Many aspiring IS professionals juggle with fixed routines as well as creative problem solving and decision making to some extent at work. Most of them would like to achieve efficiency and expertise in ther profession.
Training on the critical techniques that are helpful, the mind set required for differentiating and balancing the left and right brain activities with the right mix of joy that is derived out of one's own accomplishment is quite rare to find in organizations. Higher education also tends to neglect this aspect expecting that the general studies curriculums cover these areas to the fullest.
The fuzzy and complex problems usually have no predetermined structure to follow as with the routine and repeatitive problems. In organizations - structured as well as unstructured, it is mostly left to the individuals to figure out to handle themselves while at work solving complex problem areas.
The activities for creative problem solving require time, focus and the discipline for experimenting. The definition of failure is not related to hindering progress in this context. Activities that require new ways of thinking and solving problems to come up with something new also require organizational support in different and innovative ways.
Many of the related topics useful for individuals and aspiring professionals to understand better about themselves and their work and organizations are discussed in two books that I came across by Daniel Pink.
They are "A whole new mind" and "Drive". Daniel Pink attempts to bring in higher awareness and provides clues about the mind set, techniques and tools for turning what is deemed as mundane job into spirited work that can be achieved and cherished whatever be the type of work.
Both are business books with evidence of organizations, individuals and leaders attempting to address the most fundamental issues of every aspiring professional's quest to work better and contribute to his/ her organization.
