We have handled so many issues since our childhood. Even we were a child, we struggled some problems such as failing a lesson, arguing with friends, families or teachers. And we solved it in our ways or if we were not capable to solve it, we asked to help from the others. However we are not a child any more and we need to solve our problems in a better way. To be better, we should improve our skills and focus the solutions, not problems. Especially if you are an employee, you should be better than the other to be known or get promotion or something else. Let’s look at what problem solving is and how we can be better in the workplace about it.
What is Problem Solving Skill?
According to The Balance Careers :
” Problem-solving skills help you solve issues quickly and effectively. It’s one of the key skills that employers seek in job applicants, as employees with these skills tend to be self-reliant. Problem-solving skills require quickly identifying the underlying issue and implementing a solution.
It is considered a soft skill (a personal strength) rather than a hard skill that’s learned through education or training. You can improve your problem-solving skills by familiarizing yourself with common issues in your industry and learning from more experienced employees. “
During the day, we face so many issues whether it is essential or not. Some of them are postponed or solved without deep thinking. But some of them are really critical and we need to think about it to solve properly. So how can we handle them? I want to talk about that, I have some tips for you.
How Can We Better at Problem Solving?
First of all we need to define the problem. What the problem is an essential question to ask ourselves in order to understand and define it. If we do not understand the problem properly, we could not find a right solution.
Here is the first tip : Understand the problem.
I mean understand correctly and define it in a proper way.
We can’t figure it out unless we define it properly. In order to reach the correct solution, we must start off both at the right time and way. If you think there is a problem, don’t delay it. Delaying is a problem on its own. Ask some question to yourself such as what is the problem, is it first time occurence or happened several times, what could be the root cause etc. Ask right questions and answer them honestly. Because your solution depends on questions and at the same time depends on your answers. Don’t hesitate to ask for help to others if you need.
Second tip : Search about the problem & possible solutions and try to create more alternatives to find a best solution.
After understanding the problem, you should focus on the possible solutions. Think deeply about them. You should primarily focus to solve the root causes to get rid of the problem. Sometimes first thing came to the mind could be better or sometimes you might need to think more. Be carefull at this point. Be sure that you get rid of the problem with this solution. That is the matter. If you need help, ask the others.
Third tip : Apply the solution and reassess the final situation.
That is the final point. After you choose the solution, apply it. And reassess the situation to be sure that the problem will not occur again. On the other hand, after the evaluation you may need some adjustments and apply them too. Congratulations! You did it and now you need to feel success.
One more tip for proactives
Predicting and taking an action before the problem occurs are also so important. Some of us are proactive and we solve the problem before it occurs. It is the best way. You should be aware of these kind of people and analyze them how they think and behave. Unfortunalety these kind of people generally are unremarked. Because they solve the potential problems and mostly the problem does not occur. Even they are unremarked, you should appreciate them. The importance of their work will become evident when they leave or stop doing it.
