What are some effective strategies to improve your problem solving skills?

Problem-solving is always about knowing the outcome you want and the parameters you have to play with. It's very easy to 'solve' the wrong problem if you don't properly understand these things first. An simplistic example, I need to travel from point A to point B. If these are separated by water, then you will come up with a very different set of solutions than over land. If they are meters apart, you will have many more options than if they are kilometers apart, and your budget and available time will drive another set of solutions. There are lots of frameworks that can be used to help but the one I like is Symptoms and Causes. It's normally easy to see the symptoms, but much harder to identify the causes.

3 Problem solving improvement strategies: 1) Gather as much data as you can on the problem. Knowledge is literally power. 2) Look for links, correlations, causality. What’s the root cause? Figure out how to eliminate the root, not just the symptom. 3) Practise brainstorming with colleagues

Two additional tools that can be utilized to define a problem are worth considering. To start, The Force Field Analysis model permits us the ability to scrutinize the forces that either facilitate or impede the process of change in a given situation. By comprehending these forces, we have the capacity to address obstacles and bolster support in order to attain our desired outcome. On the contrary, Root Cause Analysis (RCA) enables us to pinpoint the primary cause of a problem. It goes beyond superficial indicators of the issue in order to unearth the underlying rationale. By addressing the root cause, we can resolve the problem with greater efficiency and proactively prevent its recurrence. Hope it helps.

According to research 70% problems in corporate occurs due to poor communication. Get clear root cause of problem through question answers, it would be combination of open and closed ended. Narrow down the problem through listening, process review, operational hurdles review and human behavior review.

Hone your problem-solving skills by following a structured approach: define, gather info, break down, brainstorm, evaluate, implement, and learn. Exercise your brain with puzzles, learn from others, challenge yourself, and read widely. Remember, embrace failure, seek feedback, stay positive, and celebrate progress. With practice and a growth mindset, you'll conquer any challenge!

I believe that building an 'agility' in our approach to different people, different tasks and different situations is arguably our greatest leverage point. We can build this agility to these changing perspectives, by deliberately stepping out of the 'urgent and important' into the 'important but not urgent' a problem-solving 'superpower'.

I’m working on escaping my echo chamber. And being intentional about meeting with people who sit on a different side of the fence than me. I don’t think we have to agree with the different perspectives, altho we do need to ask questions to understand those points of view. In an increasingly splintered world where many of us don’t even have the same set of facts, questions and exploration is more important than ever.

From my experience, breaking silos down and bringing together a diverse group, who share their perspectives, knowledge and insights is beneficial and collectively can breath energy to a problem.

Although it takes more time than some problems allow, my preferred method of gathering different perspectives is through an interview. Instead of looking towards business books, I find it useful to look at journalism techniques. Some of the most underrated skills for someone in an analyst or problem solving role is generating meaningful dialogue in an interview process. A well organized discussion / interview can uncover valuable information and wisdom that otherwise would remain below the surface.

One of my best learnings from the Book “Hidden Potential” by Adam Grant: do “Brainwriting”, which is the diverse team members individually writing ideas (solutions) anonymously and the team voting on them, before the top ideas are discussed in the brainstorming session. This avoids some of the shortcomings of a brainstorming session.

In this data Era data driven decision making has become the defacto standard. It's important that enough time is spent to understand the problem at hand before we analyze, introspect and arrive at a common solution based on mutual consensus. One advantage of using frameworks is we are able to formulate our thinking in a structured manner and plan both short term and long term strategies in a structured manner.

One easy way to make a SWOT analysis is to use ChatGPT. Feed the data and your perspective into a chat. Then ask for a SWOT analysis. To improve it, ask for critical feedback on the context you provided. You could also ask based on what you provided, what else might be relevant.

This year, technological progress has simplified the acquisition of factual information. This leads to greater confidence in decision-making. While intuition is important to a certain extent, we now have access to more comprehensive insights. It is advisable to allocate 80% of attention to finding solutions and to always consider the worst-case scenario. Additionally, having a Devil's advocate can provide a valuable perspective when making decisions.

Before a chef sends a new dish out to a customer, he tastes it. He evaluates its flavors, textures, presentation, and smells. 👨🏻🍳 He needs to consider his audience – who will be eating the dish? Do they like spicy food? Does it need to be toasted on top? Is it missing salt or sugar? 🧂 I like this analogy for thinking about how to select the best solution. With a vast amount of experience under your belt, you are able to fine-tune the options and choose the one that most effectively achieves the desired outcome. 🎯

During the fourth step of problem-solving, which is implementing and monitoring the solution, it is crucial to maintain accountability. This involves clearly defining and assigning authority, responsibility, and accountability to ensure that tasks are carried out effectively and desired outcomes are achieved within designated timeframes. By establishing this clarity, the problem can be resolved efficiently.

Just like a gardener tending her garden, reflection and improvement is an ongoing process.🪴 Once you have planted your new idea or strategy, you must observe it regularly. Is it thriving or wilting? Is there enough sunlight? What’s working and where are the problems? ☀️ Taking insights from your observations and making changes must be tailored to each idea as a gardener tailors to each plant. 🌱 Small adjustments can lead to significant transformations in both gardening and business. Careful attention and adjustments can lead to a beautiful harvest. 🌾

Tras enfrentar desafíos en mi vida personal y laboral, el quinto paso me resulta clave: Reflexionar y Mejorar. Celebrar cada logro, por pequeño que sea, es esencial para uno mismo. Analizar el proceso, identificar eficiencias y descubrir nuevos enfoques son lecciones valiosas que no olvidaremos. Reconocer mis fortalezas y debilidades me ha preparado para futuros desafíos, impulsándome a desarrollar nuevas habilidades constantemente. Este viaje de Mejora Continua ha sido mi camino para convertirme en un profesional que suma a la hora de la Resolución de Problemas.

When I make any changes in my approach, I always review what was effective and what wasn't. Iteration is key! Similarly, if the outcomes aren't what you desired/initially expected - try and identify what may have gone wrong or differently in the process.

Nothing better than learning to think and practicing tools as that will help you to understand problems and solve them. Remember understanding problems is more important than rushing to solve them!

Three Levels of Competence 1. Awareness of the problem 2.Understanding of the problem 3.Action to solve the problem Above will help in providing solution