Types of approaches
The Avoidant Approach
This is similar to the ’Head in the Sand ’way of experiencing anger and involves a failure to acknowledge the problem. It is characterized by procrastination (putting things off), passivity, inactivity (doing nothing, hoping the problem will go away) and making excuses for not acting (I can’t do anything about it). Individuals who adopt this approach may blame other people or situations for the problem and the problem tends to remain unresolved.
The Emotional Approach
Individuals who adopt this approach tend to act impulsively or carelessly and may become angry or upset. They are unlikely to consider different solutions and the consequences and make hasty decisions which may compound the problem.
The Problem-Solving Approach
This involves a more systematic approach to problems, which includes 1) defining the problem, 2) selecting a possible solution, 3) implementing it and 4) evaluating whether the solution is the right one. Below is a list of things to consider when using this approach to problems.
Step 1 – Define the problem (what exactly is it?)
Be specific, for example if you are not happy at work, think about what exactly is causing the problem, is it the hours, the commute, the type of work.
Step 2 – Stop and think − do not act without thinking things through
Take time to go through all the steps before you make a decision.
Step 3 – Seek information from reliable sources
Don’t guess at the outcome or rely on the opinion of others.
Step 4 – Generate a number of solutions
The more solutions you come up with the more options you have! Even if they seem unrealistic, it is worth considering all the options.
Step 5 – Think of the pros and cons of each solution (costs and gains)
In the Problem of Immediate Gratification section we introduced you to a table of costs and gains. This can be used when evaluating any decision. If the costs outweigh the gains then it can be really obvious that it is not a good decision. You also need to ask yourself if you are choosing a short term ‘fix’ (for example alcohol, drugs, sex), again revisit the Problem of Immediate Gratification section section if you need to understand why you might do this.
Step 6 – Choose the best solution
Hopefully this is clear having completed the costs and gains above, if not then speak to a trusted friend/family member to get a different view. If you can make a good case to them about the course of action you want to take then you are probably making a well-considered decision. It is unlikely they will support you using a short term ‘fix’ to feel better when it doesn’t address the problem!
Step 7 – Plan how you will apply the solution
Benjamin Franklin said that “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Step 8 – Carry out the solution
Put your plan into action!
Step 9 – Evaluate how well it worked
If we don’t evaluate what we did and how well it worked, we can end up repeating the same mistakes or thinking we have solved a problem when we haven’t. It might be that you haven’t identified the right problem in the first place; for example if you didn’t like your work colleagues you might have changed where you work but the type of work is still the same so while you have different colleagues you actually realize it is the type of work you do that needs to change.
In fact, the problem-solving process could also be summarized as follows:
- recognize that there is a problem;
- find out exactly what the problem is;
- identify several solutions;
- choose one and implement it;
- analyze the effectiveness of that solution as to whether it was effective or not. If not, go back to step 4 (choose another solution from your list) and step 5 until the problem is solved.
