• First, clarify your goal: what is it that you're trying to achieve?

• Identify any obvious obstacles (that is, what's not working), and determine how you can remove them and replace them with.....

• New factors, which will aid your solution instead of detracting from it.

As an example, a client was forming a work group of five people from their department to create a program for their clients. They had three solid members who committed to the group, but had trouble getting two others to agree. Here's what they did:

• They clarified the goal, which was to create the client program.

• They were having trouble completing the group (the obstacle). They brainstormed three options: shrinking the size of the group, hiring consultants for two of the roles, and looking elsewhere in the company for participating members.

• They decided on option 3, and asked two people outside of their department who immediately and eagerly agreed to participate in the work group (new factors that aided the solution).