SOLVING PROBLEMS

Read the article “6 Effective Problem Solving Steps for Business” by Adam Robinson.

WARM UP: BEST IDEAS

Task 1: Where and when do you get your best ideas? Complete the following phrases
using the words from the box.

exercising work morning meeting desk sleep

1. First thing in the __________________.

2. Commuting to __________________.
3. In a problem solving __________________.
4. After a good __________________.
5. While I’m __________________.
6. At my __________________.

Task 2: Now, discuss which are true or false for you.

HOW COULD YOUR COMPANY SAVE MONEY?

Complete the table below by identifying ways in which your company could save money.
The table is divided into small and big ways to save money, and an example of each has
been given. Discuss the results as a class.

Small Savings Big Savings

Staff have to buy their own coffee. Reduce staff by 10%.

ESL Pals 1 Business English

 PEOPLE PROBLEMS
Decide if the words below are used to describe people or products, or both.

reliable patient responsible honest

flexible organised consistent supportive

Now, use the following prefixes to create the opposite meanings of the words. You can
use -un -in -im -ir or -dis.

_____ reliable _____ patient _____ responsible _____ honest

_____ flexible _____ organised _____ consistent _____ supportive

Complete the staff appraisals using the appropriate positive or negative adjective.

1. Oliver meets his targets month after month, he is incredibly ___________.

2. John can only do things his own way, he’s completely ___________.

3. Johnny never does what he is supposed to do, he’s ___________.

4. Amy is ___________, she will tell you directly how projects are performing.

5. Laura helped Tom and James complete the project, she is very ___________.

6. Beth’s reports were late last week, she missed the deadline as she is ___________.

Read each situation below, then discuss how you would respond.

a. Your team member’s sales results are inconsistent. Last week he overperformed by
$4000, however, this week he has underperformed by $1000.

b. Your boss is inflexible. Due to a project, he won’t let you take a day off in 2 weeks.

c. A colleague is dishonest, you found out that he is lying about his sales results in
order to achieve his target.

d. You can not depend on your colleague to complete tasks because he is unreliable.

e. Your team member misses deadlines because he is disorganised.

ESL Pals 2 Business English

 6 EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS FOR BUSINESS
Task 1: Read the article below that explores how to solve problems.

Identify the Problem: The first area of Find solutions for parts of the problem.
focus in your problem solving steps is It could be necessary to ask for help in
recognition of the problem. This might your problem solving steps by asking
sound like common sense; however, this colleagues or friends. A cross-functional
is a very important step. Try to describe problem solving group can help. Different
the problem as objectively as possible, as ideas, from different points of view, put on
opposed to focusing on the potential a white board helps. Anything goes; any
consequences of the problem. This can solution is acceptable, no comment is
give you a better idea of the issue you are withheld. Furthermore, this activity
specifically dealing with at the moment. creates trust, leading to collaboration.
After all, collaboration is one of the tenets
Define and Analyse the Problem: You of innovation.
will want to figure out what caused the
problem, what the problem looks like at Decision-Making: You want to evaluate
this moment, and the urgency of the solutions you came up with. Analyse
addressing the problem. In this step, you the short and long term pros and cons of
want to also learn as much as you can each solution. Also, you need to evaluate
about the problem. Be flexible in your how possible each solution is. Then, mark
approach. Do research on the problem. each solution on a scale of possibility.
Look at the problem from a different
perspective. Evaluate all of the different Implement a Solution and Evaluate its
ways the problem could impact you. Success: In this final part, you want to
choose a solution and implement it. Take
Generate Potential Solutions: Here, you action. In choosing a solution, you want to
want to brainstorm and come up with as weigh the pros and cons of each potential
many solutions as possible. Be creative, solution, and it is generally a good idea to
as you want a number of different options start out with a solution that is associated
to choose from. This process of with low risk and that is compatible with
generating solutions can also help you your priorities and future goals. Once you
look at the problem from multiple have implemented a solution, evaluate
perspectives. It may be impossible to how it was and was not successful. If the
address all areas of a problem. When this solution did not completely address the
is the case, break the problem down and problem, you can then move back through
try to generate solutions by writing them some of the different stages to address
down or speaking in a group. other areas of the problem.
Adapted from linkedin.com: Article

ESL Pals 3 Business English

Task 2: Decide if the statement are true or false:

a. It sounds obvious, but it is necessary to clearly identify the problem.

b. You need to find the best perspective, then look at it from that perspective only.

c. Brainstorm a maximum of 5 ideas, more than 5 will complicate the problem.

d. A cross-functional problem solving group could be effective.

e. You need to evaluate if a solution is possible before taking action.

f. It is important to evaluate if the solution is successful or unsuccessful.

Task 3: Find synonyms for the following words in the article.

1. Without prejudice (Paragraph 1).

2. Importance (P2).

3. Point of view (P3).

4. Teamwork (P4).

5. Advantages and disadvantages (P5).

6. Apply (P6).

Task 4: Discuss each of the tips as a class, using the prompts below.

● Summarise each of the tips.

● Explain if you agree or disagree with each of the tips.
● How could you use this tip in your professional life?

ESL Pals 4 Business English

 MEETING LANGUAGE
Task 1: Put the stages of a problem solving meeting in the correct order.

Select the solution Define the problem Brainstorming ideas Review ideas

1. _______________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________

Task 2: Match the stages to the correct language in the table.

“I’d like to hear what you all think”

● ________________________
“Let’s get the ideas rolling”

“There are 4 main aspects to this problem...”

● ________________________
“In summary, I think this is the problem…”

“Great ideas! Let’s asses what we have so far”

● ________________________
“Ok, let’s look at these ideas in more detail”

“Overall, I think we should go with this one”

● ________________________
“This is not possible, so we will have to reject it”

ESL Pals 5 Business English

 PROBLEM PROFILES
Read about various companies' problems in the table. Then match each problem to the
correct solution from the box. Discuss your reasoning with a classmate.

John’s Jeans Sonic Shoes

We can not convince our biggest retail Our supplier has told us that they are going
customer to stock our new products on to go bankrupt within the next two weeks.
their website or in their physical stores. This means that we will not be able to
This is negatively affecting our bottom line make our products as normal. We are
because we have already bought the stock, worried that we will have to close our
now it is in our warehouse! business until we find a new supplier.

Cosy Cars Friendly Furniture

My country has introduced a law that will During Q1 and Q2, the company had
increase the minimum wage by $5 per hour slower than expected sales. Therefore, we
for each of my mechanics. These increased have a lot of old stock in the warehouse.
labour costs will decrease our profit The problem is that we need to make
margins. We want to pay our workers well, space for new stock that will be arriving for
but we also need to protect the business. the Q3 and Q4 seasons.

Zen Internet Sleep Easy Hotel

We have found out that someone in the Someone has left a very bad review on the
company is passing on sensitive data to our internet about a stay at our hotel. The
competitors. We need to stop this as soon review is fake. We believe it is a rival hotel
as possible because we want to maintain trying to gain an unfair advantage. The
our competitive advantage and stop this problem is that many potential customers
illegal sharing of data. will see the review. We will lose clients!

Solutions:

1. Increase prices to cover the additional cost.

2. Encourage existing customers to leave positive reviews by offering an incentive.

3. Sell through your own website, and find other retail outlets.

4. Buy the company, and continue production at the same place.

5. Delay the new product launch, and sell the existing stock at a discount.

6. Encrypt all sensitive information, and inform the police.

ESL Pals 6 Business English

 CONDITIONALS
Task 1: Study the information below to learn about the third conditional.

Note that both events take place in the past. Look at the following timeline for the
example given above:

ESL Pals 7 Business English

Task 2: Fill the gaps with the correct forms of the verbs to make the third conditional.

1. If he ______________ (study), he ______________ (pass) the test.

2. If we ______________ (arrive) earlier, we ______________ (see) Oliver.

3. She ______________ (be) happier if she ______________ (stay) at work.

4. We ______________ (come) if we ______________ (be) invited.

5. She ______________ (not / do) it if she ______________ (know) you were ill.

6. He ______________ (be) on time if he ______________ (leave) earlier.

Task 3: Complete the following sentences making third conditional statements.

1. If a colleague had quit last week…

2. If I had been late to that important meeting…

3. I would have been promoted sooner if…

4. I would have been fired if….

5. If I had to learn a new language for work….

6. If my boss had said I had to work at the weekend...

ESL Pals 8 Business English

HOMEWORK
IDIOMS RELATED TO ‘PROBLEMS’.
Create the idioms by choosing the correct words, then find the correct meaning of each
one, and answer the questions.

1. __________ tape.
a. Blue. b. Red.

2. Cut __________.
a. corners. b. ideas.

3. In __________ water.
a. hot. b. cold.

4. Go __________.
a. south b. north.

5. Uphill __________.
a. game. b. battle.

Now, match the following meanings (a-e) to the correct idioms above (1-5).

a) When you are in trouble.

b) When a situation declines / gets worse.

c) To take shortcuts.

d) A process that is complicated by bureaucracy.

e) A difficult process.

ESL Pals 9 Business English

 1. Is it difficult to get things done at your company because of red tape?

2. Do you agree that it is sometimes necessary to cut corners?

3. Describe a time when you were in hot water at work. What happened?

4. How do you ensure your professional relationships do not go south?

5. Describe an aspect of your work that is a constant uphill battle.

ESL Pals 10 Business English