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As students graduate from high school and college this time of year, commencement speakers offer advice on how they can succeed in their future lives. I was listening to the Northwestern Oklahoma State University ceremony Saturday and heard a comment made by Dr. Janet Cunningham, NWOSU president. She said, “In this time of social media, it is easy to criticize those in leadership positions, but rarely do those who engage in criticism offer solutions.”

It reminded me of how much I dislike being subjected to people’s rants on social media. If it weren’t for the good, encouraging messages I see, I’d probably disconnect. Somehow, not facing an actual person while complaining seems to make people meaner.

A lot of times, people are just blowing off steam. It reminds me of times when I’d be venting to my husband about a problem at work, and he’d ask, “How can you solve this problem? Do you have any ideas?” While I‘d resent his interrupting my flow at the time, later it prompted me to consider possible solutions.

We confront a lot of problems as we go through life. I wondered if someone had come up with a list of steps in problem solving. Searching on the Internet, I found a couple of different categories. Psychologists generally focused on problems in relationships while business people focused on solving business problems.

I found listings of seven steps in problem solving, and they’re remarkably similar from both psychological and business standpoints. Here’s a combined list:

1. Identify the problem. Be clear about what the problem is. Different people may have different views on the this.

2. Define goals or understand everyone’s interests. Decide on a realistic and obtainable goal. Or what are the needs that you want satisfied by a given solution.

3. List the possible solutions or options (brainstorming). Be creative. Don’t rush this process. Write down all ideas, even the ones that seem absurd.

4. Evaluate the options. Honestly list the pros and cons of the solutions, the advantages and disadvantages.

5. Choose a solution. The best solution may not be the one with the most pros and the least cons. Which solution can highlight the positive effects that matter the most? Which has the mildest consequences?

6. Actively execute the chosen solution (psychology) or document the agreement (business). Don’t worry about failure. Concentrate on the journey that will lead you to your goal.

7. Evaluate. If the solution was successful, enjoy it. If not, you’ve learned something. With this knowledge, start the process again to come up with a better solution. In the business process, this step includes deciding how to monitor compliance and follow-through.

Like me, you’ve probably been unconsciously using this process. Solving problems is a part of leadership, whether you’re running a household, a business or a college. My husband used to say his primary job was “fighting fires.”

Remembering Normandy Beach

On a different note, the Alva Review-Courier is running a series of three columns from World War II about the Normandy Beachhead. Written by renowned journalist Ernie Pyle, the columns give the perspective of the G.I.’s life. The first one ran Sunday, May 12, and we plan to publish the others the next two Sundays. They are used with permission of the Ernie Pyle World War II Museum located in Dana, Indiana.