Productive Problem Solving: The secret to living productively is solving problems productively

Author

• Dr. Robert Carkhuff

Produced

• 2007

Key Features

156 page book

Everybody has problems. The most productive people have the determination and ability to resolve their problems. Dr. Robert Carkhuff’s model addresses the challenge of problem-solving and is based on The Art of Problem-Solving, first published over a decade ago and used by thousands of people.

Productive Problem-Solving is an important book for groups and individuals – especially parents, teachers, counselors and administrators who recognize the importance of problem-solving in productivity and growth.

In eight chapters, Dr. Carkhuff introduces and discusses the six skills involved in productive problem-solving:

• Understand the problem by processing information about it.
• Analyze the problem by breaking the problem down into its component dimensions.
• Expand alternative courses to solve the problem.
• Define values to study the impact of the alternative courses.
• Evaluate courses of action based upon the most positive impact on our values.
• Improve courses of action.

According to Dr. Carkhuff, the most important skill is defining your values. This step enables you to ask and answer the basic question in problem-solving: What do you want to get out of this situation and what are you willing to do to get those benefits?

Problem-solving is a lifelong process. With this book, you have problem-solving procedures you can use throughout your life to resolve conflicts, make choices and develop directions you may not have otherwise developed.