Good afternoon,
Back in February, I discussed how the Operational Excellence team employs the concept of continuous improvement in our work. This week, I want to talk about another strategy our team uses: problem-solving sessions.
A problem-solving session, or PS session, is time intentionally set aside for a group of team members to collaboratively work through a specific challenge that one of the members is facing in their individual work, or that the team is facing together.
You might be thinking, “You want me to schedule another Zoom meeting?” However, having a separate dedicated meeting time leads to more thorough discussion, more efficient decision-making, and ultimately, a better solution.
PS sessions are especially beneficial for teams where members are working on different projects or tasks individually. Even while working remotely, our Transformation Managers continue to meet for weekly PS sessions over Zoom. When one TM leads a discussion around a challenge in their project, the others can provide different perspectives, ask questions, and share what has worked in similar situations.
I invite you to share with me your team’s approach to solving problems. Additionally, please feel free to share this email with your colleagues. You can visit our website to learn more about Operational Excellence, read my previous updates, and share feedback. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at wernoski@email.unc.edu. I read every email.
Thanks,
Rick