PROBLEM SOLVING,

CRITICAL THINKING AND

DECISION MAKING
MARIA ASHRAF
Clinical Psychologist
Problem Solving
• Life is full of crises, problems, and decisions, but many
people do not have the appropriate skills to manage
them.
• Much of what we think of as problematic behavior in a
client can be viewed as the consequence of ineffective
behavior and thinking.
• Problem-solving is a mental process that involves
discovering, analysing and solving problems. The
ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome
obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue.
The best strategy for solving a problem depends largely
on the unique situation.
Steps in problem solving
1. Define the Problem
2. Analyse Root Cause/gather facts
3. Develop Countermeasures/alternatives
4. Weigh alternatives
5. Select the best alternative
6. Implement solution
7. Evaluate/ monitor progress and Follow Up.
Problem Identification/Defining The Problem

•To express the issue in one clear

statement.
•Identify root cause, limiting
assumptions, system and organizational
boundaries, and interfaces.
•Identify resources.
Analyse Root Cause/ Gather Facts
•Think about all of the possibilities related to
the problem and the decision.
•Assess the nature and magnitude of the
problem.
Develop Countermeasures/Alternatives
• Optional courses of action from which a decision maker
is expected to choose that are obtained from memory,
research and development.
• Once you have listed or mapped alternatives, be open
to their possibilities. Make notes on those that:
• need more information
• are new solutions
• can be combined or eliminated
• will meet opposition
• seem promising or exciting
Weigh Alternatives
• After listing possible alternatives,
evaluate them without prejudice,
no matter how appealing or distasteful
• SFF Matrix: Suitability, Feasibility & Flexibility
• Suitability Feasibility Flexibility Total
• Alternative A
• Alternative B
• Alternative C
• Alternative D
Cont.…
• Rate each alternative on scale of 1 - 3 for its
• Suitability:
refers to the alternative itself, whether it is ethical or practical. Is it
appropriate in scale or importance? an adequate response? too extreme?
• Feasibility:
refers to How many resources will be needed to solve the problem (i.e. Is it
affordable?) How likely will it solve the problem?
• Flexibility:
refers to your ability to respond to unintended consequences, or openness
to new possibilities? the alternative itself, and whether you can control
outcomes once you begin.
• Total a score for each alternative, compare, prioritize your alternatives...
Select The Best Alternative
• Don't consider any alternative as "perfect solution."
If there were, there probably wouldn't be a problem in the first place
• Consider your intuition,
or inner feelings in deciding on a course of action
• Return to your trusted outsider:
Is there something you missed?
Does he/she see a problem with your solution?
• Compromise
Consider compromise when you have a full grasp of the problem, and
your alternatives. Competing solutions may yield a hybrid solution.
Implement Solution
•Selecting the alternatives that seem most
likely to succeed.
•Specifying the “know-how” methods and
other resources required to implement
the chosen strategy.
Evaluate/ Monitor Progress And Follow Up
• Your job still isn’t done even if you’ve reached a solution. You need to
evaluate the solution to find out if it’s the best possible solution to
the problem. The evaluation might be immediate or might take a
while. For instance, answer to a math problem can be checked then
and there, however solution to your yearly tax issue might not be
possible to be evaluated right there.
• Defining what a successful outcome means – in terms of explicit
criteria.
• Specifying what the effects or consequences of the strategy
were.
Applying techniques for promoting creativity in problem
solving for use with both individuals and groups
• Class Activities:
• Problem solving exercises in a group and in pair (Motor activity, Abstract
reasoning and Social and ethical problems)
• Group activities:
• Motor activity : (Traffic Jam)
• In this activity students in a group of 6 will be given a motor task that they have
to complete as earlier as possible in competition with other groups.
• All members will identify decision making style and leadership style of each
member of the group.
• 2. Abstract Activity (syllogism reasoning i.e. (deductive reasoning)
• In this group activity students will have to evaluate the reasoning of the
syllogisms (deductive reasoning) and identify whether the conclusion drawn in
each case is follow. (hand out)
• All members will identify decision making and leadership style of each member of
the group.
DECISION MAKING
• decision-making is regarded as the cognitive
process resulting in the selection of a belief or a
course of action among several alternative
possibilities. Decision-making is the process of
identifying and choosing alternatives based on
the values, preferences and beliefs of the decision-
maker.
• Every decision-making process produces a
final choice, which may or may not prompt action.
Decision Making Styles
• Consensus decision-making
• Voting-based methods
• Participative decision-making
Consensus decision-making
• Consensus decision-making tries to avoid "winners"
and "losers". Consensus requires that a majority
approve a given course of action, but that the
minority agree to go along with the course of action.
In other words, if the minority opposes the course of
action, consensus requires that the course of action
be modified to remove objectionable features.
Voting-based methods
• Majority requires support from more than 50% of the members of the group.
Thus, the bar for action is lower than with consensus.
• Plurality, where the largest block in a group decides, even if it falls short of a
majority.
• Quadratic voting allows participants to cast their preference and intensity of
preference for each decision (as opposed to a simple for or against decision).
It addresses issues of voting paradox and majority-rule.
• Range voting lets each member score one or more of the available options.
The option with the highest average is chosen. This method has
experimentally been shown to produce the lowest Bayesian regret among
common voting methods, even when voters are strategic
Participative decision-making
• Participative decision-making occurs when an
authority opens up the decision-making process
to a group of people for a collaborative effort.
Decision Making Strategies
• Rational
• Intuitive
• Creative
• Dependant
• Avoidant
Rational

•It involves a cognitive process where each

step is followed in a logical manner.
•It is based on thinking through and weighing
up the alternatives to come up with the best
potential result.
Intuitive
•Based on intuition
•No logic or rationale required
Creative

•Free thinking
•Brain storming
•Free wheeling wild thoughts are fine.
•Checklists; used to remind creative thinker
possible ways to approach a problem or
create a solution.
Dependent
• the dependent style is asking for other people's
input and instructions on what decision should
be made. In this style, the individual could ask
friends, family, co-workers, etc., but the
individual might not ask all of these people
Avoidant
• The avoidant style is averting the responsibility of
making a decision. In this style, the individual would
not make a decision. Therefore, the individual would
stick with their current job.
Leadership Styles
There are 3 main types of leadership styles out of 5.

1. The Autocratic or Authoritarian Leader

2. The Democratic or Participative Leader
3. The Laissez-faire or Delegative Leader
2 Other Styles
• The Charismatic Leader
• The Servant Leader
The Autocratic or Authoritarian Leader
• Given the power to make
decisions alone, having total
authority.

• Closely supervises and

controls people when they
perform certain tasks.
The Democratic or Participative Leader

• Includes one or more

people in the decision
making process of
determining what to do
and how to do it.
• Maintains the final
decision making authority.
The Laissez-faire or Delegative Leader
• Allows people to make their
Laissez-faire is a
own decisions.
French phrase
• Leader is still responsible for meaning “let do”
the decisions that are made.
• This style allows greater
freedom and responsibility for
people.
• However, you need competent
people around you or nothing
will get done.
The Charismatic Leader
• Leads by creating energy and eagerness in
people.
• Leader is well liked and inspires people.
• Appeals to people’s emotional side.
The Servant Leader
• The highest priority of this leader is to
encourage, support and enable people to
fulfill their full potential and abilities.
• Helps people achieve their goals.
• Works for the people.
We can use combinations of
leadership styles