Strategic Problem Solving

A strategic problem solver is like an expert sailor who, in the middle of the ocean tries to forecast and plan his actions based on the present conditions of the sea. He needs to foresee the arising of unexpected events and be prepared to overcome them relying only on his “operative awareness”, without any possibility of controlling the events. He doesn't and can't know the “deep truth” of the sea or the causes of its changing. Nevertheless, with his “how to” based knowledge he is able to cross oceans and face storms, always adapting his actions to the occurring of events.

Strategic problem solving can be defined as the art of solving complicated personal, interpersonal and organizational problems, with the use of refined techniques and tactics, achieving the maximum efficacy (problem solution) and efficiency (used time and efforts).

Strategic problem solving is based on a rigorous logical intervention model that refers to: Mathematical logic known as “strategic logic”; Bateson's communication theory developed in the anthropological field; Constructivist developments of the cybernetic theory (von Foerster, and von Glasersfeld); Milton Erickson's studies on the language of persuasion and to the work of the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto (Watzlawick, Weakland, Fisch, Jackson) for widening and systematizing communication's theoretical application-oriented principles.

Further application-oriented contributions have been developed by Giorgio Nardone. His empirical-experimental research of strategic intervention protocols intended for specific clinical problems has led to the creation of the advanced strategic model.

This model's success in the clinical field, through its extreme flexibility, has also oriented research towards wider interpersonal, educational, business and social contexts.

The outcome of this work constitutes the elaboration of new specific protocols, techniques, tactics and strategies, for solving particular types of problems within different kinds of “organizations”.

 

The intervention model is divided in to the following essential stages:

- Identification of the objective to be achieved

- Analysis of the attempted solutions

- Definition of the problem to be solved

- Application of the strategy

- Measurement of the effects and possible strategy

- Closing of the intervention.