MSLD520 - Module 3 - Constraints on Problem Solving - Madeline Campbell


Common restraints that I have placed on myself within my workplace are self-doubt and apathy. Examples of self-doubt would be questioning myself on a specific work procedure or information I share with a potential student or holding back an idea I have during a team meeting. Throughout my last year and a half in the admission department, I am aware that I am sharing the correct answers to common questions and how to complete my work tasks throughout the day. My two managers have informed me that they believe I have excelled greatly and am one of their strongest counselors, however I continue to doubt and question throughout the entire day. The second constraint, apathy; often when work is slow, or I feel as though I am not flourishing within my office, I am unmotivated to complete the simplest office tasks. These are two common restraints that I know I need to destroy in order to engage in problem solving with my team and individually.

The constraint of apathy has prevented me in numerous places within my workplace to engage in problem solving as I am unmotivated and unencouraged to work hard to figure out the issue, as well as the root of the issue. Whetton and Cameron refer to complacency as, “conceptual blocks [that] occur not because of poor thinking habits or inappropriate assumptions but because of fear, ignorance, insecurity or just plain mental laziness” (2016, p.155). I do not think my constraint of apathy stems from laziness or ignorance, but rather from frustrations with workplace problems. Seeing issues arise and not being handled professionally has made me demotivated to work hard. There are new tactics I am attempting to implement in order to prevent demotivation within my workplace from reoccurring. Creative problem solving has and will continue to highly benefit me with this constraint. Within our lecture, our professor stated that, “1. Incubation-fostering ideas of generation-work together to come up with new ideas 2. Imagination-creation of new ideas 3. Improvement-change the improve something that already exists 4. Investment – rapid results.” Mixing this with analytical problem solving will greatly improve my motivation in the workplace. Whetton and Cameron emphasize the mixture of different problem solving as they state, “It is important to point out that no one approach to creativity is best. Different circumstances call for different approaches” (2016, p. 147).

            I would like to take on a leadership role in the future, so  honing problem-solving skills now is something I am actively working on. I would like to encourage a team to problem solve in order to find a solution to a current work-related problem. Saleh discusses creative problem solving and how, “Frequently, creative teams are known to reframe original problems  and even to set aside the creativity task and forget about it for a while to circumvent mental blocks and find new approaches” (2015, p. 9). I know that once I overcome the lack of motivation to excel and the lack of self-confidence I will begin to be more creative and productive in the workplace.


References

Whetton, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2016). Developing management skills,
        9th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Saleh, S. H. (2015). Freedom from freedom: The beneficial role of constraints in collaborative creativity (Doctoral dissertation, University of Colorado). Read the second paper entitled: How Do Entrepreneurs Make Decisions That Require Creativity: Re-evaluating the role of heuristics and biases.

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