No matter what industry a leader works in, effective problem-solving skills are absolutely crucial. All leaders will inevitably encounter challenges and obstacles, and having the ability to deploy the relevant frameworks and tools can turn problems into opportunities. Great leaders – such as experienced CEO Rob Tolley – are also able to empower employees to collaborate and identify the best solutions.
Key Problem-Solving Skills
There are several key skills when it comes to effective problem solving. These include the ability to research, analyse and make decisions based on the subsequent findings.
Good leaders are able to consistently communicate, which can help to overcome a complex problem and make implementing a solution much easier. They are also dependable, with logical thinking skills and a high level of emotional intelligence, and always maintain a positive mindset.
Why Are These Skills So Important?
Problem-solving skills are vital for leaders to be successful in their roles. In leadership, this means, among other things, inspiring a team to achieve goals and reducing overall risk to the business. Good solutions can ultimately result in positive, long-lasting change and minimise the impact of potential future problems. The best solutions can set companies on a trajectory towards success that’s in alignment with their priorities and values.
Identifying the Problem
Identifying the root cause of a problem – rather than just managing its symptoms – is the hallmark of an effective problem solver. Questions that can be asked to establish this underlying cause (or causes) include discovering who is most affected by or involved with the problem, what has happened and when and where it occurred, how it affects others or is impacting team members and workflows, and why it is having an impact.
Creating a Foundational Strategy
Those with outstanding problem-solving skills, such as Rob Tolley, former London broker, understand the importance of defining problem-solving strategies. This avoids starting the problem-solving process from scratch every time an issue arises. By creating such a strategy, a leader will understand the resources and tools needed to solve a problem and when to deploy them, and they can utilise this plan to promote long-term change and avoid the same issue perpetually reoccurring.
What Is the Design Thinking Approach to Problem Solving?
Some leaders deploy the design thinking approach to problem solving. The technique was originally created to be applied to the product design process but has since been developed to help solve internal business problems, too. This solution-oriented approach has four stages – clarification, ideation, development and implementation – with the result often being the generation of innovative ideas that wouldn’t otherwise have surfaced.
For more information about the design thinking process, take a look at the embedded PDF.