cover letter

business communication a problem solving approach

  • Professional

Select a product below:

Sign in to Shop:

Business and Economics

Accounting Business Communication Business Law Business Mathematics Business Statistics & Analytics Computer & Information Technology Decision Sciences & Operations Management Economics Finance Keyboarding Introduction to Business Insurance and Real Estate Management Information Systems Management Marketing

Humanities, Social Science and Language

American Government Anthropology Art Career Development Communication Criminal Justice Developmental English Education Film Composition Health and Human Performance

History Humanities Music Philosophy and Religion Political Science Psychology Sociology Student Success Theater World Languages

Science, Engineering and Math

Agriculture and Forestry Anatomy & Physiology and Physical Science Astronomy Biology - Majors Biology - Non-Majors Chemistry Cell/Molecular Biology and Genetics Earth & Environmental Science Ecology Engineering/Computer Science Engineering Technologies - Trade & Tech Health Professions Mathematics Microbiology Nutrition Physics Plants and Animals

Digital Products

Connect® Course management , reporting , and student learning tools backed by great support .

Connect® Master Online Learning Without Compromise

McGraw Hill GO Greenlight learning with this new eBook+

ALEKS® Personalize learning and assessment

ALEKS® Placement, Preparation, and Learning Achieve accurate math placement

SIMnet Ignite mastery of MS Office and IT skills

McGraw-Hill eBook & ReadAnywhere App Get learning that fits anytime, anywhere

Inclusive Access Reduce costs and increase success

LMS Integration Log in and sync up

Math Placement Achieve accurate math placement

Content Collections powered by Create® Curate and deliver your ideal content

Custom Courseware Solutions Teach your course your way

Professional Services Collaborate to optimize outcomes

Lecture Capture Capture lectures for anytime access

Remote Proctoring Validate online exams even offsite

Institutional Solutions Increase engagement, lower costs, and improve access for your students

General Help & Support Info Customer Service & Tech Support contact information

Online Technical Support Center FAQs, articles, chat, email or phone support

Support At Every Step Instructor tools, training and resources for ALEKS , Connect & SIMnet

Instructor Sample Requests Get step by step instructions for requesting an evaluation, exam, or desk copy

Platform System Check System status in real time

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach , 2nd Edition

Purchase options:.

Lowest Price!

McGraw Hill eBook

Watch to learn more about the eBook

Textbook Rental (150 Days)

Loose-Leaf Purchase

Shipping Options

Orders within the United States are shipped via FedEx or UPS Ground. For shipments to locations outside of the U.S., only standard shipping is available. All shipping options assume the product is available and that processing an order takes 24 to 48 hours prior to shipping.

Note:  Connect can only be used if assigned by your instructor. 

McGraw Hill Connect (180 Days)

Connect + Loose Leaf

* The estimated amount of time this product will be on the market is based on a number of factors, including faculty input to instructional design and the prior revision cycle and updates to academic research-which typically results in a revision cycle ranging from every two to four years for this product. Pricing subject to change at any time.

Additional Product Information:

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach 2e prepares students to take charge of the communication challenges they’ll face on the job. With a focus on effective decision making, the text provides a process for analyzing communication problems and thorough support for designing successful solutions. Students will gain a realistic picture of today’s business environment, including the impacts of the pandemic and the importance of inclusive, socially responsible communication. Numerous end-of-chapter scenarios provide a wide range of opportunities for problem solving in context. This edition continues its strong coverage of style and grammar, with additional practice activities and a reference chapter that now includes sentence building. The text’s distinctive chapters on visual communication have been consolidated into one comprehensive chapter, and updated advice on the use of communication technologies has been incorporated throughout.

Connect

By prompting students to engage with key concepts, while continually adapting to their individual needs, Connect activates learning and empowers students to take control resulting in better grades and increased retention rates. Proven online content integrates seamlessly with our adaptive technology, and helps build student confidence outside of the classroom.

SmartBook® 2.0

Available within Connect, SmartBook 2.0 is an adaptive learning solution that provides personalized learning to individual student needs, continually adapting to pinpoint knowledge gaps and focus learning on concepts requiring additional study. SmartBook 2.0 fosters more productive learning, taking the guesswork out of what to study, and helps students better prepare for class. With the ReadAnywhere mobile app, students can now read and complete SmartBook 2.0 assignments both online and off-line. For instructors, SmartBook 2.0 provides more granular control over assignments with content selection now available at the concept level. SmartBook 2.0 also includes advanced reporting features that enable instructors to track student progress with actionable insights that guide teaching strategies and advanced instruction, for a more dynamic class experience.

Video tutorial:

business communication a problem solving approach

Your text has great instructor tools, like presentation slides, instructor manuals, test banks and more. Follow the steps below to access your instructor resources or watch the step-by-step video.

Steps to access instructor resources:

About the Author

Kathryn Rentz

Dr. Kathryn Rentz is a Professor of English at the University of Cincinnati. She taught her first business writing class as a doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the early 1980s and has been teaching workplace writing ever since. She helped establish the University of Cincinnati’s professional writing program and has served as its coordinator. She has also won the English Department’s teaching award, directed the department’s graduate program, and helped direct the composition program.

Dr. Rentz’s affiliation with the Association for Business Communication goes back to her beginnings as a business writing teacher. She has performed many roles for the ABC, including serving on the board of directors and chairing the publications board. She served two terms as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Communication and was Interim Editor from 2000–2001, for which she won the Francis W. Weeks Award of Merit. In 2008 she won the ABC’s Meada Gibbs Outstanding Teacher Award. In 2011 she was elected Second Vice President for the association. She served as President in 2013–2014 and Past President in 2014–2015. In 2018 she won the Distinguished Member Award.

Dr. Rentz has published articles on business communication pedagogy and research in such journals as Business Communication Quarterly, the Journal of Business Communication, Technical Communication Quarterly, and the Journal of Business and Technical Communication. She has participated in many professional meetings and seminars over the years and is always learning from her colleagues and her students.

Paula Lentz

Dr. Paula Lentz is a Professor and Academic Program Director in the Department of Business Communication at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. She teaches Business Writing, Advanced Business Writing, and MBA courses. In addition, she directs the College of Business’s Business Writing and Presentations Studio and is also a developer and coordinator of the department’s Business Writing Fundamentals Program.

Dr. Lentz is particularly interested in qualitative research that explores narratives and organizational cultures, genre theory, and writing pedagogy. She has published in such journals as Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, Wisconsin Business Education Association Journal, Equal Opportunities International, Journal of Health Administration Communication, and Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management. Her book, Rhetorical Theory and Practice in the Business Communication Classroom, co-authored with Dr. Kristen Getchell of Babson College, received the Association for Business Communication’s 2019 Distinguished Book on Business Communication award. She also serves on the Association for Business Communication’s Executive Board and leads its Academic Environment Committee.

She continues to do freelance editing and provides consulting and writing services. She received a BA from Coe College, an MA from UW–Eau Claire, and a PhD in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota.

business communication a problem solving approach

Affordability

Reduce course material costs for your students while still providing full access to everything they need to be successful. It isn't too good to be true - it's Inclusive Access.

Need support?    We're here to help -  Get real-world support and resources every step of the way.

Facebook

Company Info

Additional Resources

©2023 McGraw Hill. All Rights Reserved.

Cart

How to Solve Problems

business communication a problem solving approach

To bring the best ideas forward, teams must build psychological safety.

Teams today aren’t just asked to execute tasks: They’re called upon to solve problems. You’d think that many brains working together would mean better solutions, but the reality is that too often problem-solving teams fall victim to inefficiency, conflict, and cautious conclusions. The two charts below will help your team think about how to collaborate better and come up with the best solutions for the thorniest challenges.

First, think of the last time you had to solve a problem. Maybe it was a big one: A major trade route is blocked and your product is time sensitive and must make it to market on time. Maybe it was a small one: A traffic jam on your way to work means you’re going to be late for your first meeting of the day. Whatever the size of the impact, in solving your problem you moved through five stages, according to “ Why Groups Struggle to Solve Problems Together ,” by Al Pittampalli.

business communication a problem solving approach

Pittampalli finds that most of us, when working individually, move through these stages intuitively. It’s different when you’re working in a team, however. You need to stop and identify these different stages to make sure the group is aligned. For example, while one colleague might join a problem-solving discussion ready to evaluate assumptions (Stage 3), another might still be defining the problem (Stage 1). By defining each stage of your problem-solving explicitly, you increase the odds of your team coming to better solutions more smoothly.

This problem-solving technique gains extra power when applied to Alison Reynold’s and David Lewis’ research on problem-solving teams. In their article, “ The Two Traits of the Best Problem-Solving Teams ,” they find that highly effective teams typically have a pair of common features: They are cognitively diverse and they are psychologically safe. They also exhibit an array of characteristics associated with learning and confidence; these teammates tend to be curious, experimental, and nurturing, for example.

business communication a problem solving approach

As you and your colleagues consider these ideas, think about the last problem you had to solve as a team. First, map out what you remember from each step of your problem-solving. Were all of you on the same page at each stage? What aspects of the problem did you consider — or might you have missed — as a result? What can you do differently the next time you have a problem to solve? Second, ask where your team sees themselves on the chart. What kinds of behaviors could your team adopt to help you move into that top-right quadrant?

business communication a problem solving approach

Partner Center

JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.

Business Communication: A Problem Solving Approach

McGraw-Hill Connect Logo

McGraw-Hill Connect is an award-winning digital teaching and learning solution that empowers students to achieve better outcomes and enables instructors to improve course management efficiency.

High-Quality Course Material Our trusted solutions are designed to help students actively engage in course content and develop critical higher-level thinking skills while offering you the flexibility to tailor your course to the ways you teach and the ways your students learn.

Assignments & Automatic Grading Connect features a question bank that you can select from to create homework, practice tests and quizzes. Dramatically reduce the amount of time you spend reviewing homework and grading quizzes, freeing up your valuable time to spend on teaching.

Analytics & Reporting Monitor progress and improve focus with Connect’s visual and actionable dashboards. Reports are available to empower both instructors and students with real-time performance analytics.

Seamless Integration Link your Learning Management with Connect for single sign-on and gradebook synchronization, with all-in-one ease for you and your students.

Purchase Options

We're committed to providing you with high-value course solutions backed by great service and a team that cares about your success.

Receive instant access to:

> Learn more about Connect®

Connect may be assigned as part of your grade. Check with your instructor to see if Connect is used in your course.

ISBN10: 1264159641 | ISBN13: 9781264159642

Connect + Print Text

Receive via shipping:

Connect access card, plus colour, print bound version of the complete text

Connect includes:

ISBN10: 1264160364 | ISBN13: 9781264160365

ISBN10: 1260339572 | ISBN13: 9781260339574

McGraw Hill eBook

After purchasing your eBook, login to the McGraw Hill Bookshelf website and redeem the access code from your order confirmation email.

NOTE: eBook purchase does not include Connect homework or adaptive SmartBook assignments

> Learn more about McGraw Hill eBook

> Subscription Details

ISBN10: 1264159633 | ISBN13: 9781264159635

ISBN10: 1264159617 | ISBN13: 9781264159611

Enter the characters you see below

Sorry, we just need to make sure you're not a robot. For best results, please make sure your browser is accepting cookies.

Type the characters you see in this image:

business communication a problem solving approach

Ch.1 The Business Communication Process

Profile Picture

Terms in this set (8)

Students also viewed, business communications.

Profile Picture

Video Case: Ethics in Business Communication

Profile Picture

Advanced business comm. Ch. 6.

Profile Picture

Recent flashcard sets

Nationalism europe 1800s.

Profile Picture

Biology test 3

Profile Picture

Chapter 11.

Profile Picture

Sets found in the same folder

Profile Picture

Other sets by this creator

Ch.3 assignment, ch.1 preparing for success in the workplace, qm 2241 ch.2 quiz, mgmt week 8 quiz ch 15 & 16, verified questions.

Each line, when completed, should have three words similar in meaning. Enter all missing letters.

h_ ld \hspace{1cm} k _ _ p \hspace{1cm} _ _ tain

To support their positions on controversial issues, politicians often quote opinion polls. Stae what issues in your school would lend themselves to opinion polling.

In Macbeth, why doesn’t Duncan suspect that lady Macbeth wishes him harm?

Identify the letter of the word whose meaning is closest to that of the first word. warp: (a) hit, (b) distort, (c) build

Recommended textbook solutions

The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric 2nd Edition by Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses

The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric

Technical Writing for Success 3rd Edition by Darlene Smith-Worthington, Sue Jefferson

Technical Writing for Success

Technical Writing for Success 3rd Edition by Darlene Smith-Worthington, Sue Jefferson

Other Quizlet sets

Seed to sea exam 1, media history final, ecology lecture bio 2241 lessons 4-6.

Profile Picture

Unit 2 Test: Bacteria & Viruses

Profile Picture

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach 2nd edition

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach 2nd edition 9781264105311 1264105312

Kathryn Rentz

21-day refund guarantee and more

eTextbook $55.00

Included with your book.

If you're not satisfied with your eTextbook for any reason, you can cancel the book within 10 days & you will receive a full refund. No cheating! - you can only do this once per eTextbook.

Total Price: $55.00

List Price: was $ 69.00 your Savings*: $ 14.00

Buy $143.99

Return within 21 days of the order for any reason.

Book Details

Standard shipping options.

Return Policy

Rent 📙Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach 2nd edition (978-1264105311) today, or search our site for other 📚textbooks by Kathryn Rentz. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Publisher Description

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

Popular Textbooks

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

American Psychological Association

ISBN-13: 9781433805615

Campbell Biology

Campbell Biology

Lisa Urry, Lisa A. Urry, Michael Cain, Michael L. Cain, Steven Wasserman, Steven A. Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, Peter Minorsky, Jane B. Reece, Jane Reece

ISBN-13: 9780134093413

From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader

From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader

Stuart Greene, April Lidinsky

ISBN-13: 9781319071233

Give Me Liberty!

Give Me Liberty!

ISBN-13: 9780393614190

Brain & Behavior: An Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience

Brain & Behavior: An Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience

Bob Garrett, Bob L. Garrett, Gerald Hough, Gerald E. Hough

ISBN-13: 9781506349206

The Art of Public Speaking (Communication) Standalone Book

The Art of Public Speaking (Communication) Standalone Book

Lucas, Stephen Lucas

ISBN-13: 9780073523910

Goodreads Celebrates Women's History Month

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

Kathryn rentz , paula lentz.

Kindle Edition

Published February 7, 2017

About the author

Profile Image for Kathryn Rentz.

Kathryn Rentz

Ratings & reviews.

What do you think? Rate this book Write a Review

Friends & Following

Community reviews, join the discussion, can't find what you're looking for.

business communication a problem solving approach

business communication a problem solving approach

Get Textbooks on Google Play

Rent and save from the world's largest eBookstore. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone.

Go to Google Play Now »

What people are saying  -   Write a review

Other editions - view all, about the author  (2017).

Dr. Paula Lentz is a Professor and Academic Program Director in the Department of Business Communication at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. She teaches Business Writing, Advanced Business Writing, and MBA courses. In addition, she directs the College of Business’s Business Writing and Presentations Studio and is also a developer and coordinator of the department’s Business Writing Fundamentals Program.Dr. Lentz is particularly interested in qualitative research that explores narratives and organizational cultures, genre theory, and writing pedagogy. She has published in such journals as Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, Wisconsin Business Education Association Journal, Equal Opportunities International, Journal of Health Administration Communication, and Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management. Her book, Rhetorical Theory and Practice in the Business Communication Classroom, co-authored with Dr. Kristen Getchell of Babson College, received the Association for Business Communication’s 2019 Distinguished Book on Business Communication award. She also serves on the Association for Business Communication’s Executive Board and leads its Academic Environment Committee.She continues to do freelance editing and provides consulting and writing services. She received a BA from Coe College, an MA from UW–Eau Claire, and a PhD in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Kathryn Rentz is a Professor of English at the University of Cincinnati. She taught her first business writing class as a doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the early 1980s and has been teaching workplace writing ever since. She helped establish the University of Cincinnati’s professional writing program and has served as its coordinator. She has also won the English Department’s teaching award, directed the department’s graduate program, and helped direct the composition program.Dr. Rentz’s affiliation with the Association for Business Communication goes back to her beginnings as a business writing teacher. She has performed many roles for the ABC, including serving on the board of directors and chairing the publications board. She served two terms as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Communication and was Interim Editor from 2000–2001, for which she won the Francis W. Weeks Award of Merit. In 2008 she won the ABC’s Meada Gibbs Outstanding Teacher Award. In 2011 she was elected Second Vice President for the association. She served as President in 2013–2014 and Past President in 2014–2015. In 2018 she won the Distinguished Member Award.Dr. Rentz has published articles on business communication pedagogy and research in such journals as Business Communication Quarterly, the Journal of Business Communication, Technical Communication Quarterly, and the Journal of Business and Technical Communication. She has participated in many professional meetings and seminars over the years and is always learning from her colleagues and her students.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach (Loose-Leaf)

See It In Action

For Small Businesses

Solutions for

0 results have been found for “”

 Return to blog home

10 Step Process for Effective Business Problem Solving

Posted august 3, 2021 by harriet genever.

Navigate uncertainty by following this 10-step process to develop your problem-solving skills and approach any issue with confidence. 

When you start a small business or launch a startup, the one thing you can count on is the unexpected. No matter how thoroughly you plan, forecast , and test, problems are bound to arise. This is why as an entrepreneur, you need to know how to solve business problems effectively.

What is problem solving in business?

Problem solving in business relates to establishing processes that mitigate or remove obstacles currently preventing you from reaching strategic goals . These are typically complex issues that create a gap between actual results and your desired outcome. They may be present in a single team, operational process, or throughout your entire organization, typically without an immediate or obvious solution. 

To approach problem solving successfully, you need to establish consistent processes that help you evaluate, explore solutions, prioritize execution, and measure success. In many ways, it should be similar to how you review business performance through a monthly plan review . You work through the same documentation, look for gaps, dig deeper to identify the root cause, and hash out options. Without this process, you simply cannot expect to solve problems efficiently or effectively. 

Why problem solving is important for your business

While some would say problem-solving comes naturally, it’s actually a skill you can grow and refine over time. Problem solving skills will help you and your team tackle critical issues and conflicts as they arise. It starts from the top. You as the business owner or CEO needing to display the type of level-headed problem solving that you expect to see from your employees.

Doing so will help you and your staff quickly deal with issues, establish and refine a problem solving process, turn challenges into opportunities, and generally keep a level head. Now, the best business leaders didn’t just find a magic solution to solve their problems, they built processes and leveraged tools to find success. And you can do the same.

By following this 10-step process, you can develop your problem-solving skills and approach any issue that arises with confidence. 

1. Define the problem

When a problem arises, it can be very easy to jump right into creating a solution. However, if you don’t thoroughly examine what led to the problem in the first place, you may create a strategy that doesn’t actually solve it. You may just be treating the symptoms.

For instance, if you realize that your sales from new customers are dropping, your first inclination might be to rush into putting together a marketing plan to increase exposure. But what if decreasing sales are just a symptom of the real problem? 

When you define the problem, you want to be sure you’re not missing the forest for the trees. If you have a large issue on your hands, you’ll want to look at it from several different angles:

Competition 

Is a competitor’s promotion or pricing affecting your sales? Are there new entrants in your market? How are they marketing their product or business?

Business model 

Is your business model sustainable? Is it realistic for how fast you want to grow? Should you explore different pricing or cost strategies?

Market factors

How are world events and the nation’s economy affecting your customers and your sales?

Are there any issues affecting your team? Do they have the tools and resources they need to succeed? 

Goal alignment 

Is everyone on your team working toward the same goal ? Have you communicated your short-term and long-term business goals clearly and often?

There are a lot of ways to approach the issue when you’re facing a serious business problem. The key is to make sure you’re getting a full snapshot of what’s going on so you don’t waste money and resources on band-aid solutions. 

Going back to our example, by looking at every facet of your business, you may discover that you’re spending more on advertising than your competitors already. And instead, there’s a communication gap within your team that’s leading to the mishandling of new customers and therefore lost sales. 

If you jumped into fixing the exposure of your brand, you would have been dumping more money into an area you’re already winning. Potentially leading to greater losses as more and more new customers are dropped due to poor internal communication.

This is why it’s so vital that you explore your blind spots and track the problem to its source.

2. Conduct a SWOT analysis

All good businesses solve some sort of problem for customers. What if your particular business problem is actually an opportunity, or even a strength if considered from a different angle? This is when you’d want to conduct a SWOT analysis to determine if that is in fact the case.

SWOT is a great tool for strategic planning and bringing multiple viewpoints to the table when you’re looking at investing resources to solve a problem. This may even be incorporated in your attempts to identify the source of your problem, as it can quickly outline specific strengths and weaknesses of your business. And then by identifying any potential opportunities or threats, you can utilize your findings to kickstart a solution. 

3. Identify multiple solutions with design thinking

As you approach solving your problem, you may want to consider using the design thinking approach . It’s often used by organizations looking to solve big, community-based problems. One of its strengths is that it requires involving a wide range of people in the problem-solving process. Which leads to multiple perspectives and solutions arising.

This approach—applying your company’s skills and expertise to a problem in the market—is the basis for design thinking.

It’s not about finding the most complex problems to solve, but about finding common needs within the organization and in the real world and coming up with solutions that fit those needs. When you’re solving business problems, this applies in the sense that you’re looking for solutions that address underlying issues—you’re looking at the big picture.

4. Conduct market research and customer outreach

Market research and customer outreach aren’t the sorts of things small business owners and startups can do once and then cross off the list. When you’re facing a roadblock, think back to the last time you did some solid market research or took a deep dive into understanding the competitive landscape .

Market research and the insights you get from customer outreach aren’t a silver bullet. Many companies struggle with what they should do with conflicting data points. But it’s worth struggling through and gathering information that can help you better understand your target market . Plus, your customers can be one of the best sources of criticism. It’s actually a gift if you can avoid taking the negatives personally .

The worst thing you can do when you’re facing challenges is isolating yourself from your customers and ignore your competition. So survey your customers. Put together a competitive matrix . 

fill-in-the-blank LivePlan

5. Seek input from your team and your mentors

Don’t do your SWOT analysis or design thinking work by yourself. The freedom to express concerns, opinions, and ideas will allow people in an organization to speak up. Their feedback is going to help you move faster and more efficiently. If you have a team in place, bring them into the discussion. You hired them to be experts in their area; use their expertise to navigate and dig deeper into underlying causes of problems and potential solutions.

If you’re running your business solo, at least bring in a trusted mentor. SCORE offers a free business mentorship program if you don’t already have one. It can also be helpful to connect with a strategic business advisor , especially if business financials aren’t your strongest suit.

Quoting Stephen Covey, who said that “strength lies in differences, not in similarities,” speaking to the importance of diversity when it comes to problem-solving in business. The more diverse a team is , the more often innovative solutions to the problems faced by the organization appear.

In fact, it has been found that groups that show greater diversity were better at solving problems than groups made up specifically of highly skilled problem solvers. So whoever you bring in to help you problem-solve, resist the urge to surround yourself with people who already agree with you about everything.

6. Apply lean planning for nimble execution

So you do your SWOT analysis and your design thinking exercise. You come up with a set of strong, data-driven ideas. But implementing them requires you to adjust your budget, or your strategic plan, or even your understanding of your target market.

Are you willing to change course? Can you quickly make adjustments? Well in order to grow, you can’t be afraid to be nimble . 

By adopting the lean business planning method —the process of revising your business strategy regularly—you’ll be able to shift your strategies more fluidly. You don’t want to change course every week, and you don’t want to fall victim to shiny object thinking. But you can strike a balance that allows you to reduce your business’s risk while keeping your team heading in the right direction.

Along the way, you’ll make strategic decisions that don’t pan out the way you hoped. The best thing you can do is test your ideas and iterate often so you’re not wasting money and resources on things that don’t work. That’s Lean Planning .

7. Model different financial scenarios

When you’re trying to solve a serious business problem, one of the best things you can do is build a few different financial forecasts so you can model different scenarios. You might find that the idea that seemed the strongest will take longer than you thought to reverse a negative financial trend. At the very least you’ll have better insight into the financial impact of moving in a different direction.

The real benefit here is looking at different tactical approaches to the same problem. Maybe instead of increasing sales right now, you’re better off in the long run if you adopt a strategy to reduce churn and retain your best customers. You won’t know unless you model a few different scenarios. You can do this by using spreadsheets, and a tool like LivePlan can make it easier and quicker.

8. Watch your cash flow

While you’re working to solve a challenging business problem, pay particular attention to your cash flow and your cash flow forecast . Understanding when your company is at risk of running out of cash in the bank can help you be proactive. It’s a lot easier to get a line of credit while your financials still look good and healthy, than when you’re one pay period away from ruin.

If you’re dealing with a serious issue, it’s easy to start to get tunnel vision. You’ll benefit from maintaining a little breathing room for your business as you figure out what to do next.

9. Use a decision-making framework

Once you’ve gathered all the information you need, generated a number of ideas, and done some financial modeling, you might still feel uncertain. It’s natural—you’re not a fortune-teller. You’re trying to make the best decision you can with the information you have.

This article offers a really useful approach to making decisions. It starts with putting your options into a matrix like this one:

LivePlan Blog Images

Use this sort of framework to put everything you’ve learned out on the table. If you’re working with a bigger team, this sort of exercise can also bring the rest of your team to the table so they feel some ownership over the outcome.

10. Identify key metrics to track

How will you know your problem is solved? And not just the symptom—how will you know when you’ve addressed the underlying issues? Before you dive into enacting the solution, make sure you know what success looks like.

Decide on a few key performance indicators . Take a baseline measurement, and set a goal and a timeframe. You’re essentially translating your solution into a plan, complete with milestones and goals. Without these, you’ve simply made a blind decision with no way to track success. You need those goals and milestones to make your plan real .

Problem solving skills to improve

As you and your team work through this process, it’s worth keeping in mind specific problem solving skills you should continue to develop. Bolstering your ability, as well as your team, to solve problems effectively will only make this process more useful and efficient. Here are a few key skills to work on.

Emotional intelligence

It can be very easy to make quick, emotional responses in a time of crisis or when discussing something you’re passionate about. To avoid making assumptions and letting your emotions get the best of you, you need to focus on empathizing with others. This involves understanding your own emotional state, reactions and listening carefully to the responses of your team. The more you’re able to listen carefully, the better you’ll be at asking for and taking advice that actually leads to effective problem solving.

Jumping right into a solution can immediately kill the possibility of solving your problem. Just like when you start a business , you need to do the research into what the problem you’re solving actually is. Luckily, you can embed research into your problem solving by holding active reviews of financial performance and team processes. Simply asking “What? Where? When? How?” can lead to more in-depth explorations of potential issues.

The best thing you can do to grow your research abilities is to encourage and practice curiosity. Look at every problem as an opportunity. Something that may be trouble now, but is worth exploring and finding the right solution. You’ll pick up best practices, useful tools and fine-tune your own research process the more you’re willing to explore.

Brainstorming

Creatively brainstorming with your team is somewhat of an art form. There needs to be a willingness to throw everything at the wall and act as if nothing is a bad idea at the start. This style of collaboration encourages participation without fear of rejection. It also helps outline potential solutions outside of your current scope, that you can refine and turn into realistic action.

Work on breaking down problems and try to give everyone in the room a voice. The more input you allow, the greater potential you have for finding the best solution.

Decisiveness

One thing that can drag out acting upon a potential solution, is being indecisive. If you aren’t willing to state when the final cutoff for deliberation is, you simply won’t take steps quickly enough. This is when having a process for problem solving comes in handy, as it purposefully outlines when you should start taking action.

Work on choosing decision-makers, identify necessary results and be prepared to analyze and adjust if necessary. You don’t have to get it right every time, but taking action at the right time, even if it fails, is almost more vital than never taking a step.  

Stemming off failure, you need to learn to be resilient. Again, no one gets it perfect every single time. There are so many factors in play to consider and sometimes even the most well-thought-out solution doesn’t stick. Instead of being down on yourself or your team, look to separate yourself from the problem and continue to think of it as a puzzle worth solving. Every failure is a learning opportunity and it only helps you further refine and eliminate issues in your strategy.

Problem solving is a process

The key to effective problem-solving in business is the ability to adapt. You can waste a lot of resources on staying the wrong course for too long. So make a plan to reduce your risk now. Think about what you’d do if you were faced with a problem large enough to sink your business. Be as proactive as you can.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2016. It was updated in 2021.

Harriet Genever

Harriet Genever

Posted in management.

Question is from : Business Communication: A Problem-Solving...

Question is from :

Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

2nd Edition 

Author: Kathryn Rentz

ISBN: 1264105282

Please Cite any sources used thank you. I promise to rate!

image.png

Image transcription text

Answer & Explanation

CliffsNotes Logo

Unlock access to this and over 10,000 step-by-step explanations

Have an account? Log In

Step-by-step explanation

Get unstuck with a cliffsnotes subscription.

Example CliffsNotes Question and Answer

Related Q&A

IMAGES

  1. Download Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

    business communication a problem solving approach

  2. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

    business communication a problem solving approach

  3. (CANADIAN EDITION) BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: A PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACH 1st edition

    business communication a problem solving approach

  4. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

    business communication a problem solving approach

  5. Business Communication Problem Solving Approach

    business communication a problem solving approach

  6. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach by Kathryn Rentz

    business communication a problem solving approach

VIDEO

  1. Greater Boston Video: Revoking Recess: Debate Over School Punishments

  2. ஜப்பானில் Football Coach மொழி தெரியாது போடா என் பிள்ளையின் கால்பந்து கனவு 😭😭😢😪😥#shorts

  3. Communication in Dynamic Organizations

  4. Theoretical communication part2

  5. Levels and Principles of Communication

  6. SBLE 3133 ENGLISH FOR SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION

COMMENTS

  1. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

    Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach 2e prepares students to take charge of the communication challenges they’ll face on the job. With a focus on effective decision making, the text provides a process for analyzing communication problems and thorough support for designing successful solutions.

  2. How to Solve Problems

    First, think of the last time you had to solve a problem. Maybe it was a big one: A major trade route is blocked and your product is time sensitive and must make it to market on time. Maybe it...

  3. Business Communication: A Problem Solving Approach

    Problem Solving Approach. The first Canadian edition of Rentz explores how to solve problems through effective communication. This unique approach focuses on three areas that are key to problem solving: clear communication, visual rhetoric, and critical thinking. Writing and Grammar Focus.

  4. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach (Loose-Leaf)

    ISE Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach 2nd Edition $101.73 (2) Usually ships within 6 to 7 days. ISBN-10 1259565874 ISBN-13 978-1259565878 Edition 1st Publisher McGraw Hill Publication date March 1, 2017 Language English Dimensions 9 x 0.9 x 10.8 inches Print length 720 pages See all details Books with Buzz

  5. Ch.1 The Business Communication Process Flashcards

    Your understanding of the stages of the business communication process will be reviewed in this exercise. The problem-solving research divides problems into two types: well-defined and ill-defined. Except in the most routine situations, business communication addresses ill-defined problems.

  6. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

    Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach: Edition: 2nd edition: ISBN-13: 978-1264105311: Format: ebook: Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education (9/15/2020) Copyright: 2021: Dimensions: 0 x 0 x 0 inches: Weight: < 1 lb

  7. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach

    Combining the fundamentals of clear communication with visual rhetoric and critical thinking, its problem-solving approach gets directly to the heart of great business communication and helps students gain a professional advantage. Kindle Edition. Published February 7, 2017. Book details & editions.

  8. Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach (Loose …

    Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach hits the sweet spot for any business communication course. Combining the fundamentals of clear communication with visual rhetoric and...

  9. 10 Step Process for Effective Business Problem Solving

    To approach problem solving successfully, you need to establish consistent processes that help you evaluate, explore solutions, prioritize execution, and measure success. In many ways, it should be similar to how you review business performance through a monthly plan review.

  10. Question is from : Business Communication: A Problem-Solving...

    Approach to solving the question: Critique of the internal-operational message from a restaurant manager. Detailed explanation: The internal-operational message was analyzed to determine its effectiveness and persuasive power. Four key areas were identified where the message could be improved: lack of specificity, lack of incentives, lack of ...