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17 Smart Problem-Solving Strategies: Master Complex Problems

• March 3, 2024
• Productivity
• 25 min read

Struggling to overcome challenges in your life? We all face problems, big and small, on a regular basis.

So how do you tackle them effectively? What are some key problem-solving strategies and skills that can guide you?

Effective problem-solving requires breaking issues down logically, generating solutions creatively, weighing choices critically, and adapting plans flexibly based on outcomes. Useful strategies range from leveraging past solutions that have worked to visualizing problems through diagrams. Core skills include analytical abilities, innovative thinking, and collaboration.

Want to improve your problem-solving skills? Keep reading to find out 17 effective problem-solving strategies, key skills, common obstacles to watch for, and tips on improving your overall problem-solving skills.

Key Takeaways:

• Effective problem-solving requires breaking down issues logically, generating multiple solutions creatively, weighing choices critically, and adapting plans based on outcomes.
• Useful problem-solving strategies range from leveraging past solutions to brainstorming with groups to visualizing problems through diagrams and models.
• Core skills include analytical abilities, innovative thinking, decision-making, and team collaboration to solve problems.
• Common obstacles include fear of failure, information gaps, fixed mindsets, confirmation bias, and groupthink.
• Boosting problem-solving skills involves learning from experts, actively practicing, soliciting feedback, and analyzing others’ success.
• Onethread’s project management capabilities align with effective problem-solving tenets – facilitating structured solutions, tracking progress, and capturing lessons learned.

What Is Problem-Solving?

Problem-solving is the process of understanding an issue, situation, or challenge that needs to be addressed and then systematically working through possible solutions to arrive at the best outcome.

It involves critical thinking, analysis, logic, creativity, research, planning, reflection, and patience in order to overcome obstacles and find effective answers to complex questions or problems.

The ultimate goal is to implement the chosen solution successfully.

What Are Problem-Solving Strategies?

Problem-solving strategies are like frameworks or methodologies that help us solve tricky puzzles or problems we face in the workplace, at home, or with friends.

Imagine you have a big jigsaw puzzle. One strategy might be to start with the corner pieces. Another could be looking for pieces with the same colors. 

Just like in puzzles, in real life, we use different plans or steps to find solutions to problems. These strategies help us think clearly, make good choices, and find the best answers without getting too stressed or giving up.

Why Is It Important To Know Different Problem-Solving Strategies?

Knowing different problem-solving strategies is important because different types of problems often require different approaches to solve them effectively. Having a variety of strategies to choose from allows you to select the best method for the specific problem you are trying to solve.

This improves your ability to analyze issues thoroughly, develop solutions creatively, and tackle problems from multiple angles. Knowing multiple strategies also aids in overcoming roadblocks if your initial approach is not working.

Here are some reasons why you need to know different problem-solving strategies:

• Different Problems Require Different Tools: Just like you can’t use a hammer to fix everything, some problems need specific strategies to solve them.
• Improves Creativity: Knowing various strategies helps you think outside the box and come up with creative solutions.
• Saves Time: With the right strategy, you can solve problems faster instead of trying things that don’t work.
• Reduces Stress: When you know how to tackle a problem, it feels less scary and you feel more confident.
• Better Outcomes: Using the right strategy can lead to better solutions, making things work out better in the end.
• Learning and Growth: Each time you solve a problem, you learn something new, which makes you smarter and better at solving future problems.

Knowing different ways to solve problems helps you tackle anything that comes your way, making life a bit easier and more fun!

17 Effective Problem-Solving Strategies

Effective problem-solving strategies include breaking the problem into smaller parts, brainstorming multiple solutions, evaluating the pros and cons of each, and choosing the most viable option. 

Critical thinking and creativity are essential in developing innovative solutions. Collaboration with others can also provide diverse perspectives and ideas. 

By applying these strategies, you can tackle complex issues more effectively.

Now, consider a challenge you’re dealing with. Which strategy could help you find a solution? Here we will discuss key problem strategies in detail.

1. Use a Past Solution That Worked

This strategy involves looking back at previous similar problems you have faced and the solutions that were effective in solving them.

It is useful when you are facing a problem that is very similar to something you have already solved. The main benefit is that you don’t have to come up with a brand new solution – you already know the method that worked before will likely work again.

However, the limitation is that the current problem may have some unique aspects or differences that mean your old solution is not fully applicable.

The ideal process is to thoroughly analyze the new challenge, identify the key similarities and differences versus the past case, adapt the old solution as needed to align with the current context, and then pilot it carefully before full implementation.

An example is using the same negotiation tactics from purchasing your previous home when putting in an offer on a new house. Key terms would be adjusted but overall it can save significant time versus developing a brand new strategy.

2. Brainstorm Solutions

This involves gathering a group of people together to generate as many potential solutions to a problem as possible.

It is effective when you need creative ideas to solve a complex or challenging issue. By getting input from multiple people with diverse perspectives, you increase the likelihood of finding an innovative solution.

The main limitation is that brainstorming sessions can sometimes turn into unproductive gripe sessions or discussions rather than focusing on productive ideation —so they need to be properly facilitated.

The key to an effective brainstorming session is setting some basic ground rules upfront and having an experienced facilitator guide the discussion. Rules often include encouraging wild ideas, avoiding criticism of ideas during the ideation phase, and building on others’ ideas.

For instance, a struggling startup might hold a session where ideas for turnaround plans are generated and then formalized with financials and metrics.

3. Work Backward from the Solution

This technique involves envisioning that the problem has already been solved and then working step-by-step backward toward the current state.

This strategy is particularly helpful for long-term, multi-step problems. By starting from the imagined solution and identifying all the steps required to reach it, you can systematically determine the actions needed. It lets you tackle a big hairy problem through smaller, reversible steps.

A limitation is that this approach may not be possible if you cannot accurately envision the solution state to start with.

The approach helps drive logical systematic thinking for complex problem-solving, but should still be combined with creative brainstorming of alternative scenarios and solutions.

An example is planning for an event – you would imagine the successful event occurring, then determine the tasks needed the week before, two weeks before, etc. all the way back to the present.

4. Use the Kipling Method

This method, named after author Rudyard Kipling, provides a framework for thoroughly analyzing a problem before jumping into solutions.

It consists of answering six fundamental questions: What, Where, When, How, Who, and Why about the challenge. Clearly defining these core elements of the problem sets the stage for generating targeted solutions.

The Kipling method enables a deep understanding of problem parameters and root causes before solution identification. By jumping to brainstorm solutions too early, critical information can be missed or the problem is loosely defined, reducing solution quality.

Answering the six fundamental questions illuminates all angles of the issue. This takes time but pays dividends in generating optimal solutions later tuned precisely to the true underlying problem.

The limitation is that meticulously working through numerous questions before addressing solutions can slow progress.

The best approach blends structured problem decomposition techniques like the Kipling method with spurring innovative solution ideation from a diverse team. 

An example is using this technique after a technical process failure – the team would systematically detail What failed, Where/When did it fail, How it failed (sequence of events), Who was involved, and Why it likely failed before exploring preventative solutions.

5. Try Different Solutions Until One Works (Trial and Error)

This technique involves attempting various potential solutions sequentially until finding one that successfully solves the problem.

Trial and error works best when facing a concrete, bounded challenge with clear solution criteria and a small number of discrete options to try. By methodically testing solutions, you can determine the faulty component.

A limitation is that it can be time-intensive if the working solution set is large.

The key is limiting the variable set first. For technical problems, this boundary is inherent and each element can be iteratively tested. But for business issues, artificial constraints may be required – setting decision rules upfront to reduce options before testing.

Furthermore, hypothesis-driven experimentation is far superior to blind trial and error – have logic for why Option A may outperform Option B.

Examples include fixing printer jams by testing different paper tray and cable configurations or resolving website errors by tweaking CSS/HTML line-by-line until the code functions properly.

6. Use Proven Formulas or Frameworks (Heuristics)

Heuristics refers to applying existing problem-solving formulas or frameworks rather than addressing issues completely from scratch.

This allows leveraging established best practices rather than reinventing the wheel each time.

It is effective when facing recurrent, common challenges where proven structured approaches exist.

However, heuristics may force-fit solutions to non-standard problems.

For example, a cost-benefit analysis can be used instead of custom weighting schemes to analyze potential process improvements.

Onethread allows teams to define, save, and replicate configurable project templates so proven workflows can be reliably applied across problems with some consistency rather than fully custom one-off approaches each time.

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7. Trust Your Instincts (Insight Problem-Solving)

Insight is a problem-solving technique that involves waiting patiently for an unexpected “aha moment” when the solution pops into your mind.

It works well for personal challenges that require intuitive realizations over calculated logic. The unconscious mind makes connections leading to flashes of insight when relaxing or doing mundane tasks unrelated to the actual problem.

Benefits include out-of-the-box creative solutions. However, the limitations are that insights can’t be forced and may never come at all if too complex. Critical analysis is still required after initial insights.

A real-life example would be a writer struggling with how to end a novel. Despite extensive brainstorming, they feel stuck. Eventually while gardening one day, a perfect unexpected plot twist sparks an ideal conclusion. However, once written they still carefully review if the ending flows logically from the rest of the story.

8. Reverse Engineer the Problem

This approach involves deconstructing a problem in reverse sequential order from the current undesirable outcome back to the initial root causes.

By mapping the chain of events backward, you can identify the origin of where things went wrong and establish the critical junctures for solving it moving ahead. Reverse engineering provides diagnostic clarity on multi-step problems.

However, the limitation is that it focuses heavily on autopsying the past versus innovating improved future solutions.

An example is tracing back from a server outage, through the cascade of infrastructure failures that led to it finally terminating at the initial script error that triggered the crisis. This root cause would then inform the preventative measure.

9. Break Down Obstacles Between Current and Goal State (Means-End Analysis)

This technique defines the current problem state and the desired end goal state, then systematically identifies obstacles in the way of getting from one to the other.

By mapping the barriers or gaps, you can then develop solutions to address each one. This methodically connects the problem to solutions.

A limitation is that some obstacles may be unknown upfront and only emerge later.

For example, you can list down all the steps required for a new product launch – current state through production, marketing, sales, distribution, etc. to full launch (goal state) – to highlight where resource constraints or other blocks exist so they can be addressed.

Onethread allows dividing big-picture projects into discrete, manageable phases, milestones, and tasks to simplify execution just as problems can be decomposed into more achievable components. Features like dependency mapping further reinforce interconnections.

Using Onethread’s issues and subtasks feature, messy problems can be decomposed into manageable chunks.

10. Ask “Why” Five Times to Identify the Root Cause (The 5 Whys)

This technique involves asking “Why did this problem occur?” and then responding with an answer that is again met with asking “Why?” This process repeats five times until the root cause is revealed.

Continually asking why digs deeper from surface symptoms to underlying systemic issues.

It is effective for getting to the source of problems originating from human error or process breakdowns.

However, some complex issues may have multiple tangled root causes not solvable through this approach alone.

An example is a retail store experiencing a sudden decline in customers. Successively asking why five times may trace an initial drop to parking challenges, stemming from a city construction project – the true starting point to address.

11. Evaluate Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT Analysis)

This involves analyzing a problem or proposed solution by categorizing internal and external factors into a 2×2 matrix: Strengths, Weaknesses as the internal rows; Opportunities and Threats as the external columns.

Systematically identifying these elements provides balanced insight to evaluate options and risks. It is impactful when evaluating alternative solutions or developing strategy amid complexity or uncertainty.

The key benefit of SWOT analysis is enabling multi-dimensional thinking when rationally evaluating options. Rather than getting anchored on just the upsides or the existing way of operating, it urges a systematic assessment through four different lenses:

• Internal Strengths: Our core competencies/advantages able to deliver success
• Internal Weaknesses: Gaps/vulnerabilities we need to manage
• External Opportunities: Ways we can differentiate/drive additional value
• External Threats: Risks we must navigate or mitigate

Multiperspective analysis provides the needed holistic view of the balanced risk vs. reward equation for strategic decision making amid uncertainty.

However, SWOT can feel restrictive if not tailored and evolved for different issue types.

Teams should view SWOT analysis as a starting point, augmenting it further for distinct scenarios.

An example is performing a SWOT analysis on whether a small business should expand into a new market – evaluating internal capabilities to execute vs. risks in the external competitive and demand environment to inform the growth decision with eyes wide open.

12. Compare Current vs Expected Performance (Gap Analysis)

This technique involves comparing the current state of performance, output, or results to the desired or expected levels to highlight shortfalls.

By quantifying the gaps, you can identify problem areas and prioritize address solutions.

Gap analysis is based on the simple principle – “you can’t improve what you don’t measure.” It enables facts-driven problem diagnosis by highlighting delta to goals, not just vague dissatisfaction that something seems wrong. And measurement immediately suggests improvement opportunities – address the biggest gaps first.

This data orientation also supports ROI analysis on fixing issues – the return from closing larger gaps outweighs narrowly targeting smaller performance deficiencies.

However, the approach is only effective if robust standards and metrics exist as the benchmark to evaluate against. Organizations should invest upfront in establishing performance frameworks.

Furthermore, while numbers are invaluable, the human context behind problems should not be ignored – quantitative versus qualitative gap assessment is optimally blended.

For example, if usage declines are noted during software gap analysis, this could be used as a signal to improve user experience through design.

13. Observe Processes from the Frontline (Gemba Walk)

A Gemba walk involves going to the actual place where work is done, directly observing the process, engaging with employees, and finding areas for improvement.

By experiencing firsthand rather than solely reviewing abstract reports, practical problems and ideas emerge.

The limitation is Gemba walks provide anecdotes not statistically significant data. It complements but does not replace comprehensive performance measurement.

An example is a factory manager inspecting the production line to spot jam areas based on direct reality rather than relying on throughput dashboards alone back in her office. Frontline insights prove invaluable.

14. Analyze Competitive Forces (Porter’s Five Forces)

This involves assessing the marketplace around a problem or business situation via five key factors: competitors, new entrants, substitute offerings, suppliers, and customer power.

Evaluating these forces illuminates risks and opportunities for strategy development and issue resolution. It is effective for understanding dynamic external threats and opportunities when operating in a contested space.

However, over-indexing on only external factors can overlook the internal capabilities needed to execute solutions.

A startup CEO, for example, may analyze market entry barriers, whitespace opportunities, and disruption risks across these five forces to shape new product rollout strategies and marketing approaches.

15. Think from Different Perspectives (Six Thinking Hats)

The Six Thinking Hats is a technique developed by Edward de Bono that encourages people to think about a problem from six different perspectives, each represented by a colored “thinking hat.”

The key benefit of this strategy is that it pushes team members to move outside their usual thinking style and consider new angles. This brings more diverse ideas and solutions to the table.

It works best for complex problems that require innovative solutions and when a team is stuck in an unproductive debate. The structured framework keeps the conversation flowing in a positive direction.

Limitations are that it requires training on the method itself and may feel unnatural at first. Team dynamics can also influence success – some members may dominate certain “hats” while others remain quiet.

A real-life example is a software company debating whether to build a new feature. The white hat focuses on facts, red on gut feelings, black on potential risks, yellow on benefits, green on new ideas, and blue on process. This exposes more balanced perspectives before deciding.

Onethread centralizes diverse stakeholder communication onto one platform, ensuring all voices are incorporated when evaluating project tradeoffs, just as problem-solving should consider multifaceted solutions.

16. Visualize the Problem (Draw it Out)

Drawing out a problem involves creating visual representations like diagrams, flowcharts, and maps to work through challenging issues.

This strategy is helpful when dealing with complex situations with lots of interconnected components. The visuals simplify the complexity so you can thoroughly understand the problem and all its nuances.

Key benefits are that it allows more stakeholders to get on the same page regarding root causes and it sparks new creative solutions as connections are made visually.

However, simple problems with few variables don’t require extensive diagrams. Additionally, some challenges are so multidimensional that fully capturing every aspect is difficult.

A real-life example would be mapping out all the possible causes leading to decreased client satisfaction at a law firm. An intricate fishbone diagram with branches for issues like service delivery, technology, facilities, culture, and vendor partnerships allows the team to trace problems back to their origins and brainstorm targeted fixes.

17. Follow a Step-by-Step Procedure (Algorithms)

An algorithm is a predefined step-by-step process that is guaranteed to produce the correct solution if implemented properly.

Using algorithms is effective when facing problems that have clear, binary right and wrong answers. Algorithms work for mathematical calculations, computer code, manufacturing assembly lines, and scientific experiments.

Key benefits are consistency, accuracy, and efficiency. However, they require extensive upfront development and only apply to scenarios with strict parameters. Additionally, human error can lead to mistakes.

For example, crew members of fast food chains like McDonald’s follow specific algorithms for food prep – from grill times to ingredient amounts in sandwiches, to order fulfillment procedures. This ensures uniform quality and service across all locations. However, if a step is missed, errors occur.

The Problem-Solving Process

The problem-solving process typically includes defining the issue, analyzing details, creating solutions, weighing choices, acting, and reviewing results.

In the above, we have discussed several problem-solving strategies. For every problem-solving strategy, you have to follow these processes. Here’s a detailed step-by-step process of effective problem-solving:

Step 1: Identify the Problem

The problem-solving process starts with identifying the problem. This step involves understanding the issue’s nature, its scope, and its impact. Once the problem is clearly defined, it sets the foundation for finding effective solutions.

Identifying the problem is crucial. It means figuring out exactly what needs fixing. This involves looking at the situation closely, understanding what’s wrong, and knowing how it affects things. It’s about asking the right questions to get a clear picture of the issue. 

This step is important because it guides the rest of the problem-solving process. Without a clear understanding of the problem, finding a solution is much harder. It’s like diagnosing an illness before treating it. Once the problem is identified accurately, you can move on to exploring possible solutions and deciding on the best course of action.

Step 2: Break Down the Problem

Breaking down the problem is a key step in the problem-solving process. It involves dividing the main issue into smaller, more manageable parts. This makes it easier to understand and tackle each component one by one.

After identifying the problem, the next step is to break it down. This means splitting the big issue into smaller pieces. It’s like solving a puzzle by handling one piece at a time. 

By doing this, you can focus on each part without feeling overwhelmed. It also helps in identifying the root causes of the problem. Breaking down the problem allows for a clearer analysis and makes finding solutions more straightforward. 

Each smaller problem can be addressed individually, leading to an effective resolution of the overall issue. This approach not only simplifies complex problems but also aids in developing a systematic plan to solve them.

Step 3: Come up with potential solutions

Coming up with potential solutions is the third step in the problem-solving process. It involves brainstorming various options to address the problem, considering creativity and feasibility to find the best approach.

After breaking down the problem, it’s time to think of ways to solve it. This stage is about brainstorming different solutions. You look at the smaller issues you’ve identified and start thinking of ways to fix them. This is where creativity comes in. 

You want to come up with as many ideas as possible, no matter how out-of-the-box they seem. It’s important to consider all options and evaluate their pros and cons. This process allows you to gather a range of possible solutions. 

Later, you can narrow these down to the most practical and effective ones. This step is crucial because it sets the stage for deciding on the best solution to implement. It’s about being open-minded and innovative to tackle the problem effectively.

Step 4: Analyze the possible solutions

Analyzing the possible solutions is the fourth step in the problem-solving process. It involves evaluating each proposed solution’s advantages and disadvantages to determine the most effective and feasible option.

After coming up with potential solutions, the next step is to analyze them. This means looking closely at each idea to see how well it solves the problem. You weigh the pros and cons of every solution.

Consider factors like cost, time, resources, and potential outcomes. This analysis helps in understanding the implications of each option. It’s about being critical and objective, ensuring that the chosen solution is not only effective but also practical.

This step is vital because it guides you towards making an informed decision. It involves comparing the solutions against each other and selecting the one that best addresses the problem.

By thoroughly analyzing the options, you can move forward with confidence, knowing you’ve chosen the best path to solve the issue.

Step 5: Implement and Monitor the Solutions

Implementing and monitoring the solutions is the final step in the problem-solving process. It involves putting the chosen solution into action and observing its effectiveness, making adjustments as necessary.

Once you’ve selected the best solution, it’s time to put it into practice. This step is about action. You implement the chosen solution and then keep an eye on how it works. Monitoring is crucial because it tells you if the solution is solving the problem as expected. 

If things don’t go as planned, you may need to make some changes. This could mean tweaking the current solution or trying a different one. The goal is to ensure the problem is fully resolved. 

This step is critical because it involves real-world application. It’s not just about planning; it’s about doing and adjusting based on results. By effectively implementing and monitoring the solutions, you can achieve the desired outcome and solve the problem successfully.

Why This Process is Important

Following a defined process to solve problems is important because it provides a systematic, structured approach instead of a haphazard one. Having clear steps guides logical thinking, analysis, and decision-making to increase effectiveness. Key reasons it helps are:

• Clear Direction: This process gives you a clear path to follow, which can make solving problems less overwhelming.
• Better Solutions: Thoughtful analysis of root causes, iterative testing of solutions, and learning orientation lead to addressing the heart of issues rather than just symptoms.
• Saves Time and Energy: Instead of guessing or trying random things, this process helps you find a solution more efficiently.
• Improves Skills: The more you use this process, the better you get at solving problems. It’s like practicing a sport. The more you practice, the better you play.
• Maximizes collaboration: Involving various stakeholders in the process enables broader inputs. Their communication and coordination are streamlined through organized brainstorming and evaluation.
• Provides consistency: Standard methodology across problems enables building institutional problem-solving capabilities over time. Patterns emerge on effective techniques to apply to different situations.

The problem-solving process is a powerful tool that can help us tackle any challenge we face. By following these steps, we can find solutions that work and learn important skills along the way.

Key Skills for Efficient Problem Solving

Efficient problem-solving requires breaking down issues logically, evaluating options, and implementing practical solutions.

Key skills include critical thinking to understand root causes, creativity to brainstorm innovative ideas, communication abilities to collaborate with others, and decision-making to select the best way forward. Staying adaptable, reflecting on outcomes, and applying lessons learned are also essential.

With practice, these capacities will lead to increased personal and team effectiveness in systematically addressing any problem.

 Let’s explore the powers you need to become a problem-solving hero!

Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills

Critical thinking and analytical skills are vital for efficient problem-solving as they enable individuals to objectively evaluate information, identify key issues, and generate effective solutions. 

These skills facilitate a deeper understanding of problems, leading to logical, well-reasoned decisions. By systematically breaking down complex issues and considering various perspectives, individuals can develop more innovative and practical solutions, enhancing their problem-solving effectiveness.

Communication Skills

Effective communication skills are essential for efficient problem-solving as they facilitate clear sharing of information, ensuring all team members understand the problem and proposed solutions. 

These skills enable individuals to articulate issues, listen actively, and collaborate effectively, fostering a productive environment where diverse ideas can be exchanged and refined. By enhancing mutual understanding, communication skills contribute significantly to identifying and implementing the most viable solutions.

Decision-Making

Strong decision-making skills are crucial for efficient problem-solving, as they enable individuals to choose the best course of action from multiple alternatives. 

These skills involve evaluating the potential outcomes of different solutions, considering the risks and benefits, and making informed choices. Effective decision-making leads to the implementation of solutions that are likely to resolve problems effectively, ensuring resources are used efficiently and goals are achieved.

Planning and Prioritization

Planning and prioritization are key for efficient problem-solving, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to address the most critical issues first. This approach helps in organizing tasks according to their urgency and impact, streamlining efforts towards achieving the desired outcome efficiently.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence enhances problem-solving by allowing individuals to manage emotions, understand others, and navigate social complexities. It fosters a positive, collaborative environment, essential for generating creative solutions and making informed, empathetic decisions.

Leadership skills drive efficient problem-solving by inspiring and guiding teams toward common goals. Effective leaders motivate their teams, foster innovation, and navigate challenges, ensuring collective efforts are focused and productive in addressing problems.

Time Management

Time management is crucial in problem-solving, enabling individuals to allocate appropriate time to each task. By efficiently managing time, one can ensure that critical problems are addressed promptly without neglecting other responsibilities.

Data Analysis

Data analysis skills are essential for problem-solving, as they enable individuals to sift through data, identify trends, and extract actionable insights. This analytical approach supports evidence-based decision-making, leading to more accurate and effective solutions.

Research Skills

Research skills are vital for efficient problem-solving, allowing individuals to gather relevant information, explore various solutions, and understand the problem’s context. This thorough exploration aids in developing well-informed, innovative solutions.

Becoming a great problem solver takes practice, but with these skills, you’re on your way to becoming a problem-solving hero. 

How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills?

Improving your problem-solving skills can make you a master at overcoming challenges. Learn from experts, practice regularly, welcome feedback, try new methods, experiment, and study others’ success to become better.

Learning from Experts

Improving problem-solving skills by learning from experts involves seeking mentorship, attending workshops, and studying case studies. Experts provide insights and techniques that refine your approach, enhancing your ability to tackle complex problems effectively.

To enhance your problem-solving skills, learning from experts can be incredibly beneficial. Engaging with mentors, participating in specialized workshops, and analyzing case studies from seasoned professionals can offer valuable perspectives and strategies. 

Experts share their experiences, mistakes, and successes, providing practical knowledge that can be applied to your own problem-solving process. This exposure not only broadens your understanding but also introduces you to diverse methods and approaches, enabling you to tackle challenges more efficiently and creatively.

Improving problem-solving skills through practice involves tackling a variety of challenges regularly. This hands-on approach helps in refining techniques and strategies, making you more adept at identifying and solving problems efficiently.

One of the most effective ways to enhance your problem-solving skills is through consistent practice. By engaging with different types of problems on a regular basis, you develop a deeper understanding of various strategies and how they can be applied. 

This hands-on experience allows you to experiment with different approaches, learn from mistakes, and build confidence in your ability to tackle challenges.

Regular practice not only sharpens your analytical and critical thinking skills but also encourages adaptability and innovation, key components of effective problem-solving.

Openness to Feedback

Being open to feedback is like unlocking a secret level in a game. It helps you boost your problem-solving skills. Improving problem-solving skills through openness to feedback involves actively seeking and constructively responding to critiques. 

This receptivity enables you to refine your strategies and approaches based on insights from others, leading to more effective solutions. 

Learning New Approaches and Methodologies

Learning new approaches and methodologies is like adding new tools to your toolbox. It makes you a smarter problem-solver. Enhancing problem-solving skills by learning new approaches and methodologies involves staying updated with the latest trends and techniques in your field. 

This continuous learning expands your toolkit, enabling innovative solutions and a fresh perspective on challenges.

Experimentation

Experimentation is like being a scientist of your own problems. It’s a powerful way to improve your problem-solving skills. Boosting problem-solving skills through experimentation means trying out different solutions to see what works best. This trial-and-error approach fosters creativity and can lead to unique solutions that wouldn’t have been considered otherwise.

Analyzing Competitors’ Success

Analyzing competitors’ success is like being a detective. It’s a smart way to boost your problem-solving skills. Improving problem-solving skills by analyzing competitors’ success involves studying their strategies and outcomes. Understanding what worked for them can provide valuable insights and inspire effective solutions for your own challenges. 

Challenges in Problem-Solving

Facing obstacles when solving problems is common. Recognizing these barriers, like fear of failure or lack of information, helps us find ways around them for better solutions.

Fear of Failure

Fear of failure is like a big, scary monster that stops us from solving problems. It’s a challenge many face. Because being afraid of making mistakes can make us too scared to try new solutions. 

How can we overcome this? First, understand that it’s okay to fail. Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of learning. Every time we fail, we discover one more way not to solve a problem, getting us closer to the right solution. Treat each attempt like an experiment. It’s not about failing; it’s about testing and learning.

Lack of Information

Lack of information is like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. It’s a big challenge in problem-solving. Because without all the necessary details, finding a solution is much harder. 

How can we fix this? Start by gathering as much information as you can. Ask questions, do research, or talk to experts. Think of yourself as a detective looking for clues. The more information you collect, the clearer the picture becomes. Then, use what you’ve learned to think of solutions. 

Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is like being stuck in quicksand; it makes solving problems harder. It means thinking you can’t improve or learn new ways to solve issues. 

How can we change this? First, believe that you can grow and learn from challenges. Think of your brain as a muscle that gets stronger every time you use it. When you face a problem, instead of saying “I can’t do this,” try thinking, “I can’t do this yet.” Look for lessons in every challenge and celebrate small wins. 

Everyone starts somewhere, and mistakes are just steps on the path to getting better. By shifting to a growth mindset, you’ll see problems as opportunities to grow. Keep trying, keep learning, and your problem-solving skills will soar!

Jumping to Conclusions

Jumping to conclusions is like trying to finish a race before it starts. It’s a challenge in problem-solving. That means making a decision too quickly without looking at all the facts. 

How can we avoid this? First, take a deep breath and slow down. Think about the problem like a puzzle. You need to see all the pieces before you know where they go. Ask questions, gather information, and consider different possibilities. Don’t choose the first solution that comes to mind. Instead, compare a few options. 

Feeling Overwhelmed

Feeling overwhelmed is like being buried under a mountain of puzzles. It’s a big challenge in problem-solving. When we’re overwhelmed, everything seems too hard to handle. 

How can we deal with this? Start by taking a step back. Breathe deeply and focus on one thing at a time. Break the big problem into smaller pieces, like sorting puzzle pieces by color. Tackle each small piece one by one. It’s also okay to ask for help. Sometimes, talking to someone else can give you a new perspective. 

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is like wearing glasses that only let you see what you want to see. It’s a challenge in problem-solving. Because it makes us focus only on information that agrees with what we already believe, ignoring anything that doesn’t. 

How can we overcome this? First, be aware that you might be doing it. It’s like checking if your glasses are on right. Then, purposely look for information that challenges your views. It’s like trying on a different pair of glasses to see a new perspective. Ask questions and listen to answers, even if they don’t fit what you thought before.

Groupthink is like everyone in a group deciding to wear the same outfit without asking why. It’s a challenge in problem-solving. It means making decisions just because everyone else agrees, without really thinking it through. 

How can we avoid this? First, encourage everyone in the group to share their ideas, even if they’re different. It’s like inviting everyone to show their unique style of clothes. 

Listen to all opinions and discuss them. It’s okay to disagree; it helps us think of better solutions. Also, sometimes, ask someone outside the group for their thoughts. They might see something everyone in the group missed.

Overcoming obstacles in problem-solving requires patience, openness, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. By recognizing these barriers, we can develop strategies to navigate around them, leading to more effective and creative solutions.

What are the most common problem-solving techniques?

The most common techniques include brainstorming, the 5 Whys, mind mapping, SWOT analysis, and using algorithms or heuristics. Each approach has its strengths, suitable for different types of problems.

What’s the best problem-solving strategy for every situation?

There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. The best approach depends on the problem’s complexity, available resources, and time constraints. Combining multiple techniques often yields the best results.

How can I improve my problem-solving skills?

Improve your problem-solving skills by practicing regularly, learning from experts, staying open to feedback, and continuously updating your knowledge on new approaches and methodologies.

Are there any tools or resources to help with problem-solving?

Yes, tools like mind mapping software, online courses on critical thinking, and books on problem-solving techniques can be very helpful. Joining forums or groups focused on problem-solving can also provide support and insights.

What are some common mistakes people make when solving problems?

Common mistakes include jumping to conclusions without fully understanding the problem, ignoring valuable feedback, sticking to familiar solutions without considering alternatives, and not breaking down complex problems into manageable parts.

Final Words

Mastering problem-solving strategies equips us with the tools to tackle challenges across all areas of life. By understanding and applying these techniques, embracing a growth mindset, and learning from both successes and obstacles, we can transform problems into opportunities for growth. Continuously improving these skills ensures we’re prepared to face and solve future challenges more effectively.

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10 Problem-solving strategies to turn challenges on their head

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What is an example of problem-solving?

What are the 5 steps to problem-solving, 10 effective problem-solving strategies, what skills do efficient problem solvers have, how to improve your problem-solving skills.

Problems come in all shapes and sizes — from workplace conflict to budget cuts.

Creative problem-solving is one of the most in-demand skills in all roles and industries. It can boost an organization’s human capital and give it a competitive edge. 

Problem-solving strategies are ways of approaching problems that can help you look beyond the obvious answers and find the best solution to your problem . 

Let’s take a look at a five-step problem-solving process and how to combine it with proven problem-solving strategies. This will give you the tools and skills to solve even your most complex problems.

Good problem-solving is an essential part of the decision-making process . To see what a problem-solving process might look like in real life, let’s take a common problem for SaaS brands — decreasing customer churn rates.

To solve this problem, the company must first identify it. In this case, the problem is that the churn rate is too high. 

Next, they need to identify the root causes of the problem. This could be anything from their customer service experience to their email marketing campaigns. If there are several problems, they will need a separate problem-solving process for each one. 

Let’s say the problem is with email marketing — they’re not nurturing existing customers. Now that they’ve identified the problem, they can start using problem-solving strategies to look for solutions. 

This might look like coming up with special offers, discounts, or bonuses for existing customers. They need to find ways to remind them to use their products and services while providing added value. This will encourage customers to keep paying their monthly subscriptions.

They might also want to add incentives, such as access to a premium service at no extra cost after 12 months of membership. They could publish blog posts that help their customers solve common problems and share them as an email newsletter.

The company should set targets and a time frame in which to achieve them. This will allow leaders to measure progress and identify which actions yield the best results.

Perhaps you’ve got a problem you need to tackle. Or maybe you want to be prepared the next time one arises. Either way, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the five steps of problem-solving. 

Use this step-by-step problem-solving method with the strategies in the following section to find possible solutions to your problem.

1. Identify the problem

The first step is to know which problem you need to solve. Then, you need to find the root cause of the problem. 

The best course of action is to gather as much data as possible, speak to the people involved, and separate facts from opinions. 

Once this is done, formulate a statement that describes the problem. Use rational persuasion to make sure your team agrees .

2. Break the problem down 

Identifying the problem allows you to see which steps need to be taken to solve it. 

First, break the problem down into achievable blocks. Then, use strategic planning to set a time frame in which to solve the problem and establish a timeline for the completion of each stage.

3. Generate potential solutions

At this stage, the aim isn’t to evaluate possible solutions but to generate as many ideas as possible. 

Encourage your team to use creative thinking and be patient — the best solution may not be the first or most obvious one.

Use one or more of the different strategies in the following section to help come up with solutions — the more creative, the better.

4. Evaluate the possible solutions

Once you’ve generated potential solutions, narrow them down to a shortlist. Then, evaluate the options on your shortlist. 

There are usually many factors to consider. So when evaluating a solution, ask yourself the following questions:

• Will my team be on board with the proposition?
• Does the solution align with organizational goals ?
• Is the solution likely to achieve the desired outcomes?
• Is the solution realistic and possible with current resources and constraints?
• Will the solution solve the problem without causing additional unintended problems?

5. Implement and monitor the solutions

Once you’ve identified your solution and got buy-in from your team, it’s time to implement it. 

But the work doesn’t stop there. You need to monitor your solution to see whether it actually solves your problem. 

Request regular feedback from the team members involved and have a monitoring and evaluation plan in place to measure progress.

If the solution doesn’t achieve your desired results, start this step-by-step process again.

There are many different ways to approach problem-solving. Each is suitable for different types of problems. 

The most appropriate problem-solving techniques will depend on your specific problem. You may need to experiment with several strategies before you find a workable solution.

Here are 10 effective problem-solving strategies for you to try:

• Use a solution that worked before
• Brainstorming
• Work backward
• Use the Kipling method
• Draw the problem
• Use trial and error
• Sleep on it
• Get advice from your peers
• Use the Pareto principle
• Add successful solutions to your toolkit

Let’s break each of these down.

1. Use a solution that worked before

It might seem obvious, but if you’ve faced similar problems in the past, look back to what worked then. See if any of the solutions could apply to your current situation and, if so, replicate them.

2. Brainstorming

The more people you enlist to help solve the problem, the more potential solutions you can come up with.

Use different brainstorming techniques to workshop potential solutions with your team. They’ll likely bring something you haven’t thought of to the table.

3. Work backward

Working backward is a way to reverse engineer your problem. Imagine your problem has been solved, and make that the starting point.

Then, retrace your steps back to where you are now. This can help you see which course of action may be most effective.

4. Use the Kipling method

This is a method that poses six questions based on Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “ I Keep Six Honest Serving Men .” 

• What is the problem?
• Why is the problem important?
• When did the problem arise, and when does it need to be solved?
• How did the problem happen?
• Where is the problem occurring?
• Who does the problem affect?

Answering these questions can help you identify possible solutions.

5. Draw the problem

Sometimes it can be difficult to visualize all the components and moving parts of a problem and its solution. Drawing a diagram can help.

This technique is particularly helpful for solving process-related problems. For example, a product development team might want to decrease the time they take to fix bugs and create new iterations. Drawing the processes involved can help you see where improvements can be made.

6. Use trial-and-error

A trial-and-error approach can be useful when you have several possible solutions and want to test them to see which one works best.

7. Sleep on it

Finding the best solution to a problem is a process. Remember to take breaks and get enough rest . Sometimes, a walk around the block can bring inspiration, but you should sleep on it if possible.

A good night’s sleep helps us find creative solutions to problems. This is because when you sleep, your brain sorts through the day’s events and stores them as memories. This enables you to process your ideas at a subconscious level. 

If possible, give yourself a few days to develop and analyze possible solutions. You may find you have greater clarity after sleeping on it. Your mind will also be fresh, so you’ll be able to make better decisions.

8. Get advice from your peers

Getting input from a group of people can help you find solutions you may not have thought of on your own. 

For solo entrepreneurs or freelancers, this might look like hiring a coach or mentor or joining a mastermind group. 

For leaders , it might be consulting other members of the leadership team or working with a business coach .

It’s important to recognize you might not have all the skills, experience, or knowledge necessary to find a solution alone. 

9. Use the Pareto principle

The Pareto principle — also known as the 80/20 rule — can help you identify possible root causes and potential solutions for your problems.

Although it’s not a mathematical law, it’s a principle found throughout many aspects of business and life. For example, 20% of the sales reps in a company might close 80% of the sales. 

You may be able to narrow down the causes of your problem by applying the Pareto principle. This can also help you identify the most appropriate solutions.

10. Add successful solutions to your toolkit

Every situation is different, and the same solutions might not always work. But by keeping a record of successful problem-solving strategies, you can build up a solutions toolkit. 

These solutions may be applicable to future problems. Even if not, they may save you some of the time and work needed to come up with a new solution.

Improving problem-solving skills is essential for professional development — both yours and your team’s. Here are some of the key skills of effective problem solvers:

• Critical thinking and analytical skills
• Communication skills , including active listening
• Decision-making
• Planning and prioritization
• Emotional intelligence , including empathy and emotional regulation
• Time management
• Data analysis
• Research skills
• Project management

And they see problems as opportunities. Everyone is born with problem-solving skills. But accessing these abilities depends on how we view problems. Effective problem-solvers see problems as opportunities to learn and improve.

Ready to work on your problem-solving abilities? Get started with these seven tips.

1. Build your problem-solving skills

One of the best ways to improve your problem-solving skills is to learn from experts. Consider enrolling in organizational training , shadowing a mentor , or working with a coach .

2. Practice

Practice using your new problem-solving skills by applying them to smaller problems you might encounter in your daily life. 

Alternatively, imagine problematic scenarios that might arise at work and use problem-solving strategies to find hypothetical solutions.

3. Don’t try to find a solution right away

Often, the first solution you think of to solve a problem isn’t the most appropriate or effective.

Instead of thinking on the spot, give yourself time and use one or more of the problem-solving strategies above to activate your creative thinking. 

4. Ask for feedback

Receiving feedback is always important for learning and growth. Your perception of your problem-solving skills may be different from that of your colleagues. They can provide insights that help you improve. 

5. Learn new approaches and methodologies

There are entire books written about problem-solving methodologies if you want to take a deep dive into the subject. 

We recommend starting with “ Fixed — How to Perfect the Fine Art of Problem Solving ” by Amy E. Herman. 

6. Experiment

Tried-and-tested problem-solving techniques can be useful. However, they don’t teach you how to innovate and develop your own problem-solving approaches. 

Sometimes, an unconventional approach can lead to the development of a brilliant new idea or strategy. So don’t be afraid to suggest your most “out there” ideas.

7. Analyze the success of your competitors

Do you have competitors who have already solved the problem you’re facing? Look at what they did, and work backward to solve your own problem. 

For example, Netflix started in the 1990s as a DVD mail-rental company. Its main competitor at the time was Blockbuster. 

But when streaming became the norm in the early 2000s, both companies faced a crisis. Netflix innovated, unveiling its streaming service in 2007. 

If Blockbuster had followed Netflix’s example, it might have survived. Instead, it declared bankruptcy in 2010.

Use problem-solving strategies to uplevel your business

When facing a problem, it’s worth taking the time to find the right solution. 

Otherwise, we risk either running away from our problems or headlong into solutions. When we do this, we might miss out on other, better options.

Use the problem-solving strategies outlined above to find innovative solutions to your business’ most perplexing problems.

If you’re ready to take problem-solving to the next level, request a demo with BetterUp . Our expert coaches specialize in helping teams develop and implement strategies that work.

Boost your productivity

Maximize your time and productivity with strategies from our expert coaches.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

8 creative solutions to your most challenging problems

5 problem-solving questions to prepare you for your next interview, what are metacognitive skills examples in everyday life, 31 examples of problem solving performance review phrases, what is lateral thinking 7 techniques to encourage creative ideas, leadership activities that encourage employee engagement, learn what process mapping is and how to create one (+ examples), how much do distractions cost 8 effects of lack of focus, can dreams help you solve problems 6 ways to try, similar articles, the pareto principle: how the 80/20 rule can help you do more with less, thinking outside the box: 8 ways to become a creative problem solver, experimentation brings innovation: create an experimental workplace, 3 problem statement examples and steps to write your own, contingency planning: 4 steps to prepare for the unexpected, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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How to Solve a Problem

Last Updated: April 3, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Rachel Clissold . Rachel Clissold is a Life Coach and Consultant in Sydney, Australia. With over six years of coaching experience and over 17 years of corporate training, Rachel specializes in helping business leaders move through internal roadblocks, gain more freedom and clarity, and optimize their company’s efficiency and productivity. Rachel uses a wide range of techniques including coaching, intuitive guidance, neuro-linguistic programming, and holistic biohacking to help clients overcome fear, break through limitations, and bring their epic visions to life. Rachel is an acclaimed Reiki Master Practitioner, Qualified practitioner in NLP, EFT, Hypnosis & Past Life Regression. She has created events with up to 500 people around Australia, United Kingdom, Bali, and Costa Rica. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,312,801 times.

How you deal with challenges will often determine your success and happiness. If you’re stuck on how to solve a problem, try defining it and breaking it into smaller pieces. Choose whether to approach the problem logically or whether you should think about how the outcome might make you feel. Find ways to creatively approach your problems by working with other people and approaching the problem from a different perspective.

Approaching the Problem

• For example, if your room is constantly messy, the problem might not be that you’re a messy person. It might be that you lack containers or places to put your items in an organized way.
• Try to be as clear and thorough as possible when defining the problem. If it is a personal issue, be honest with yourself as to the causes of the problem. If it is a logistics problem, determine exactly where and when the problem occurs.
• Determine whether the problem is real or self-created. Do you need to solve this problem or is this about something you want? Putting things in perspective can help you navigate the problem-solving process.

• For example, you might have several problems to solve and need to decide which ones to tackle first. Solving one problem may ease tension or take stress off of another problem.
• Once you make a decision, don’t doubt yourself. Be willing to look forward from that point on without wondering what would have happened had you chosen something else.

• For example, if you need to turn in many assignments to pass a class, focus on how many you have to do and approach them one by one.
• Try to combine and solve problems together whenever possible. For example, if you're running out of time to study, try listening to a recorded lecture while walking to class or flip through note cards as you're waiting for dinner.

• For example, if you’re trying to pass a cumulative test, figure out what you already know and what you need to study for. Review everything you already know, then start learning more information from your notes, textbook, or other resources that may help you.

• Pay attention to know these scenarios make you feel.

• For example, if you have a deadline, you may skip cooking dinner or going to the gym so that you can give that time to your project.
• Cut down on unnecessary tasks whenever possible. For example, you might get your groceries delivered to you to save on shopping time. You can spend that time instead on other tasks.

Taking a Creative Approach

• If you’re making a complex decision, write down your alternatives. This way, you won’t forget any options and will be able to cross off any that aren’t plausible.
• For example, you might be hungry and need something to eat. Think about whether you want to cook food, get fast food, order takeout, or sit down at a restaurant.

• Problems like accepting the job across the country that offers good pay but takes you away from your family may require different ways of approach. Consider the logical solution, but also consider your thoughts, feelings, and the way the decision affects others.

• For example, if you’re buying a home and not sure how to make your final decision, talk to other homeowners about their thoughts or regrets about buying a home.

• For example, if you’re having financial difficulties, notice how your efforts are affecting the money coming in and the money you’re spending. If keeping a budget helps, keep with it. If using cash exclusively is a headache, try something else.
• Keep a journal where you record your progress, successes, and challenges. You can look at this for motivation when you are feeling discouraged.

Managing Your Emotions While Confronting Difficulties

• The first step is often the scariest. Try doing something small to start. For example, if you're trying to become more active, start going for daily walks.

• For example, if you’re overwhelmed by having a long to-do list, maybe the problems isn’t the list, but not saying “no” to things you can’t do.
• If you're feeling stressed, angry, or overwhelmed, you may be burned out. Make a list of things that cause stress or frustration. Try to cut down on these in the future. If you start feeling overwhelmed again, it may be a sign that you need to cut back.

• Find a therapist by calling your local mental health clinic or your insurance provider. You can also get a recommendation from a physician or friend.

Expert Q&A

• If you start feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, take a breather. Realize that every problem has a solution, but sometimes you're so wrapped up in it that you can't see anything but the problem. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Don't turn away from your problems. It will come back sooner or later and it will be more difficult to solve. Common sense can help to reduce the size of the problem. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Just take it day by day and write down your plans to form a routine that works best for you. Even if you don't get everything done, just doing what you can for the day is enough.
• Turn the above steps into questions, then answer them. Make your goal actionable by detailing exactly how you'll attempt to achieve it.
• Talk to people you trust and who you believe can help. Be open and just tell them the truth about what's going on.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://hbr.org/2017/06/how-you-define-the-problem-determines-whether-you-solve-it
• ↑ https://www.cuesta.edu/student/resources/ssc/study_guides/critical_thinking/106_think_decisions.html
• ↑ https://au.reachout.com/articles/a-step-by-step-guide-to-problem-solving
• ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
• ↑ https://serc.carleton.edu/geoethics/Decision-Making
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/positive-psychology-in-the-classroom/201303/visualize-the-good-and-the-bad
• ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/operations-research/Resource-allocation
• ↑ https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide/brainstorming.shtml
• ↑ https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/N_R/Problem-solving
• ↑ https://www.collegetransfer.net/Home/ChangeSwitchTransfer/I-want-to/Earn-My-College-Degree/Overcoming-Obstacles
• ↑ https://psychcentral.com/lib/5-ways-to-solve-all-your-problems/
• ↑ https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/understanding

About This Article

To solve a problem, start by brainstorming and writing down any solutions you can think of. Then, go through your list of solutions and cross off any that aren't plausible. Once you know what realistic options you have, choose one of them that makes the most sense for your situation. If the solution is long or complex, try breaking it up into smaller, more manageable steps so you don't get overwhelmed. Then, focus on one step at a time until you've solved your problem. To learn how to manage your emotions when you're solving a particularly difficult problem, scroll down. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Handle a Problem You Can’t Solve

Finding a solution is only one way to proactively respond to problems..

Posted July 22, 2021 | Reviewed by Vanessa Lancaster

• What Is a Career
• Find a career counselor near me
• The difference between a big problem and a small problem is the amount of risk we’re exposed to.
• New research has uncovered an often overlooked category of solutions to help solve difficult problems.
• Sometimes it's more productive to eliminate, shrink, or delegate a problem than it is to solve it.

After returning from a 12-month deployment in Iraq, Patrick Skluzacek began to experience horrible nightmares. Veterans Affairs didn’t have a cure. Afraid to close his eyes, Patrick turned to alcohol to help himself sleep. As his drinking and mental health grew worse, he went on to lose his job, his wife, and even his home.

Patrick’s son Tyler was desperate to help. But he wasn’t a psychologist or a sleep expert. He was just a college student studying mathematics and computer science. So rather than trying to heal his father from the effects of trauma, Tyler decided to look for a way to prevent the nightmares from happening.

Using his programming skills, Tyler developed a smartwatch app that monitored his father’s heart rate and movement during sleep to spot nightmares early. The app then prompted the watch to vibrate gently, coaxing Patrick out of bad dreams without completely waking him.

With the help of his son’s invention, Patrick has once again lived a normal life.

Thankfully, most of us have never had to watch a parent struggle with post- traumatic stress disorder, but we’ve all faced problems that felt too big to solve–in our professional lives as well as at home. The experience of the Skluzaceks, both father and son, illustrates some strategies you might employ the next time you’re up against what feels like an impossible dilemma.

1. If you can’t solve a problem, look for ways to eliminate it.

Problems live inside systems, and one way to get rid of a problem is to eliminate the system it belongs to. Tyler never found a cure for his dad’s PTSD . He simply found a way to interrupt his father’s nightmares, preventing them from happening again.

In an organizational context, we can usually wipe out problems that seem unsolvable by replacing troublesome staff, software, or policies. But new research out of the University of Virginia has found that our brains often overlook these “subtractive solutions”— tunneling instead on what might be added to improve a situation.

2. If you can’t eliminate a problem, look for ways to shrink it.

The difference between a big problem and a small problem is the amount of risk we’re exposed to. So if you can’t fix the cause, try to reduce the effects. For example, certain positions in your company might be inherently stressful , posing the threat of high burnout rates. If you can’t find a way to modify the positions to make them less demanding, an alternative might be to offer more vacation days or free massage therapy sessions to the affected individuals. The root problem will still exist, but it will have a smaller negative impact on your organization.

3. See if you can delegate the problem to someone else.

As Tyler’s story illustrates, sometimes we are our own best options. But in many cases, we can turn to others for help. A surprising number of leaders are comfortable delegating tasks but never think to delegate problems. Doing so can free up your time and empower your colleagues to make a bigger impact. Plus, most problems are easier to solve with a fresh perspective, making a handoff even more advantageous.

4. Ask yourself what insight would make the problem easier to solve.

If you can’t solve a problem, it might be indicative of a gap in your expertise. That’s perfectly normal. The key is simply to pinpoint what those gaps are. To do so, try filling in this sentence:

I would be able to solve this problem if only I knew…

Once you’ve identified the gaps in your knowledge, brainstorm ways to find reliable answers, colleagues might be a useful resource, and consulting is often an effective option. If your timeline and budget don’t allow for consulting, on-demand online trainings are another way to expand your understanding, and a surprising number of experts offer these virtual courses.

5. Question whether you actually need to solve the problem right now.

Sometimes, the true cost of a problem is the work it distracts you from. In Tyler’s case, ignoring his father’s nightmares wasn’t an option. But sometimes, procrastinating on one problem allows you to be more productive in other areas. If you’re facing a dilemma that seems unsolvable, try asking yourself if fixing it is really your best opportunity for personal growth or organizational contribution at that moment. Will you incur any high costs by waiting to tackle the issue?

Challenges don’t always have an obvious cure, but you can still respond intentionally and productively. In fact, knowing what to do with tough dilemmas is a skill that sets great leaders apart. After all, difficult decisions are one of the primary responsibilities great leaders get paid to handle.

Kyle Young is a strategy consultant and writer who works to help people achieve their goals.

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Overview of the Problem-Solving Mental Process

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

• Identify the Problem
• Define the Problem
• Form a Strategy
• Organize Information
• Allocate Resources
• Monitor Progress
• Evaluate the Results

Frequently Asked Questions

Problem-solving is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing, and solving problems. The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue.

The best strategy for solving a problem depends largely on the unique situation. In some cases, people are better off learning everything they can about the issue and then using factual knowledge to come up with a solution. In other instances, creativity and insight are the best options.

It is not necessary to follow problem-solving steps sequentially, It is common to skip steps or even go back through steps multiple times until the desired solution is reached.

In order to correctly solve a problem, it is often important to follow a series of steps. Researchers sometimes refer to this as the problem-solving cycle. While this cycle is portrayed sequentially, people rarely follow a rigid series of steps to find a solution.

The following steps include developing strategies and organizing knowledge.

1. Identifying the Problem

While it may seem like an obvious step, identifying the problem is not always as simple as it sounds. In some cases, people might mistakenly identify the wrong source of a problem, which will make attempts to solve it inefficient or even useless.

Some strategies that you might use to figure out the source of a problem include :

• Asking questions about the problem
• Breaking the problem down into smaller pieces
• Looking at the problem from different perspectives
• Conducting research to figure out what relationships exist between different variables

2. Defining the Problem

After the problem has been identified, it is important to fully define the problem so that it can be solved. You can define a problem by operationally defining each aspect of the problem and setting goals for what aspects of the problem you will address

At this point, you should focus on figuring out which aspects of the problems are facts and which are opinions. State the problem clearly and identify the scope of the solution.

3. Forming a Strategy

After the problem has been identified, it is time to start brainstorming potential solutions. This step usually involves generating as many ideas as possible without judging their quality. Once several possibilities have been generated, they can be evaluated and narrowed down.

The next step is to develop a strategy to solve the problem. The approach used will vary depending upon the situation and the individual's unique preferences. Common problem-solving strategies include heuristics and algorithms.

• Heuristics are mental shortcuts that are often based on solutions that have worked in the past. They can work well if the problem is similar to something you have encountered before and are often the best choice if you need a fast solution.
• Algorithms are step-by-step strategies that are guaranteed to produce a correct result. While this approach is great for accuracy, it can also consume time and resources.

Heuristics are often best used when time is of the essence, while algorithms are a better choice when a decision needs to be as accurate as possible.

4. Organizing Information

Before coming up with a solution, you need to first organize the available information. What do you know about the problem? What do you not know? The more information that is available the better prepared you will be to come up with an accurate solution.

When approaching a problem, it is important to make sure that you have all the data you need. Making a decision without adequate information can lead to biased or inaccurate results.

5. Allocating Resources

Of course, we don't always have unlimited money, time, and other resources to solve a problem. Before you begin to solve a problem, you need to determine how high priority it is.

If it is an important problem, it is probably worth allocating more resources to solving it. If, however, it is a fairly unimportant problem, then you do not want to spend too much of your available resources on coming up with a solution.

At this stage, it is important to consider all of the factors that might affect the problem at hand. This includes looking at the available resources, deadlines that need to be met, and any possible risks involved in each solution. After careful evaluation, a decision can be made about which solution to pursue.

6. Monitoring Progress

After selecting a problem-solving strategy, it is time to put the plan into action and see if it works. This step might involve trying out different solutions to see which one is the most effective.

It is also important to monitor the situation after implementing a solution to ensure that the problem has been solved and that no new problems have arisen as a result of the proposed solution.

Effective problem-solvers tend to monitor their progress as they work towards a solution. If they are not making good progress toward reaching their goal, they will reevaluate their approach or look for new strategies .

7. Evaluating the Results

After a solution has been reached, it is important to evaluate the results to determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem. This evaluation might be immediate, such as checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed, such as evaluating the success of a therapy program after several months of treatment.

Once a problem has been solved, it is important to take some time to reflect on the process that was used and evaluate the results. This will help you to improve your problem-solving skills and become more efficient at solving future problems.

A Word From Verywell​

It is important to remember that there are many different problem-solving processes with different steps, and this is just one example. Problem-solving in real-world situations requires a great deal of resourcefulness, flexibility, resilience, and continuous interaction with the environment.

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You can become a better problem solving by:

• Practicing brainstorming and coming up with multiple potential solutions to problems
• Being open-minded and considering all possible options before making a decision
• Breaking down problems into smaller, more manageable pieces
• Asking for help when needed
• Researching different problem-solving techniques and trying out new ones
• Learning from mistakes and using them as opportunities to grow

It's important to communicate openly and honestly with your partner about what's going on. Try to see things from their perspective as well as your own. Work together to find a resolution that works for both of you. Be willing to compromise and accept that there may not be a perfect solution.

Take breaks if things are getting too heated, and come back to the problem when you feel calm and collected. Don't try to fix every problem on your own—consider asking a therapist or counselor for help and insight.

If you've tried everything and there doesn't seem to be a way to fix the problem, you may have to learn to accept it. This can be difficult, but try to focus on the positive aspects of your life and remember that every situation is temporary. Don't dwell on what's going wrong—instead, think about what's going right. Find support by talking to friends or family. Seek professional help if you're having trouble coping.

Davidson JE, Sternberg RJ, editors.  The Psychology of Problem Solving .  Cambridge University Press; 2003. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511615771

Sarathy V. Real world problem-solving .  Front Hum Neurosci . 2018;12:261. Published 2018 Jun 26. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00261

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

How to improve your problem solving skills and build effective problem solving strategies

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Effective problem solving is all about using the right process and following a plan tailored to the issue at hand. Recognizing your team or organization has an issue isn’t enough to come up with effective problem solving strategies. 

To truly understand a problem and develop appropriate solutions, you will want to follow a solid process, follow the necessary problem solving steps, and bring all of your problem solving skills to the table.  

We’ll first guide you through the seven step problem solving process you and your team can use to effectively solve complex business challenges. We’ll also look at what problem solving strategies you can employ with your team when looking for a way to approach the process. We’ll then discuss the problem solving skills you need to be more effective at solving problems, complete with an activity from the SessionLab library you can use to develop that skill in your team.

Let’s get to it! 

What is a problem solving process?

• What are the problem solving steps I need to follow?

Problem solving strategies

What skills do i need to be an effective problem solver, how can i improve my problem solving skills.

Solving problems is like baking a cake. You can go straight into the kitchen without a recipe or the right ingredients and do your best, but the end result is unlikely to be very tasty!

Using a process to bake a cake allows you to use the best ingredients without waste, collect the right tools, account for allergies, decide whether it is a birthday or wedding cake, and then bake efficiently and on time. The result is a better cake that is fit for purpose, tastes better and has created less mess in the kitchen. Also, it should have chocolate sprinkles. Having a step by step process to solve organizational problems allows you to go through each stage methodically and ensure you are trying to solve the right problems and select the most appropriate, effective solutions.

What are the problem solving steps I need to follow? 

All problem solving processes go through a number of steps in order to move from identifying a problem to resolving it.

Depending on your problem solving model and who you ask, there can be anything between four and nine problem solving steps you should follow in order to find the right solution. Whatever framework you and your group use, there are some key items that should be addressed in order to have an effective process.

We’ve looked at problem solving processes from sources such as the American Society for Quality and their four step approach , and Mediate ‘s six step process. By reflecting on those and our own problem solving processes, we’ve come up with a sequence of seven problem solving steps we feel best covers everything you need in order to effectively solve problems.

1. Problem identification 

The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem or problems you might want to solve. Effective problem solving strategies always begin by allowing a group scope to articulate what they believe the problem to be and then coming to some consensus over which problem they approach first. Problem solving activities used at this stage often have a focus on creating frank, open discussion so that potential problems can be brought to the surface.

2. Problem analysis 

Though this step is not a million miles from problem identification, problem analysis deserves to be considered separately. It can often be an overlooked part of the process and is instrumental when it comes to developing effective solutions.

The process of problem analysis means ensuring that the problem you are seeking to solve is the right problem . As part of this stage, you may look deeper and try to find the root cause of a specific problem at a team or organizational level.

Remember that problem solving strategies should not only be focused on putting out fires in the short term but developing long term solutions that deal with the root cause of organizational challenges. 

Whatever your approach, analyzing a problem is crucial in being able to select an appropriate solution and the problem solving skills deployed in this stage are beneficial for the rest of the process and ensuring the solutions you create are fit for purpose.

3. Solution generation

Once your group has nailed down the particulars of the problem you wish to solve, you want to encourage a free flow of ideas connecting to solving that problem. This can take the form of problem solving games that encourage creative thinking or problem solving activities designed to produce working prototypes of possible solutions. 

The key to ensuring the success of this stage of the problem solving process is to encourage quick, creative thinking and create an open space where all ideas are considered. The best solutions can come from unlikely places and by using problem solving techniques that celebrate invention, you might come up with solution gold. 

4. Solution development

No solution is likely to be perfect right out of the gate. It’s important to discuss and develop the solutions your group has come up with over the course of following the previous problem solving steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Problem solving games used in this stage involve lots of critical thinking, measuring potential effort and impact, and looking at possible solutions analytically. 

During this stage, you will often ask your team to iterate and improve upon your frontrunning solutions and develop them further. Remember that problem solving strategies always benefit from a multitude of voices and opinions, and not to let ego get involved when it comes to choosing which solutions to develop and take further.

Finding the best solution is the goal of all problem solving workshops and here is the place to ensure that your solution is well thought out, sufficiently robust and fit for purpose. 

5. Decision making 

Nearly there! Once your group has reached consensus and selected a solution that applies to the problem at hand you have some decisions to make. You will want to work on allocating ownership of the project, figure out who will do what, how the success of the solution will be measured and decide the next course of action.

The decision making stage is a part of the problem solving process that can get missed or taken as for granted. Fail to properly allocate roles and plan out how a solution will actually be implemented and it less likely to be successful in solving the problem.

Have clear accountabilities, actions, timeframes, and follow-ups. Make these decisions and set clear next-steps in the problem solving workshop so that everyone is aligned and you can move forward effectively as a group. 

Ensuring that you plan for the roll-out of a solution is one of the most important problem solving steps. Without adequate planning or oversight, it can prove impossible to measure success or iterate further if the problem was not solved. 

6. Solution implementation 

This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving strategies have the end goal of implementing a solution and solving a problem in mind. 

Remember that in order for any solution to be successful, you need to help your group through all of the previous problem solving steps thoughtfully. Only then can you ensure that you are solving the right problem but also that you have developed the correct solution and can then successfully implement and measure the impact of that solution.

Project management and communication skills are key here – your solution may need to adjust when out in the wild or you might discover new challenges along the way.

7. Solution evaluation 

So you and your team developed a great solution to a problem and have a gut feeling its been solved. Work done, right? Wrong. All problem solving strategies benefit from evaluation, consideration, and feedback. You might find that the solution does not work for everyone, might create new problems, or is potentially so successful that you will want to roll it out to larger teams or as part of other initiatives. 

None of that is possible without taking the time to evaluate the success of the solution you developed in your problem solving model and adjust if necessary.

Remember that the problem solving process is often iterative and it can be common to not solve complex issues on the first try. Even when this is the case, you and your team will have generated learning that will be important for future problem solving workshops or in other parts of the organization. 

It’s worth underlining how important record keeping is throughout the problem solving process. If a solution didn’t work, you need to have the data and records to see why that was the case. If you go back to the drawing board, notes from the previous workshop can help save time. Data and insight is invaluable at every stage of the problem solving process and this one is no different.

Problem solving workshops made easy

Problem solving strategies are methods of approaching and facilitating the process of problem-solving with a set of techniques , actions, and processes. Different strategies are more effective if you are trying to solve broad problems such as achieving higher growth versus more focused problems like, how do we improve our customer onboarding process?

Broadly, the problem solving steps outlined above should be included in any problem solving strategy though choosing where to focus your time and what approaches should be taken is where they begin to differ. You might find that some strategies ask for the problem identification to be done prior to the session or that everything happens in the course of a one day workshop.

The key similarity is that all good problem solving strategies are structured and designed. Four hours of open discussion is never going to be as productive as a four-hour workshop designed to lead a group through a problem solving process.

Good problem solving strategies are tailored to the team, organization and problem you will be attempting to solve. Here are some example problem solving strategies you can learn from or use to get started.

Use a workshop to lead a team through a group process

Often, the first step to solving problems or organizational challenges is bringing a group together effectively. Most teams have the tools, knowledge, and expertise necessary to solve their challenges – they just need some guidance in how to use leverage those skills and a structure and format that allows people to focus their energies.

Facilitated workshops are one of the most effective ways of solving problems of any scale. By designing and planning your workshop carefully, you can tailor the approach and scope to best fit the needs of your team and organization. 

Problem solving workshop

• Creating a bespoke, tailored process
• Tackling problems of any size
• Building in-house workshop ability and encouraging their use

Workshops are an effective strategy for solving problems. By using tried and test facilitation techniques and methods, you can design and deliver a workshop that is perfectly suited to the unique variables of your organization. You may only have the capacity for a half-day workshop and so need a problem solving process to match. 

By using our session planner tool and importing methods from our library of 700+ facilitation techniques, you can create the right problem solving workshop for your team. It might be that you want to encourage creative thinking or look at things from a new angle to unblock your groups approach to problem solving. By tailoring your workshop design to the purpose, you can help ensure great results.

One of the main benefits of a workshop is the structured approach to problem solving. Not only does this mean that the workshop itself will be successful, but many of the methods and techniques will help your team improve their working processes outside of the workshop. 

We believe that workshops are one of the best tools you can use to improve the way your team works together. Start with a problem solving workshop and then see what team building, culture or design workshops can do for your organization!

Run a design sprint

Great for: 

• aligning large, multi-discipline teams
• quickly designing and testing solutions
• tackling large, complex organizational challenges and breaking them down into smaller tasks

By using design thinking principles and methods, a design sprint is a great way of identifying, prioritizing and prototyping solutions to long term challenges that can help solve major organizational problems with quick action and measurable results.

Some familiarity with design thinking is useful, though not integral, and this strategy can really help a team align if there is some discussion around which problems should be approached first. 

The stage-based structure of the design sprint is also very useful for teams new to design thinking.  The inspiration phase, where you look to competitors that have solved your problem, and the rapid prototyping and testing phases are great for introducing new concepts that will benefit a team in all their future work. 

It can be common for teams to look inward for solutions and so looking to the market for solutions you can iterate on can be very productive. Instilling an agile prototyping and testing mindset can also be great when helping teams move forwards – generating and testing solutions quickly can help save time in the long run and is also pretty exciting!

Break problems down into smaller issues

Organizational challenges and problems are often complicated and large scale in nature. Sometimes, trying to resolve such an issue in one swoop is simply unachievable or overwhelming. Try breaking down such problems into smaller issues that you can work on step by step. You may not be able to solve the problem of churning customers off the bat, but you can work with your team to identify smaller effort but high impact elements and work on those first.

This problem solving strategy can help a team generate momentum, prioritize and get some easy wins. It’s also a great strategy to employ with teams who are just beginning to learn how to approach the problem solving process. If you want some insight into a way to employ this strategy, we recommend looking at our design sprint template below!

Use guiding frameworks or try new methodologies

Some problems are best solved by introducing a major shift in perspective or by using new methodologies that encourage your team to think differently.

Props and tools such as Methodkit , which uses a card-based toolkit for facilitation, or Lego Serious Play can be great ways to engage your team and find an inclusive, democratic problem solving strategy. Remember that play and creativity are great tools for achieving change and whatever the challenge, engaging your participants can be very effective where other strategies may have failed.

LEGO Serious Play

• Improving core problem solving skills
• Thinking outside of the box
• Encouraging creative solutions

LEGO Serious Play is a problem solving methodology designed to get participants thinking differently by using 3D models and kinesthetic learning styles. By physically building LEGO models based on questions and exercises, participants are encouraged to think outside of the box and create their own responses. 

Collaborate LEGO Serious Play exercises are also used to encourage communication and build problem solving skills in a group. By using this problem solving process, you can often help different kinds of learners and personality types contribute and unblock organizational problems with creative thinking. 

Problem solving strategies like LEGO Serious Play are super effective at helping a team solve more skills-based problems such as communication between teams or a lack of creative thinking. Some problems are not suited to LEGO Serious Play and require a different problem solving strategy.

Card Decks and Method Kits

• New facilitators or non-facilitators 
• Approaching difficult subjects with a simple, creative framework
• Engaging those with varied learning styles

Card decks and method kids are great tools for those new to facilitation or for whom facilitation is not the primary role. Card decks such as the emotional culture deck can be used for complete workshops and in many cases, can be used right out of the box. Methodkit has a variety of kits designed for scenarios ranging from personal development through to personas and global challenges so you can find the right deck for your particular needs.

Having an easy to use framework that encourages creativity or a new approach can take some of the friction or planning difficulties out of the workshop process and energize a team in any setting. Simplicity is the key with these methods. By ensuring everyone on your team can get involved and engage with the process as quickly as possible can really contribute to the success of your problem solving strategy.

Source external advice

Looking to peers, experts and external facilitators can be a great way of approaching the problem solving process. Your team may not have the necessary expertise, insights of experience to tackle some issues, or you might simply benefit from a fresh perspective. Some problems may require bringing together an entire team, and coaching managers or team members individually might be the right approach. Remember that not all problems are best resolved in the same manner.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur, peer groups, coaches and mentors can also be invaluable at not only solving specific business problems, but in providing a support network for resolving future challenges. One great approach is to join a Mastermind Group and link up with like-minded individuals and all grow together. Remember that however you approach the sourcing of external advice, do so thoughtfully, respectfully and honestly. Reciprocate where you can and prepare to be surprised by just how kind and helpful your peers can be!

Mastermind Group

• Solo entrepreneurs or small teams with low capacity
• Peer learning and gaining outside expertise
• Getting multiple external points of view quickly

Problem solving in large organizations with lots of skilled team members is one thing, but how about if you work for yourself or in a very small team without the capacity to get the most from a design sprint or LEGO Serious Play session? 

A mastermind group – sometimes known as a peer advisory board – is where a group of people come together to support one another in their own goals, challenges, and businesses. Each participant comes to the group with their own purpose and the other members of the group will help them create solutions, brainstorm ideas, and support one another. 

Mastermind groups are very effective in creating an energized, supportive atmosphere that can deliver meaningful results. Learning from peers from outside of your organization or industry can really help unlock new ways of thinking and drive growth. Access to the experience and skills of your peers can be invaluable in helping fill the gaps in your own ability, particularly in young companies.

A mastermind group is a great solution for solo entrepreneurs, small teams, or for organizations that feel that external expertise or fresh perspectives will be beneficial for them. It is worth noting that Mastermind groups are often only as good as the participants and what they can bring to the group. Participants need to be committed, engaged and understand how to work in this context. 

Coaching and mentoring

• Focused learning and development
• Filling skills gaps
• Working on a range of challenges over time

Receiving advice from a business coach or building a mentor/mentee relationship can be an effective way of resolving certain challenges. The one-to-one format of most coaching and mentor relationships can really help solve the challenges those individuals are having and benefit the organization as a result.

A great mentor can be invaluable when it comes to spotting potential problems before they arise and coming to understand a mentee very well has a host of other business benefits. You might run an internal mentorship program to help develop your team’s problem solving skills and strategies or as part of a large learning and development program. External coaches can also be an important part of your problem solving strategy, filling skills gaps for your management team or helping with specific business issues. 

Now we’ve explored the problem solving process and the steps you will want to go through in order to have an effective session, let’s look at the skills you and your team need to be more effective problem solvers.

Problem solving skills are highly sought after, whatever industry or team you work in. Organizations are keen to employ people who are able to approach problems thoughtfully and find strong, realistic solutions. Whether you are a facilitator , a team leader or a developer, being an effective problem solver is a skill you’ll want to develop.

Problem solving skills form a whole suite of techniques and approaches that an individual uses to not only identify problems but to discuss them productively before then developing appropriate solutions.

Here are some of the most important problem solving skills everyone from executives to junior staff members should learn. We’ve also included an activity or exercise from the SessionLab library that can help you and your team develop that skill. 

If you’re running a workshop or training session to try and improve problem solving skills in your team, try using these methods to supercharge your process!

Active listening

Active listening is one of the most important skills anyone who works with people can possess. In short, active listening is a technique used to not only better understand what is being said by an individual, but also to be more aware of the underlying message the speaker is trying to convey. When it comes to problem solving, active listening is integral for understanding the position of every participant and to clarify the challenges, ideas and solutions they bring to the table.

Some active listening skills include:

• Paying complete attention to the speaker.
• Removing distractions.
• Avoid interruption.
• Taking the time to fully understand before preparing a rebuttal.
• Responding respectfully and appropriately.
• Demonstrate attentiveness and positivity with an open posture, making eye contact with the speaker, smiling and nodding if appropriate. Show that you are listening and encourage them to continue.
• Be aware of and respectful of feelings. Judge the situation and respond appropriately. You can disagree without being disrespectful.   
• Observe body language. 
• Paraphrase what was said in your own words, either mentally or verbally.
• Remain neutral. 
• Reflect and take a moment before responding.
• Ask deeper questions based on what is said and clarify points where necessary.   

Active Listening   #hyperisland   #skills   #active listening   #remote-friendly   This activity supports participants to reflect on a question and generate their own solutions using simple principles of active listening and peer coaching. It’s an excellent introduction to active listening but can also be used with groups that are already familiar with it. Participants work in groups of three and take turns being: “the subject”, the listener, and the observer.

Analytical skills

All problem solving models require strong analytical skills, particularly during the beginning of the process and when it comes to analyzing how solutions have performed.

Analytical skills are primarily focused on performing an effective analysis by collecting, studying and parsing data related to a problem or opportunity. 

It often involves spotting patterns, being able to see things from different perspectives and using observable facts and data to make suggestions or produce insight. 

Analytical skills are also important at every stage of the problem solving process and by having these skills, you can ensure that any ideas or solutions you create or backed up analytically and have been sufficiently thought out.

Nine Whys   #innovation   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   With breathtaking simplicity, you can rapidly clarify for individuals and a group what is essentially important in their work. You can quickly reveal when a compelling purpose is missing in a gathering and avoid moving forward without clarity. When a group discovers an unambiguous shared purpose, more freedom and more responsibility are unleashed. You have laid the foundation for spreading and scaling innovations with fidelity.

Collaboration

Trying to solve problems on your own is difficult. Being able to collaborate effectively, with a free exchange of ideas, to delegate and be a productive member of a team is hugely important to all problem solving strategies.

Remember that whatever your role, collaboration is integral, and in a problem solving process, you are all working together to find the best solution for everyone. 

Marshmallow challenge with debriefing   #teamwork   #team   #leadership   #collaboration   In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Visit the Marshmallow Challenge website for more information. This version has an extra debriefing question added with sample questions focusing on roles within the team.

Communication  

Being an effective communicator means being empathetic, clear and succinct, asking the right questions, and demonstrating active listening skills throughout any discussion or meeting. 

In a problem solving setting, you need to communicate well in order to progress through each stage of the process effectively. As a team leader, it may also fall to you to facilitate communication between parties who may not see eye to eye. Effective communication also means helping others to express themselves and be heard in a group.

Bus Trip   #feedback   #communication   #appreciation   #closing   #thiagi   #team   This is one of my favourite feedback games. I use Bus Trip at the end of a training session or a meeting, and I use it all the time. The game creates a massive amount of energy with lots of smiles, laughs, and sometimes even a teardrop or two.

Creative problem solving skills can be some of the best tools in your arsenal. Thinking creatively, being able to generate lots of ideas and come up with out of the box solutions is useful at every step of the process. 

The kinds of problems you will likely discuss in a problem solving workshop are often difficult to solve, and by approaching things in a fresh, creative manner, you can often create more innovative solutions.

Having practical creative skills is also a boon when it comes to problem solving. If you can help create quality design sketches and prototypes in record time, it can help bring a team to alignment more quickly or provide a base for further iteration.

The paper clip method   #sharing   #creativity   #warm up   #idea generation   #brainstorming   The power of brainstorming. A training for project leaders, creativity training, and to catalyse getting new solutions.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is one of the fundamental problem solving skills you’ll want to develop when working on developing solutions. Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, rationalize and evaluate while being aware of personal bias, outlying factors and remaining open-minded.

Defining and analyzing problems without deploying critical thinking skills can mean you and your team go down the wrong path. Developing solutions to complex issues requires critical thinking too – ensuring your team considers all possibilities and rationally evaluating them. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Data analysis 

Though it shares lots of space with general analytical skills, data analysis skills are something you want to cultivate in their own right in order to be an effective problem solver.

Being good at data analysis doesn’t just mean being able to find insights from data, but also selecting the appropriate data for a given issue, interpreting it effectively and knowing how to model and present that data. Depending on the problem at hand, it might also include a working knowledge of specific data analysis tools and procedures. 

Having a solid grasp of data analysis techniques is useful if you’re leading a problem solving workshop but if you’re not an expert, don’t worry. Bring people into the group who has this skill set and help your team be more effective as a result.

Decision making

All problems need a solution and all solutions require that someone make the decision to implement them. Without strong decision making skills, teams can become bogged down in discussion and less effective as a result. 

Making decisions is a key part of the problem solving process. It’s important to remember that decision making is not restricted to the leadership team. Every staff member makes decisions every day and developing these skills ensures that your team is able to solve problems at any scale. Remember that making decisions does not mean leaping to the first solution but weighing up the options and coming to an informed, well thought out solution to any given problem that works for the whole team.

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

Dependability

Most complex organizational problems require multiple people to be involved in delivering the solution. Ensuring that the team and organization can depend on you to take the necessary actions and communicate where necessary is key to ensuring problems are solved effectively.

Being dependable also means working to deadlines and to brief. It is often a matter of creating trust in a team so that everyone can depend on one another to complete the agreed actions in the agreed time frame so that the team can move forward together. Being undependable can create problems of friction and can limit the effectiveness of your solutions so be sure to bear this in mind throughout a project. 

Team Purpose & Culture   #team   #hyperisland   #culture   #remote-friendly   This is an essential process designed to help teams define their purpose (why they exist) and their culture (how they work together to achieve that purpose). Defining these two things will help any team to be more focused and aligned. With support of tangible examples from other companies, the team members work as individuals and a group to codify the way they work together. The goal is a visual manifestation of both the purpose and culture that can be put up in the team’s work space.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is an important skill for any successful team member, whether communicating internally or with clients or users. In the problem solving process, emotional intelligence means being attuned to how people are feeling and thinking, communicating effectively and being self-aware of what you bring to a room. 

There are often differences of opinion when working through problem solving processes, and it can be easy to let things become impassioned or combative. Developing your emotional intelligence means being empathetic to your colleagues and managing your own emotions throughout the problem and solution process. Be kind, be thoughtful and put your points across care and attention. 

Being emotionally intelligent is a skill for life and by deploying it at work, you can not only work efficiently but empathetically. Check out the emotional culture workshop template for more!

Facilitation

As we’ve clarified in our facilitation skills post, facilitation is the art of leading people through processes towards agreed-upon objectives in a manner that encourages participation, ownership, and creativity by all those involved. While facilitation is a set of interrelated skills in itself, the broad definition of facilitation can be invaluable when it comes to problem solving. Leading a team through a problem solving process is made more effective if you improve and utilize facilitation skills – whether you’re a manager, team leader or external stakeholder.

The Six Thinking Hats   #creative thinking   #meeting facilitation   #problem solving   #issue resolution   #idea generation   #conflict resolution   The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Flexibility 

Being flexible is a vital skill when it comes to problem solving. This does not mean immediately bowing to pressure or changing your opinion quickly: instead, being flexible is all about seeing things from new perspectives, receiving new information and factoring it into your thought process.

Flexibility is also important when it comes to rolling out solutions. It might be that other organizational projects have greater priority or require the same resources as your chosen solution. Being flexible means understanding needs and challenges across the team and being open to shifting or arranging your own schedule as necessary. Again, this does not mean immediately making way for other projects. It’s about articulating your own needs, understanding the needs of others and being able to come to a meaningful compromise.

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Working in any group can lead to unconscious elements of groupthink or situations in which you may not wish to be entirely honest. Disagreeing with the opinions of the executive team or wishing to save the feelings of a coworker can be tricky to navigate, but being honest is absolutely vital when to comes to developing effective solutions and ensuring your voice is heard. 

Remember that being honest does not mean being brutally candid. You can deliver your honest feedback and opinions thoughtfully and without creating friction by using other skills such as emotional intelligence. 

Explore your Values   #hyperisland   #skills   #values   #remote-friendly   Your Values is an exercise for participants to explore what their most important values are. It’s done in an intuitive and rapid way to encourage participants to follow their intuitive feeling rather than over-thinking and finding the “correct” values. It is a good exercise to use to initiate reflection and dialogue around personal values.

Initiative 

The problem solving process is multi-faceted and requires different approaches at certain points of the process. Taking initiative to bring problems to the attention of the team, collect data or lead the solution creating process is always valuable. You might even roadtest your own small scale solutions or brainstorm before a session. Taking initiative is particularly effective if you have good deal of knowledge in that area or have ownership of a particular project and want to get things kickstarted.

That said, be sure to remember to honor the process and work in service of the team. If you are asked to own one part of the problem solving process and you don’t complete that task because your initiative leads you to work on something else, that’s not an effective method of solving business challenges.

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Impartiality

A particularly useful problem solving skill for product owners or managers is the ability to remain impartial throughout much of the process. In practice, this means treating all points of view and ideas brought forward in a meeting equally and ensuring that your own areas of interest or ownership are not favored over others. 

There may be a stage in the process where a decision maker has to weigh the cost and ROI of possible solutions against the company roadmap though even then, ensuring that the decision made is based on merit and not personal opinion. 

Empathy map   #frame insights   #create   #design   #issue analysis   An empathy map is a tool to help a design team to empathize with the people they are designing for. You can make an empathy map for a group of people or for a persona. To be used after doing personas when more insights are needed.

Being a good leader means getting a team aligned, energized and focused around a common goal. In the problem solving process, strong leadership helps ensure that the process is efficient, that any conflicts are resolved and that a team is managed in the direction of success.

It’s common for managers or executives to assume this role in a problem solving workshop, though it’s important that the leader maintains impartiality and does not bulldoze the group in a particular direction. Remember that good leadership means working in service of the purpose and team and ensuring the workshop is a safe space for employees of any level to contribute. Take a look at our leadership games and activities post for more exercises and methods to help improve leadership in your organization.

Leadership Pizza   #leadership   #team   #remote-friendly   This leadership development activity offers a self-assessment framework for people to first identify what skills, attributes and attitudes they find important for effective leadership, and then assess their own development and initiate goal setting.

In the context of problem solving, mediation is important in keeping a team engaged, happy and free of conflict. When leading or facilitating a problem solving workshop, you are likely to run into differences of opinion. Depending on the nature of the problem, certain issues may be brought up that are emotive in nature. 

Being an effective mediator means helping those people on either side of such a divide are heard, listen to one another and encouraged to find common ground and a resolution. Mediating skills are useful for leaders and managers in many situations and the problem solving process is no different.

Conflict Responses   #hyperisland   #team   #issue resolution   A workshop for a team to reflect on past conflicts, and use them to generate guidelines for effective conflict handling. The workshop uses the Thomas-Killman model of conflict responses to frame a reflective discussion. Use it to open up a discussion around conflict with a team.

Planning 

Solving organizational problems is much more effective when following a process or problem solving model. Planning skills are vital in order to structure, deliver and follow-through on a problem solving workshop and ensure your solutions are intelligently deployed.

Planning skills include the ability to organize tasks and a team, plan and design the process and take into account any potential challenges. Taking the time to plan carefully can save time and frustration later in the process and is valuable for ensuring a team is positioned for success.

3 Action Steps   #hyperisland   #action   #remote-friendly   This is a small-scale strategic planning session that helps groups and individuals to take action toward a desired change. It is often used at the end of a workshop or programme. The group discusses and agrees on a vision, then creates some action steps that will lead them towards that vision. The scope of the challenge is also defined, through discussion of the helpful and harmful factors influencing the group.

Prioritization

As organisations grow, the scale and variation of problems they face multiplies. Your team or is likely to face numerous challenges in different areas and so having the skills to analyze and prioritize becomes very important, particularly for those in leadership roles.

A thorough problem solving process is likely to deliver multiple solutions and you may have several different problems you wish to solve simultaneously. Prioritization is the ability to measure the importance, value, and effectiveness of those possible solutions and choose which to enact and in what order. The process of prioritization is integral in ensuring the biggest challenges are addressed with the most impactful solutions.

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

Project management

Some problem solving skills are utilized in a workshop or ideation phases, while others come in useful when it comes to decision making. Overseeing an entire problem solving process and ensuring its success requires strong project management skills. 

While project management incorporates many of the other skills listed here, it is important to note the distinction of considering all of the factors of a project and managing them successfully. Being able to negotiate with stakeholders, manage tasks, time and people, consider costs and ROI, and tie everything together is massively helpful when going through the problem solving process. 

Record keeping

Working out meaningful solutions to organizational challenges is only one part of the process.  Thoughtfully documenting and keeping records of each problem solving step for future consultation is important in ensuring efficiency and meaningful change. 

For example, some problems may be lower priority than others but can be revisited in the future. If the team has ideated on solutions and found some are not up to the task, record those so you can rule them out and avoiding repeating work. Keeping records of the process also helps you improve and refine your problem solving model next time around!

Personal Kanban   #gamestorming   #action   #agile   #project planning   Personal Kanban is a tool for organizing your work to be more efficient and productive. It is based on agile methods and principles.

Research skills

Conducting research to support both the identification of problems and the development of appropriate solutions is important for an effective process. Knowing where to go to collect research, how to conduct research efficiently, and identifying pieces of research are relevant are all things a good researcher can do well. 

In larger groups, not everyone has to demonstrate this ability in order for a problem solving workshop to be effective. That said, having people with research skills involved in the process, particularly if they have existing area knowledge, can help ensure the solutions that are developed with data that supports their intention. Remember that being able to deliver the results of research efficiently and in a way the team can easily understand is also important. The best data in the world is only as effective as how it is delivered and interpreted.

Customer experience map   #ideation   #concepts   #research   #design   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   Customer experience mapping is a method of documenting and visualizing the experience a customer has as they use the product or service. It also maps out their responses to their experiences. To be used when there is a solution (even in a conceptual stage) that can be analyzed.

Risk management

Managing risk is an often overlooked part of the problem solving process. Solutions are often developed with the intention of reducing exposure to risk or solving issues that create risk but sometimes, great solutions are more experimental in nature and as such, deploying them needs to be carefully considered. 

Managing risk means acknowledging that there may be risks associated with more out of the box solutions or trying new things, but that this must be measured against the possible benefits and other organizational factors. 

Be informed, get the right data and stakeholders in the room and you can appropriately factor risk into your decision making process. 

Decisions, Decisions…   #communication   #decision making   #thiagi   #action   #issue analysis   When it comes to decision-making, why are some of us more prone to take risks while others are risk-averse? One explanation might be the way the decision and options were presented.  This exercise, based on Kahneman and Tversky’s classic study , illustrates how the framing effect influences our judgement and our ability to make decisions . The participants are divided into two groups. Both groups are presented with the same problem and two alternative programs for solving them. The two programs both have the same consequences but are presented differently. The debriefing discussion examines how the framing of the program impacted the participant’s decision.

Team-building 

No single person is as good at problem solving as a team. Building an effective team and helping them come together around a common purpose is one of the most important problem solving skills, doubly so for leaders. By bringing a team together and helping them work efficiently, you pave the way for team ownership of a problem and the development of effective solutions. 

In a problem solving workshop, it can be tempting to jump right into the deep end, though taking the time to break the ice, energize the team and align them with a game or exercise will pay off over the course of the day.

Remember that you will likely go through the problem solving process multiple times over an organization’s lifespan and building a strong team culture will make future problem solving more effective. It’s also great to work with people you know, trust and have fun with. Working on team building in and out of the problem solving process is a hallmark of successful teams that can work together to solve business problems.

9 Dimensions Team Building Activity   #ice breaker   #teambuilding   #team   #remote-friendly   9 Dimensions is a powerful activity designed to build relationships and trust among team members. There are 2 variations of this icebreaker. The first version is for teams who want to get to know each other better. The second version is for teams who want to explore how they are working together as a team.

Time management 

The problem solving process is designed to lead a team from identifying a problem through to delivering a solution and evaluating its effectiveness. Without effective time management skills or timeboxing of tasks, it can be easy for a team to get bogged down or be inefficient.

By using a problem solving model and carefully designing your workshop, you can allocate time efficiently and trust that the process will deliver the results you need in a good timeframe.

Time management also comes into play when it comes to rolling out solutions, particularly those that are experimental in nature. Having a clear timeframe for implementing and evaluating solutions is vital for ensuring their success and being able to pivot if necessary.

Improving your skills at problem solving is often a career-long pursuit though there are methods you can use to make the learning process more efficient and to supercharge your problem solving skillset.

Remember that the skills you need to be a great problem solver have a large overlap with those skills you need to be effective in any role. Investing time and effort to develop your active listening or critical thinking skills is valuable in any context. Here are 7 ways to improve your problem solving skills.

Share best practices

Remember that your team is an excellent source of skills, wisdom, and techniques and that you should all take advantage of one another where possible. Best practices that one team has for solving problems, conducting research or making decisions should be shared across the organization. If you have in-house staff that have done active listening training or are data analysis pros, have them lead a training session. 

Your team is one of your best resources. Create space and internal processes for the sharing of skills so that you can all grow together. 

Ask for help and attend training

Once you’ve figured out you have a skills gap, the next step is to take action to fill that skills gap. That might be by asking your superior for training or coaching, or liaising with team members with that skill set. You might even attend specialized training for certain skills – active listening or critical thinking, for example, are business-critical skills that are regularly offered as part of a training scheme.

Whatever method you choose, remember that taking action of some description is necessary for growth. Whether that means practicing, getting help, attending training or doing some background reading, taking active steps to improve your skills is the way to go.

Learn a process 

Problem solving can be complicated, particularly when attempting to solve large problems for the first time. Using a problem solving process helps give structure to your problem solving efforts and focus on creating outcomes, rather than worrying about the format. 

Tools such as the seven-step problem solving process above are effective because not only do they feature steps that will help a team solve problems, they also develop skills along the way. Each step asks for people to engage with the process using different skills and in doing so, helps the team learn and grow together. Group processes of varying complexity and purpose can also be found in the SessionLab library of facilitation techniques . Using a tried and tested process and really help ease the learning curve for both those leading such a process, as well as those undergoing the purpose.

Effective teams make decisions about where they should and shouldn’t expend additional effort. By using a problem solving process, you can focus on the things that matter, rather than stumbling towards a solution haphazardly. 

Create a feedback loop

Some skills gaps are more obvious than others. It’s possible that your perception of your active listening skills differs from those of your colleagues. 

It’s valuable to create a system where team members can provide feedback in an ordered and friendly manner so they can all learn from one another. Only by identifying areas of improvement can you then work to improve them. 

Remember that feedback systems require oversight and consideration so that they don’t turn into a place to complain about colleagues. Design the system intelligently so that you encourage the creation of learning opportunities, rather than encouraging people to list their pet peeves.

While practice might not make perfect, it does make the problem solving process easier. If you are having trouble with critical thinking, don’t shy away from doing it. Get involved where you can and stretch those muscles as regularly as possible. 

Problem solving skills come more naturally to some than to others and that’s okay. Take opportunities to get involved and see where you can practice your skills in situations outside of a workshop context. Try collaborating in other circumstances at work or conduct data analysis on your own projects. You can often develop those skills you need for problem solving simply by doing them. Get involved!

Use expert exercises and methods

Learn from the best. Our library of 700+ facilitation techniques is full of activities and methods that help develop the skills you need to be an effective problem solver. Check out our templates to see how to approach problem solving and other organizational challenges in a structured and intelligent manner.

There is no single approach to improving problem solving skills, but by using the techniques employed by others you can learn from their example and develop processes that have seen proven results. 

Try new ways of thinking and change your mindset

Using tried and tested exercises that you know well can help deliver results, but you do run the risk of missing out on the learning opportunities offered by new approaches. As with the problem solving process, changing your mindset can remove blockages and be used to develop your problem solving skills.

Most teams have members with mixed skill sets and specialties. Mix people from different teams and share skills and different points of view. Teach your customer support team how to use design thinking methods or help your developers with conflict resolution techniques. Try switching perspectives with facilitation techniques like Flip It! or by using new problem solving methodologies or models. Give design thinking, liberating structures or lego serious play a try if you want to try a new approach. You will find that framing problems in new ways and using existing skills in new contexts can be hugely useful for personal development and improving your skillset. It’s also a lot of fun to try new things. Give it a go!

Encountering business challenges and needing to find appropriate solutions is not unique to your organization. Lots of very smart people have developed methods, theories and approaches to help develop problem solving skills and create effective solutions. Learn from them!

Books like The Art of Thinking Clearly , Think Smarter, or Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow are great places to start, though it’s also worth looking at blogs related to organizations facing similar problems to yours, or browsing for success stories. Seeing how Dropbox massively increased growth and working backward can help you see the skills or approach you might be lacking to solve that same problem. Learning from others by reading their stories or approaches can be time-consuming but ultimately rewarding.

A tired, distracted mind is not in the best position to learn new skills. It can be tempted to burn the candle at both ends and develop problem solving skills outside of work. Absolutely use your time effectively and take opportunities for self-improvement, though remember that rest is hugely important and that without letting your brain rest, you cannot be at your most effective. 

Creating distance between yourself and the problem you might be facing can also be useful. By letting an idea sit, you can find that a better one presents itself or you can develop it further. Take regular breaks when working and create a space for downtime. Remember that working smarter is preferable to working harder and that self-care is important for any effective learning or improvement process.

Want to design better group processes?

Over to you

Now we’ve explored some of the key problem solving skills and the problem solving steps necessary for an effective process, you’re ready to begin developing more effective solutions and leading problem solving workshops.

Need more inspiration? Check out our post on problem solving activities you can use when guiding a group towards a great solution in your next workshop or meeting. Have questions? Did you have a great problem solving technique you use with your team? Get in touch in the comments below. We’d love to chat!

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The Art of Problem-Solving: 4 Creative Strategies to Tackle Your Biggest Obstacles

Problems never stop.

To be alive means constant challenges, big and small. Life’s question for you is not, how can I avoid problems , but, how can I eat problems for breakfast? I’m sure you’re dealing with multiple problems today, from what to wear to how to find more clients, to last night’s fight with your partner.

It’s tempting to throw up your hands, but when you cultivate a growth mindset you can learn to love your problems . If knowledge is power, then these 4 creative problem-solving strategies will help you unlock your hidden strength.

3 Types of Problems

Problems come in three flavors:

• Setbacks and failures: Why did my car break down? Why is company revenue down 20 percent? Why am I so tired all the time?
• Goals: How can I attract 10 more clients this month? What’s the best way to clean out my garage? How can I convince him to date me?
• Decisions: Should I move to Finland? Should I confront my boss? Leave the toxic relationship? Go to Dave’s pool party or Mel’s dinner? 

Rather than dump a bunch of problem-solving strategies in your lap, let’s look at four real-ish case studies and use them to illustrate our four new strategies. 

1. Six Thinking Hats

The scenario: You are an e-commerce solopreneur, and your startup teaches aspiring speakers how to book paid gigs with corporate clients. You launched this side hustle in 2017 but recently left your salaried job to take this business seriously. 

The problem: Revenue was $50,000 last year, but 2021 is off to a slow start; you sold zero training packages in January and February. You made the tough decision to let go of your one part-time employee. Your goal is to turn the ship around and double revenue to $100,000 by the end of the year.

The problem-solving strategy : Six Thinking Hats

Here you have a problem (flagging revenue) and a goal (sales target). Doubling revenue is ambitious even in a healthy economy, so a bold strategy and massive action is needed. 

You might be tempted to take immediate action and work twice as hard, but your efforts are more likely to succeed if you slow down . Thankfully, there are excellent frameworks for thinking methodically, and Six Thinking Hats is among the most reliable.

How it works : 

In 1985 Edward De Bono published Six Thinking Hats . In it, he observed that our brains can think in several different modes depending on our aims. In this moment, we might use deduction to figure out why the lawnmower won’t start. Later, we might design a more reliable engine. That night, you imagine hiring a gardener.

De Bono organized thinking styles into six categories, represented by colored hats:

Blue hat : One hat to rule them all! This exercise can be done in groups or alone. It starts with the imaginary blue hat, which calls for high-level leadership thinking. We clarify: what’s the problem (revenue is down); what’s our goal (earn $100,000); and what is our first priority?

White hat : Just the facts, ma’am . Here we stick to logical, fact-based thinking. We review key performance indicators and note: 

• First-quarter 2021 revenue was only $3,000, down 71%.
• Paradoxically, website visits increased 38% because of massive new search engine traffic to two blog posts.
• The lion’s share of our sales comes from email marketing , but very few blog readers (1%) subscribe.
• Many new visitors are arriving from the U.K. and Australia.

Green hat : There are no dumb ideas . Green is the creative hat. In this phase, we brainstorm new or “crazy” ideas, seek elegant solutions, alternatives and opportunities. As a solopreneur, you do this alone, and here’s what comes up:

• What if we create a new offer for website visitors arriving at our two most popular blog posts to capture more subscribers?
• What if we create a new offer for visitors from the U.K. and Australia?
• What if we host more free workshops to build trust?
• What if we created pre-recorded courses instead of live webinars?

Yellow hat : The future is bright . This is the optimist hat; while wearing it, you imagine all potential benefits tied to Green Hat ideas.

• If we increase our email subscriber rate from 1% to just 2%, we could capture 150 additional leads each month just from our top two blog posts.
• If we create a special offer for British and Australian visitors, we could sign five new clients per month.
• Our last free webinar recruited 95 new hot leads. Repeat this and we could create five to 10 new clients per month.
• Adding pre-recorded content to our service lineup means passive, recurring revenue, with fewer expenses. This could mean $3,000 in new revenue monthly or one-third of our $100,000 goal.

Red hat : Go with your gut . Under this hat, you’re free to explore feelings and hunches, fears and excitement. 

• You sense that your ideal clients are those who experienced your training live before making a purchase.
• Your gut says email marketing has huge potential if only you’d double your efforts here.
• You feel that chasing customers from overseas will be fruitless.
• You believe that creating on-demand virtual training courses will be popular, but you fear that hiring a video editor and web designer will eat up profits.

Black hat : Danger, Will Robinson . This is the cap of caution, the sombrero of sober thought. Careful entrepreneurs ask, “What could go wrong?” then act to manage risks. We note:

• Hosting free workshops requires time and money with no guarantee of sales.
• Getting better at email marketing means switching to paid plans for both Mailchimp and pop-up software. Can we cut costs elsewhere?
• You’re not sure about how your trainers will feel about turning their recorded sessions into on-demand products—or whether you can do that without getting sued. Let’s talk to our lawyer.

This process should be done on paper, and you only need to spend two to five minutes under each hat. The Six Thinking Hats method forces disciplined thinking and delivers better decisions, faster. 

When using it in a group, it will help you sidestep adversarial thinking, where each person entrenches on a side. This process won’t feel natural at first, so practice.

Strategy 2: The McKinsey Method, Featuring the Issue Tree

The scenario : You recently left a teaching job to become a financial coach , and you’re wondering how to find clients.

The problem : You had a crop of clients when you launched early last year, but the pipeline dried up, and you’re struggling with monthly bills. Half your clients continue to return, but the other half disappear without warning.

The problem-solving strategy : The McKinsey Method and Issue Tree

In this scenario, you again have a problem—lack of clients—and an opportunity to set a goal. You look at your monthly budget and see that by signing only two new clients per month, you can not only cover your expenses, but also stash some cash. 

This is a complicated challenge because there are many potential causes and solutions. We need to approach it with a framework that is efficient and thorough.

How it works :

Global consulting firm McKinsey & Co. has worked with top companies worldwide since 1926 to solve their most intractable problems. Naturally, its people have to be exceptional problem solvers. Lucky for us, many of them have pulled back the curtain to share their methods. 

Step 1: Generate a hypothesis. The McKinsey method starts by formulating a hypothesis about the problem using our intuition. In this scenario, we guess that we’re not seeing the number of clients we want because we’re not generating nearly enough leads. And we’re not attracting the type of clients we want because we’re talking to the wrong leads . Now we have some ideas we can test with hard data.

Step 2: Create a map of the problem. Solving a problem like this requires a complete picture of all of its facets. The Issue Tree (or Logic Tree) is the perfect tool for mapping out the challenge at hand. It will guide your research and prevent you from stumbling down dead-end alleys. It will help you identify the most likely cause and solutions, and move to action quickly. 

You can use any free mind mapping tool to create issue trees. I like Mindmeister . An issue tree looks like this:

A good issue tree is MECE: mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. Don’t sweat the jargon—all this means is that the issue tree should capture all facets of the problem and that none of the boxes overlap.

In our scenario, we might start like this:

The blue box captures the problem concisely, and it’s also a testable hypothesis. The four white boxes break the problem into smaller parts, and each is a separate issue that doesn’t overlap with any other. In other words, the four boxes together should be a complete map of all the root causes of this problem.

Going deeper, your issue tree could expand like this:

Breaking a large, nebulous problem into smaller parts like this makes it much easier to solve. This will also let us focus on the highest value tasks first. And what are those? 

• Limiting beliefs : This coach has some unhelpful beliefs about what he’s worth, and about making sales calls . 
• Lack of focus : Our coach seems to be trying to do too much—generating leads by phone, email and Instagram. It’s possible to do all these well, but if none of these marketing channels is delivering leads, it makes sense to laser-focus on just one until you create a reliable system that works.
• Wasting resources : We know that activity does not equal effectiveness. It’s possible for a coach to generate hordes of leads, and have them convert into clients at a high rate, but if the pipeline is filled with less-than-ideal clients, you won’t enjoy your work , build your personal brand or see high-quality referrals. 

Step 3: Develop an action plan. Which bucket of issues is most pressing? Nine times out of 10, the greatest gains come from a change in mindset. The limit to any business is the leader, and until these limiting beliefs are addressed, problems will persist. Perhaps he should hire a coach of his own?

Many coach schools also say that the No. 1 determinant of a coach’s success is to own a niche . This coach should get clear on his ideal client and not work with anyone else.

Now, create a list of concrete actions you can take, then start implementing them one at a time.

Strategy 3: Fishbone Diagrams

The scenario : You’re Elon Musk and it’s Aug. 4, 2008. Your third Falcon 1 rocket just crashed into the ocean.

The problem : SpaceX needs to demonstrate the viability of its rocket technology to secure crucial new investment, but only has cash for one more launch. The previous three launches failed. This fourth launch has to work. 

The problem-solving strategy : The fishbone diagram

Also called the Ishikawa diagram , after its creator, this problem-solving strategy has been used since the 1960s by companies like Toyota and Mazda not only to root out product defects, but also to invent new blockbuster products. It’s used within lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other techniques. 

A fishbone diagram visually organizes a problem so you can see its root causes. Like the issue tree, it’s a structured way of thinking that aims to leave no stones unturned. It looks like a fish skeleton, hence the name:

I use Miro’s handy template to create fishbone diagrams using a free account. Note: I have no idea if SpaceX used this strategy to understand its problem; this is for illustration purposes only.

Step 1: Clearly define the problem . Here, SpaceX has an obvious but complex problem: its expensive rockets aren’t making it safely to space. 

Step 2: Group causes of the problem into categories . Normally, we want at least two, but no more than six categories. Appropriate here are the 5 M’s of manufacturing here: M an (people), M achine, M aterial, M ethod, M easurement.

Step 3: Identify specific causes of the problem .

The first Falcon 1 rocket crashed because a fuel line leak caused a fire. The post-mortem showed that a single nut failed because of corrosion from saltwater. Terrible luck. This falls into the materials category.

The second, redesigned rocket used stainless steel instead of aluminum nuts to avoid corrosion, and upgraded software ( measurement ). The launch started well, but to vastly oversimplify, the bottom half of the rocket was spinning quicker than expected (a problem of methods ), and the liquid oxygen fuel was splashing around too much (a problem of the design of the machine ), and the rocket plummeted back to earth.

The next rocket performed almost flawlessly, except that the two stages bumped each other during separation—this time because the halves separated too soon. A delay of one or two seconds could have ensured success ( methods , again).

Here’s what Musk’s basic fishbone might have looked like:

Step 4: Plan and implement solutions . The SpaceX team looks at all root causes of previous failures and determines that only a simple timing delay would be necessary. In reality, they were right: Falcon 1’s fourth flight became a triumphant milestone in spaceflight history and a $74 billion-dollar company.

Strategy 4: OOC/EMR

The scenario : You are employed full time at the bank and also have a side hustle: an e-commerce store that sells retro video game systems.

The problem : Essentially, should I quit my day job? You’re bored to tears of cashing checks day in and day out, and know your 9-to-5 days are numbered. But you also like the lifestyle that your salary pays for: weekly dinner and drinks… lease payments on your Audi… the waterfront condo. Can you make the leap with minimal austerity measures?

The problem-solving strategy : OOC/EMR .

It’s a cumbersome acronym developed by Tony Robbins , but this strategy’s effectiveness is unquestionable. It stands for:

O: Get clear on your outcomes

O: Know your options

C: Assess possible consequences

E: Evaluate your options

M: Mitigate the damage

R: Resolve to act on your chosen option

Sometimes a problem is a major life decision , and choosing one path over another can create ripples decades into your future. Choose wisely. Sure, you can check with your gut or ask friends, but a systematic approach wins every time. 

Step 1: Get clear on your outcomes . What do you truly want? You decide that: 

• Covering your $1,800 monthly mortgage is non-negotiable; you love your home. 
• Becoming your own boss is a powerful enticement. Each day you love your job less, and ideally want to quit by December 31.
• You would love to maintain your lifestyle, but are willing to tighten your belt when it comes to entertainment and vacations.

Step 2: Know your options . As Tony Robbins says, “Write down all of your options, including those that initially may sound far-fetched. Remember: One option is no choice. Two options is a dilemma. Three options is a choice.” 

• Option 1 : Give notice to your employer today; burn the boats.
• Option 2 : Resolve to quit no later than December 31, six months from today, and hope for the best.
• Option 3 : Maintain your day job until you are consistently generating $3,000 per month from your e-commerce venture, and make up the shortfall from your savings.
• Option 4 : Stay at the bank until your business can replace your salary dollar-for-dollar.

Step 3: Assess possible consequences . For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Let’s look at the pros and cons:

• Option 1 : Quit today, and you’d enjoy that freedom you’ve been craving. However, you might run out of money in six months, and alienate your bosses—not smart if you ever need to return. 
• Option 2 : Hanging out at the bank until the end of the year would help you feel more secure in transitioning full-time to entrepreneurship. It might also make you miserable.
• Option 3 : Leaving the bank only when your business can pay you $3,000 monthly feels safe, but you worry it could take another couple of years to get there. You’d have to pass up some exciting business opportunities.
• Option 4 : Sticking to the cubicle until your business income matches your salary means your lifestyle wouldn’t suffer at all. It may also mean that you’re stuck with the suit and tie for another decade. 

Step 4: Evaluate your options . 

Now we know our options and their consequences. It’s time to scrutinize them more closely and rank them.

Robbins suggests asking:

• How important (on a scale of 0–10) is each upside/downside in terms of meeting my outcomes?
• What is the probability (0–100%) that the upside/downside will occur?

You immediately eliminate Option 1 (quit today) because you don’t want to leave your team hanging and because you want to leave this bridge unburnt, on the off-chance that you need to return to work (a 25% chance, you estimate).

You also reject Option 4 , because it’s far too open-ended. You need a hard deadline to work toward, and you know that building the business you imagine will require your full-time effort sooner rather than later. No risk, no reward.

Feeling comfortable with your decision ranks high on your priority list (8 out of 10), and another six months to prepare, save and work hard on your business will give you that feeling. And you like the external motivation of the December 31 deadline. However, you’re 95% certain you’d have a sizeable hole in your personal budget. Option 2 is problematic but still viable.

Option 3 , to transition from job to business only when your business income reaches $3,000 per month is also enticing. It’s important you maintain at least a few of your creature comforts (10 out of 10), and this money, supplemented by your savings, would let you do that. But you know yourself, and fear that an open-ended deadline like this will lead to procrastination and more drudgery at the bank. Avoiding this is a must for you. 

Step 5: Mitigate the damage.

Only options two and three remain. Is there a way to soften the risks in each? Hmm, how could we cover that pesky budget shortfall? Could you get another paying side hustle, perhaps social media marketing? A bartending job? Sure.

And that open-ended deadline—could you close it? What if you said, “OK, I’ll work at the bank for absolutely no longer than 12 months, or until my business pays me $3,000 per month, whichever comes first”? This feels like a great compromise.

Suddenly, because you used this problem-solving tool, you see a fifth option.

Option 5: Work at the bank part time . You’re unsure your boss will agree, but you can only ask. That would pay you $2,000 a month, plus the $1,000 from your retro gaming e-commerce store, and the shortfall you can cover from your savings for at least a year. Plus, there’s no need to wait six to 12 months to get serious about your side hustle.

Step 6: Resolve to act on your chosen option. 

You decide to make a convincing case to your boss tomorrow for part-time work. Your contingency plan is to seek out another part-time job that would let you quit the bank. This would allow you to dedicate 20 additional hours weekly to your business right away, maintain your lifestyle and feel like a decision-making genius. 

Most importantly, it helps you achieve all of your outcomes from Step 1. Good job, hustler.

Problems Never Stop

When you finally get to a place where your problems stop, it means you are dead. Until then, why waste energy trying to sidestep the inevitable? A much better use of your time is to learn some proven, methodical strategies to beat any challenge. Those above are only four among many.

Just know that the best strategy will fail if you adopt the wrong mindset. According to Ken Watanabe, author of the wildly popular children’s-slash-business book, Problem Solving 101 , you’ll have a heck of a tough time if you:

• Feel sorry for yourself, give up, or fear failure.
• Spend your time criticizing and being negative.
• Act like a dreamer, with your head in the clouds, never taking action.
• Execute without stopping to think in a structured way.

I would add that mastering problem-solving requires a growth mindset, the spirit of which Thomas Edison captured perfectly when he said, “I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Every problem is figure-out-able. But you’ll save yourself a lot of time and grief if you use the “cheat codes” above. Let us know in the comments how it turns out.

Photo by @sasha.azoqa/Twenty20

Michael Pietrzak

I help heart-led entrepreneurs start + grow businesses that improve the world. Instagram:  @mpbizcoach

5473 Blair Road, Suite 100 PMB 30053 Dallas, TX 75231

Copyright © 2024 SUCCESS Magazine. All rights reserved.

How to Stop Running Away From Difficult Problems (19 Ways)

Facing challenging situations head-on isn’t always our first reaction. Many times, it feels easier to just turn around and run the other way. But deep down, we know that’s not solving anything. It’s like pressing “ snooze ” on your alarm clock. Sooner or later, you have to get up. 

This article offers simple, proven tips—from breaking down problems into manageable pieces to finding strength in support from friends and family —to help you face challenges and unlock your full potential. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Reasons Why We Run Away From From Difficult Problems

Acknowledge the fear, understand what’s within your control, break the problem into smaller steps, create a problem-solving plan, set realistic goals, practice mindfulness and stay present, develop a positive mindset, embrace challenges as growth opportunities, learn from past mistakes, practice self-compassion, seek support from friends or family, use stress management techniques, keep a journal to reflect on your thoughts and feelings, celebrate small successes, limit negative self-talk, prioritize self-care, seek professional help if needed, avoid overthinking, remember why you’re taking on the challenge, frequently asked questions, final thoughts.

Before diving into how to face our problems, let’s first understand why we often choose to run away from them. Understanding these reasons is important in setting the stage for us to move from avoidance to action.

Here are some reasons why we try to dodge the hard stuff:

• Fear of failure:  We may fear the sting of not succeeding and the judgment that might follow.
• Lack of confidence:  Doubting our abilities can paralyze us from even attempting to tackle the problem.
• Desire for comfort:  We naturally want to stay in our safe zone, where there’s no risk of discomfort.
• Procrastination:  Delaying action is often an instinctive reaction, hoping the problem might disappear on its own.
• Overwhelm:  Feeling swamped and unsure where to begin can cause us to freeze instead of act.

Now that we’re familiar with these hurdles, let’s explore ways to stop running and start facing our problems head-on:

Facing problems can feel like being in a dark room, searching for a light switch. The first step, acknowledging the fear, is admitting you’re in that dark room and deciding to find the light. 

It’s okay to feel scared or anxious about the unknown. This acknowledgment doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human. Everyone faces fear, but the brave ones admit it and decide to move forward anyway.

By acknowledging your fear, you take away some of its power over you. This step doesn’t solve the problem but sets the stage for the strategies and actions that will.

For instance, imagine you’re afraid of speaking in public. The first step isn’t to jump on a stage; it’s acknowledging that fear. You recognize the butterflies in your stomach and the sweaty palms, but you don’t let them stop you. 

You say to yourself, “Yes, I’m scared of speaking in public, but I want to overcome this.”

Have you ever worried about things you can’t change? It’s like trying to stop the rain. Pointless, isn’t it? Now, think about the problems you’re facing. Are all parts of the problem really in your hands? The key to not feeling overwhelmed is to sort what you can control from what you can’t.

Here’s how to do this:

• Identify what you can control: This might include your effort, attitude, and how you respond to challenges.
• Let go of what you can’t control: This often involves external events, other people’s actions, or the overall outcome of a situation.

This visualization helps you focus your energy on areas where you can actually make a difference. For example, you can’t control the economy, but you can control how you manage your budget. Concentrate on actions you can take, like learning new skills or asking for help.

Once you understand that some things are out of your reach, your mind becomes clearer. You stop beating yourself up for not being able to do the impossible. This frees up mental space and energy to focus on the actions you can take to solve the problems within your reach.

A huge problem can feel as tall as a mountain. Trying to tackle it in one go can seem impossible. The trick is to break it down into smaller, more manageable parts.

For instance, you’re drowning in debt. The problem feels huge, but you can:

• Start with making a budget.
• The next step could be setting up a savings plan.
• Then, look for ways to reduce expenses or increase your income.

Each step moves you closer to the peak of your problem mountain, but you’re taking it one hike at a time. Don’t expect to leap to the top in one jump. Progress might be slow, and that’s okay. Remember, even the greatest journeys begin with a single step.

Once you’ve broken down your problem into bite-sized pieces, it’s time to create your roadmap for tackling each part – that’s your problem-solving plan. Think of it as your personal GPS that guides you through the twists and turns of any challenge. 

Here’s how you can create a simple problem-solving plan:

• Define the problem clearly. Know exactly what you’re dealing with.
• List possible solutions. Think of all the ways you could solve this problem.
• Evaluate and choose the best solution. Look at your list and pick the most practical option.
• Make a step-by-step plan to carry out your solution. Break down your chosen solution into manageable steps.
• Act on your plan and watch how it unfolds. Take action and adjust your plan as needed based on the results.

Remember, good plans shape good decisions. When you’re clear about what you should be doing, uncertainty is replaced with focus.

Dreaming big is great, but when we talk about tackling problems, we need to anchor our dreams in reality. Setting goals should be like planting a garden. You wouldn’t just throw random seeds and hope for the best. You’d plan what you want to grow, plant the seeds in the right place, and give them the care they need.

A realistic goal meets three criteria:

• Achievable – It’s something you can realistically accomplish.
• Measurable – You can track your progress toward it.
• Time-bound – It has a deadline.

For example, if you want to improve your fitness, a realistic goal might be to start by walking 30 minutes a day, three times a week. As you build your stamina, you could gradually increase the intensity and frequency of your workouts. 

If you overshoot and set goals too high, you might end up disappointed. Keep your goals within reach, and with each one you achieve, you’ll build the confidence to set the next one a little higher.

In a loud and busy world, being present is like finding a quiet spot in a crowded city. It’s about paying attention to the here and now, not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. Practicing mindfulness can be a simple yet profound way to engage with your problems without being overwhelmed by them.

Here’s how you can start:

• Take deep breaths: Focus on your breathing. It helps calm the mind.
• Observe: Notice what you feel, hear, and see without judgment.
• Accept: Recognize how you feel and that feeling that way is okay.

Keeping your mind anchored in the present moment allows you to face problems with clarity and poise. When practicing mindfulness, you’ll often find peace in acceptance, knowing that no matter the issue at hand, you’re fully capable of dealing with it one moment at a time.

Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience. – Jon Kabat-Zinn

Cultivating a positive mindset is not about ignoring the negative or pretending everything is perfect—it’s about focusing on the positive aspects that motivate you. Not every day is good, but there is something good every day.

Begin by recognizing and challenging negative thoughts. When a negative thought enters your mind, confront it with a positive one. For example, if you think, “I can’t do this,” counteract with, “I will do the best I can.” This shift doesn’t happen overnight, but positive thinking becomes a habit over time.

It may also help to surround yourself with positivity. This could be inspirational quotes on your wall, a playlist of uplifting music, or friends who encourage you. A positive environment reinforces a positive mindset, making it easier to face challenges with a can-do attitude.

Embracing challenges as opportunities for growth helps you view obstacles in a different light. They become chances to learn and improve rather than insurmountable barriers.

When you run into difficulty, try to see the potential for growth. Ask yourself:

• What can this situation teach me?
• How can I use this experience to become stronger?

Avoid the temptation to dwell on how hard things are. Instead, focus on how this challenge can contribute to your growth. Just like exercise strengthens muscles, overcoming challenges builds resilience and character.

No one’s journey is free from missteps, and the wisest among us are those who use their past mistakes as lessons, not regrets. Reflect on what went wrong in the past and what you learned from it. Each mistake is a lesson in disguise, a signpost on your path to success.

Consider keeping a “ lesson log “—a simple journal where you write down:

• The mistake you made
• What you learned from it
• How you can avoid it in the future

Reflecting on these points helps prevent the same slip-ups and guides you toward better decisions. And remember, making mistakes is part of being human; it’s what you do with those experiences that truly matters.

Being kind to oneself is not a luxury; it’s a necessary part of facing life’s challenges. Self-compassion means treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer to a good friend. It involves recognizing that imperfection, failure, and difficulties are parts of life, and it’s okay to be not okay at times.

To practice self-compassion, you can:

• Start by forgiving yourself for past errors. Remember, everyone stumbles. What’s important is that you’re trying to move forward. 
• Speak to yourself with gentle words, and give yourself permission to rest when needed. Taking care of your well-being isn’t selfish; it’s smart.

We’re social creatures and support from those around us can be as comforting as a warm blanket on a chilly night. Reaching out to friends or family isn’t a sign of weakness but a step in harnessing collective strength. 

There’s no set formula for seeking support because every relationship is unique. However, simply catching up over a cup of coffee, having a heartfelt conversation, or even sharing a laugh can be incredibly uplifting.

Whether it’s a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to, the people who care about you can offer:

• Encouragement
• Different perspectives on your problems
• Practical help or advice

Stress can be like background noise—sometimes, you don’t notice how loud it’s gotten until you take a moment to be silent. Stress management is your volume knob.

There are many techniques to manage stress, but here are three effective methods:

• Deep breathing: Take slow, deep breaths to calm your nervous system.
• Exercise: Physical activity releases endorphins, helping you feel better emotionally.
• Routine: Establishing regular habits can provide a sense of order and control.

Remember, managing stress isn’t a one-time fix; it’s an ongoing process that can lead to a more calm and controlled way of living.

Journaling is akin to having a conversation with your inner self. It’s a space where you can express your thoughts and feelings openly, without judgment. The act of writing enables you to untangle complex emotions and gain clarity on what’s really bothering you.

Making journaling a part of your daily ritual allows you to keep track of your progress and personal growth. Sometimes, flipping through past entries can offer insight into how far you’ve come and the hurdles you’ve overcome.

Little wins pave the way to bigger victories. In the face of a challenge, every small step forward is worth celebrating. It’s like cheering for every milestone on a long road trip—each one brings you closer to your destination.

Whether you’ve managed to take a step you were dreading or you’ve overcome a small part of the problem, give yourself credit. These small accolades could be:

• Taking a moment to acknowledge your effort
• Sharing the victory with a friend or loved one
• Treating yourself to something you enjoy

Acknowledging your small wins boosts your morale, propels you forward, and reminds you that progress, no matter how tiny, is still progress.

How you talk to yourself can make or break your day. Being too hard on yourself can prevent you from finding solutions to problems. But, if you change your inner voice to be more positive, it can help you tackle challenges with a fresh perspective.

Here’s a simple exercise to shift your self-talk:

• Catch it : Notice when you’re being self-critical.
• Challenge it : Ask yourself if what you’re saying is really true.
• Change it : Replace the critical thought with a kinder, more realistic one.

For example, instead of saying, “I always mess up,” try, “I sometimes make mistakes, but I learn and grow from them.” It’s about moving from self-critique to self-encouragement.

Think of self-care as the fuel that powers your problem-solving engine. It’s not just pampering—it’s about keeping your mental, emotional, and physical health in check to stay sharp and resilient in the face of challenges. 

Without self-care, you risk burnout, which can render you unable to address even the simplest tasks.

Self-care should be non-negotiable.  It’s the balance between giving to others and giving to yourself. By prioritizing your well-being, you better equip yourself for whatever life throws your way.

Sometimes, the weight of our problems may feel too heavy to lift alone. This is when seeking professional help can be the most courageous step you take. 

Talking to a counselor, therapist, or another qualified professional isn’t an admission of defeat; it’s a proactive approach to improving your situation. Professionals can offer:

• Expert advice tailored to your specific issues.
• Tools and strategies to navigate complex emotions and situations.
• A neutral perspective that might unlock new solutions.

Overthinking can paralyze you, making it hard to take any action at all. To break free from this cycle, it’s important to simplify your thought process. Think of your mind like a cluttered desk—taking a moment to tidy up can help you focus and be more productive.

One method to reduce overthinking is setting limits on decision-making time. Give yourself a reasonable timeframe to think about the problem and decide. After that, it’s time to move on. 

Additionally, engage in activities that keep your mind occupied:

• Exercise : Physical activity can clear your mind.
• Hobbies : Immerse yourself in activities that bring you joy.
• Socializing : Discuss your thoughts with others, which can provide fresh perspectives and reduce the tendency to ruminate.

When the path gets tough, it’s your “ why ” that keeps you moving forward. It will remind you of the bigger picture and reignite your motivation. 

It can be anything that’s personally significant:

• Achieving a personal goal : Maybe you want to better yourself in a particular area of life.
• Helping others : Perhaps your actions will benefit those around you.
• Fulfilling a dream : You might be on the path to realizing a long-held aspiration.

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. – Friedrich Nietzsche

What if I fail while trying to solve a problem?

If you fail while trying to solve a problem, it’s important to recognize this as an integral part of the problem-solving process rather than a final obstacle. 

Failure often provides us with critical insights into the nature of the problem, revealing the strategies that did not work and leading us toward those that might. It offers an opportunity to analyze your approach, understand where it fell short, and reassess the problem with new perspectives.

Additionally, failure serves as a tool for personal growth. It tests and builds your resilience, patience, and persistence, all crucial qualities for long-term success.

How can we develop problem-solving skills?

Developing problem-solving skills can be done through the following:

Practice:  Regularly challenge yourself with puzzles, brainteasers, and other tasks that require problem-solving.

Learning:  Read books, take courses, or participate in workshops focused on developing problem-solving skills.

Reflection:  After solving a problem, take time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how you can improve next time.

Mentorship:  Seek guidance from a mentor or coach who can help you refine your problem-solving skills.

Is there a specific time frame for learning to confront difficult problems effectively?

There’s no specific time frame for learning to confront difficult problems effectively. The process  varies  significantly from person to person depending on their past experiences, coping mechanisms, support system, and personal resilience. 

However, with consistent effort and practice, most individuals should see gradual improvement over time.

How can I encourage others to stop running away from difficult problems?

Encouraging others to confront their difficult problems can be done by:

Leading by example:  Demonstrate your own ability to tackle problems head-on.

Supporting their journey:  Provide emotional support and encouragement as they face their challenges.

Sharing resources:  Recommend books, articles, or resources that have helped you.

Promoting professional help:  Suggest they consider seeking help from professionals like coaches or therapists if needed.

At the end of the day, the secret isn’t avoiding problems—it’s learning to face them. Like learning to ride a bike, it might be shaky at first. But use the tips we’ve gone through as your training wheels.

The next time you find a problem blocking your way, take a deep breath, muster your courage, and take those important steps forward. Soon, you’ll find your balance and ride through life’s challenges with new confidence.

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Robby Salveron

Robby is a multimedia editor at UpJourney with a journalism and communications background.

When she's not working, Robby transforms into an introverted art lover who indulges in her love for sports, learning new things, and sipping her favorite soda. She also enjoys unwinding with feel-good movies, books, and video games. She's also a proud pet parent to her beloved dog, Dustin.

Tackling Obstacles: Creative Strategies for Effective Problem-Solving

• September 20, 2023
• Business Strategy & Innovation

Are you tired of hitting roadblocks and feeling stuck when faced with problems? Look no further! In this article, we’ll show you how to tackle obstacles head-on with creative strategies for effective problem-solving.

Get ready to unleash your innovative thinking and analytical skills as we explore a range of powerful techniques. From the methodical approach of the Six Thinking Hats to the thorough analysis of the McKinsey Method and Issue Tree, you’ll discover a treasure trove of innovative problem-solving strategies.

So, gear up and get ready to conquer any challenge that comes your way!

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Setbacks and failures can be addressed through problem-solving strategies such as Six Thinking Hats and the McKinsey Method.
• Creative problem-solving strategies like Design Thinking, SWOT Analysis, Reverse Thinking, Mind Mapping, and the Pareto Principle can be effective in overcoming obstacles.
• Tools such as issue trees, fishbone diagrams, OOC/EMR, and action planning can aid in problem-solving.
• Real-life examples and case studies, such as the SpaceX case study and the impact of limiting beliefs, can provide valuable insights into effective problem-solving techniques.

Understanding the Types of Problems

To effectively tackle obstacles, you need to understand the types of problems you are facing and the creative strategies that can be used to solve them. In problem-solving, there are common obstacles that you may encounter. Setbacks and failures, such as a car breakdown or a decline in company revenue, can hinder your progress.

Goals, like attracting more clients or convincing someone to date, may require unique approaches. Decisions, such as moving to Finland or leaving a toxic relationship, can be challenging to navigate.

It’s important to recognize that emotions play a significant role in problem-solving. Trusting your instincts and exploring your feelings can lead to innovative solutions.

The Six Thinking Hats Method: A Methodical Approach

Put on your green hat and start brainstorming creative ideas using the Six Thinking Hats method to approach problems methodically.

The Six Thinking Hats method, developed by Edward de Bono, is a powerful tool for innovative problem-solving. Each hat represents a different perspective, allowing you to analyze a problem from multiple angles.

For example, the blue hat helps you define the problem and set goals, the white hat encourages data analysis, and the yellow hat focuses on identifying potential benefits.

Real life examples of the Six Thinking Hats method in practice include a team using the red hat to explore their instincts and feelings before making a decision, or a group wearing the black hat to assess potential risks and issues.

The McKinsey Method and Issue Tree: Thorough Analysis Techniques

Start by generating a hypothesis about the problem and create a map of the issue for a comprehensive analysis using the McKinsey Method and Issue Tree.

This innovative and strategic approach allows you to break down complex problems and identify potential causes and solutions.

The McKinsey Method involves five steps: generating a hypothesis, mapping out the problem, identifying causes and solutions, testing hypotheses, and implementing solutions.

By following this method, you can ensure a thorough analysis of the issue at hand.

Additionally, incorporating issue tree implementation tips can help you effectively organize and visualize the problem.

Case studies showcasing the effectiveness of the McKinsey Method and issue tree implementation can provide valuable insights and inspiration for your problem-solving endeavors.

Don’t hesitate to leverage these powerful techniques to tackle obstacles and drive innovation in your problem-solving approach.

Exploring Other Creative Problem-Solving Strategies

Explore different approaches to problem-solving and discover innovative methods that can help you overcome challenges and generate unique solutions. Here are four unconventional approaches to consider:

Design Thinking: This human-centered approach involves empathizing with the problem, defining it clearly, generating creative ideas, prototyping solutions, and testing them to find the best fit.

SWOT Analysis: Assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the problem. This structured analysis helps identify potential solutions by leveraging strengths, addressing weaknesses, capitalizing on opportunities, and mitigating threats.

Reverse Thinking: Start with the desired outcome and work backward to determine the steps needed to achieve it. This approach challenges conventional thinking and encourages innovative solutions.

Mind Mapping: Visualize ideas and connections in a structured way using diagrams or software. This approach promotes creative thinking and aids in identifying relationships between different elements of the problem.

To further enhance your problem-solving capabilities, consider integrating technology into your process. Utilize tools such as advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence, or virtual reality simulations to gain insights and explore innovative solutions.

Strategy 1: Design Thinking

To enhance your problem-solving capabilities, embrace Design Thinking as a human-centered approach that allows you to empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test solutions.

Design Thinking places empathy at the forefront of problem-solving, enabling you to truly understand the needs and experiences of others. By immersing yourself in their world, you gain valuable insights that inform the problem definition stage.

This empathetic understanding sets the foundation for generating innovative ideas during the ideation phase. Design Thinking also emphasizes the importance of prototyping as a means of quickly and iteratively testing potential solutions. Through the creation of tangible prototypes, you can gather feedback and refine your ideas before fully implementing them.

This iterative process ensures that your solutions are both effective and user-centered. Incorporating empathy and prototyping into your problem-solving toolkit through Design Thinking will undoubtedly lead to innovative and impactful solutions.

Strategy 2: SWOT Analysis

Identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats with a SWOT analysis to gain valuable insights for problem-solving.

Benefits of SWOT analysis:

• Provides a comprehensive overview of your current situation.
• Helps you identify potential areas for growth and improvement.
• Allows you to leverage your strengths and minimize weaknesses.
• Provides a framework for strategic decision-making.

Limitations of SWOT analysis:

• Can be subjective and influenced by personal bias.
• May not capture all external factors that could impact your situation.
• Requires careful analysis and interpretation to avoid oversimplification.
• Needs regular updates to stay relevant in a dynamic environment.

Case studies illustrating the effectiveness of SWOT analysis:

• Company X used SWOT analysis to identify their competitive advantage and develop a successful marketing strategy.
• Nonprofit organization Y conducted a SWOT analysis to assess their internal capabilities and external opportunities, leading to effective resource allocation.
• Entrepreneur Z used SWOT analysis to evaluate potential business ventures and make informed decisions, resulting in a profitable venture.
• Government agency W utilized SWOT analysis to identify potential threats and develop contingency plans, ensuring effective crisis management.

Incorporating SWOT analysis into your problem-solving process can provide valuable insights and guide strategic decision-making. However, it is important to recognize its limitations and supplement it with other analytical tools for a comprehensive approach.

Strategy 3: Reverse Thinking

Try approaching your problem-solving process from a different perspective with the reverse thinking strategy. Reversing thought patterns can help you overcome mental blocks and find innovative solutions to your challenges.

Instead of starting with the problem, begin with the desired outcome and work backwards. This strategic approach allows you to break free from traditional thinking and explore unconventional possibilities.

By questioning assumptions and challenging the status quo, you open yourself up to new insights and breakthrough ideas. Reverse thinking encourages you to see things from a fresh angle, enabling you to uncover hidden opportunities and creative solutions.

Strategy 4: Mind Mapping

When using the mind mapping strategy, visualize your ideas and connections in a structured way to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem at hand. Mind mapping offers several benefits for effective problem-solving:

Enhanced creativity: By visually representing your thoughts, mind mapping encourages innovative thinking and generates new ideas.

Improved organization: Mind maps provide a clear structure for your thoughts, making it easier to organize information and identify relationships between different elements.

Increased clarity: Visualizing your ideas allows you to see the big picture and grasp the key concepts, leading to a deeper understanding of the problem.

Facilitated brainstorming: Mind mapping enables you to quickly jot down ideas and make connections, promoting efficient and productive brainstorming sessions.

To make the most out of mind mapping, consider these practical tips:

• Use colors and images to enhance visual appeal and stimulate creativity.
• Start with a central idea and radiate outwards to capture related concepts.
• Keep the branches concise and use keywords to represent ideas.
• Regularly review and update your mind map as new insights arise.

Strategy 5: Pareto Principle

To make the most of the Pareto Principle, prioritize the vital few factors that have the most impact on solving your problem. This strategy allows you to focus your energy and resources on the tasks that will bring the greatest results.

When applying the Pareto Principle to your personal life, it’s important to identify the 20% of activities that will contribute to 80% of your happiness and fulfillment. Take a step back and evaluate all the tasks and commitments you have. Which ones are truly essential? Which ones align with your values and goals?

By prioritizing these vital few tasks, you can allocate your time and energy effectively, leading to greater productivity and satisfaction.

Don’t waste your energy on the trivial many, instead, concentrate on the vital few and watch as your personal life transforms.

Essential Tools for Effective Problem-Solving

Maximize your problem-solving capabilities by utilizing essential tools that can enhance your effectiveness and efficiency. Here are four innovative and strategic tools that can help you tackle obstacles and find creative solutions:

MindMeister vs. MindManager: Choosing the Right Mind Mapping Tool:

• Mind mapping is a powerful technique for visualizing ideas and connections.
• Compare and contrast the features of MindMeister and MindManager to determine which tool aligns best with your problem-solving needs.

The Role of Action Planning in Problem Solving: Tips for Prioritizing and Executing Tasks:

• Action planning is crucial for effective problem-solving.
• Learn how to prioritize tasks and focus on high-value actions to drive progress and achieve your goals.

Issue Trees:

• Map out complex challenges using issue trees.
• This tool helps you break down problems into smaller components, making it easier to identify root causes and develop targeted solutions.

Fishbone Diagrams:

• Visually organize problems to reveal their underlying causes.
• Fishbone diagrams allow you to explore different factors contributing to a problem and enable you to address them systematically.

Utilizing Issue Trees for Complex Challenges

Utilize issue trees to break down complex challenges into smaller components, allowing you to identify root causes and develop targeted solutions more effectively.

Applying issue trees in business strategy and using them for project management can help you tackle obstacles with innovation and strategic thinking.

Issue trees provide a structured framework that enables you to analyze a problem from multiple angles and uncover hidden connections. By visually mapping out the problem and its various components, you gain a clear understanding of the interdependencies and can prioritize your efforts accordingly.

This analytical approach allows you to focus on the vital few factors that have the most impact, leading to more efficient problem-solving.

Issue trees also facilitate collaboration and communication among team members, ensuring everyone is aligned on the root causes and solutions.

Harness the power of issue trees to unravel complexity and drive innovative solutions for your business challenges.

Fishbone Diagrams: Revealing Root Causes

Reveal the root causes of complex challenges by using fishbone diagrams, which visually organize problems and uncover the underlying factors. This innovative problem-solving technique allows you to identify causes and develop effective strategies. Here’s how fishbone diagrams can help you tackle obstacles:

Visual organization: Fishbone diagrams provide a structured framework to analyze and understand the different factors contributing to a problem. By visually mapping out the causes, you can easily identify the root cause and prioritize your actions.

Identifying causes: Fishbone diagrams help you break down complex challenges into smaller components, making it easier to identify the multiple causes that contribute to the problem. This comprehensive view allows you to develop targeted solutions.

Problem-solving techniques: Fishbone diagrams allow you to apply various problem-solving techniques, such as the 5 Whys or the Pareto Principle, to uncover the underlying causes. This strategic approach enables you to address the core issues and find effective solutions.

Strategic decision-making: By revealing the root causes, fishbone diagrams empower you to make informed decisions and take proactive measures. You can develop a strategic action plan that targets the underlying factors, leading to long-term success.

Incorporating fishbone diagrams into your problem-solving toolkit will enhance your ability to identify causes and develop innovative solutions. So, start using this powerful technique today and overcome complex challenges with confidence.

OOC/EMR: Tony Robbins’ Problem-Solving Strategy

You can enhance your problem-solving skills by incorporating Tony Robbins’ OOC/EMR strategy into your toolkit.

This innovative and strategic approach is highly effective in tackling obstacles and finding innovative solutions. OOC stands for Outcome, Obstacle, and Course Correction, while EMR stands for Evaluate, Modify, and Repeat.

By understanding and applying this problem-solving strategy, you can approach challenges with a clear focus on the desired outcome, identify and address obstacles, and make necessary adjustments along the way.

One powerful technique within this strategy is reverse thinking, which involves starting with the desired outcome and working backwards to find innovative solutions.

Action Planning: Prioritizing Tasks for Success

Start by prioritizing tasks based on their importance and potential impact to achieve success in your action planning. Here are four steps to help you effectively prioritize tasks in your action planning:

Set clear goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve through your action planning. Having specific goals will enable you to identify the tasks that align with your objectives.

Assess task urgency: Determine which tasks require immediate attention and which can be addressed later. This will help you allocate your time and resources efficiently.

Consider task impact: Evaluate the potential impact each task will have on your overall goals. Focus on tasks that will bring the most significant results and contribute to your success.

Track your progress: Regularly monitor and evaluate your progress. This will allow you to make necessary adjustments and stay on track towards achieving your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some examples of setbacks and failures that can occur in problem-solving.

In problem-solving, setbacks and failures like unexpected car breakdowns and declining company revenue can occur. Resilience is important in overcoming these obstacles, allowing you to find innovative solutions and strategic approaches to overcome challenges.

How Can the Six Thinking Hats Method Be Applied to Problem-Solving?

To creatively solve problems, try using the Six Thinking Hats method. This approach helps you analyze and brainstorm ideas from different perspectives, ensuring a more innovative and strategic problem-solving process.

Can You Provide a Real-Life Case Study or Example of the Mckinsey Method and Issue Tree in Action?

Sure! When using the McKinsey method and issue tree in problem-solving, take a setback like a revenue decline. Hypothesize the causes, map out the problem, analyze data, implement solutions, and track progress.

Are There Any Other Problem-Solving Strategies That Were Not Mentioned in the Article?

There are several alternative problem-solving techniques and different problem-solving frameworks that were not mentioned in the article. These strategies offer innovative, analytical, and strategic approaches to tackle obstacles and find effective solutions.

How Can Action Planning Help in Problem-Solving and Prioritizing Tasks?

Action planning can be your compass, guiding you through the maze of problem-solving. It helps you prioritize tasks, ensuring you focus on what truly matters. By mapping out your actions, success becomes attainable.

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• Turn your team into skilled problem sol ...

Turn your team into skilled problem solvers with these problem-solving strategies

Picture this, you're handling your daily tasks at work and your boss calls you in and says, "We have a problem." 

Unfortunately, we don't live in a world in which problems are instantly resolved with the snap of our fingers. Knowing how to effectively solve problems is an important professional skill to hone. If you have a problem that needs to be solved, what is the right process to use to ensure you get the most effective solution?

In this article we'll break down the problem-solving process and how you can find the most effective solutions for complex problems.

What is problem solving? 

Problem solving is the process of finding a resolution for a specific issue or conflict. There are many possible solutions for solving a problem, which is why it's important to go through a problem-solving process to find the best solution. You could use a flathead screwdriver to unscrew a Phillips head screw, but there is a better tool for the situation. Utilizing common problem-solving techniques helps you find the best solution to fit the needs of the specific situation, much like using the right tools.

Decision-making tools for agile businesses

In this ebook, learn how to equip employees to make better decisions—so your business can pivot, adapt, and tackle challenges more effectively than your competition.

4 steps to better problem solving

While it might be tempting to dive into a problem head first, take the time to move step by step. Here’s how you can effectively break down the problem-solving process with your team:

1. Identify the problem that needs to be solved

One of the easiest ways to identify a problem is to ask questions. A good place to start is to ask journalistic questions, like:

Who : Who is involved with this problem? Who caused the problem? Who is most affected by this issue?

What: What is happening? What is the extent of the issue? What does this problem prevent from moving forward?

Where: Where did this problem take place? Does this problem affect anything else in the immediate area? 

When: When did this problem happen? When does this problem take effect? Is this an urgent issue that needs to be solved within a certain timeframe?

Why: Why is it happening? Why does it impact workflows?

How: How did this problem occur? How is it affecting workflows and team members from being productive?

Asking journalistic questions can help you define a strong problem statement so you can highlight the current situation objectively, and create a plan around that situation.

Here’s an example of how a design team uses journalistic questions to identify their problem:

Overarching problem: Design requests are being missed

Who: Design team, digital marketing team, web development team

What: Design requests are forgotten, lost, or being created ad hoc.

Where: Email requests, design request spreadsheet

When: Missed requests on January 20th, January 31st, February 4th, February 6th

How : Email request was lost in inbox and the intake spreadsheet was not updated correctly. The digital marketing team had to delay launching ads for a few days while design requests were bottlenecked. Designers had to work extra hours to ensure all requests were completed.

In this example, there are many different aspects of this problem that can be solved. Using journalistic questions can help you identify different issues and who you should involve in the process.

2. Brainstorm multiple solutions

If at all possible, bring in a facilitator who doesn't have a major stake in the solution. Bringing an individual who has little-to-no stake in the matter can help keep your team on track and encourage good problem-solving skills.

Here are a few brainstorming techniques to encourage creative thinking:

Brainstorm alone before hand: Before you come together as a group, provide some context to your team on what exactly the issue is that you're brainstorming. This will give time for you and your teammates to have some ideas ready by the time you meet.

Say yes to everything (at first): When you first start brainstorming, don't say no to any ideas just yet—try to get as many ideas down as possible. Having as many ideas as possible ensures that you’ll get a variety of solutions. Save the trimming for the next step of the strategy. 

Talk to team members one-on-one: Some people may be less comfortable sharing their ideas in a group setting. Discuss the issue with team members individually and encourage them to share their opinions without restrictions—you might find some more detailed insights than originally anticipated.

Break out of your routine: If you're used to brainstorming in a conference room or over Zoom calls, do something a little different! Take your brainstorming meeting to a coffee shop or have your Zoom call while you're taking a walk. Getting out of your routine can force your brain out of its usual rut and increase critical thinking.

3. Define the solution

After you brainstorm with team members to get their unique perspectives on a scenario, it's time to look at the different strategies and decide which option is the best solution for the problem at hand. When defining the solution, consider these main two questions: What is the desired outcome of this solution and who stands to benefit from this solution? 

Set a deadline for when this decision needs to be made and update stakeholders accordingly. Sometimes there's too many people who need to make a decision. Use your best judgement based on the limitations provided to do great things fast.

4. Implement the solution

To implement your solution, start by working with the individuals who are as closest to the problem. This can help those most affected by the problem get unblocked. Then move farther out to those who are less affected, and so on and so forth. Some solutions are simple enough that you don’t need to work through multiple teams.

After you prioritize implementation with the right teams, assign out the ongoing work that needs to be completed by the rest of the team. This can prevent people from becoming overburdened during the implementation plan . Once your solution is in place, schedule check-ins to see how the solution is working and course-correct if necessary.

Implement common problem-solving strategies

There are a few ways to go about identifying problems (and solutions). Here are some strategies you can try, as well as common ways to apply them:

Trial and error

Trial and error problem solving doesn't usually require a whole team of people to solve. To use trial and error problem solving, identify the cause of the problem, and then rapidly test possible solutions to see if anything changes. 

This problem-solving method is often used in tech support teams through troubleshooting.

The 5 whys problem-solving method helps get to the root cause of an issue. You start by asking once, “Why did this issue happen?” After answering the first why, ask again, “Why did that happen?” You'll do this five times until you can attribute the problem to a root cause. 

This technique can help you dig in and find the human error that caused something to go wrong. More importantly, it also helps you and your team develop an actionable plan so that you can prevent the issue from happening again.

Here’s an example:

Problem: The email marketing campaign was accidentally sent to the wrong audience.

“Why did this happen?” Because the audience name was not updated in our email platform.

“Why were the audience names not changed?” Because the audience segment was not renamed after editing. 

“Why was the audience segment not renamed?” Because everybody has an individual way of creating an audience segment.

“Why does everybody have an individual way of creating an audience segment?” Because there is no standardized process for creating audience segments. 

“Why is there no standardized process for creating audience segments?” Because the team hasn't decided on a way to standardize the process as the team introduced new members. 

In this example, we can see a few areas that could be optimized to prevent this mistake from happening again. When working through these questions, make sure that everyone who was involved in the situation is present so that you can co-create next steps to avoid the same problem. 

A SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis can help you highlight the strengths and weaknesses of a specific solution. SWOT stands for:

Strength: Why is this specific solution a good fit for this problem? 

Weaknesses: What are the weak points of this solution? Is there anything that you can do to strengthen those weaknesses?

Opportunities: What other benefits could arise from implementing this solution?

Threats: Is there anything about this decision that can detrimentally impact your team?

As you identify specific solutions, you can highlight the different strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each solution. 

This particular problem-solving strategy is good to use when you're narrowing down the answers and need to compare and contrast the differences between different solutions. 

Even more successful problem solving

After you’ve worked through a tough problem, don't forget to celebrate how far you've come. Not only is this important for your team of problem solvers to see their work in action, but this can also help you become a more efficient, effective , and flexible team. The more problems you tackle together, the more you’ll achieve. 

Looking for a tool to help solve problems on your team? Track project implementation with a work management tool like Asana .

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Solving Tough Problems Requires a Mindset Shift

• Marianne W. Lewis
• Wendy K. Smith

Instead of either/or thinking, try both/and.

Leaders face a daily barrage of competing demands and multiple stakeholders with different opinions and incentives. To navigate the chaos, most people’s brains default to “either-or” thinking when “both-and” thinking would lead to more creative and novel solutions. Drawing on 20 years of research, the authors provide a three-step process for solving tough problems by adopting a paradox mindset — a comfort and willingness to accept competing demands as a potential source of new ideas and opportunities.

If you are leading an organization — large or small — you may be feeling stuck in ongoing tug-of-wars of competing demands. How do I innovate and change without losing focus of the current product? How do I build a sustainable business but still make profit? How do I attract top talent without overspending my HR budget?

• ML Marianne W. Lewis is dean of the University of Cincinnati’s Lindner School of Business and a professor of management. She formerly served as dean at Cass Business School in London, She is the co-author of Both/And Thinking .
• WS Wendy K. Smith  is the Emma Smith Morris Professor of Management and academic director of the Women’s Leadership Initiative at the University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business & Economics. She is the co-author of Both/And Thinking .

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Tackling Problems

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Tackling a problem productively can be difficult, but it gets results! This module will help you figure out how to best approach challenging situations.

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” -- Jimmy Dean

Activities & Fillable PDFs

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• My Action Plan Fillable PDF Use the ADAPT Model of Active Coping to deal with a stressful situation.
• Active vs. Passive Coping Test your understanding of active and passive coping strategies.
• My Action Plan Use the ADAPT Model of Active Coping to deal with a stressful situation.

Strategies for Coping with Problems

• Passive vs. Active

Introduction to tackling problems

Things you can’t control:

• Mean people
• The bus arriving too early
• Computer crashes

Things you can control:

Your response to all of the above.

While it’s perfectly normal to experience frustration, anger, and sadness, part of resilience is the ability to deal with problems productively.

You’re on a road trip with your best friend when you hit an unexpected roadblock. Do you…

• Turn back home?
• Blame your co-passenger?
• Yell at the roadblock until you’re so tired you need to take a nap in your car?
• Take charge and find a new route?

Chances are, you picked option 4; it’s the only useful solution. But not every situation in life is this obvious, so this module will help you with tackling problems directly.

Passive and Active Coping

There are two main ways of dealing with a problem:

• Passive coping: when you either ignore a situation or act in ways unlikely to help.
• Active coping: when you take steps towards solving a problem or improving a situation.

For example:

At the end of class, Maria is handed back her midterm exam and sees a big, red 47% at the top of the page. She studied hard, so she’s surprised and disappointed she did so poorly.

Two different ways Maria can approach the situation:

Blinking back tears, Maria walks straight out of the classroom. She spends the entire evening calling her professor names, eating cookie dough and watching Netflix.

In the above scenario, Maria uses passive coping strategies, reacting to her disappointment by taking actions unlikely to result in any positive change.

Blinking back tears, Maria takes a few deep breaths. After class, she’s still feeling pretty upset, so she goes for a run -- she knows that always makes her feel better. When Maria gets home, she emails her professor, asking him for a meeting to get more feedback on her midterm. This way, she can figure out what specific content she is misunderstanding, and how she can improve.

Here, Maria uses active coping strategies, taking actions to improve her situation.

One important note: not all problems are fixable -- for example, grieving the death of a family member. However, such problems can be managed so that their effects are less devastating. In these cases, part of active coping may involve seeing a counsellor to talk about the situation.

Active vs. Passive Coping Strategies

Test your understanding of active and passive coping strategies. Opens a new window

The ADAPT Model of active coping

Watch this video to learn about how to deal with a problem using the ADAPT Model of Active Coping.

If you don’t know how to deal with a problem, try the ADAPT Model of Active Coping . This model provides a helpful guide to think about how to best deal with a situation.

• Attitude: It might be difficult, but try to develop a capable and optimistic mindset. If this means you need to work through a few emotions, or step away from the problem for a small period of time, that’s okay! Just set a time that you will come back to your problem -- and stick to it.
• Define: Put your problem into words. Then, figure out a realistic goal to improve the situation. It might not be possible to completely undo or solve the problem, but you can usually minimize its bad effects. Your aim may not be to drive through the roadblock, but rather, find a new route.
• Alternatives: Brainstorm concrete actions that you can take to achieve your goal. Remember, these don’t need to be solutions; they might just be improvements.
• Prediction: Imagine the possible outcomes -- both good and bad -- of different actions. Certain actions may have both benefits and drawbacks, so weigh these outcomes and pick the action you think is most likely to achieve your goal.
• Try It Out: Take action and see what happens. If it wasn’t successful, at least you’ve found a strategy that doesn’t work! You may need to try again, but take comfort that you are one step closer to a solution.

For help using the ADAPT Model to cope with a stressful situation, check out the activity below or complete the My Action Plan Fillable PDF .

My Action Plan

Use the ADAPT Model of Active Coping to deal with a stressful situation. Opens a new window

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• Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 2:07 PM
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Meaning of tackle in English

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tackle verb ( DEAL WITH )

• The president is clearly in a dilemma about how to tackle the crisis .
• There is a great deal of indecision over how to tackle the problem .
• The manifesto includes tough measures to tackle road congestion and environmental pollution .
• When is the government going to tackle the problem of poverty in the inner cities ?
• I felt that he just talked round the subject and didn't tackle the main issues .
• addressable
• attend to someone/something
• be all over it idiom
• beard the lion (in his/her den) idiom
• have it out with someone idiom
• hold on idiom
• I/I've got this idiom
• ill-prepared
• tend to someone/something
• to get a handle on something idiom
• to have a handle on something idiom
• tough something out

tackle verb ( SPORT )

• He was tackled in the goalmouth .
• He needs to tackle more often.
• He tackled his opponent bravely and gained possession of the ball .
• 18-yard box
• football boot
• football player
• football pools
• football pyramid
• premiership
• professional foul
• the Football League
• the Premier League

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

tackle noun ( SPORT MOVE )

Tackle noun ( american football player ).

• extra point
• pass interference
• pass protection

tackle noun ( EQUIPMENT )

• accoutrements
• could use something idiom
• necessaries
• paraphernalia
• stock-in-trade
• tool (something/someone) up

tackle noun ( SEXUAL ORGANS )

Tackle | american dictionary, tackle verb [t] ( knock down ), tackle verb [t] ( attack ), tackle noun ( knocking down ), tackle | business english, examples of tackle, collocations with tackle.

These are words often used in combination with tackle .

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

Translations of tackle

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Word of the Day

If you are on hold when using the phone, you are waiting to speak to someone.

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'It was incredibly rewarding to tackle such difficult problems'

5/17/2024 A&S Communications

Andrew DiFabbio

Physics & Mathematics Brewster, N.Y.

Why did you choose Cornell?

Cornell has been host to a variety of discoveries and big names in my chosen field of physics, and it continues to be exceptional in that area. People like Kenneth Wilson, Richard Feynman, Freeman Dyson and Hans Bethe, number among the many great thinkers who have pushed the boundaries of physics at Cornell. This is not to mention Cornell’s excellence in experimental physics, having seen the discovery of such phenomena as superfluidity in 3He and hosting such facilities as the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) and the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR), among others. As I see it, there is no better place for an undergraduate to study physics, including its many sub-disciplines.

What is your main extracurricular activity and why is it important to you? 

I am a member of the Big Red Marching Band. As part of the clarinet section, I have marched during football games and other events for the past three years. Having been a part of my high school’s marching band, this was one of the things that drew me to Cornell in the first place. More than anything, I appreciate the people in the band, and particularly those in my section, as a community that I can be a part of.

What Cornell memory do you treasure the most?  

During my freshman fall, when I took PHYS 1116 as my first physics course, I distinctly remember a bonus problem from the second problem set. It had to do with pursuit curves and described a scenario where one person chases another, with each moving according to the other’s position. Trying to solve the problem naively was very difficult, so the solution wasn’t immediately obvious. I remember going for a walk through the arts quad and looking up at the clock tower when it occurred to me that the problem admitted a simple geometric solution, and I went back to my dorm room on north campus to write it up. I could have chosen a number of different occasions like this, when a problem that seems impossible suddenly becomes trivial, but this was one of the first times I had that experience at Cornell, so I remember it fondly.       

What have you accomplished as a Cornell student that you are most proud of?

I was involved in research under two different faculty members, Professor Rob Thorne and Professor Carl Franck. My work with Rob Thorne concerned cryogenic electron microscopy, particularly the method of single particle analysis. Cryo-EM seeks to resolve the structure of protein complexes, typically to around 3Å resolution, and allows observing them in conformational states more faithful to their natural environments than is achievable with techniques like protein crystallography. Under Carl Franck, my work involved developing code to process data from a coincidence experiment; I vastly improved the performance of our data reduction algorithm and, along the way, developed a numerical method to characterize the time resolution of the detectors involved. I developed a variety of skills from these experiences, including cryo-EM sample preparation and familiarity with several numerical techniques. It was incredibly rewarding to be involved in the scientific process and to tackle such difficult problems.

How have your beliefs or perspectives changed since you first arrived at Cornell? 

On an intellectual level, I’ve always understood that sharing people’s company and perspectives is important for academia, just as it is in everyday life. However, my behavior didn’t always reflect this fact. In high school, it was fairly easy to be an island and work on everything alone; I’ve since realized the limits of this approach and understand the value in collaboration that simply can’t be achieved individually.

Every year, our faculty nominate graduating Arts & Sciences students to be featured as part of our Extraordinary Journeys series.  Read more about the Class of 202 4.

'I learned to build expertise in new sub-fields from scratch'

'I made a major contribution to my research group’s software'

'Be persistent, be passionate, and be true'

Projects funded by 2024 New Frontier Grants look toward the future

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A bipartisan group of senators unveils a plan to tackle artificial intelligence

Barbara Sprunt

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, seen here at the U.S. Capitol on May 8, unveiled a road map proposal about artificial intelligence on behalf of a bipartisan Senate working group. Allison Bailey/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, seen here at the U.S. Capitol on May 8, unveiled a road map proposal about artificial intelligence on behalf of a bipartisan Senate working group.

A bipartisan group of senators led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has released a long-awaited report detailing actions congressional committees can take to address the advancements and risks of artificial intelligence.

"Congress can't and won't solve every challenge AI presents today," Schumer, D-N.Y., said during a press conference Wednesday. "But we can lay down a base of smart, bipartisan policy proposals, guided by both urgency and humility."

What's in the proposal?

The report's goal of $32 billion by 2026 aligns with a 2021 report by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence .

The working group's road map includes the following proposals:

— Increasing funding for AI innovation to "maintain global competitiveness"

— Ensuring enforcement of existing AI laws and to address any unintended bias

— Considering the impact AI will have on the U.S. workforce, including potential job displacement and demands to train workers

— Addressing issues related to deepfakes, particularly with regard to election content and "nonconsensual intimate images"

— Mitigating threats of "potential long-term risk scenarios"

Schumer said he plans to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson soon to ensure the effort can have bicameral support.

A bipartisan path following months of vetting

The 30-page road map is the result of nine forums with over 150 AI experts convened by a bipartisan Senate working group, including Schumer and fellow Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich, and GOP Sens. Todd Young and Mike Rounds.

"We had experts from all walks of life — people, of course, from the tech industry, but people from the civil rights community and the labor community and critics of AI — all coming together and actually talking to each other and coming up with both questions we had to answer and solutions to some of those questions," Schumer said.

Schumer touted the potential of "transformational innovation" that could come from harnessing the powers of AI.

"The kind of reaching for the stars — that's saying that AI might wipe out cancer, eliminate world hunger, prevent us from being attacked," he said, before adding that Congress must also anticipate potential threats.

"We know there are harms that can come from AI, whether it be hurting labor in the workforce, bias that's built into the systems, dealing with intellectual property," he said. "And so we also need innovation to come up with ways to minimize those liabilities."

Schumer stressed that the Senate won't pursue one large comprehensive package targeting the issue, but rather lean on committees to forge ahead with parts of the report related to their area of expertise.

The report's release comes just days after OpenAI announced upgrades to ChatGPT.

New blood test for strokes could help tackle a $2 trillion problem, researchers say

A new blood test can quickly detect a particularly severe type of stroke, according to new research released Friday, dramatically improving patients’ odds of getting lifesaving treatment before it’s too late. 

The test identified large-vessel occlusion strokes — which occur when a major artery in the brain is blocked — with a high level of accuracy, according to the study led by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and published in the peer-reviewed journal Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology. 

Every minute matters when treating these strokes, because brain cells can die quickly when blood supply is disrupted. Traditionally, the strokes have been diagnosed with the help of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging procedures — and it can take hours to complete those procedures, interpret the results and get the patient to a hospital capable of providing the right treatment, Joshua Bernstock, clinical fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and senior author of the study, told MarketWatch. 

The new blood test can detect a large-vessel occlusion stroke within 10 to 15 minutes, Bernstock said. “We have developed a game-changing, accessible tool that could help ensure that more people suffering from stroke are in the right place at the right time to receive critical, life-restoring care,” Bernstock said in a statement. 

Every year, nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stroke is also the second-leading cause of death globally, even though it is highly preventable and treatable, according to a report last year from the World Stroke Organization-Lancet Neurology Commission. If current trends continue, stroke deaths could increase 47% by 2050, the report found. 

Worldwide, total macroeconomic losses linked with strokes totaled more than $2 trillion in 2019, or about 1.7% of global gross domestic product, according to a study published last year in the journal Stroke. 

Large-vessel occlusion strokes require quick treatment with mechanical thrombectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the blockage. The earlier that procedure can start, “the better the patient’s outcome is going to be,” Bernstock said in a statement. The new test, he added, “has the potential to allow more people globally to get this treatment faster.” 

The test, Bernstock told MarketWatch, could potentially allow patients to bypass the time-consuming imaging procedures altogether and move directly to treatment. 

The study also found that the combination of blood-based biomarkers and a clinical score could identify the severe strokes while ruling out other conditions such as bleeding in the brain, which can cause similar symptoms but requires different treatment. 

The researchers are also conducting a trial to assess the test’s performance when used in an ambulance. The team plans to start the U.S. regulatory approval process for the test later this year, Bernstock said. 

The test could have a particularly significant impact, Bernstock said, by improving patients’ access to thrombectomy in lower- and middle-income countries that don’t have widespread imaging capabilities. “By democratizing access to this transformative therapy, I hope it will touch the lives of millions of people,” he said. 

Decarbonizing cities and transportation to tackle climate change

Transportation is the largest contributor of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about nearly 30 percent in most recent estimates. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Ford’s chief sustainability officer Bob Holycross discuss efforts to decarbonize transportation, build out electric vehicle infrastructure and design smarter cities.

Click here for transcript

See more from The Race to Decarbonize series:

The Race to Decarbonize: Clean Energy

The Race to Decarbonize: Manufacturing

Bob Holycross

Chief Sustainability Officer, Ford

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego (D)

Content from siemens.

The following content is produced and paid for by a Washington Post Live event sponsor. The Washington Post newsroom is not involved in the production of this content.

The Backbone of Decarbonization: How Do We Transform The Power Grid

In a segment presented by Siemens, Barbara Humpton, CEO, Siemens USA, joins award-winning journalist and author Kathleen Koch to discuss an increasingly urgent priority, or trilemma: a growing need for reliable, affordable, and clean energy. As the United States makes progress reducing emissions, rising energy demand from growing industrial and infrastructure sectors could potentially undermine climate progress. How does the United States expand its power grid to reliably – and sustainably – power new data centers backing the generative AI boom, a resurgence in American manufacturing, and a national buildout of electric vehicle charging stations? In this conversation, Humpton outlines available solutions.

Barbara Humpton

President & CEO, Siemens USA