SmartSkills 21st Century Skills for Success: Thinking and problem solving by OneSmartWorld

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THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING o

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Think Better. Work Smarter.

SMARTSKILLS @ WORK 21ST CENTURY SKILLS FOR SUCCESS

Thinking and Problem Solving by Bob Wiele

Fearless Diamond Press

Fearless Diamond Press is a division of OneSmartWorld Inc., 70 Ontario Street, Collingwood, Ontario Canada. L9Y 1M3 Fearless Diamond Press titles may be purchased for business, educational or promotional purposes in bulk orders, for special sales or re-purposed under license from OneSmartWorld. Please contact us at the address above or by email at support@onesmartworld.com or call us at 1-800-38-SMART to have a conversation Thinking and Problem Solving Skills ÂŠ Bob Wiele, M.Ed. All rights reserved. No part of this book or any portion thereof, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or in any means, electronic or mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher. Written by Bob Wiele Designed by Loo McNulty, Loo McNulty Design Studio Copyright Bob Wiele, OneSmartWorld Inc Printed in Canada ISBN e-book ISBN Visit our website to learn more www.onesmartworld.com

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Acknowledgements Many people over many years contributed their insights and ideas to the design, development and writing the SmartSkills @ Work: Essential 21st Century Skills for Success series. Bob Wiele, founder of OneSmartWorld, wrote the five modules for this program. The works of many thought leaders and colleagues contributed to the development of SmartSkills @ Work including Marilee Adams, Teresa Amabile, Albert Bandura, Fawzi BenMessaoud, Canadian Association of Positive Psychology, Coaches Association of Canada, Coaches Association of Ontario, Jonathan Cote, Charles Darwin, Carol Dweck, Roger Fisher/ William Ury/Bruce Patton, Don Fraser, Barbara Fredrickson, Jim Gibbons, Wayne Hulley, Ellen Langer, Rick Hanson, Louisa Jewell, Scott Barry Kaufman, Robert E Kelley, Roby Kidd, Suzanne Kobasa/Salvatore Maddi, Lindsay Laidlaw, Stacey LePage, George Lock Land, Shane Lopez, Joanna Macy/Chris Johnson, Ken MacKeracher, Michael Marquardt, Matthew McKay/ Martha Davis/ Patrick Fanning, Robert Maurer, Walter Mischel, Ian Mitroff, Hanne Nielsen, Andrew Newberg/ Mark Waldman, Peter Norman, Ron Percy, David Perkins, Karen Revich. Jerry Rhodes, Martin Seligman, Robert Sternbeg, Jordan Tinney, Richard Wedemeyer/Ronald Jue, Jason Womack, J Kara Wright. The SmartSkills: 21st Century Skills for Success program is based on a project developed and licensed by OneSmartWorld Inc., for Workplace Education Manitoba’s Success @ Work: Thinking Strategies For Today’s Workplace. The Success @ Work program was made possible through funding received from the Province of Manitoba. The Workplace Education Manitoba series is part of their larger initiative to bring an Essential Skills lens to building and implementing skills development strategies, support and resources to advance labour market outcomes for Manitobans. OneSmartworld is grateful to Workplace Education Manitoba for their leadership in essential skills development and for the opportunity to re-purpose Success @ Work to make it available to other organizations, committed to developing 21st century skills for their learners. Special thanks to Loo McNulty for her excellent graphic design, Michael Cassidy, Dorothy Heidman, Julie Linge and to Mandy St Germaine for her advice, editing and never ending support. © Bob Wiele, OneSmartWorld®. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior written permission of OneSmartWorld. This publication may not be lent, sold or resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form, binding or cover than that in which it is published, without the written prior consent of OneSmartWorld Inc. SmartSkills® is a registered trademark of OneSmartWorld.

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THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING Thinking and Problem Solving Proficiencies & the LEAP Learning System

Lesson 1: Thinking Styles and Thinking at Work 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Experience Exercise: Thinking about Thinking 1.3 Need to Know: Thinking Styles 1.4 Experience Exercise: Dumb and Dumber. Smart and Smarter 1.5 Apply @ Work: Hiring People Who Know How to Think and Work Smarter 1.6 Experience Exercise: Thinking is Hard Work 1.7 Need to Know: Your Brain and the Six Executive Functions 1.8 Apply @ Work: Build Your Executive Skills

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Lesson 2: A New Common Language for Thinking, Problem-solving and Working with Others 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Experience Exercise: Common Languages 2.3 Need to Know: The Common Language of Thinking 2.4 The 7 Mindsets 2.5 Practice Skill: Putting Words to Signs 2.6 Smart How To’s: Use the Seven Mindsets at Work 2.7 Need to Know: The Four S Framework 2.8 Apply @ Work: Thinking at Work

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Lesson 3: The 4D-i® and How to Make the Most of Your Results 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Experience Exercise: Tools for Knowing Yourself and Tools for Learning 3.3 Need to Know: The 4D-i and a Simple Common Language 3.4 Need to Know: The 4D-i Basics 3.5 Smart How To’s: Seven Ways to be Great 3.6 Practice Skill: Plan Your Work, Learning and Life Profile 3.7 Apply @ Work: Getting Better 3.8 Experience Exercise: Thinking About Your Thinking 3.9 Need to Know: The 21 Strategies - The 11 Thinking Strategies - The 7 Emotional Strategies 3.10 Practice Skill: Work Your Green Skills 3.11 Practice Skill: Work Your Yellow Skills 3.12 Practice Skill: Work Your Red Skills 3.13 Apply @ Work: Strengthening Your Skills 3.14 Apply @ Work: Reflections and Projections 3.15 Practice Skill: Believe It to Achieve It

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Lesson 4: Problem-Solving Skills 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Experience Exercise: Problems, Problems Everywhere 4.3 Apply @ Work: Two Significant Problems 4.4 Need to Know: Three Typical Problem Solving Mistakes 4.5 Practice Skill: Hindsight is 20/20 4.6 Need to Know: 3 Key Guidelines 4.7 Practice Skill: How to Select Outcomes 4.8 Need to Know: The Colours of Smart Problem Solving 4.9 Need to Know: The Colours of Smart Problem Solving 4.10 Practice Skill: Allocating the Right Amount of Time to Think 4.11 Smart How To’s: Tips on Using the Colour Coded Thinking and Shifting 4.12 Smart How To’s: Two-Step Smart Tracks 4.13 Smart How To’s: The Smart Track Worksheets 4.14 Smart How To’s: The Smart Track Worksheets: Two-Step Smart Tracks 4.15 Smart How To’s: The Smart Track Worksheets: Two-Step Smart Tracks 4.16 Smart How To’s: Smart Track Facts to Decisions 4.17 Practice Skill: Facts to Decisions 4.18 Smart How To’s: Smart Track Ideas and Decisions 4.19 Practice Skill: Ideas to Decisions 4.20 Smart How To’s: Smart Track Crux to Decisions 4.21 Practice Skill: Crux to Decisions 4.22 Practice Skill: Making Smart Tracks 4.23 Experience Exercise: Track Your Decision Making Style 4.24 Smart How-To’s: The Right Questions at the Right Time 4.25 Practice Skill: Build Your Own Smart Tracks 4.26 Practice Skill: Build Your Own Smart Tracks 4.27 Practice Skill: Build Your Own Smart Tracks 4.28 Practice Skill: Quick Tracks 4.29 Apply @ Work: Do’s and Don’ts 4.30 Apply @ Work: Use on the Job 4.31 All About You 4.32 Notes

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PROFICIENCIES IN THINKING SKILLS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS The goal of this module is to equip you with the knowledge, skills and confidence in thinking and problem solving to succeed in our changing 21st century world. The thinking and problem solving skills give you the foundations for success in this program and more importantly in life. This module will help you build your versatility and your adaptability to deal better with change. The SmartSkills @ Work curriculum is based on the OneSmartWorld system of how to build you total intelligence and confidence. The 4D-i® / 4 Dimensions Inventory will give you practical knowledge, skills and tools to help you develop more self-awareness and increase your self understanding. The 4D-i® will help you decide how to make the most of what you have. It will help you decide how best to improve your performance. This module will give you the tools to generate more ideas, get better organized and make better decisions working on your own and with others. In this module, you have the opportunity to develop proficiency in these skills:

CRITICAL THINKING 1. Identify the root cause or crux of a problem, challenge or opportunity 2. Interpret information and come to conclusions 3. Evaluate and validate alternatives prior to making a decision 4. Reflect critically on experience and processes to improve decision-making

ANALYTICAL THINKING 1. Scan situations, observe people’s actions and feelings, gather and record information 2. Plan, structure and organize information and tasks 3. Clarify all information and reduce confusions to ensure deep understanding before acting

CREATIVE THINKING 1. Brainstorm ideas and options 2. Challenge assumptions to open up new ways 3. Reframe problems into opportunities 4. Envision possibilities

PROBLEM SOLVING – use the strategies as tools to plan, problem solve and achieve goals 1. Assess situations and identify the crux of problems or issues 2. Set outcome based objectives 3. Use and develop sequential planning and problem solving processes 4. Develop time based steps to carry out the processes 5. Follow the process plans to achieve results 6. Reflect and assess effectiveness of results, process and transfer to other situations

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THE LEAP FRAMEWORK FOR LEARNING The LEAP framework for learning is a simple framework for learning, developed by Bob Wiele, to accelerate skill development and improve your success . LEAP consists of the following core components. L – LeARN. This has two elements – one that outlines the what and the why of the knowledge and the second that provides procedures and tips on how to use the information

• Need to Know – short information capsules on the current research and theories on the topic

• Smart How To’s - a list of key pointers on how to implement the knowledge into life and work

e – exPeRieNCe – opportunities to reflect on one’s experiences and what the learner already knows

A- Apply@ WorK ANd ASSeSS

• Apply @ Work – poses a challenge on how best to transfer what you learned to the workplace

• Assess – this component is not included in the books but is for the instructor to use with you to help you know how you are doing. It assists you grow your skills.

p – prAcTice SKillS – a focus on repeated practice of the concepts, the language and the behaviors to build your skills, your confidence and improve your results.

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Lesson 1: Thinking Styles and Thinking at Work INTRODUCTION In the 21st century, people need to be able to think better and work smarter to find and keep good jobs. Thinking Skills is a new core competency. Leading business, education and government organizations around the world have all identified thinking skills – critical thinking, analytical thinking and creative thinking – as essential for people looking for work and being successful in their jobs. Smart employers want people who can think well, communicate effectively, work well with others and take initiative to solve problems and get work done.

Here is how Mona Mourshed, director of education at McKinsey, describes the challenge for learners today:

“Students need more than subjects and content in their curriculum. They need to acquire a new set of 21st century ‘smart skills’ to help them become more nimble, more adaptive and versatile. Beyond subject mastery, students need to be more effective thinkers, communicators, creative problem solvers and collaborative teammates.” This program is designed to equip you with the smart skills you need in thinking, problem-solving, communicating and working collaboratively with others. This lesson covers some basic information about thinking styles and the higher order thinking skills that employers are looking for. It introduces some of the new understanding of how our brain works and the six executive functions of your brain.

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Experience Exercise: Thinking about Thinking Here are three questions about thinking: 1.What are some words and phrases that describe different types of thinking? Make a list of as many different types as you can come up with.

2. What type of thinking do you enjoy doing? What type of thinking motivates you the most?

3 What type of thinking work do you find difficult to do? What type of thinking doesn’t motivate you?

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Need to Know: Thinking Styles

A thinking style is a way of thinking. It is not a skill or ability. A thinking style is the way you like to use the abilities you have. It is the way you see the world. People have different thinking styles. Your thinking style is the way you prefer to use the abilities you have. Thinking styles aim where you put your focus and attention. Here are some things to know about thinking styles, thanks to the lifelong research work of Robert Sternberg: • Thinking styles are your preferences, not your abilities. You can like to do something, but not necessarily be good at it. You can be good at something and not like it. The best combination for success at work is to know your own thinking style preferences – like analytical or creative or practical - and to make sure you build up your abilities in that type of thinking so that you are good and skilled at what you like to do. • you have more than just one thinking style. You have your own mix of how you like to think and act. The 4D-i gives you a way to understand your own unique approach and thinking style preferences. You can use it to help you find the type of work you like and can succeed in. • your thinking styles can change over a lifetime. As you learn more and gain different experiences, your thinking preferences can change. • Thinking styles are measureable. Your 4D-i gives you a powerful set of tools to know yourself and to measure how your preferences compare to other people’s thinking styles. It also gives you some information to help decide how to develop the additional skills you need to succeed. • your success at work comes from finding the right fit - a job and a set of tasks that match your personal thinking styles. Finding the right job fit is important. This way you can do what you enjoy and develop the abilities you need to be successful. • one type of thinking style may be valued in one place or one job, but not in another. Someone who is very analytical is best suited for work that requires accuracy and precision. That same skill set may not be effective in creative marketing or in front line customer service job in a fast food restaurant. • one type of thinking style can be valued at one time, but not at another. In the changing workplace, one type of thinking can help get certain types of work done. But if conditions change, that type of thinking may no longer be as important. • Thinking styles are not good or bad – it’s all about the fit. Most jobs require people to use more than one thinking style. The best performers have more versatility. They can shift and adapt their thinking to match the specific job that needs to be done. • Thinking styles can be learned. While you may prefer one type of thinking style over another, the good news is that you can learn to acquire different thinking styles. This program will help you to understand your own unique thinking styles. Just as importantly, it will help you to develop and expand your thinking skills in order to be more effective in many different situations. 4

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Experience Exercise: Dumb and Dumber. Smart and Smarter. REFLECT ON AND DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS DUMB AND DUMBER 1. If someone at work was acting in a dumb way, how would you know? 2. What would you notice them doing? 3. What would they not be doing, that they should be doing? 4. What might be the impact of this type of behaviour?

NOTES:

SMART AND SMARTER 1. If someone at work was acting in a smart or intelligent way, how would you know? 2. What would you notice them doing? 3. What would be the impact of this type of behaviour?

NOTES:

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Apply @ Work: Hiring People Who Know How to Think and Work Smarter Reflect on your discussions from the Dumb and Dumber. Smart and Smarter exercise. 1.If you were an employer, what would you look for in your employees if you wanted to hire people who knew how to think, work and act smarter? What would they do well? Develop a checklist of the top seven ‘think, work and act smarter behaviours?

2.What questions would you ask to help you judge if people had one or more of these top seven behaviours?

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Experience Exercise: Thinking is Hard Work Henry Ford said,

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.” 1. What types of thinking work do you find the most difficult to do?

2. Why are they difficult for you?

3. Imagine yourself in a workplace: what type of thinking work would be the most enjoyable for you to do?

4. Why is that type of thinking work most enjoyable for you?

5. What type of thinking skills would you like to develop?

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Need to Know: Your Brain and the Six Executive Functions Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jobs require more brain work than muscle work. All of your thinking happens in your brain. You do all of your planning, idea generation, evaluating, problem-solving and decision-making in what is called the executive part of your brain. That makes sense since you are the executive in charge of your own life. The executive part of your brain is located at the front of your skull, behind your forehead.

Learning is brain work. All learning happens in your brain. Your brain is your most valuable asset in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workplace. It is where you store what you know and where you go when you need to figure things out. And the good news is that you can also make your brain work better and help you work smarter.

SIX EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS OF YOUR BRAIN The way you learn the Essential Skills in this program will help you get more mentally fit by building up the six executive functions of your brain. This program gives you an opportunity to:

s ).#2%!3% 9/52 -%.4!, &,%8)"),)49 Overcome rigid one way black and white thinking and increase your skills in how to switch from one type of thinking to another in order to better meet the demands of the work or person you are dealing with.

s )-02/6% 9/52 02/",%- 3/,6).' 3+),,3 Learn how to use different types of thinking and master the processes to find better solutions to the problems you have to cope with and sort out.

s ).#2%!3% #/.42/, /6%2 9/52 !44%.4)/. Learn how to take charge of your own attention and direct your attention. Learn how to keep your focus on the task at hand and avoid distractions to help you complete the important things you need to do.

s )-02/6% 9/52 3%,& 2%'5,!4)/. Learn how to control your impulses better under pressure. Learn how to make smarter choices and increase your control over your quick reaction emotional reactions.

s )-02/6% 9/52 0,!..).' !.$ %8%#54)/. 3+),,3 Learn how to set goals. Learn how organize your thinking, speaking and writing skills to get more done and improve your results.

s %80!.$ 9/52 7/2+).' -%-/29 Learn how to learn better. Learn how to retain and remember what you have learned. 8

ÂŠ Bob Wiele, OneSmartWorldÂŽ

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Apply @ Work: Build Your Executive Skills Review the six executive functions. Identify the one that you feel would be the most useful and important for you to develop. 1.Which one did you choose. Why?

2. If you develop it, what impact or difference will it make for you at work?

3. What tasks will it help you to become better at?

4. What evidence will convince an employer and convince you that you have improved your skills in this particular executive function?

ÂŠ Bob Wiele, OneSmartWorldÂŽ