Problem-solving is an invaluable soft skill in today’s competitive and rapidly evolving workplace. This skill reflects your ability to navigate tough or unexpected challenges effectively. Leveraging your innate strengths can significantly enhance your problem-solving capabilities, and reflect your ability to navigate challenges. The HIGH5 strengths assessment offers an opportunity to identify your natural problem-solving talents, and by understanding your strengths, you can develop a personalized strategy to tackle complex challenges.
Problem-solving skills are valuable in all aspects of our lives, including building relationships and decision-making. Individuals with the skills to accurately assess situations and offer solutions are in high demand. In this article, we will identify key problem-solving skills, their benefits and importance, and how to improve these skills.. You will also learn how to implement a problem-solving process.
What are problem-solving skills?
Problem-solving is a soft skill that utilizes specific strengths rather than formal education [1]. These strengths enable you to design your own process for resolving challenges effectively. The HIGH5 strengths assessment can be a game-changer in this regard, helping you identify your problem-solving strengths as well as helping you understand whether you excel in analytical thinking, creative ideation, or strategic planning, for instance. You can then leverage these abilities to create your own protocol for more effective problem-solving. Leading to more efficient and innovative solutions.
Problem-solving skills are beneficial in every profession and at every level. They help you spot underlying problems and, with technical expertise relevant to the sector, solve them. It can often be useful to familiarize yourself with common organizational challenges and learn how more experienced employees overcame them. Although we refer to problem-solving as a skill, it actually utilizes a combination of skills that we will address next.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
Leverage your HIGH5 strengths in problem-solving scenarios. If your top strength is ‘Strategist,’ use it to map out long-term solutions. If it’s ‘Brainstormer,’ brainstorm unique approaches to challenges. Aligning your problem-solving approach with your natural strengths can lead to more effective and satisfying outcomes.
Why are problem-solving skills important in the workplace?
Having problem-solving skills enables you to analyze and evaluate problems that your employers may throw at you in a timely fashion. Furthermore, your skills give you the confidence to address these challenges, and they are an invaluable asset to your organization.
10 benefits of having problem-solving skills:
- Ability to manage time effectively.
- Ability to prioritize, plan and carry out a plan.
- Ability to think creatively and identify opportunities in a problem.
- Ability to work under pressure and deal with stress.
- Ability to evaluate and take calculated risks.
- Ability to continuously improve performance and make systemic improvements when necessary.
- Ability to identify and seize opportunities in an ever-changing environment.
- To be of benefit and be appreciated by the people around you.
- Increased confidence in dealing with anything that comes your way.
- Ability to make the impossible possible through knowledge and a systematic problem-solving approach.
7 crucial problem-solving skills
Effective problem-solving requires a combination of skills. Although one person may not necessarily excel in all of these skills, the HIGH5 strengths assessment provides insights into your individual problem-solving profile. This personalized approach enhances your problem-solving abilities and will boost your confidence in tackling complex issues. This list shows the skills you can leverage to solve problems, and how your own HIGH5 results may reveal your natural inclinations toward certain areas:
Research skills
Problem-solving requires research skills and the ability to define the root cause of a challenge before addressing it. You can start this by gathering all the information you can find about the topic.
First, discuss the challenge with your team members and senior colleagues. Then, conduct online research, attending online classes or workshops as necessary.
Analysis skills
Having collected information, the next step is to analyze the challenge. Strong analytical skills allow you to identify key factors quickly and start to develop effective strategies. This strategic planning will also utilize analytical skills to help differentiate between good and poor ideas.
Decision-making skills
Problem-solving and decision-making are related activities. The problem-solving process requires decision-making because you need to choose a strategy from several options, some of which are more appropriate than others. With experience in the industry, a strategy decision can sometimes be made quite quickly. However, without knowledge of the industry, or if the problem is more complex, more time and more research may be needed. Alternatively, you may decide to refer the situation to someone who is in a better position to tackle the issue.
Communication skills
Good communication skills can be an asset when addressing a challenge, in order to explain the problem clearly and precisely to others when seeking their input. You will also need to know who to approach or which communication channels to use when gathering information. Once a solution is found, you will need to present it and explain its implementation to others with clarity and unambiguously.
Listening skills
Active listening is an invaluable asset in all aspects of the business world, and problem-solving is no exception. It is essential in the Research phase of problem-solving when seeking accurate knowledge about the circumstances surrounding the challenge being addressed. This is essential to understand why a problem occurred and to devise the best course of action to resolve it. Active listeners gain respect from all communications through valuing and appreciating other people’s perspectives, experiences, and ideas.
Creativity
Problems are solved either spontaneously or methodically [3]. You tend to use intuition to solve a problem when little or no information is available. This is sometimes referred to as ‘System 1 Thinking’ [4]. However, a more structured approach may be more appropriate for more complicated problems or issues that you’ve not encountered before, sometimes referred to as ‘System 2 Thinking’ [4]. For such problems, you may need to think creatively [2].
Risk Management
Problem-solving becomes necessary when problems arise or when things do not go as planned and we need to solve the problem or adjust the plan. As a part of your strategic planning stage, you need to perform risk assessments in order to weigh the benefits and potential risks of your solution possibilities. This helps minimize the possibility of a hazardous situation arising from the implementation of the final solution.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
After taking the HIGH5 test, review this list of problem-solving skills and identify which ones align with your top strengths. Focus on maximizing these natural talents in your problem-solving approach, while also working on developing the other skills to create a well-rounded skill set.
How do problem-solving skills work?
1. Analyze the factors contributing to the problem
This step entails identifying the presence of a problem, determining its nature, and articulating the problem. This first phase of problem-solving requires further research and investigation, specifically, collecting and analyzing data, identifying potential contributing factors, and determining what a solution needs to address. Answering these questions helps you start your analysis of the problem and allows you to comprehend it better and articulate your thoughts to others. For instance: What is the nature of the problem? Is there more than one problem? What is the best way to define the problem?
2. Generate possible solutions
At this stage, you start developing possible solutions to the problem. Generate as many possible solutions as possible, most of which will be eliminated later. You can start brainstorming solutions individually or in a group setting with your team members. Such sessions give team members the opportunity to generate and develop ideas.
Diversity in a brainstorming team benefits the process. It utilizes different ways of thinking, different experiences, and skills in different areas of subject matter. It also provides an opportunity to explore different approaches to finding solutions to the problem. It is essential in such sessions, to listen to the ideas and perspectives of all parties involved, without judgment, before deciding on a potential intervention.
3. Evaluate solutions and make decisions
This stage comprises conducting a detailed analysis of the possible solutions that your earlier brainstorming session revealed. The goal of the analyses is to eliminate all options but one. Some solution options may be eliminated because of implementation or time frame difficulties, others for budgetary reasons, or lack of some other resource.
It may also be crucial to evaluate what happens if nothing is done to remedy the problem in a timely fashion. Also, be aware that when trying to resolve a problem, it can sometimes lead to the generation of other challenges. Finally, your brainstorming group needs to decide on the optimum solution or approach to resolve the problem. When deciding, you should consider the potential expenses, hurdles, and necessary resources for effective solution implementation.
4. Implement a plan
Creating a plan to resolve the problem requires allocating tasks. Every task involved in the solution plan must be allocated to someone, and each task should be allocated to a person with the appropriate skill. Reviewing team members’ HIGH5 results will help the allocation of tasks according to the skill sets available to you. Once tasks have been allocated, time frame expectations should be established for each solution component, and these should then be actioned.
Note that conducting the original analysis in Step 1 with thoroughness will minimize the chances of more difficulties arising as the original problem is being solved. However, it is still important to be aware of this possibility. Ideally, the plan should be executed with benchmarks that can alert you if it is not working as expected. Implementing a plan includes communicating to relevant employees all possible consequences of changes to operating procedures resulting from the problem solution.
5. Assess the solution’s effectiveness
The last stage involves evaluating the results of implementing the solution. This requires obtaining detailed feedback from those people involved in operating the procedure that had the problem and analyzing their feedback. Specifically, you need to know the effectiveness of the solution and whether there were any unexpected consequences from its implementation. Good communication skills, and being able to ask the right questions, are crucial to obtaining appropriate feedback. Analyzing this feedback will lead you to determine if the problem has been fixed or whether a further course of action is needed.
You should record the feedback, details of the problem solution, and any new challenges that you encountered through this entire problem-solving process. This step should become a habit after any intervention since it is important to make the information available to others, in order to contribute to solving any future problem, and it will also improve your problem-solving skills.
Improving problem-solving skills in the workplace
Developing your problem-solving skills is a continuous journey that enhances your professional value. Understanding your innate strengths through tools like the HIGH5 strengths assessment maximizes your skills and your ability to recognize these skills in others. This awareness helps you to tailor skill development in yourself and others effectively. For instance, if the assessment reveals ‘Brainstormer’ as a top strength, you might focus on honing your ability to generate innovative solutions.
Alternatively, if ‘Strategist’ is a key strength, you could work on improving your long-term planning skills in problem-solving scenarios. By aligning your development efforts with your natural talents, you can create a unique problem-solving approach that sets you apart in the workplace. Whether you’re job hunting or looking to advance in your current role, this strengths-based method of enhancing your problem-solving skills gives you a competitive edge.
Here are a few methods to consider that will improve your problem-solving skills:
Strengthen your specialist knowledge in your industry
Having deep specialist knowledge makes it quicker and easier for you to recognize and identify problems. Finding a mentor or attending specialist courses or workshops, as well as practicing your skills helps you gain deeper technical knowledge.
Constantly look for opportunities to solve problems
Pay close attention to the systems in operation around you and be prepared to go out of your comfort zone when spotting problems. You can also volunteer for a new project or task, either in your existing team or with an internal or external group within your field.
Practice! Practice! Practice!
Practice is definitely the route to excellence in the world of problem-solving. If problem situations do not present themselves, creating role-play scenarios will help you strengthen your problem-solving skills and will be good preparation for those around you. Search online for practice books on problem-solving scenarios.
Through role-playing, you can also experiment with different ways to tackle challenges and see whether the solutions you choose are the most effective. Practicing how you solve common problems prevalent in your field can help you find answers when such problems actually arise.
Watch and learn how others overcome problems
There may be friends or colleagues around you who are already excellent problem solvers. You can improve your problem-solving skills by observing their techniques for developing effective solutions.
You can also ask a more experienced colleague if you can shadow them when they are problem-solving. Be curious and ask questions, the answers may be useful to you when you are problem-solving in the future.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
After identifying your strengths through HIGH5, create a personalized problem-solving development plan. Focus on situations where you can apply your top strengths to solve workplace challenges. This targeted approach not only improves your skills but also boosts your confidence and job satisfaction.
How to highlight problem-solving skills in a resume?
Problem-solving skills are essential to many organizations. It is a good idea to put this valuable skill at the top of your resume. You can also include this skill in sections titled ‘skills’, ‘achievements’ or ‘experience,’ perhaps breaking down problem-solving into its component parts as defined by HIGH5. Include technical or soft skills related to problem-solving, such as analysis or communication. Storytelling is powerful.
Perhaps prepare a case study of a problem-solving scenario that you have encountered, and give a detailed description of your solution to the problem. During interview questions, you can highlight specific examples of obstacles you faced and how you overcame them. These case study problems can come from your prior roles – whether academic, work, or volunteer. Be prepared to discuss the issues you faced and the methods and skills you used to tackle them, as well as the results you achieved.
Problem-solving skills FAQ
How do you describe problem-solving skills?
Problem-solving is a combination of soft skills (personal strengths), not hard, academically learned skills. Problem-solving skills assist you in resolving challenges swiftly and effectively. In putting these skills to use, you develop a keen eye to spot underlying problems in the future, and the ability to implement a solution swiftly.
What are the three key attributes of a good problem solver?
A good problem solver needs strong analytical skills to be able to break down problems into their component causes, as well as the ability to discern between good and poor solution ideas. Problem solvers also need strong communication skills in order to gain information from others regarding how the problem was experienced and to explain to others the expected consequences of implementing the solution.
What is problem-solving behavior?
Problem-solving behavior refers to a person’s ability to analyze and think critically when solving problems. They can decide the best course of action to take after conducting a thorough analysis of all available solutions. They can also apply solutions to resolve challenges in their life, work, or relationships.
What are problem-solving skills for students?
Be curious and put on your investigative hat.
Being curious and thorough when conducting a detailed investigation helps you get to the root of a problem, and provides the maximum information for you to use in creating the problem solution.
Seek constructive feedback and suggestions from others.
This saves students time and it can help them avoid making the mistakes they see others make. It can also help them finetune their problem solutions to make them more effective. Being open to feedback is an essential component of problem-solving skills and can be beneficial in life in general.
Troubleshooting skills
Troubleshooting helps students address issues quickly and effectively. This skill helps students analyze a problem, develop possible solutions, evaluate and choose the best option, and implement the solution swiftly.
What are problem-solving skills for kids?
The most common problem-solving skills for kids are a growth mindset, emotional intelligence, and grappling.
Growth mindset
Reflecting on the process of solving a problem helps children develop a growth mindset. For instance, that getting a “wrong” answer is not wrong, it is a learning experience. It is through mistakes that we learn, improve and grow.
This can be achieved by encouraging children to reflect on the steps they took and how they might handle the problem differently next time.
Emotional intelligence
It is beneficial to a child’s development if they learn that every emotion that they experience (positive or negative) is acceptable. Having high emotional intelligence helps kids learn and think differently when faced with challenges, and to get along with others.
Grappling
Grappling refers to whatever kids do when presented with a problem that lacks a clear answer. They may try to solve the problem without thinking about failing. Even if they do not solve the problem immediately, they will continue to persevere. They will think critically, ask questions, and form hypotheses to have a comprehensive understanding of the problem that they encounter. Then, they can use all the information and resources available to them to find a solution to the problem.
References:
- Bransford, J., & Stein, B. S. (1984). The IDEAL problem solver: A guide for improving thinking, learning, and creativity. WH Freeman.
- Halpern, D. F. (2003). Thinking critically about creative thinking. In M. A. Runco, (Ed.) Critical Creative Processes (pp. 189-207), Hampton Press.
- Reed, S. K. (2017). Problem solving (S. E. Chipman, Ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Stanovich, K. E., & West, R. F. (2000). Individual differences in reasoning: Implications for the rationality debate? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23(5), 645-665.
