or start a group text message with people who I am in class with now as opposed to before I began my Master’s degree. 

            Another area I have had to improve on is my conscientiousness.  With utilizing an online forum you have to stay on top of your work and assignments because there is no class to go to and nobody is going to remind you of things that are required to be done.

            When it comes to neuroticism I have always had a good handle on that.  Now I have my share of times when I may lose my cool but I try to always remain pretty positive.  I tend to not be nervous about things and try to help others remain positive even when facing issues that may be stressful. 

            I also feel that when it comes to agreeableness I have made some vast improvements.  Early on in my Air Force career I was more on edge and liable to lose my cool.  I felt I could accomplish more by becoming upset and yelling or belittling people.  I have come to learn that this is not the way to get things done.  I have learned that by being friendlier and affable I am able to accomplish more than before.  In my current role with the Inspector General office if I was to try to accomplish things like I did in the past than I would be out of a job very fast.

            My supervisor has noticed many of these areas of change and has explained to me that these changes are very good changes.  He let me know that not only he is noticing the ways I am acting.  There are others in higher positions throughout the wing I work at who have also noticed the new MSgt Ellis.  Now I have not tried to make any of these for any of these people.  But it is nice to know people are noticing the changes I have been trying to make. The best thing about these changes is when one of my Airmen notice.  I get little comments about being more approachable or someone they feel comfortable coming to talk to.  That’s when I know I am doing things better.  Those times are when I feel I am getting the best self-evaluation.

 

Whetton, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2016). Developing management skills,

        9th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.