Solving Bernard L. Erven Department of Agricultural Economics Ohio State University Extension A manager's primary function is to solve problems. A manager's understanding of his or her approach to problems and problem-solving style most often used is an essential early step to becoming a more effective creative problem solver. Avoid them - refuse to recognize that a problem exists 2. Solve them as necessary - deal with the urgent 3.
Systematic thinkers are logical and rational.
They prefer narrow and focused problems, step by step processes, rules to be followed, and computer programs that grind to a recommendation. Compared with systematic thinkers, for the intuitive thinker, data are less important, complexity is less bothersome, changing external and internal environments are expected rather than assumed away, and being more or less right is more important than being precisely wrong. A manager suffering from paradigm paralysis fails to change his or her beliefs and assumptions when new information shows a change is needed. In their most constraining form, they appear to be completely consistent with common sense and the decision maker's life experiences. Note the following paradigms about management succession - the challenge of transferring management to a new generation of people that every family business eventually faces.