if i were the president of south africa essay

If I were the president of South Africa….

As I listened to the recent State of the Nation Address, I couldn't help but reflect on the stark disparities between the speech and the ground reality of our beloved nation, South Africa. The challenges facing South Africa are extreme, and the gap between promise and progress seems to widen each day.

Unemployment, corruption, inadequate service delivery, inequality, struggling public education, and the hopeless state of our public hospitals are stark reminders of the work that remains. It's disheartening to hear a speech that does not resonate with the everyday struggles of our people, especially those in rural areas still grappling with dreadful conditions, including the use of pit toilets.

Let’s imagine I was the president of South Africa. As the president, I would firmly implement actions based on the principle that: “public servants should lead by example”. If I were the president, no public servant would be allowed to use private services. All government officials, including myself, would be required to use the same public services available to every South African citizen. This commitment to equality and fairness would extend to healthcare, education, and other essential services, fostering a sense of unity and shared responsibility.

In this context, allow me to share my vision of what a State of the Nation Address would look like if I were the President of South Africa. My priorities would centre around:

Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship stands as a beacon of hope and resilience in South Africa's economic landscape. Despite the challenges, a growing number of individuals are embracing entrepreneurship as a pathway to economic empowerment and job creation. Entrepreneurs, driven by innovation and determination, play a vital role in fostering economic growth and addressing unemployment. Initiatives that support and nurture entrepreneurial endeavours, such as access to funding, mentorship programmes, and a conducive regulatory environment, can pave the way for a vibrant and diverse business ecosystem. The entrepreneurial spirit not only fuels individual success but also contributes to the overall development and prosperity of the nation.

Revitalising Public Education: Education is undeniably the cornerstone of societal progress, and thus, revitalising public education becomes paramount for the holistic development of any nation. To achieve this, a multifaceted approach is necessary. First and foremost, there must be substantial investments in education infrastructure. This includes upgrading and modernising schools, providing access to necessary resources such as textbooks and technology, and ensuring that educational facilities are safe, conducive to learning, and equipped to meet the evolving needs of students. Moreover, the heart of any robust education system lies in its educators. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy involves not only investing in the recruitment of qualified teachers but also in continuous training and support programmes for them. Teaching is a calling, and we don’t need people who aren’t called to teach in classrooms. These initiatives should empower teachers with the latest pedagogical techniques, technological advancements, and effective classroom management skills. By fostering a culture of professional development, we can enhance the quality of teaching and, consequently, the learning experience for students.

Crime : South Africa, like many nations, grapples with the complex issue of crime, posing significant challenges to its communities. High rates of crime, including violent offences and property-related incidents, undermine the safety and well-being of citizens. Addressing the root causes of crime, such as poverty, unemployment, and social inequality, is crucial for creating a safer environment. A comprehensive approach that combines law enforcement efforts with social programs and economic opportunities is essential to curb criminal activities and foster a secure and thriving society.

Illegal immigrant control: Addressing the issue of illegal immigrants in our country is a complex challenge that requires a balanced and humane approach. The commonness of the significant number of illegal immigrants in the country poses a challenge, resulting in overcrowded public sector services. To effectively manage this situation, there is a call for a stringent enforcement of border controls and laws.

Tackling Unemployment: Implementing comprehensive strategies to generate employment opportunities and support small and medium enterprises to stimulate economic growth.

Combatting Corruption : Establishing stringent measures to eradicate corruption at all levels of government and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability.

Improving Service Delivery : Prioritising the efficient delivery of public services, especially in rural areas, to ensure that basic amenities are accessible to all citizens.

Addressing Inequality: Implementing policies to bridge the wealth gap and promote social justice, with a focus on education and healthcare access for marginalised communities. This is where we speak about real transformation.

Overhauling Healthcare: Undertaking a comprehensive reform of the healthcare system to improve facilities, increase staffing levels, and ensure access to quality medical services for everyone.

Upgrading Infrastructure : Implementing projects to upgrade infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, to provide essential services and improve overall living conditions.

Sanitation and Hygiene : Implementing initiatives to eliminate pit toilets in rural areas, ensuring that every citizen has access to dignified and sanitary facilities.

While the challenges are undoubtedly immense, the potential for positive change is equally vast. Together, as a united nation, we can overcome these obstacles and work towards a South Africa that truly reflects the aspirations and needs of its people.

The New York Times

The learning network | what would you do if you were president.

What Would You Do if You Were President?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

See all Student Opinion »

For an Op-Ed piece , 12 Americans who don’t work in politics or the media were asked what they would do if they were president. What would you do? What issues do you think are most pressing?

In the ArtsBeat blog post “If I Were President …,” Jesse Kornbluth asks two professors, three writers, an entrepreneur, a medical doctor, a prioress, a youth advocate, a painter, an astrophysicist and an inventor share what they would do if elected to the Oval Office. Excerpts from their statements include these:

MICHAEL J. SANDEL: I would invest in an infrastructure for civic renewal — not just roads and bridges, but schools, transit, playgrounds, parks, community centers, health clinics, libraries and national service. SHARON OLDS: I’d grant the very rich the boon of helping them help others, as a form of gratitude for their good fortune. ANDREW WEIL: I’d tell the nation that I was powerless to control the war machine, Wall Street, big oil and the other interests that run the country, and I would urge Americans to form a new political party not beholden to them. DANNY MEYER: I’d appoint a blue-ribbon committee of 14 accomplished citizens — one each representing these nonpolitical walks of American life: arts, science, sports, big business, entrepreneurs, tech, medicine, law, education, environment, defense, religion, farming and philanthropy — and charge them with imagining innovative industries that put Americans to work and add value to our world. JAMES Q. WILSON: With my staff, I would decide what my administration was for. Once I had clarified that, I would write several speeches on how to cope with a stagnant economy, how to deal with countries (such as Iran and Syria) that harass their own populations, and how the United States is committed to the survival of Israel. These speeches would not attack the other party or previous presidents but would describe the views I supported. JENNIFER EGAN: I’d decide (privately) from the outset that mine would be a one-term presidency. Freed from the stranglehold of ensuring my own political longevity, I would focus entirely on achieving what I think most Americans want: a stable and productive economy; an environmentally viable planet; a humane, efficient government capable of educating its young and protecting its vulnerable members. SISTER MARY DAVID WALGENBACH: I would require members of Congress to participate in a weeklong workshop on dialogue, negotiation and compromise before the next session. All sessions would begin with 10 minutes of silence. GEOFFREY CANADA: I would have a “grown-up” talk with the American people, emphasizing that we are facing a crisis and solving it will require a spirit of shared sacrifice. Those of us who have benefited mightily from this country and made billions, as well as those who make the minimum wage, must all sacrifice. PATRICIA RYAN MADSON: I would invite all of the members of Congress to join me in an improvisation retreat. We would spend the time practicing saying “yes” to each other and really listening to one another’s offers. STEPHEN HANNOCK: Immediately after August break, every member of the House and Senate would be required to move for two weeks, with family, to a town or small city in a country outside North America. (Those serving more than one term may only visit an English speaking country once and not on the first trip.) JAMES DYSON: The United States still spends more than any other nation on research and development. But others are moving up, not least China. America needs to inspire a new generation of risk takers. And it starts in school. NEIL deGRASSE TYSON: When you’re scientifically literate, the world looks different. Science provides a particular way of questioning what you see and hear. When empowered by this state of mind, objective realities matter. These are the truths on which good governance should be based and which exist outside of particular belief systems.

Students: Tell us what you think of these ideas. Which are most helpful? What would you do differently if you were president? How would you try to solve the problems facing the United States?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

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If I were President, I wouldn’t even know where to begin on boosting our economy. But the main problem is job availability so I guess I should start with that. Many US citizens are out of work or getting their hours cut back because they cannot be afforded. Well here’s what I’ll do: I would create and environmentally friendly power plant that would offer 150 jobs in every state.

I thank the ideas are graet and I also thank that the most hellpful is for fixing up the schools and hellpin kids in need. I know if i was president i would help the kids in need. I would also try to help you out by lisining and understanding your problems.

If i was presisdent i would lower gas prices. Then i would try to stop all the violence.I would try to help all the sick children and poor people make the world a better place.

I would try to make the gas prices less than what they are now because some of the adult that have children need to get to work everyday. Also i would invest to make more schools, playgrounds, daycares, and alot of other stuff too. The one thing i would do is meat with other countrys that is having a hard time with their life and i would try to help them in any way i can.

I would lower gas prices so everyone could afford it. I also would try and make the economy better. i would try to house every homless person on the streets in the united states.

if i were president i would change alot of things around , such as school hours . School hours are really long now days . Yes , students should get all the education they can get but at the same time they should be able to take a break . That’s just one example of what i would do if i was president , there is so much more .

Not worry about re-election and focus on core problems. Pass laws creating non partisan redistricting commitees to make elctions competitive and get congressmen willing to work in congress. Then focus on the problem the president is actually able to deal with. In a word entitlements. The president is responsible for the government so get it in order. One way or another take responsibility and fix the budget. Otherwise key programs of the government will go bankrupt within the decade. Once we have money to use then you have the ability to fix then other problems.

If I were president, first off I would change the yearly wages that Congress gets by decreasing them, and putting them aside for the schools. So that kids like me can learn more and be able to have a good art program. I would also, take away the border patrol and make it so that would be where the military trains. So, that way the trainees can have many hands on experiences and we can save some money. I would also start a fund with the other part of Congress’ wages and make it a back up fund for our country. I would then, slowly start jobs up again, and go in on a deal with Hanes or something and start a production line here in the US and then after that picks up I would continue to increase the amount of jobs available. Those are a few things I would do if I were president.

I believe that all of the above comments are good ideas, each proving a wonderful point. The presedential office a difficult position that, when one isn’t in, it is hard to see what being president is like. The President must make difficult discions that affect more than him/her or his/her family. The pressure to be president would make the job difficult, and though a person may have many great ideas, they may not follow through. If I were President, I would stop lending money to other countries. We have our own debt to worry about, we don’t need theirs. I would also figure a way to make more homeless shelters for those in need. I would try to form a plan to get the soldiers out of war slowly to keep from a revolt against the United States. I would try to lower gas prices, but if i couldn’t i would explain to the citizens why i couldn’t. I would lower taxes for the poor and raise them for the rich, and finally i would take away the budget cuts of the schools and find the money from another source

If i were president, i would cut wasteful spending(that means decreasing the members of congresses salary) and put more emphasis on the importance of education. I’d also wouldnt worry with giving money to other countries we have our own debt to worry with. Tax the rich and make the US a more enviromentally friendly nation, and planting more trees to help clean the air that we so desperately need.

If I was president I do what ever I want to and tell those thats backing me to step aside. I would create more jobs find away to fund higher education less and let students work part time over the summer and pay for their own education. I have free training and bring back workshops in high schools so if students want to start a business after they graduate high school and skip college at least they can make money and then go on to college if they please. Find away to not destroy the earth build less buildings and fix up the old ones. Find ways to fix up other living areas without digging into the earth but make it sleepable. Stop building jails and build ways to keep people from going to jail. Find a way to bring peace love joy and freedom. I will make a way to reform jury duty make it a volunteer choice.

If I were president I would first make more jobs available. Many people don’t have jobs and they need to support their family. If I set up jobs to help the earth such as planting more plants. This would provide jobs and help create clean air. Another thing I would like to change are the school hours. School days are long, tiring and take a lot of focus. If they were shorter students would have more energy. Also everyday I walk past homeless people. This saddens me. I would want to make homeless shelters open to help all the homeless, sick or not. I would fix the monetary system, the way Andrew Jackson did. I would stop all of the wars, and use the resources to help all of the people lead happy, constructive lives.

If I were elected president of the United states of America I would do my personal best with all my power as president to try to end this war that has plauged the U.S military and their families for many years. Since I myself am in a military family I feel that the sooner we end this war and bring our soldiers home the better of our country would be. The situation in Lybia right now has more of an impact than others might tell you. Since a majority of oil is made in the Middle East and sent by boat leaving first the Red Sea, going around the continent Africa and arriving to other countries and the U.S, well think for a second. Where is Lybia located in relation to the Red Sea? Right next to it. So with the amount of oil that actually leaves Lybia so little the price goes up, and we really aren’t in any position to pay the fines and prices for oil with as bad as the economy is. Those are a couple of the many issues I would cover during my term as President of the Untied States.

If I were president, I would first off listen to THE PEOPLE. Having health care would be an option and those who make more money than others would not need to pay higher taxes for the ones who don’t. I believe the ones who make more money put much effort in what they do and should use the money for their own purposes. Also, I wouldn’t keep raising taxes, instead I would decrese them. Decreasing taxes would give the citizens the relief to spend more of their money which would give businesses a great boost! Instead of the businesses downsizing they would hire more people and more people with jobs would mean more taxes being paid and, bigger amounts of taxes being paid from the businesses. I also, would not visit countries and apologize for what the Americans have done to make peace. We are a strong nation and will do what we need to, to keep us high up with other countries looking up to us and NOT down.

if i were president i make there be better health care and more jobs and better environments for the kids in the projects so they wont be killers or on drugs,and assure animal health care and find them better homes so they wont be abused as well as children

if i was the president i would change alot of things and that you wouldn’t have to be in school for so long an that you wouldnt have to go to school.

I would make a law saying there be less homework and less time in school and more time playing outside.

Legalize gay marriage and keep taxes at a fair level for all citizens.

make everythang free

If I was president, I would first try to turn economic power from corporations and the financial sector to actually go towards the public sector and people who need it. I would design a healthcare system that is based on people staying healthy, not getting ill. I would also try to clean up our environment by investing in alternative fuels that are beneficial and don’t release toxins or pollutants. Finally I would make it so that only a small portion of the federal budget is put towards military power, it should go towards helping countries get back on their feet, investing in educational causes and good health care as well as using diplomacy as a way to convey our opinions. not military might.

If I was the president I would help a poor people,orphan,adult,sick people,people don’t have a work.i was building more schools,transit,play grounds,parks,community centers,healt clinics,libraries,national service…… I helping school ,kids,and sick people that need to help.I would try to help the people in our county by listen about their problems.

if you can change or make a law , what would it be, why?

Listen to the people represented, take responsibility, be a guiding leader, be willing and able to do what is ask of others, always ask and answer, “what have we (Congress) done for our country today?”, sacrifice internally before asking or expecting the people to, respect every voice, communicate fully and transparently (respecting national security and privacy), get the people involved, motivated, and inspired with bettering their country, and make sure to thank all of those who make this country a great place to live!

I will kill ppl and be a ninjaaaaa!!!!!

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if i were the president of south africa essay

African Data Hub for the Study of Democracy

Part 1: introduction, share this page:, the road to democracy in south africa.

2 February 1990

President FW de Klerk announced the release from prison of Nelson Mandela and the unbanning of the African National Congress (ANC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) , the South African Communist Party (SACP ) and other liberation movements.

21 December 1991

The negotiations, known as the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), first convened on that day at the World Trade Centre in Johannesburg. Over 220 delegates from nineteen political parties attended and vowed their commitment to negotiations by signing the “Declaration of Intent”, pledging among others:

To bring about an undivided South Africa with one nation sharing a common citizenship, patriotism and loyalty, united in diversity, freedom, equality and security for all irrespective of race, colour, sex or creed; a country free from apartheid or any other form of discrimination or domination
To work to heal the divisions of the past
To strive to improve the quality of life of all people through policies that will promote economic growth and human development
To set in motion the process of drawing up and establishing a constitution that would, among others:
Ensure a united, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist state in which sovereign authority is exercised over the whole of its territory
Become the supreme law and that it will be guarded over by an independent, non-racial and impartial judiciary
Assure that all shall enjoy universally accepted human rights, freedoms and civil liberties including freedom of religion, speech and assembly protected by an entrenched and justiciable Bill of Rights and a legal system that guarantees equality of all before the law.

15 May 1992

President FW de Klerk delayed the second round of negotiations by calling for a whites-only referendum to seek support from this constituency for the continuation of negotiations. The majority of whites voted in favour. CODESA 2 began, but the negotiations soon broke down due to disagreements over the key issues of power sharing and majority rule, as well as the eruption of violence, which had claimed many lives.

Behind-the-scenes talks between the chief negotiators – a cabinet minister in the National Party (NP), Roelf Meyer, and the ANC’s Cyril Ramaphosa – managed to get negotiations back on track. The resultant Multiparty Negotiating Forum (MPNF) on April 1, 1993 paved the way towards the demise of apartheid.

5 March 1994

27 April 1994

The first democratic election was won by the ANC with Nelson Mandela becoming the first democratically elected president of the republic. Although the ANC had gained a majority vote, the party formed the Government of National Unity, in which FD De Klerk and the ANC’s Thabo Mbeki became deputy presidents.

The hard won election was the crowning of the long and bitter struggle for liberation. The election has changed the history of South Africa, paving the way towards a new democratic dispensation and a new constitution for the country. For the first time in the history of South Africa, people of all races stood together in long snaking queues at the polls to vote for a government of their choice. Nineteen political parties had participated and twenty-two million people had voted. Contrary to widespread fears of political violence, the election was peaceful and took place in a festive atmosphere.

The ANC won the election with 62.65% of the vote. The National Party (NP) received 20.39%, the Zulu based Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) 10.54%, Freedom Front (FF) 2.2%, Democratic Party (DP) 1.7%, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) 1.2% and the African Christian Democratic Party 0.5%.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

The Government of National Unity had set up the TRC to help deal with the apartheid past. Under apartheid human rights abuses were rife on all sides, and no section of society escaped these abuses. The TRC was established in the belief that “only the truth can put the past to rest” (Nelson Mandela).

The TRC came into being under the auspices of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act , No. 34 of 1995. The hearings, which started in 1996, were held to record the abuses, to grant amnesty to the perpetrators of human rights violations in some cases, and to offer reparation and rehabilitation to the victims. The TRC was headed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Chairman), and Alex Boraine (deputy Chairman).

25 May 2019

The history of South Africa seems to have come a full circle on 25 May 2019 , when President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered his inauguration speech, promising the jubilant South Africans a ‘New Dawn’ after the ruinous years of the rule by Jacob Zuma.

Cyril Ramaphosa has played a pivotal role as head of the ANC delegation, which negotiated the end of apartheid with the apartheid government. He has gained respect as the co-convener of the internationally acclaimed South African Constitution, and along with his NP counterpart, Roelf Meyer, became a symbol for reconciliation and collaboration for the common good of all South Africans.

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An initiative of the Centre for Research on Democracy

PRESIDENTIAL POWERS IN SOUTH AFRICA – MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS

George Barrie

This note attempts to analyse the essence of presidential powers in South Africa. These powers are in essence found in sections 83−85 of the Constitution, which relate to “The President”, “Powers and functions of President” and “Executive authority of the Republic” respectively. After being in operation for close to two-and-a-half decades, questions still remain as to the precise meaning of the Constitution’s reference to the President as “head of state”, “head of the national executive” and being vested with “executive authority”. The existence of such questions, it is submitted, should be of some concern. Since the role of the President is critical in ensuring effective executive government, is it not imperative that, by this time, there should be a consensus as to the meaning of the terms “head of state”, “head of the national executive” and “executive authority”? The role of the President can be extremely politically demanding. Executive aggrandisement must be averted. Because our system of executive government is relatively unexplored given that the Constitution only dates from 1996, it needs to be developed in a truly democratic context with a keen sense of constitutionalism. This implies that the executive must be “unable to employ the strong arm tactics that an autocratic executive is by its very nature able to do”. The dilemma facing the South African President as head of state and head of the national executive and being vested with executive authority (sections 83, 84 and 85 of the Constitution) is similar to that faced by Abraham Lincoln on 4 July 1861 in his historic address to the United States Congress after the outbreak of the Civil War. Lincoln posed this question: “Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties of its own people, or too weak to maintain its own existence?”. In discussing the terms “head of state” and “head of the national executive”, the terms as they feature in the Constitution are referred to; the terms as interpreted and applied in practice are analysed and lastly the myriad questions raised by the terms are highlighted. It will emerge that when it comes to analysing these terms, there appear to be more questions than answers. It is submitted that these unanswered questions are not consonant with good governance and can only result in constant litigation.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License .

Leadership in the “Invictus” Movie Essay (Movie Review)

The movie “Invictus” was directed by Clint Eastwood, and it premiered in 2009. The biographical movie features two renowned actors, Matt Damon, and Morgan Freeman. “Invictus” is a film that details the events that transpired when Nelson Mandela took over as South Africa’s president in 1994. The film’s main theme is the unifying power of sports. In the film, President Nelson Mandela uses the 1995 rugby world-cup campaign to unite the divided South Africans.

The movie’s storyline is based on the book “Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation” by John Carlin. Both the main and the supporting actors exhibit strong leadership qualities in the course of the unfolding storyline. Nelson Mandela is the country’s leader, while Francois Pienaar is leading the Springboks. Nelson Mandela resolves to use rugby to remedy the divisions in his post-apartheid country. However, this resolve is difficult to implement because the country’s rugby team is a symbol of black oppression. Consequently, Mandela uses his strong leadership to turn rugby into the country’s symbol of unification. This paper is a critique of “Invictus” and Mandela’s character from a leadership perspective, especially in relation to the drama of human life.

The most prominent feature in “Invictus” is the use of rugby as a symbol of unity. Mandela gets the idea of using rugby as a symbol of unity when he witnesses black South Africans cheering for the English rugby team instead of their home team. Mandela remembers that when he was in prison, he too used to support opposing teams. However, Mandela recognizes that this trend was bad for the newly united South Africa. Therefore, Mandela decides to use the symbol of the national rugby team to unite his subjects.

The decision to use rugby as a symbol was quite unpopular with the majority black-population, and it was even opposed by Mandela’s chief of staff. Mandela’s ‘adamancy’ is a testament to his strong leadership skills. Mandela’s desire was to have a united South Africa, and he was willing to work against the tides of prejudice to achieve his goal. The desires of Mandela as a leader coincide with South Africa’s need for unity.

As a leader, Mandela takes on a tough challenge of redefining how South Africans viewed the Springboks. Previously, the Springboks were a symbol of apartheid and oppression. The team was dominated by white players, and to black South Africans, the ‘white team’ was just another reminder of apartheid’s mechanisms. In the end, Mandela successfully redefines rugby from being a symbol of segregation to being a symbol of unity. The reason behind this quick success is Mandela’s leadership style. First, Mandela begins by recognizing that things need to change, and he envisions this through the game of rugby. Second, the president trusts his instincts and decides to face the challenges that await his plans. The ability to do these things indicates that Mandela’s leadership is resolute, inspired, and focused (Heifetz, 1998).

One of the most captivating scenes in “Invictus” involves Mandela’s chief bodyguard Jason. Jason busts into Mandela’s office and expresses concern that some white bodyguards have reported working as part of the president’s security detail. President calmly informs Jason that the new South African government represents a new and united front. The president also informs Jason that the men who report to work are adequately trained, and the color of their skin does not affect their resume. According to Mandela, the president’s workers are also the face of the new South Africa- a rainbow nation. Furthermore, in this scene, the president tells Jason that “forgiveness liberates the soul….removes fear…it is a powerful tool” (Eastwood, 2009).

The reason why Jason is shocked by Mandela’s acceptance of white bodyguards is that it was expected that the new black leadership would sideline the white minority in its activities. Therefore, in case of a dispute between a white and a black citizen, it was expected that Mandela would side with the blacks. However, from the conversation between Mandela and Jason, it was clear that the former was not going to be taking sides when leading South Africa from the ashes of apartheid. Mandela’s stand came as a shock to both the white minorities and the black majority. The white minorities expected President Mandela’s government to be petty, corrupt, and vindictive against the former ruling elite. On the other hand, the majority black population was eager to retaliate against the oppression that had been experienced during apartheid. Mandela’s superior leadership skills enabled him to steer the country out of this division by focusing the masses towards a common goal.

In another scene, the president meets with the captain of the rugby Francois Pienaar. Even though the rugby team is expected to perform very poorly in the world championships, the president instills confidence in the captain by informing him that it is possible for the team to win. By telling the captain that the team can win, the president plants a seed of hope in Pienaar. Mandela’s inspirational leadership effectively draws Pienaar to his vision. This is evident when the captain goes home and immediately informs his wife about his meeting with the president. Leadership, as exhibited by President Mandela in this scene, involves inspiring followers to achieve their best (Northouse, 2013).

Some of the most prominent leadership qualities that are evident in this scene include humbleness, concern, and kindness. For example, the president proceeds to serve himself when the tea is brought to the table. Furthermore, the president respectfully addresses his junior staff and proceeds to show concern towards Pienaar’s ankle injury. Mandela’s behavior is not synonymous with that of most presidents, but it is a sign of unique leadership. Presidents are the ones who receive service, respect, kindness, and concern, but they rarely show these to others. Pienaar’s initial perception of the president becomes the cornerstone of their relationship throughout the movie. The rugby team captain uses his own leadership position to transfer Mandela’s vision for a united South Africa.

One characteristic of great leadership is the ability to affect organizational change. However, people’s behaviors are the secret to effecting organizational change. When people change their behaviors, systems of doing things do too. In “Invictus,” the main character is fully aware that organizational change depends on the behaviors of the citizens. In the film, Mandela understands that “organizations and institutions do not change, but people do” (Nielsen, 2005).

Therefore, the president targets sports as a tool for behavior modification. The first thing that Mandela does is to identify the behaviors that might amount to behavioral change. For instance, Mandela is aware that the captain of the rugby team might change the behaviors of the other team members. On the other hand, this behavioral change warrants the rugby team’s widespread support across South Africa. Mandela’s support of the rugby team motivates black South Africans to come together with their former oppressors. As a leader, Mandela manages to effect institutional change when they win by Springboks, a rugby team that was formerly associated with apartheid, is celebrated by South Africans of all races.

The average human being reacts in a certain way when he/she is faced with challenges. However, when Mandela is faced with challenges, he reacts by doing the unexpected. One example of this unexpectedness is when Mandela shows up at the stadium and sits in places that his security detail considers ‘unsafe.’ Mandela’s actions are unexpected because before, and after he became president, there were several assassination attempts that had targeted his life.

However, by sitting in ‘ordinary’ places at the stadium, he conveys the message of a peaceful nation to his subjects. Furthermore, Mandela is considerate of all his subjects. He is able to listen to the views of the people he disagrees with and even extend an olive branch to them. For instance, Mandela is not afraid of faulting the advice of those who are close to him, such as his chief of staff. The strength of Mandela’s leadership is also portrayed by the manner in which he handles divergent views. Even though Mandela shares divergent opinions with some of his staff members, he still finds it worthwhile to continue working with them.

“Invictus” was hailed as a critical success when it premiered mostly because of its historical relevance. The movie highlights Mandela’s unique and effective leadership. As a leader, the main character is positive, exemplary, relevant, inspirational, persistent, witty, and dedicated.

Eastwood, C. (Director). (2009). Invictus [Motion picture]. United States: Malpaso Productions. Web.

Heifetz, R. (1998). Leadership without easy answers . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Web.

Nielsen, J. (2005). The myth of leadership: Creating leaderless organizations . Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing. Web.

Northouse, P. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2020, May 25). Leadership in the "Invictus" Movie. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-in-the-invictus-movie/

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IvyPanda . (2020) 'Leadership in the "Invictus" Movie'. 25 May.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Leadership in the "Invictus" Movie." May 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-in-the-invictus-movie/.

1. IvyPanda . "Leadership in the "Invictus" Movie." May 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-in-the-invictus-movie/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Leadership in the "Invictus" Movie." May 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/leadership-in-the-invictus-movie/.

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ROAD TO DEMOCRACY ESSAY GRADE 12

ROAD TO DEMOCRACY ESSAY SAMPLE (TALKS/NEGOTIATIONS) NOTE:your introduction and conclusionis highlighted with green colour.Your lines of arguments are highlighted withred colour.

One would totally agree with the statement that it was leadership,negotiations and compromises among various leaders that ensured that South Africa become a democratic state.For example,Nelson Mandela and De Klerk worked together including ot her organisations to bring democratic South Africa on 1994. (Make sure your introduction is not longer than 5 pages) In1981,FW De Klerk replaced PW Botha as a state president of South Africa and immediately made drastic changes by unbanning political parties and release political prisoners.De Klerk made an announcement for the release of Nelson Mandela on 11 February 1990.This was a huge step taken by De Klerk and it gave people hope that the apartheid was coming to a nend. (Make sure your back ground is not more than 5 lines).

The National Party(NP) and African National Congress(ANC) delegation met at two locations to discuss the way on how they will work together towards the democratic South Africa.The first meeting was held in 2 May1990 at the official resident house of Groote Schuur and it was called the Groot Schuur Meeting.In this meeting both ANC and NP agreed on ending violence which were occurring in the country and to work together towards the process of negotiations or talks to bring a democratic South Africa.The second meeting were held at Pretoria on 6 August 1990 which led to an agreement called the Pretoria Minutes.Here the ANC government agreed that they will suspend the armed struggle and the NP government agreed to end the state of emergency.Other major law were removed.The Group Areas Act and Registration Population were also removed.This convinced countries that imposed sanctions to S.A and boycotts to stop them.Thus,the leadership and negotiations and compromises among various leaders ensured that South Africa become a democratic country in1994.

Although,the violence did not stop in the country between Inkandla Freedom Party(IFP)and ANC.The IFP supporters attacked ANC on commuter trains and led into almost 573 deaths. It was emerged that the NP government handed weapon to IFP supporters to eliminate ANC supporters.This created a huge distrust between ANC and IFP including NP.Another violence occurred in Sebokeng in hostels when the IFP attacked ANC strong hold and almost 30 people died.Moreover,another violence occurred in ZonkizizweTownship in Germistonin Gauteng between supporters of the IFP and the ANC.The ongoing violence between the ANC and IFP members led into a Seven Day Warat Pietermarisburg (PMB).Therefore,the violence and uncertainly that confronted South Africa in the early1980s almost delayed the process of negotiations.

Moreover,the formal negotiations occurred on 20December 1990 at Convention for Democratic South Africa(CODESA1)at Trade Work Centreat Kempton Park.Nineteen political organisations including UNO and common wealth.Even though talks sometimes broke down but the Declaration of Intent was signed.It was agreed that South Africa should be an undivided country.Free from apartheid, discrimination and all other forms of prejudices.This also led into accountability of a meeting by four groups that were preparing for the future meeting which was CODESA2 which were to be held in May2.The PAC and PC boycotted against the CODESA.The IFP and the Independent Bophuthatshwana did not sign it because the irrequest for an extra delegation for the Zulu King was refused.Therefore, compromises among various leaders ensured that South Africa become a democratic state in1994.

Furthermore,DeKlerk called for a white only referendum on1991. Here DeKlerk wanted to see if the white people were still with him from the negotiations he had started making from 1990 to change South Africa.The majority voted positive and it was clear that he should continue.This gave people hope that apartheid was coming to an end.Thus,the compromises also ensured that South Africa become a democratic country in1994.

CODESA2 occurred on May1991.It was agreed that the SABC should presents the neutral view of the negotiations on televisions.The NP and ANC did not agreed on major power sharing like power sharing,majority rule and regional powers.The NP still wanted a major place from the government and the ANC did not admit on that.The ANC and NP did not come into consensus solution on how they will end the violence in South Africa. As a results,ANC and COSATU walked out of the negotiations and called for a mass rally to force government to compromise.Therefore,it was leadership,negotiations and compromises among various leaders that ensured that South Africa become a democratic state.

Even though the official negotiations had ended but the unofficial negotiations continue between Cyril Ramaphosa and Roef Meyer. The Record of Understanding was signed between Cyril Ramaphosa of ANC and Roef Meyer of the NP.This committed and encouraged South Africa to work together again towards the negotiations.Moreover,Joe Slovo came up with Sunset Clause on April 1993.The Sunset Clause allowed the National Party government until 2000.It also protected the security jobs for whites people for more than 10years.Therefore, the commitment and compromises among various leaders ensured that South Africa become a democratic country in 1994.

Moreover, the violence did not end between IFP and ANC.The ANC attacked the squatter camps of the ANC near the township of Boipatong in the Gauteng and almost 49people died.It was said that a white man was the one who handed over the Force Defence Agency to cause violence and chaos.The ANC called for a march to the Cickel to protests against homeland leaders.Here almost 79 people died and 200 people got injured when they were trying to break through the police barriers.The assassination of Chris Hani almost stopped the negotiations process of the elections.Chris Hani was a General Secretary of the Communist Party(CP) and he was assassinated on1993 by members of the Military Wink.There was a violence and chaos in a country after his assassination. DeKlerk realised he could not deal with this anymore and called for Nelson Mandela to address the issue. Mandela addressed that on national television that there must calm down and stop fighting each other.Thus,thev iolence and uncertainty that confronted South Africa in the early 1980s almost delayed the process of negotiations.

Moreover, the Multi talks began on 1993April1. It was said that the date of the election was going to be 27thApril1994 on this meeting which was held at World Trade Centre. Furthermore, the AWB and Volk front stormed the World Trade Centre attempt to disturb the negotiations.They vandalised the entrance and threatened delegation.The AWB was killed by the South African Defence Force.The APPLA opened on fire on St James Church and killed 11 people.The IFP marched to Shell House and was killed by ANC security.This led to a Shell House Massacre.Then DeKlerk, Mandela and Buthelezihada meeting led to IFP joining the negotiations.Then finally the election held free and fairly. ANC won the elections and Nelson Mandela became the first president of South African Democratic Country.The election were held on 27 April 1994. DeKlerk and Thabo Mbheki became deputy president. Therefore, the compromises, negotiations and leadership ensured that South Africa become a democratic country in 1994.

To conclude, it was leadership,negotiations and compromises among various leaders that ensured that South Africa become a democratic state in 1994. For example Nelson Mandela and De Klerk compromised so much working with other organisations to bring democracy in South Africa. (Your conclusion must be less than5lines).

MAKE SURE YOU WRITE LINES OF ARGUMENTS ON EACH AND EVERY PARAGRAPH. For more information or questions feel free to contact me via Whatsapp or calls to 0729272510(Msawenkosi Chamane) GOODLUCK!!!!!!

Essays on President Of South Africa

1 sample on this topic

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If I Were President

Minilesson print.

Anybody can grow up to be president—even you! How would you make the country better? How would you make the world better? What would it feel like to have a band play "Hail To the Chief" every time you walk into a room? This activity will help you think about your presidency.

Your Turn Answer the following questions about being president.

How would I improve the lives of people in my country?
How would I improve the environment?
What laws would I pass?
What changes would I make to the White House?
What activity would I enjoy most as president?
What part of being president would be most difficult?

Write an essay sharing what you would do as president!

From in Write on Track

From the blog post " Celebrating Presidents' Day in the Primary Grades "

Teacher Support:

Click to find out more about this resource.

Answers will vary.

Standards Correlations:

The State Standards provide a way to evaluate your students' performance.

110.4.b.11.A
110.4.b.11.B
110.4.b.12.B
LAFS.2.W.1.2
110.4.b.12.A
LAFS.2.W.1.3
LAFS.2.W.3.7
110.5.b.12.B
LAFS.3.W.1.2
110.5.b.12.A
LAFS.3.W.1.3
LAFS.3.W.3.7
110.6.b.11.B
110.6.b.12.B
LAFS.4.W.1.2
110.6.b.12.A
LAFS.4.W.1.3
LAFS.4.W.3.7
110.7.b.12.B
LAFS.5.W.1.2
110.7.b.12.A
LAFS.5.W.1.3
LAFS.5.W.3.7
110.22.b.10
110.22.b.11.B
LAFS.6.W.1.2
110.22.b.11.A
LAFS.6.W.1.3
110.22.b.12
LAFS.6.W.3.7

k12.thoughtfullearning.com

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how to develop strong problem solving skills

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

Design your next session with SessionLab

Join the 150,000+ facilitators  using SessionLab.

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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Problem-Solving Mastery: Your Roadmap to Effective Solutions

Job Skills , Life skills , Soft skills

In today’s rapidly evolving world, problem-solving skills have become more critical. The ability to identify, analyze, and find effective solutions to complex challenges is highly valued across various domains, including education, business, and personal life. Problem-solving skills empower individuals to overcome obstacles, make informed decisions, and confidently navigate uncertain situations. They are key personal and professional success drivers, enabling individuals to adapt to change, innovate, and seize opportunities.

This article will delve into the essential steps for mastering problem-solving skills. We will explore the characteristics of effective problem solvers and highlight the step-by-step process they follow to tackle problems. From defining the problem and gathering information to evaluating solutions and implementing the chosen course of action, we will cover each stage in detail, providing valuable insights and practical strategies. Additionally, we will discuss various techniques and tools that can enhance problem-solving abilities and address common challenges individuals encounter. Whether you are a student, professional, or simply looking to enhance your problem-solving skills, this article will serve as a comprehensive guide to equip you with the necessary knowledge and techniques to become a proficient problem solver.

Understanding Problem Solving

A. definition of problem-solving.

Problem-solving is a fundamental skill applicable across diverse academic, professional, and personal contexts. It plays a crucial role in business, science, engineering, and everyday life, enabling individuals to overcome obstacles, achieve goals, and improve outcomes.

Here are some definitions with sources-

“Problem-solving is the cognitive process of identifying, analyzing, and resolving obstacles or difficulties encountered in order to achieve a desired goal or outcome.”

� Source: – Simon, H. A. (1972). Theories of Bounded Rationality. Decision and Organization, 1(1), 161-176.

� “Problem-solving refers to the systematic approach of finding solutions to challenges by utilizing logical thinking, analytical skills, and creativity.”

Source: – D’Zurilla, T. J., & Nezu, A. M. (2007). Problem-Solving Therapy: A Positive Approach to Clinical Intervention. Springer Publishing Company.

� “Problem-solving is the cognitive process of identifying, analyzing, and overcoming obstacles through the application of problem-solving strategies, critical thinking , and decision-making skills.”

Source: – Fogler, H. S., LeBlanc, S. E., & Rizzo, E. (2020). Strategies for Creative Problem Solving. Pearson.

“Problem-solving involves the ability to define problems, generate potential solutions, evaluate alternatives, and implement the best course of action, resulting in effective decision making and successful resolution of challenges.”

Source: – Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School : Expanded Edition. National Academies Press.

B. The role of problem-solving in personal and professional life

The Role of Problem-Solving in Personal and Professional Life:

1. Personal Life:

a. Decision Making: Problem-solving is crucial in making informed decisions about personal matters, such as career choices, relationships, and financial planning.

b. Resolving Conflicts: Effective problem-solving skills help resolve conflicts and disputes, fostering healthier relationships and communication.

c. Adaptability: Problem-solving enables individuals to navigate life’s challenges and adapt to changing circumstances, enhancing personal growth and resilience.

d. Goal Achievement: By identifying obstacles and finding solutions, problem-solving helps individuals overcome barriers and progress towards achieving personal goals.

2. Professional Life:

a. Innovation and Creativity: Problem-solving is at the core of innovation, enabling individuals to identify opportunities, develop new ideas, and implement creative solutions.

b. Decision Making: Effective problem-solving skills aid in making sound business decisions, analyzing data, and evaluating options to achieve desired outcomes.

c. Troubleshooting and Crisis Management : Problem-solving is crucial in addressing workplace issues, identifying root causes, and implementing solutions to operational challenges and crises.

d. Collaboration and Teamwork: Problem-solving skills facilitate effective collaboration and teamwork, as individuals work together to analyze problems, generate ideas, and implement solutions.

e. Continuous Improvement: By identifying inefficiencies and finding better solutions, problem-solving drives continuous improvement in processes, products, and services.

f. Leadership: Strong problem-solving abilities are essential for effective leadership, as leaders navigate complex situations, inspire teams, and drive organizational success.

Overall, problem-solving is vital in personal and professional life, empowering individuals to overcome obstacles, make informed decisions, foster innovation, and achieve desired outcomes. It promotes adaptability, resilience, and growth, enhancing overall success and satisfaction in various aspects of life.

Characteristics of Effective Problem Solvers

Here are some Characteristics of Effective Problem Solvers:

1. Critical Thinking: Effective problem solvers possess strong critical thinking skills. They can analyze situations objectively, evaluate information, identify patterns, and make logical connections to understand the underlying causes of problems.

2. Analytical Skills: Effective problem solvers can break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable components. They can examine each component individually, identify relevant factors, and assess their interrelationships to understand the problem comprehensively.

3. Creativity and Innovative Thinking: Effective problem solvers think outside the box and are open to unconventional ideas and solutions. They approach problems creatively, seeking new perspectives, alternative approaches, and innovative solutions.

4. Persistence and Resilience: Effective problem solvers persevere when facing obstacles and setbacks. They are resilient and maintain a positive attitude, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and learning rather than insurmountable barriers.

5. Adaptability and Flexibility: Effective problem solvers are adaptable and flexible in their thinking and approach. They are open to adjusting their strategies, considering different viewpoints, and embracing change as they navigate complex problem-solving situations.

6. Systems Thinking: Effective problem solvers consider the larger context and understand the interconnectedness of various factors. They can see how different elements within a system influence each other and recognize the ripple effects of their decisions and actions.

7. Collaboration and Communication: Effective problem solvers are skilled in collaboration and communication. They actively listen to others, seek input and feedback, and can articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly. They can work well in teams, leveraging diverse perspectives and expertise to find optimal solutions.

8. Decision Making: Effective problem solvers are proficient in decision-making . They gather relevant information, weigh different options, assess risks and benefits, and make informed choices based on a logical and rational evaluation process.

9. Continuous Learning: Effective problem solvers have a growth mindset and a thirst for knowledge. They actively seek opportunities to learn new skills, expand their knowledge base, and stay updated on industry trends and advancements.

10. Emotional Intelligence: Effective problem solvers possess emotional intelligence, allowing them to understand and manage their emotions and empathize with others. They can navigate interpersonal dynamics, handle conflicts constructively, and foster positive relationships while solving problems.

These characteristics collectively contribute to the effectiveness of problem solvers, enabling them to approach challenges with a systematic, innovative, and resilient mindset, ultimately leading to successful problem resolution and achieving desired outcomes.

The Problem-Solving Process

Here is The Problem-Solving Process Step by Step:

Step 1: Defining the Problem:

1. Identifying the root cause: To effectively solve a problem, it’s important to identify the underlying cause or causes. This involves digging deeper to understand the factors or circumstances that led to the problem’s occurrence.

2. Clarifying the desired outcome: Clearly defining the desired outcome provides a clear direction for problem-solving. It helps in setting goals and measuring the success of the solution.

Step 2: Gathering information and analyzing the situation:

1. Collecting relevant data and facts: Gathering relevant data and facts about the problem is crucial for making informed decisions. This involves collecting information from reliable sources, conducting surveys, interviews, or analyzing existing data.

2. Conducting research and seeking different perspectives: Researching the problem and seeking different perspectives allows for a comprehensive understanding of the situation. This may involve studying case studies, consulting experts, or getting insights from people who have faced similar challenges.

Step 3: Generating potential solutions:

1. Brainstorming techniques: Brainstorming involves generating many ideas without judgment. It encourages creativity and open-mindedness, allowing for the exploration of various solutions.

2. Considering multiple options: Considering multiple options helps in expanding the range of possibilities. It involves evaluating different approaches, strategies, or alternatives to find the most effective solution.

Step 4: Evaluating and selecting the best solution:

1. Assessing pros and cons: Evaluating the potential solutions involves assessing their advantages and disadvantages. This helps in understanding the potential benefits and drawbacks of each option.

2. Using decision-making tools and techniques: Decision-making tools and techniques, such as decision matrices, cost-benefit analysis, or SWOT analysis, can provide a structured approach to evaluating and comparing different solutions. They help in making an informed decision.

Step 5: Implementing the chosen solution:

1. Developing an action plan: A detailed action plan outlines the steps and tasks needed to implement the chosen solution. It includes setting deadlines, assigning responsibilities, and allocating necessary resources.

2. Overcoming potential obstacles: Anticipating potential obstacles and challenges helps develop contingency plans. By identifying potential barriers in advance, proactive measures can be taken to overcome them and ensure a smoother implementation process.

Step 6: Monitoring and evaluating the outcomes:

1. Assessing the solution’s effectiveness: Regularly monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of the implemented solution is crucial. This involves measuring the results against the desired outcome and assessing whether the solution effectively addresses the problem.

2. Making adjustments if necessary: If the desired outcomes are not achieved or new issues arise, it may be necessary to adjust the solution or implementation plan. This ensures continuous improvement and adaptability throughout the problem-solving process.

By following this step-by-step process, individuals and teams can approach problem-solving systematically and comprehensively, increasing the chances of finding effective solutions and achieving desired outcomes.

Techniques and Strategies for Effective Problem Solving

Here are some Techniques and Strategies for Effective Problem Solving:

A. SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats):

SWOT analysis is a widely used technique for understanding a situation or organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses and the external opportunities and threats it faces. It involves identifying and analyzing these four factors to gain insights into the current state and potential future scenarios. One can effectively capitalize on opportunities and mitigate threats by understanding strengths and weaknesses.

B. Root cause analysis:

Root cause analysis is a technique used to identify the underlying cause or causes of a problem. It involves digging deeper into the problem to determine the fundamental reasons for its occurrence. By identifying and addressing the root cause, rather than just treating symptoms, one can prevent the problem from recurring and find long-term solutions.

C. Pareto analysis:

Pareto analysis, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a technique that helps prioritize tasks or issues based on their significance. It involves identifying the vital few (20%) contributing to the majority (80%) of the problem. One can achieve the greatest impact with limited resources by focusing efforts on addressing the most significant factors.

D. Six Thinking Hats technique:

The Six Thinking Hats technique, developed by Edward de Bono, is a method for approaching problem-solving from different perspectives. Each “hat” represents a different thinking mode or mindset, such as logical, creative, critical, etc. By consciously adopting these different perspectives, individuals or teams can explore different angles, consider various factors, and enhance problem-solving.

E. Design thinking approach:

The design thinking approach is a human-centered problem-solving methodology. It emphasizes empathy, collaboration, and experimentation to understand the user’s needs, ideate innovative solutions, and iterate through prototypes. It involves several stages, including empathizing with users, defining the problem, ideating potential solutions, prototyping, and testing. This approach encourages a creative and iterative problem-solving process that delivers solutions meeting user needs.

By utilizing these techniques and strategies for effective problem-solving, individuals and teams can enhance their problem-solving capabilities, think more critically and creatively, and arrive at comprehensive and innovative solutions to address various challenges.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Problem-Solving�

Now we discuss how to overcome Common Challenges in Problem-Solving:

A. Emotional barriers and biases:

1. Self-awareness: Recognize and acknowledge your emotions and biases that may hinder the problem-solving process.

2. Objective perspective: Strive to approach problems with an open mind and consider alternative viewpoints.

3. Seek feedback: Involve others in problem-solving to gain diverse perspectives and challenge your biases.

B. Fear of failure and risk aversion:

1. Embrace a growth mindset: View failures as learning opportunities and be open to taking calculated risks.

2. Break problems into smaller steps: Breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable tasks can help reduce the Fear of failure.

3. Experiment and iterate: Implement solutions in iterative stages, allowing for adjustments and learning from setbacks.

C. Lack of communication and collaboration:

1. Active listening: Listen attentively to others’ perspectives, fostering effective communication and understanding.

2. Encourage participation: Create a supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing ideas and insights.

3. Foster teamwork: Promote collaboration and establish clear roles and responsibilities within problem-solving teams.

D. Ineffective time management:

1. Prioritize tasks: Identify the most critical aspects of the problem and allocate time accordingly.

2. Set deadlines and milestones: Establish specific deadlines for each step of the problem-solving process to stay on track.

3. Avoid distractions: Minimize interruptions and focus on the task by creating a conducive work environment.

By addressing these common problem-solving challenges, individuals and teams can enhance their problem-solving effectiveness and achieve better outcomes. Overcoming emotional barriers and biases, embracing risk-taking, fostering effective communication and collaboration, and managing time efficiently are key factors in successful problem-solving endeavors. By developing strategies to tackle these challenges, individuals can unlock their problem-solving potential and approach challenges with confidence and resilience.

Developing Problem-Solving Skills�

Is it possible to develop problem-solving skills? Yes, it is possible. But How?�

A. Continuous learning and skill development:

1. Stay curious: Cultivate a continuous learning mindset by seeking new knowledge, exploring different perspectives, and staying updated on industry trends.

2. Acquire relevant knowledge: Develop a solid foundation in the areas relevant to problem-solving, such as critical thinking, analytical skills, creativity, and decision-making.

3. Pursue professional development: Attend workshops, training programs, and online courses on problem-solving techniques and strategies.

B. Seeking feedback and reflection:

1. Welcome constructive criticism: Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or supervisors to gain insights into areas for improvement in your problem-solving approach.

2. Reflect on past experiences: Evaluate your problem-solving efforts, identify strengths and weaknesses, and learn from your successes and failures.

3. Develop self-awareness: Understand your thinking patterns, biases, and emotional reactions to improve your problem-solving skills.

C. Practicing problem-solving exercises and scenarios:

1. Solve puzzles and brain teasers: Engage in activities that challenge your problem-solving abilities, such as puzzles, riddles, or logic games.

2. Simulate problem-solving scenarios: Create hypothetical problem-solving situations and brainstorm potential solutions to enhance your critical thinking and decision-making skills.

3. Participate in group problem-solving activities: Collaborate with others in problem-solving exercises or workshops to foster teamwork and develop effective communication skills.

D. Engaging in real-life problem-solving experiences:

1. Embrace challenges: Seek opportunities to tackle real-world problems, whether at work, in personal projects, or community initiatives.

2. Apply problem-solving techniques: Utilize the problem-solving process and relevant strategies to address issues encountered in various aspects of life.

3. Learn from experiences: Reflect on your problem-solving approach in real-life situations, identify areas of improvement, and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Developing problem-solving skills is an ongoing process that requires continuous learning, practice, and application in both simulated and real-life scenarios. By investing time and effort in skill development, seeking feedback, reflecting on experiences, and engaging in problem-solving activities, individuals can strengthen their problem-solving abilities and effectively address complex challenges.

Applying Problem-Solving Skills in Different Areas

Now we will discuss Applying Problem-Solving Skills in Different Areas:

A. Problem-solving in the workplace:

Problem-solving skills are highly valuable in the workplace as they enable individuals to address challenges, make informed decisions, and contribute to organizational success. In a professional setting, problem-solving involves identifying and analyzing issues, generating effective solutions, and implementing them to achieve desired outcomes. It often requires collaboration, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving techniques. Effective problem-solving in the workplace can lead to increased productivity, improved teamwork, and innovation.

B. Problem-solving in personal relationships:

Problem-solving skills play a crucial role in maintaining healthy and constructive personal relationships. Conflicts and challenges are inevitable with family members, friends, or romantic partners. Applying problem-solving skills in personal relationships involves active listening, empathy, and open communication. It requires identifying and understanding the issues, finding common ground, and working towards mutually beneficial solutions. Problem-solving in personal relationships helps build trust, strengthen connections, and promote harmony.

C. Problem-solving in entrepreneurship:

Problem-solving is an essential skill for entrepreneurs, as it drives innovation and the ability to identify and seize opportunities. Entrepreneurs face various challenges, such as market competition, resource constraints, and changing customer needs. Applying problem-solving skills in entrepreneurship involves identifying market gaps, analyzing customer pain points, and developing innovative solutions. Entrepreneurs must be adaptable, resilient, and creative in finding solutions that address real-world problems and create customer value.

D. Problem-solving in everyday life:

Problem-solving skills are not limited to specific areas but are applicable in everyday life. From simple tasks to complex decisions, problem-solving helps navigate challenges efficiently. Everyday problem-solving involves assessing situations, setting goals, considering available resources, and making informed choices. It can range from troubleshooting technology issues to managing personal finances, resolving conflicts, or finding solutions to logistical problems. Developing problem-solving skills in everyday life leads to increased self-confidence, improved decision-making abilities, and overall personal effectiveness.

In all these areas, applying problem-solving skills enables individuals to approach challenges with a structured and analytical mindset, find practical solutions, and overcome obstacles effectively. It empowers individuals to think critically, adapt to changing circumstances, and positively contribute to various aspects of their lives.

Case Studies of Successful Problem Solving

Here are some Case Studies of Successful Problem Solving:

A. Real-life examples of problem-solving success stories:

1. NASA’s Apollo 13 Mission: The Apollo 13 mission faced a critical problem when an oxygen tank exploded, jeopardizing the lives of the astronauts. Through collaborative problem-solving, the NASA team on the ground and the astronauts in space worked together to develop innovative solutions, such as building a makeshift CO2 filter, conserving power, and navigating a safe return to Earth.

2. Apple’s iPhone Development: Apple faced the challenge of creating a revolutionary smartphone that combined multiple functions in a user-friendly design. Through rigorous problem-solving, Apple’s team developed groundbreaking solutions, such as the touch screen interface, intuitive user experience, and integration of various technologies, leading to the successful launch of the iPhone.

3. Toyota’s Lean Manufacturing System: Toyota encountered production inefficiencies and quality issues. By implementing problem-solving techniques, such as the Toyota Production System, the company focused on waste reduction, continuous improvement, and empowering employees to identify and solve problems. This increased productivity, improved quality, and a competitive advantage in the automotive industry.

B. Analysis of the problem-solving strategies employed:

1. Collaborative Problem-Solving: Successful problem-solving often involves collaboration among individuals or teams. Organizations can tackle complex challenges more effectively by leveraging diverse perspectives, knowledge, and skills.

2. Innovative Thinking: Problem-solving success stories often involve innovative thinking to address issues in novel ways. This may include exploring new technologies, challenging conventional wisdom, or adopting creative approaches that disrupt the status quo.

3. Systematic Approach: Effective problem-solving requires a systematic approach that involves defining the problem, gathering relevant information, analyzing options, and implementing solutions. This structured method provides a comprehensive understanding of the problem and helps identify the most appropriate action.

4. Continuous Improvement: Many successful problem-solving cases are committed to continuous improvement. Organizations embracing a learning and adaptability culture are better equipped to identify and solve problems efficiently, leading to long-term success.

5. Customer-Centric Solutions: Problem-solving strategies that prioritize understanding and meeting customer needs tend to yield successful outcomes. Organizations can develop solutions that deliver value and drive customer satisfaction by placing the customer at the center of problem-solving efforts.

Analyzing the problem-solving strategies employed in these case studies provides valuable insights into the approaches, techniques, and mindsets that contribute to successful problem resolution. It highlights the importance of collaboration, innovation, systematic thinking, continuous improvement, and customer focus in achieving positive outcomes.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, problem-solving skills are vital in various aspects of life, including personal, professional, and entrepreneurial endeavors. Through this article, we have explored the importance of problem-solving, its Definition, its role in different areas, characteristics of effective problem solvers, the problem-solving process, and techniques for effective problem-solving. We have also examined case studies of successful problem-solving and analyzed the strategies employed.

Recap of key points:

1. Problem-solving skills are crucial for personal, professional, and entrepreneurial success.

2. Effective problem solvers possess critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, and perseverance.

3. The problem-solving process involves defining the problem, gathering information, generating solutions, evaluating options, implementing the chosen solution, and monitoring outcomes.

4. Techniques like SWOT analysis, root cause analysis, Pareto analysis, Six Thinking Hats, and design thinking provide valuable frameworks for problem-solving.

As you have learned about the importance and various aspects of problem-solving, I encourage you to apply these skills in your own life. Problem-solving is not a mere intellectual exercise but a practical tool that can lead to personal growth, professional success, and positive societal contributions. Developing and honing your problem-solving abilities allows you to navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and find innovative solutions.

Embrace a continuous improvement mindset and a willingness to think outside the box. Seek opportunities to apply problem-solving skills in your relationships, workplace, entrepreneurial ventures, and everyday life. Remember that each challenge presents an opportunity for growth and learning. You can overcome obstacles and achieve desired outcomes by approaching problems with a structured and analytical mindset, considering multiple perspectives, and employing effective problem-solving techniques.

Incorporate problem-solving into your daily life and encourage others to do the same. By doing so, you contribute to a more proactive and solution-oriented society. Remember, problem-solving is a skill that can be developed and refined through practice and experience. So, take on challenges, embrace creativity, and be a proactive problem solver.

Start applying problem-solving skills today, and you will witness the positive impact it can have on your life and the lives of those around you.

Problem-Solving Skills: Meaning, Examples, & How To Develop

Problem Solving Skills What Are They Definition & Examples

Problem-solving skills are valuable soft skills to have in today’s increasingly competitive and fast-changing workplace. In the workplace, problem-solving skills are about one’s capacity to deal with tough or unexpected challenges and situations.

They are also essential in other aspects of our life, such as building relationships and making decisions. Individuals who can properly assess the situations and offer solutions are in high demand in organizations. And problem-solving skills are abilities that allow you to do so.

In this article, we will discuss what are key problem-solving skills and the skills related to problem-solving. You will also learn about how to conduct a problem-solving process when you encounter a problem.

We will share with you the benefits and importance of key problem-solving skills and how to improve these skills.

What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Problem-solving is a soft skill (a personal strength), not a hard skill learned from school or specialized training. Problem-solving skills assist you in resolving challenges swiftly and effectively.

It gives you a keen eye to spot underlying problems and put a solution in place. Problem-solving skills are crucial in every profession and at every level. As a result, technical expertise relevant to the sector or role may be required for effective problem-solving.

Problem-solving skills can be improved by familiarizing yourself with common organizational challenges and learning from more experienced employees. Although problem-solving is usually thought of as an independent skill, it depends on a combination of other skills (we will come to this in the next section).

Why is Problem Solving Skill Important in the Workplace & List of 10 Benefits

Having problem-solving skills enable you to be prepared to manage any problems that your employers throw at you. You can analyze, evaluate and act promptly when issues arise.

Furthermore, you are not frightened of the uncertainty because you are confident that you can handle anything that comes your way. Strong problem-solving skills are valuable to organizations that depend on their employees to identify and solve problems.

List of 10 Benefits that an excellent problem solver can contribute to their profession

Ability to manage their time effectively.
Ability to prioritize, plan and carry out plans.
Ability to think out of the box and identify opportunities in problems.
Ability to work under pressure and deal with stress.
Ability to evaluate and take calculated risks.
Ability to continuously improve performance and implement new improvements when necessary.
Ability to identify and seize opportunities in an ever-changing environment.
Recognized and appreciated by the people around them.
Increased confidence in one’s ability to deal with anything that comes their way.
Ability to make the impossible possible by synergizing their knowledge with systematic problem-solving approaches.

Skills Required for Problem-Solving

You will adopt a combination of different examples of skills to address a problem effectively.

Here is a list of skills you can leverage to solve a problem:

Research Skills

Problem-solving requires the use of research skills. As a problem solver, you must define the root cause of the issues before addressing them.

You can start by gathering deeper and related information about the topic. To do that, you can discuss with your team members, speak with senior colleagues, conduct online research, or learn from online classes.

Analysis Skills

Analyzing the situation is the first step in addressing any problem. Strong analytical skills allow you to grasp the issues quickly and develop effective strategies. You will also utilize analytical skills when researching to discern between good and poor ideas.

Decision-making Skills

Problem-solving and decision-making are distinct but interrelated skills. Decision-making is a crucial element of the problem-solving process because you will be presented with many choices and possibilities.

Sometimes you can make a quick decision if you happen to have related industry experience. Having strong research and analytical skills may be beneficial to those with less experience or industry knowledge.

There may be instances when it is necessary to set aside time to develop a solution for a challenging problem. Alternatively, you may decide to refer the situation to someone who is in a better position to tackle the issue.

Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are necessary when you are solving a problem. You will need to know how to explain the problem clearly to others and seek their input.

You will also need to know who to approach or which communication channels to use when asking for help. To eliminate uncertainty and make implementation easier, you will need to present and explain the solution to others.

Listening Skills

In general, active listeners are excellent problem solvers. They will listen to others to get the knowledge that will help them address the challenge at hand.

They value and appreciate other people’s perspectives and experiences. This way, they can understand why an issue happened and devise the best course of action to resolve it.

In most cases, problems are solved either spontaneously or methodically. You tend to use your intuition to solve a problem when no new information is required. You either know what you need to know to make a snap decision, or you use common sense or experience to solve them.

You will need to use a more structured approach to solve more complicated problems or issues that you’ve not encountered before. For such problems, you may also need to tap into your creative thinking.

Risk Management

Problem-solving happens when problems arise or when things do not go as planned, and we need to rectify them. During your initial planning stage, you will carry out risk management to weigh the benefits and risks of your solutions.

This way, you can prevent potential hazards or risks from happening the moment you implement the solution.

How Problem-Solving Skills Work? Solving Process Explained in 5 Steps

1. analyze the factors contributing to the problem.

This step entails identifying the presence of a problem, determining its nature, and articulating the problem. The first phase of problem-solving requires further research and investigation. It involves collecting and analyzing data, isolating potential contributing factors, and determining what has to be addressed for a solution.

What is the nature of the problem? Is there more than one problem? What is the best way to define the problem? Spending time identifying the problem will allow you to not only comprehend it better but also articulate the thought process to others.

2. Generate possible solutions

At this stage, you will start developing several possible solutions. But, you will not spend too much time examining them. Usually, a single approach is rarely the clear way to solve a complicated problem.

Generating a variety of alternatives will help you to protect your interests and decrease your likelihood of failing. You can start brainstorming for solutions in a group setting with your team members.

Such sessions provide each team member with a chance to express their thoughts on potential solutions or ideas. An organization has a diverse group of employees who have different skills in different areas. Thus it is essential to hear the perspectives of all parties involved before deciding on the potential interventions.

3. Evaluate solutions and make decisions

This step is possibly the most difficult aspect of the problem-solving process. This stage comprises conducting a detailed analysis of the many alternative options you brainstormed earlier. Then, you will decide on the most effective solution for execution.

Some alternatives may be difficult to implement because of issues such as time limits or money restrictions. It is critical to evaluate what may happen if nothing is done to remedy the situation.

Sometimes when you are trying to resolve a problem, it could potentially lead to a slew of other issues. Finally, decide on the best solution or approach to take to resolve the problem. When deciding, you must consider the potential expenses, hurdles, and necessary resources for effective solution implementation.

4. Implement a plan

This step involves embracing and executing the decision made in the previous stage. Implementation refers to putting the chosen solution into action. During this stage, more difficulties may arise, particularly if the initial problem identification or structure was not completed thoroughly.

Hence, the plan must be executed with benchmarks that can accurately inform you if it is working or not. Implementing a plan includes communicating to your employees about changes in standard operating procedures.

5. Assess the solution’s effectiveness

The last stage involves evaluating the results after implementing the solution. It includes soliciting feedback from related parties on the effectiveness of the solution in solving the problem.

Once a solution is put in place, you need to have procedures to determine if and how the solution is working. This way, you will know immediately if the problem has been fixed or whether an adjustment is needed.

You should record the feedback, results, and new challenges that you encountered through this entire problem-solving process. It is recommended that you make this step a habit of yours to improve your problem-solving skills.

Problem-Solving Skills for Students

Be curious and put on your investigative hat

Being curious and conducting an in-depth investigation will assist you in finding out the root cause of an issue. When the root cause of a problem is identified, it becomes much easier to address it.

Be open to feedback and suggestions from others

Seeking constructive feedback or suggestions from others is beneficial to the students in the long run. It saves students time, and they can avoid making the mistakes made by others. They will also be able to finetune their solutions to make them more effective. Being open to feedback is also an essential component of problem-solving skills.

Troubleshooting skills

Troubleshooting skills help students to address issues quickly and effectively without any delay. This skill helps students to analyze the problem, develop various solutions, evaluate and choose the best option, and implement the preferred solution.

Problem-Solving Skills for Kids

Growth mindset

Reflecting on the process of solving a problem helps children to build a growth mindset. We should instill a mindset to children that getting a “wrong” answer is not wrong.

It is through these mistakes that we can learn and improve ourselves. What matters most is to encourage children to reflect on the steps they took and how they might handle the problem differently next time.

Children need to be taught that every emotion (positive and negative) that they are experiencing is acceptable. Having high emotional intelligence will help the kids to learn and think differently when faced with problems.

Grappling refers to whatever the kids will do when presented with a problem that lacks a clear answer. They will try to solve the problem first and not think about failing. Even if they fail, they will continue to persevere to find a solution to the problem.

They will think critically, ask questions, and form hypotheses to have a comprehensive understanding of the problem that they encounter. Then, they will use every information and resource that they acquired to find a solution for the problem.

How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

There are various techniques you could consider to develop your problem-solving skills. Whether you are looking for work or already have one, strengthening your problem-solving skills and related competencies can help you stand out among the rest of the group. Here are a few methods you can consider to improve your problem-solving skills:

Strengthen your specialist knowledge in your industry.

Depending on your profession, having deep specialist knowledge may make it easier for you to address problems. Attending an external course, workshop, mentorship, or practicing your skills can help you gain deeper technical knowledge.

Constantly look for opportunities to solve problems.

You can increase your chances of bumping into new opportunities to solve problems by going out of your comfort zone. Start by seeking new opportunities around you. You can volunteer for a new project or task, be it in your existing team, on another team, or on an external group within your field.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Keeping practicing or performing role-playing will help to strengthen your problem-solving skills. You can search online or go to your local bookshop to look for practice books on problem-solving scenarios.

Through role-playing, you can experiment with different ways to tackle the challenges and see whether your solutions are practical. Practicing how you can solve the common problems prevalent in your field might help you find answers when such problems arise in your job.

How to Improve Your Problem-solving Skills in the Workplace

Watch and learn how others overcome problems.

There are people around you who are excellent problem solvers. These people could be your close friends or colleagues in the workplace. You may improve your problem-solving skills by observing how they develop effective solutions to problems.

You can ask a more experienced colleague and ask if you can shadow them when they are doing problem-solving. Be curious and ask questions that could be useful when you do problem-solving in the future.

How to Highlight Problem-Solving Skills in a Resume

As problem-solving skills are essential to many organizations, you can put this skill at the top of your resume. You can indicate this skill on your resume in various sections, such as “skills” and “achievements” sections.

You can also highlight it in your “experience” section, but remember to provide specific examples of problems you solved. Instead of writing down the word “problem-solving” in the “skills” section, you may want to mention specific skills you have.

It could be your job-specific technical skills or soft skills related to problem-solving, such as analytical skills, communication skills, etc. Storytelling is powerful. During interview questions, you can highlight specific examples of obstacles you faced and how you solved the problems.

The problems you solved may come from your prior roles—whether academic, work, or volunteer. Be prepared to discuss the issues you faced, the methods or skills you used to tackle the problems, and the results you achieved.

Frequently Asked Questions About Problem-Solving Skills

How do you describe problem-solving skills.

Problem-solving is a soft skill (a personal strength), not a hard skill learned from school or specialized training. Problem-solving skills assist you in resolving challenges swiftly and effectively. It gives you a keen eye to spot underlying problems and put a solution in place quickly.

What are the three key attributes of a good problem solver?

A good problem solver has strong analytical skills to understand problems quickly and discern between good and poor ideas. They also have strong communication skills to explain the issues and present solutions clearly to others. They also have high emotional intelligence.

What is problem-solving behavior?

Problem-solving behavior refers to a person’s ability to analyze and think critically to solve problems. They can decide which best course of action to take after conducting a thorough risk analysis of all the available solutions. They can implement solutions to resolve any challenges or difficulties they encounter in their life, work or relationship.

How to Build Your Problem-Solving Skills

Get curious, think big, and get outside of your comfort zone..

Posted March 4, 2022 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods

What Is a Career
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Get curious to alternative perspectives and viewpoints.
Daydream without restrictions to break thought patterns.
Think of alternative ways to do things should you need to be flexible.

People say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I prefer the expression "it takes more effort to teach an old dog new tricks." Any time you want to learn something new it takes your brain a great amount of energy to build new neural pathways. If you are trying to change something you've already learned, it takes extra effort to build pathways that override the previous ones.

There are many ways to help build new skills, particularly problem-solving skills; they start with getting curious, thinking big, and then trying new things.

Get Curious

It will be hard to learn anything unless you are genuinely interested in it. So find ways to get curious. You can align the new topic to something that already motivates you—this can be a passion, a value, an attribute you like about yourself, or a goal you have. For example, you may want to be that go-to expert or may want to develop deeper relationships with others. Choose whatever will keep you engaged in the learning and build upon that. From there, here are some tips on how to get curious:

Block out time in your calendar to get curious, either in isolation or with others
Ponder and expose yourself to how people from an opposing viewpoint see a topic
Ask others their opinion or their input before making a choice
Ask people to walk you through how they made previous decisions
Reflect back on successes and failures: were there themes?
Have coffee with colleagues once-removed to understand what they do and figure out how your roles may intertwine
Find connections between others or the bigger picture. For example, how do the other department's objectives impact your day-to-day? How do your customers' actions impact your role?
Read the news and determine how events/laws/policies impact you or your organization

To see if you are building on your knowledge from someone else's viewpoint, say summary statements of what you have heard and whether you have heard them correctly.

Once you have had time to get curious and gather information, it's time to dream big. What would you do with unlimited time, money, and resources? What would you do if there were no office politics or bureaucracy? "Blue sky" thinking can help you get outside existing processes and thought patterns to find new solutions. Some tips on how to build daydreaming into your routine are:

Schedule time for daydreaming and block out distractions (either individually or as part of a team)
Break the adrenaline rush of firefighting the small problems. The quick checklist items feel good in the moment but don't contribute to your sense of meaning or purpose in your work
Think one step ahead, about how others may react to your moves
Become a student of the competitor. Act as if you are an employee of the competitor and try to understand why they are choosing their strategy
Consider how your daydreams could become reality. How much effort and resources are needed and compare it to the potential payoff

To check yourself on this is to see whether you are actually spending the time daydreaming. Whether it's weekly/monthly/quarterly, hold yourself accountable for achieving this goal.

Work outside your comfort zone

It's one thing to have a well-thought-out plan, but it's another to be able to flex that plan at a moment's notice. If you have done your due diligence in getting curious and daydreaming, you will know the pros/cons of contingency plans by understanding the drivers, the downstream implications, and who needs to be looped in. Here are some ideas and tips on how to try different solutions:

Make "what if" plans for likely risks/bumps in the process
Take on a task that is ambiguous or has a high likelihood of failing
Do a feasibility study to determine potential risks/rewards of a new idea
If and when resources are limited, look for alternatives (e.g., what tasks can be done with tightened budgets)
Offer to do the budget or forecast
Get out of perfectionist thinking and recognize when 80 percent is good enough

You will know your problem-solving skills are developing when you begin to get excited about change and ambiguity rather than anxious .

As learning and trying new things becomes more exciting and second nature, you will find that this energy transfers across your whole life. You are more likely to gain empathy for others , you can build resilience during stressful times , and you gain confidence and self-esteem to take on bigger challenges.

Lauren Florko has a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She also owns her own company, Triple Threat Consulting, based out of Vancouver, British Columbia.

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How to improve your creative skills for effective problem-solving

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Understand Yourself Better:

Big 5 Personality Test

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What’s creative thinking?

Creative thinking versus critical thinking

Creative thinking skills

How to develop creative thinking skills

4 creative thinking examples to include on your resume

Sharpen your creativity

Creative thinking is the key to unlocking innovation and problem-solving excellence.

In the whirlwind of everyday professional challenges, we’ve all encountered moments when fresh ideas feel elusive. If you’ve found yourself struggling to inspire your team or spinning out during a brainstorming session , it may be a sign you need to develop your creative skills. Plus, creative problem solving looks excellent on a resume .

As a leader or team member, your ability to think outside the box can ignite a spark of ingenuity that propels your team to new heights. Fan the flames of growth and learn how to improve your creative thinking (and highlight your new skills in your next job application).

What’s creative thinking?

Creative thinking is the dynamic process of transforming your ideas into actions. The skillset equips you to think differently and approach challenges from innovative angles.

At its core, creative thinking empowers you to break free from the constraints of the status quo and dream up fresh, original ideas. It breathes life into your decisions, encouraging you to embrace your imaginative instincts.

By daring to challenge traditional approaches, your creativity opens doors to uncharted innovations and groundbreaking solutions.

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Creative thinking versus critical thinking

Although creative and critical thinking are both used in problem-solving , the two skills are marked by key differences.

Creative thinking is the catalyst for generating innovative ideas and crafting novel approaches to the challenges around them. With an open mind and a wild imagination, creative thinkers produce and explore unconventional solutions to the problems that stand in their way.

Critical thinking analyzes available information with an unbiased and rational approach. It involves questioning perceptions, ensuring that decisions are devoid of bias and reasoning remains grounded in sound judgment.

Creative thinking skills

When you look at creative thinking as a set of particular abilities, it becomes easier to develop and perfect. These creative skill examples can help you thrive inside and outside of the workplace:

1. Open-mindedness

When you’re open-minded, you can readily adapt to new information and look for fresh problem-solving approaches. You’re receptive to the opinions and ideas of others because you view them as constructive rather than criticizing . This openness also encourages you to freely share your creative ideas without fearing judgement.

2. Curiosity

You might find that you tap into creative potential the most when you’re challenging convention and posing new ways of thinking. Analyzing processes and asking yourself how you can improve them is an exciting way to make more efficient systems.

Whether you’re new to a job or have worked at the company for years, you may wonder why procedures are what they are — lean into this curiosity to develop new and better ways to work.

architect-woman-drawing-sketch-creative-skills

3. Ability to brainstorm

There are numerous ways to solve a problem, and brainstorming helps to get them onto paper so you can weigh their pros and cons. This way of lateral thinking encourages you to view solutions as multifaceted rather than a single, straightforward answer.

4. Experimentation

Creative people experiment with various ways of solving a problem before deciding on the best way to take action. Emulate this mindset in your projects and tasks. For instance, if you work in web design, you might try several page layouts before deciding on a final visual identity for your client.

5. Networking

Speaking with people from different professional backgrounds is an excellent way to stimulate creative thinking and develop new perspectives. When you network with professionals with diverse skill sets and experiences, they might influence you to look at the world differently or suggest an innovative way to tackle a problem.

6. Observation

It’s important to know when to take the backseat and listen in. Observing how others tackle complex issues might inspire you to make changes within your team. Always keep an eye out for opportunities to learn from more experienced peers and innovative colleagues.

7. Organization

Although some individuals claim to thrive in clutter, keeping your work organized creates an environment where you can work freely without distraction. This involves keeping your workspace tidy, creating clear to-do lists, and using visual maps to express your plans and processes.

8. Communication

Proper communication empowers you to share valuable insight and ideas with your teammates. You need strong verbal and written skills to pitch and describe your thoughts and actively listen to others’ feedback and advice.

coworkers-walking-through-office-hallway-discussing-project-creative-skills

9. Analysis

Before you can dream up a creative approach to an obstacle, you must fully understand the problem at hand. Without proper analysis, your solution may contain flaws, or you could miss important details of your problem. Practice sifting through every detail of the issue and pinpointing the causes.

10. Problem-solving

No matter your industry, problem-solving is always a valuable skill. Consider how to tackle a problem without asking the advice of others to see what creative solutions arise. This way, you can see what inventive ideas you can come up with before external opinions influence you.

Although some of your coworkers may seem to have a natural talent for creativity and creative thinking, it’s a skill anyone can develop and improve. Here are seven ways to advance your innovative problem-solving:

Reading is an effective way to exercise your mind, increase your vocabulary, and expose yourself to new ways of thinking. Whether your book is on a problem you’re facing at work or a new and exciting subject, reading is an excellent opportunity to learn. That’s right: simply cracking open a book can help you grow .

Keep a notepad nearby and write down thoughts and ideas as they arise. Writing helps you to process information, and you can revisit your musing whenever you need to get your creative juices flowing. If you’ve never tried journaling before, it’s an excellent way to process your thoughts and feelings in a safe and private space.

3. Exercise

Exercising improves your sleep and ability to cope with stress, making it easier to stay alert and contribute fresh ideas at work.

couple-stretching-before-working-out-outdoors-creative-skills

4. Listen to music

Music can affect your mood and place you in the mindset to solve problems. If you’re struggling with creative writing or creating a visual piece of work, listening to music could push you toward expressing yourself more meaningfully.

5. Ask for feedback

Collaboration and teamwork are key when developing creative solutions in the workplace. You can ask teammates or superiors for feedback on your ideas to gain insight into potential flaws in your reasoning and streamline your solutions.

6. Find a mentor or coach

Having an experienced person to bounce ideas off is a catalyst for creativity. A mentor or coach who’s dealt with similar obstacles can provide insight into what worked and what didn’t, saving you valuable brainstorming time.

7. Change your approach

If you’ve been approaching your tasks the same way, adjusting your processes may bring a fresh perspective and stimulate change. Ask yourself why you tackle work from a similar angle each time and consider more creative ways to conduct your day-to-day operations.

colleagues-looking-at-someones-laptop-with-curiosity-creative-skills

4 creative thinking examples to include on your resume

Employers want to add creative people to their teams because solving problems takes a lot of ingenuity. Use these four examples and bullet points for inspiration when listing creative thinking skills on your resume.

On a graphic designer’s resume:

Collaborated on rebranding [company’s] visual identity and social media content strategy
Developed unique and innovative branding material for [company A] , [company B] , and [company C]

On a copywriter’s resume:

Revised [company’s] website and blog content to be more engaging, exciting, and SEO-focused
Contributed original and innovative articles on [topic] to [publication A] and [publication B]

On a public relations specialist’s resume:

Increased [company’s] brand awareness by planning [event] to launch [product]
Collaborated with [brand] on [product’s] creative marketing strategy to reach a wider audience

On a teacher’s resume:

Developed a novel approach to teaching [subject or class] to students with various learning styles and needs
Introduced [extracurricular] , the first of its kind in [the school board] , to engage students in [activity]

Sharpen your creativity

Critical and creative thinking broaden your perspective and allow you to devise unique solutions to everyday problems. You can develop your creative skills by changing your environment, learning from others, and adjusting your approach to work.

Regardless of how you choose to spark creativity at work, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and confidently contribute your ideas. You never know — you might just come up with the next big company innovation.

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Elizabeth Perry

Content Marketing Manager, ACC

Self directed learning is the key to new skills and knowledge

How to develop critical thinking skills, 6 ways to leverage ai for hyper-personalized corporate learning, the power of professional learning communities, why asynchronous learning is the key to successful upskilling, the benefits of microlearning: learn big, study small, 8 creative solutions to your most challenging problems, is personal time off paid how to navigate employer pto plans, how to make yourself indispensable at work: pro tips, similar articles, 10 problem-solving strategies to turn challenges on their head, thinking outside the box: 8 ways to become a creative problem solver, what is creative thinking and why does it matter, what are professional skills, and which should you add to your resume, why creativity isn't just for creatives and how to find it anywhere, the pomodoro technique: how a break can improve productivity and well-being, professional leadership skills to incorporate on your resume, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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6 Essential Problem-Solving Skills You Need

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Regardless of your industry, addressing problems is a key part of any role. While technical expertise is essential in any position, complex problems require the right problem-solving skills . Like any kind of soft skill, problem-solving comes more naturally to some people than others, but it is also a skill that can be cultivated.

Developing certain problem-solving skills will equip you to face a diverse range of challenges, make you a valuable employee or business leader, and an attractive candidate to recruiters.

Read on to learn about the essential skills all professionals should cultivate, and how to improve problem-solving skills.

Key Problem-Solving Skills All Professionals Should Develop

1. analysis.

Identifying and analysing the problem is an essential part of developing a suitable solution. You can’t develop a strong strategy until you fully understand the problem, its root causes, and its impact on the company. Therefore, analytical abilities are an essential problem-solving skill that is vital for professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs across every industry.

Depending on your role and the problems you need to address, this could range from relatively-simple analytical skills to complex data analytics using the latest technologies.

2. Research

Research is another vital part of addressing challenges, making this an essential problem-solving skill. This skill allows you to dig deeper into an issue, better understand its causes and complexities, and discover existing solutions.

Research skills could help you uncover how your competitors successfully dealt with a similar issue or, conversely, failed approaches they used that you should avoid .

It can also allow you to come up with strategies to avoid similar problems occurring in the future.

3. Decision-Making Skills

Decision-making and problem-solving go hand in hand. A big part of ultimately addressing any challenge is developing and implementing the best strategy to resolve the issue. To do this, you need to be able to make decisions.

Decision-making is itself a complex set of skills. Being decisive means being prepared to take risks, and not being afraid to fail.

However, making strong decisions also necessitates a balanced approach that appropriately manages all of the risks involved and ultimately supports the company’s overall goals and objectives.

Given this set of complexities, cultivating this skill can take a fair amount of time and effort.

4. Creativity

Creativity is another critical problem-solving skill. Businesses are facing new and increasingly diverse challenges every day, and addressing them means coming up with new, innovative approaches. Therefore, thinking out of the box and coming up with creative solutions is essential.

While tried-and-tested methods have their merit, sometimes, the old ways of doing things simply don’t cut it, especially when faced with unprecedented challenges. Sometimes, the best solution is something that’s never been tried before. Therefore, developing the ability to think creatively and come up with new and innovative solutions is an essential part of problem-solving.

5. Communication

Communication is one of the most crucial soft skills that every company needs from their employees and executives. Furthermore, how well you communicate your ideas to your team, superiors, and stakeholders is an integral part of what makes you a skilled problem-solver.

It’s not just about communicating the problems, but also listening to feedback and potential solutions. Strong communication skills allow you to better understand the issue, develop more effective solutions, and ultimately convince decision-makers of their merit.

6. Teamwork

Finally, effective problem-solving means working closely with others. This may include not only your colleagues, but also stakeholders, clients, and even competitors, in order to identify and implement the best solution to any given problem.

This makes teamwork an essential problem-solving skill. Working with others is much more efficient, and allows you to draw on a range of ideas and capabilities to develop the best approach to deal with the problem. It also removes the burden of trying to find a solution alone.

How You Can Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

Some people seem to be natural problem solvers, but in reality, this is a set of skills that can be developed and honed. Improving your problem-solving requires time, dedication, and regular practice — especially hands-on experience.

Practical, hands-on courses like EDHEC Online MSc in International Business Management is ideal for helping you develop the skills essential for problem-solving . Our courses teach you about the latest approaches to business challenges. You’ll also work with your peers to address these problems in a real-world setting.

By learning how to improve problem-solving skills, you’ll be able to perform better in your current role and develop the abilities you need to progress in your career or transition to a new industry.

Take a look at EDHEC’s online programs to learn more about how you can build your problem-solving skills and a range of other critical business-oriented abilities.

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Why Problem-Solving Skills Are Essential for Leaders in Any Industry

Business man leading team in problem-solving exercise with white board

17 Jan 2023

Any organization offering a product or service is in the business of solving problems.

Whether providing medical care to address health issues or quick convenience to those hungry for dinner, a business’s purpose is to satisfy customer needs .

In addition to solving customers’ problems, you’ll undoubtedly encounter challenges within your organization as it evolves to meet customer needs. You’re likely to experience growing pains in the form of missed targets, unattained goals, and team disagreements.

Yet, the ubiquity of problems doesn’t have to be discouraging; with the right frameworks and tools, you can build the skills to solve consumers' and your organization’s most challenging issues.

Here’s a primer on problem-solving in business, why it’s important, the skills you need, and how to build them.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Problem-Solving in Business?

Problem-solving is the process of systematically removing barriers that prevent you or others from reaching goals.

Your business removes obstacles in customers’ lives through its products or services, just as you can remove obstacles that keep your team from achieving business goals.

Design Thinking

Design thinking , as described by Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar in the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , is a human-centered , solutions-based approach to problem-solving and innovation. Originally created for product design, design thinking’s use case has evolved . It’s now used to solve internal business problems, too.

The design thinking process has four stages :

Clarify: Clarify a problem through research and feedback from those impacted.
Ideate: Armed with new insights, generate as many solutions as possible.
Develop: Combine and cull your ideas into a short list of viable, feasible, and desirable options before building prototypes (if making physical products) and creating a plan of action (if solving an intangible problem).
Implement: Execute the strongest idea, ensuring clear communication with all stakeholders about its potential value and deliberate reasoning.

Using this framework, you can generate innovative ideas that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise.

Creative Problem-Solving

Another, less structured approach to challenges is creative problem-solving , which employs a series of exercises to explore open-ended solutions and develop new perspectives. This is especially useful when a problem’s root cause has yet to be defined.

You can use creative problem-solving tools in design thinking’s “ideate” stage, which include:

Brainstorming: Instruct everyone to develop as many ideas as possible in an allotted time frame without passing judgment.
Divergent thinking exercises: Rather than arriving at the same conclusion (convergent thinking), instruct everyone to come up with a unique idea for a given prompt (divergent thinking). This type of exercise helps avoid the tendency to agree with others’ ideas without considering alternatives.
Alternate worlds: Ask your team to consider how various personas would manage the problem. For instance, how would a pilot approach it? What about a young child? What about a seasoned engineer?

It can be tempting to fall back on how problems have been solved before, especially if they worked well. However, if you’re striving for innovation, relying on existing systems can stunt your company’s growth.

Related: How to Be a More Creative Problem-Solver at Work: 8 Tips

Why Is Problem-Solving Important for Leaders?

While obstacles’ specifics vary between industries, strong problem-solving skills are crucial for leaders in any field.

Whether building a new product or dealing with internal issues, you’re bound to come up against challenges. Having frameworks and tools at your disposal when they arise can turn issues into opportunities.

As a leader, it’s rarely your responsibility to solve a problem single-handedly, so it’s crucial to know how to empower employees to work together to find the best solution.

Your job is to guide them through each step of the framework and set the parameters and prompts within which they can be creative. Then, you can develop a list of ideas together, test the best ones, and implement the chosen solution.

Related: 5 Design Thinking Skills for Business Professionals

4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need

1. problem framing.

One key skill for any leader is framing problems in a way that makes sense for their organization. Problem framing is defined in Design Thinking and Innovation as determining the scope, context, and perspective of the problem you’re trying to solve.

“Before you begin to generate solutions for your problem, you must always think hard about how you’re going to frame that problem,” Datar says in the course.

For instance, imagine you work for a company that sells children’s sneakers, and sales have plummeted. When framing the problem, consider:

What is the children’s sneaker market like right now?
Should we improve the quality of our sneakers?
Should we assess all children’s footwear?
Is this a marketing issue for children’s sneakers specifically?
Is this a bigger issue that impacts how we should market or produce all footwear?

While there’s no one right way to frame a problem, how you do can impact the solutions you generate. It’s imperative to accurately frame problems to align with organizational priorities and ensure your team generates useful ideas for your firm.

To solve a problem, you need to empathize with those impacted by it. Empathy is the ability to understand others’ emotions and experiences. While many believe empathy is a fixed trait, it’s a skill you can strengthen through practice.

When confronted with a problem, consider whom it impacts. Returning to the children’s sneaker example, think of who’s affected:

Your organization’s employees, because sales are down
The customers who typically buy your sneakers
The children who typically wear your sneakers

Empathy is required to get to the problem’s root and consider each group’s perspective. Assuming someone’s perspective often isn’t accurate, so the best way to get that information is by collecting user feedback.

For instance, if you asked customers who typically buy your children’s sneakers why they’ve stopped, they could say, “A new brand of children’s sneakers came onto the market that have soles with more traction. I want my child to be as safe as possible, so I bought those instead.”

When someone shares their feelings and experiences, you have an opportunity to empathize with them. This can yield solutions to their problem that directly address its root and shows you care. In this case, you may design a new line of children’s sneakers with extremely grippy soles for added safety, knowing that’s what your customers care most about.

Related: 3 Effective Methods for Assessing Customer Needs

3. Breaking Cognitive Fixedness

Cognitive fixedness is a state of mind in which you examine situations through the lens of past experiences. This locks you into one mindset rather than allowing you to consider alternative possibilities.

For instance, your cognitive fixedness may make you think rubber is the only material for sneaker treads. What else could you use? Is there a grippier alternative you haven’t considered?

Problem-solving is all about overcoming cognitive fixedness. You not only need to foster this skill in yourself but among your team.

4. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment

As a leader, it’s your job to create an environment conducive to problem-solving. In a psychologically safe environment, all team members feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table, which are likely influenced by their personal opinions and experiences.

If employees are penalized for “bad” ideas or chastised for questioning long-held procedures and systems, innovation has no place to take root.

By employing the design thinking framework and creative problem-solving exercises, you can foster a setting in which your team feels comfortable sharing ideas and new, innovative solutions can grow.

Design Thinking and Innovation | Uncover creative solutions to your business problems | Learn More

How to Build Problem-Solving Skills

The most obvious answer to how to build your problem-solving skills is perhaps the most intimidating: You must practice.

Again and again, you’ll encounter challenges, use creative problem-solving tools and design thinking frameworks, and assess results to learn what to do differently next time.

While most of your practice will occur within your organization, you can learn in a lower-stakes setting by taking an online course, such as Design Thinking and Innovation . Datar guides you through each tool and framework, presenting real-world business examples to help you envision how you would approach the same types of problems in your organization.

Are you interested in uncovering innovative solutions for your organization’s business problems? Explore Design Thinking and Innovation —one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses —to learn how to leverage proven frameworks and tools to solve challenges. Not sure which course is right for you? Download our free flowchart .

About the Author

Problem-solving in Leadership: How to Master the 5 Key Skills

The role of problem-solving in enhancing team morale, the right approach to problem-solving in leadership, developing problem-solving skills in leadership, leadership problem-solving examples.

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What’s the Role of Problem-solving in Leadership?

Getting to the root of the issue: First, Sarah starts by looking at the numbers for the past few months. She identifies the products for which sales are falling. She then attempts to correlate it with the seasonal nature of consumption or if there is any other cause hiding behind the numbers.
Identifying the sources of the problem: In the next step, Sarah attempts to understand why sales are falling. Is it the entry of a new competitor in the next neighborhood, or have consumption preferences changed over time? She asks some of her present and past customers for feedback to get more ideas.
Putting facts on the table: Next up, Sarah talks to her sales team to understand their issues. They could be lacking training or facing heavy workloads, impacting their productivity. Together, they come up with a few ideas to improve sales.
Selection and application: Finally, Sarah and her team pick up a few ideas to work on after analyzing their costs and benefits. They ensure adequate resources, and Sarah provides support by guiding them wherever needed during the planning and execution stage.
Identifying the root cause of the problem.
Brainstorming possible solutions.
Evaluating those solutions to select the best one.
Implementing it.

Analytical thinking: Analytical thinking skills refer to a leader’s abilities that help them analyze, study, and understand complex problems. It allows them to dive deeper into the issues impacting their teams and ensures that they can identify the causes accurately.
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking skills ensure leaders can think beyond the obvious. They enable leaders to question assumptions, break free from biases, and analyze situations and facts for accuracy.
Creativity: Problems are often not solved straightaway. Leaders need to think out of the box and traverse unconventional routes. Creativity lies at the center of this idea of thinking outside the box and creating pathways where none are apparent.
Decision-making: Cool, you have three ways to go. But where to head? That’s where decision-making comes into play – fine-tuning analysis and making the choices after weighing the pros and cons well.
Effective Communication: Last but not at the end lies effective communication that brings together multiple stakeholders to solve a problem. It is an essential skill to collaborate with all the parties in any issue. Leaders need communication skills to share their ideas and gain support for them.

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Master the art of constructive feedback by reviewing your skills with a free assessment now.

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What Are Problem-Solving Skills, and How Do I Put Them on My Resume?

No matter what career you pursue, a problem-solving resume will always be valued by an employer. Companies want to hire people who can think creatively, break down problems into smaller parts, and come up with an effective solution to these problems.

As a result, knowing how to list problem-solving skills on your resume can be beneficial in your career search. It will help set you apart from all the other candidates out there and show off some of your soft skills to an employer. Other than problem-solving, these key skills include critical thinking, communication skills, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.

Find your bootcamp match

In this guide, we examine what problem-solving skills are, why they are valued by employers, and how you can list them on your resume. It is important to note that, while strong problem-solving skills will help you find employment in any field, you may also require certain technical skills. For example, if you want to work in the tech industry, free coding bootcamps are an ideal way to quickly learn both problem-solving abilities and technical skills.

Problem-solving skills are the traits that allow you to identify problems and solve them efficiently and effectively. Problem-solving skills fall under the category of soft skills along with communication skills, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, and adaptability, to name a few.

Every day we encounter problems, whether at work or at home. For example, we may have to figure out how to travel to work if our regular commute is closed. Or we may have to identify ways to free up time on our schedule so that we can meet a deadline that we thought was tomorrow. Problem-solving abilities will help you find viable solutions for these challenges.

To be a good problem solver, you need to have a wide range of skills and a strong work ethic. You need to be good at analyzing problems. You also need to be capable of coming up with creative solutions and doing so with business constraints like capital and the limits of team members. Here is a list of a few problem-solving skills that are highly valued by employers:

Decision-making

Why Do Employers Value Problem-Solving Skills?

Businesses encounter problems every day. A sales department may be struggling to reach its goals, and wonder how it can catch up. An office supplies delivery may have been missed, which leaves some workers without paper supplies.

As a result, employers value job seekers who can solve problems. Employers want to hire people who can come up with solutions to the types of problems that are likely to come up in their job. You should be able to understand the nature of a problem, how it affects a business, and work either independently or as part of a team to come up with a solution.

What Are Some Examples of Problem-Solving Skills?

A man in front of a laptop using his problem solving skills

While you could list “able to solve problems” or “problem solver” on your resume, this is not a very accurate description of all the skills that make up the problem-solving process. Any worker that a business will hire should be capable of solving problems—that doesn’t set you apart from the crowd.

A problem-solving resume should be specific when it comes to listing these skills. Furthermore, you should include a wide variety of problem-solving skills examples. Here are some problem-solving examples that you can list on your resume:

#1: Analysis

The first step in solving any problem is to identify the exact issue that you are dealing with. This is crucial because if you don’t correctly identify a problem, it is very difficult to come up with an effective solution.

Once you have identified the problem you want to solve, you need to analyze it. This will involve using your analytical skills to understand why the problem has arisen and to determine what courses of action you can take to solve the problem. Analysis is an excellent example of problem-solving skills.

#2: Evaluation

When you are coming up with solutions to a problem, you may identify a few potential courses of action. This is because most problems don’t have an obvious solution—there are many ways you can address them.

To be a good problem solver, you need to be capable of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of pursuing a particular solution to a problem. For instance, you may need to evaluate whether a solution can be implemented quickly enough to be effective, or whether the business can afford to implement the solution you are considering.

In addition, you should also be able to evaluate the impact of your decisions after they have been made. Have your decisions led to the success that you expected? If a decision did not turn out in the way that you expected, why was that the case?

#3: Communication

Many of the problems that you’ll face in your job will require input from other team members. Suppose you are working on a team project and have a problem to solve. You would need to communicate that problem to all members of your team and work with them to come up with a solution.

If you are not able to communicate clearly, different members of the team may walk away with a different understanding of the problem. This could lead to confusion down the line, and make it more difficult to implement a solution.

#4: Decision-Making

Planning out how you are going to solve a problem can only take you so far. At some point, you’ll need to decide on how you are going to solve the problem. You should be able to use your evaluation skills to decide which solution to a problem is best.

You should also be capable of working with others and using their experience to better understand all the solutions you could use to address a particular problem. Then, once you have found a good solution, you should be able to implement it.

#5: Creativity

Some problems that you encounter will require creative solutions. This is because many problems have limitations within which your solutions must fall. For instance, you may be asked to come up with a solution within a budget, or you may be told that the business can only afford to delegate one team member to solve a problem.

Good problem solvers are capable of thinking outside of the box to arrive at the best solution for a problem. This will involve working with others to understand what has been tried before, and exploring new and novel approaches to problems. This methodical approach to problem-solving is ideal if you are a critical thinker.

How to List Problem-Solving Skills on Your Resume

A person doing math holding a calculator and a pen

You must know how to list problem-solving skills on your resume. These skills are a valuable addition to any resume. By knowing how to demonstrate problem-solving skills on your resume, you can better articulate the potential value you can add to a team and ace your job interview.

But, before you add problem-solving skills to your resume, you should ask if it is relevant to the position for which you are applying by checking the job description. Jobs such as programmers, accountants, and customer service representatives, for instance, all involve a high degree of problem-solving in their day-to-day duties.

There are two places you can list your problem-solving skills on your resume. First, you can list them in your skills section. This is where you list all your skills, whether they are technical skills or soft skills, in an orderly fashion. For instance, if you are applying for a job as a full stack web developer, you could use the following list of skills on your resume:

Full stack web developer skills: Creative thinking, problem-solving, proficient in HTML , CSS, JavaScript, and Ruby on Rails, good at working on teams.

Alternatively, you could list your problem-solving skills in the “experience” section of your resume, where you list your previous roles. While you may not explicitly mention “problem-solving” in this section, you can use some of the keywords we discussed earlier to highlight your experience using this skill.

The following is a good example of how to highlight problem-solving skills on your resume by using the “experience” section of your resume:

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

J&J Fast Food

District Manager

2014 – 2019

Averaged 30% annual revenue growth in home district.
Used analysis skills to plan out a sales campaign that helped attract younger customers to our stores.
Led the design and introduction of a new monthly inventory model for seven stores.

In this example, the candidate has mentioned that they have experience using “analysis” skills. Furthermore, their leading an initiative implies that they have experience implementing solutions to a problem.

Problem-Solving Skills: Resume Examples

Continue reading as we examine some more problem-solving skills examples for your resume. This first problem-solving resume example is for a video editing job. While a job like this requires advanced technical skills, problem-solving skills are just as important. You can use the “skills” section of your resume to showcase both technical and soft skills.

Advanced knowledge of Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere . Can use advanced editing features and tools for quick decision-making. These programs allow for creative problem-solving.
Working with clients . Experience and knowledge of video editing terms and practices to communicate clearly with clients in an easy-to-understand manner.
Ability to work under pressure . Video editing is a high-pressure job with tight deadlines. Completing past projects has led to a strong ability to work under pressure.
Collaboration . Video editing requires collaborating with a variety of industries and employees. Teamwork is key to quickly solving problems and meeting deadlines.

This second problem-solving resume example is for a sales assistant position at a video game store. Sales assistants spend their time interacting with customers, and therefore, must have strong communication skills. The “experience” section of your resume is an ideal place to showcase previous experience you have working with customers.

2015–2017

Dealt with customers daily.
Answered customer queries on the telephone.
Listened to and responded to customer complaints.
Helped customers choose the right products for them.
Worked as part of a team.
Recommended products to order based on customer feedback.
Demonstrated quick and on-the-spot decision-making.
Key responsibilities such as cashing out at the end of the day and handling customer orders.

Problem-Solving Skills for Cover Letter

Writing a strong cover letter is a great way to impress employers. Knowing how to add problem-solving skills to your cover letter is one of the best ways to do this. No matter what job you are applying for, problem-solving skills will be vital.

Adding problem-solving skills to your cover letter is easy, as you can use skills you have learned from previous work experience, education, or personal development. Most job descriptions will list specific traits and skills required. This will typically include problem-solving skills of some kind.

This next section will look at two examples of cover letters with problem-solving skills to help you land your dream job. As you will see, it is easy to add several problem-solving skills to a cover letter, as these skills are common in everyday use.

Problem-Solving Skills: Cover Letter Examples

This first problem-solving skills cover letter example is for an audio-visual technician role at Revolution Technologies. The job description indicates the need for technical skills and previous experience. It also mentions that the company requires a team player and a dependable employee. In this cover letter, problem-solving skills are showcased using a story from a previous audio technician job.

During my time at Five-Star Audio Visual, I worked full-time as an audio technician. I was part of a core team of five other employees who I worked closely with to help meet client expectations, analyze potential technical issues, and organize frequent events.

Being part of a team helped me to grow as a person and improve my technical learning. I worked under experienced audio technicians, event managers, and production managers. As such, my communication and decision-making skills vastly improved. I also found that working under tight deadlines helped me to deal with high-pressure situations.

The second example is for a senior analyst position at Magellan Health. The job description highlights many problem-solving skills requirements such as critical thinking, analysis, and organizational skills. Furthermore, a senior role like this requires strong leadership skills. In this example, skills learned from a data analytics bootcamp are used.

I recently completed the data analytics bootcamp program at Ironhack. During my studies, I collaborated with my peers on several projects. We used our analytical skills and critical thinking skills to identify and solve problems. Furthermore, we learned in-demand technical skills such as Git, Python, and SQL. This program was fast-paced and intense, which helped me to work quickly under pressure, both independently and as part of a team.

How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

Not only should you know how to include them on your resume, but you must learn how to improve your problem-solving skills. The more problem-solving skills you can learn the better, as they can be applied to suit any job or situation. You should do your best to maintain, practice, and improve problem-solving skills as often as possible.

Learning how to improve problem-solving skills in the workplace will lead to better job opportunities and an increased salary. By listing problem-solving skills on your resume, you may land your dream job. However, to keep this job and advance up the career ladder, it is vital you understand how to improve your problem-solving skills.

Acquire More Technical knowledge in Your Field

There are plenty of free resources where you can improve technical knowledge in your field. Alternatively, you can earn an additional degree. For example, if you have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science , you may wish to improve your tech knowledge by enrolling in a master’s program or certificate program.

Acquiring more technical knowledge will boost and improve your problem-solving skills. Technical skills training, such as coding, for example, is a great way to boost your critical thinking skills. Managerial training is excellent if you want to improve your communication and leadership skills. Higher education programs typically require collaborative work, which is excellent for improving your teamwork skills.

Seek Out Opportunities to Problem Solve

You can seek out opportunities to problem solve in your place of work or everyday life. This can be something as simple as asking those in your household if they need help with anything. You can also speak to friends or colleagues and find out if they have any problems that need solving.

The more problems you help solve, the better your problem-solving skills will develop. You might also find that you are seeking out problem-solving opportunities that are not part of your own skillset. This is a vital part of self-development and professional development, and will ultimately lead to job opportunities.

Do Practice Problems

You can use practice problems to work on and improve your problem-solving skills. This can be done at any time. For example, if you have a long commute to work, you can use this time to do practice problems. These problems can be based on past experiences where you had to problem-solve or on fictional problems.

You might find it helps to write the problems and solutions out, but you can also do it in your head. If you find there is a particularly difficult problem at work, you can use this practice to explore a variety of solutions and options. You can also work on practice problems with other people, which will have the added benefit of building teamwork and communication.

Observe How Others Problem Solve

One of the best ways to learn anything in life is to see how others do it. If you have the benefit of working with a particularly skilled employer, you can take advantage of their problem-solving skills by watching how they work and the methods they use. Students can often learn from their peers or instructors.

It is important to ask questions too. While simply observing how others solve problems is hugely beneficial, asking questions will help clarify their methods and techniques. You can also observe problem-solving in your everyday life if you pay close attention to your surroundings.

Why Is Problem-Solving Important in the Workplace?

You cannot underestimate the importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace. No matter what job you do, problems will arise. Being able to efficiently solve these problems is vital if you want to climb the job ladder, earn more money, and impress your employers. Furthermore, being able to problem-solve will make you less reliant on others for help which is another reason why problem-solving is important in the workplace.

Climb the corporate ladder . Problem-solving is a great way to impress your employee and climb the ladder. If you want to earn a promotion at work, you can use learned and improved problem-solving skills to ace the interview.
Earn more money . You can use problem-solving skills to help the company you work for make more money. This in turn can lead to a salary increase.
Team player. Strong problem-solving skills can make you a better team player. Working well as part of a team is vital in most careers.
Meet deadlines. Some jobs have very tight and strict deadlines. Strong problem-solving is key to quickly solving solutions to meet deadlines.

Should You Learn How to List Problem-Solving Skills on Your Resume?

Yes, you should learn how to list problem-solving skills on your resume because every job requires problem-solving. These skills demonstrate that you are able to tackle the inevitable challenges that will come up in your job effectively. Soft skills, such as problem-solving, are often taught at universities, colleges, and bootcamps. However, you will develop problem-solving skills in all walks of life.

By following the advice in this article, you’ll have no trouble listing your problem-solving skills on your resume. These may just be the skills that help you convince your dream employer to reach out and schedule an interview with you!

How to List Problem-Solving Skills on Resume FAQ

Yes, you need to list problem-solving skills on your resume if you want the best chance of getting the job. For some jobs, problem-solving skills will be vital, and the more of these skills you can include on your resume the better. More technical jobs, like computer programmers, will need to list problem-solving skills on their resume, along with any technical training.

You can learn problem-solving skills anywhere. If you want formal training, most universities will offer soft skills training, which covers problem-solving. You will encounter problem-solving in everyday activities as well in the workplace.

Some examples of problem-solving skills include critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, creative thinking, and decision-making. These key skills will help you improve your performance in interviews and help you attain future career opportunities.

Other skills that employers look for include technical skills, project management skills, operational skills, creativity skills, organization skills, deductive reasoning, customer service skills, math skills, and quantitative skills. Highly developed problem-solving skills are essential, but you should read the job posting carefully to ensure you tick any other boxes required.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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Strategies to develop problem-solving skills in students.

November 14, 2023

OWIS Nanyang | Secondary Students in Maths Lesson | Problem-Solving Skills | International School in Singapore

Students need the freedom to brainstorm, develop solutions and make mistakes — this is truly the only way to prepare them for life outside the classroom. When students are immersed in a learning environment that only offers them step-by-step guides and encourages them to focus solely on memorisation, they are not gaining the skills necessary to help them navigate in the complex, interconnected environment of the real world.

Choosing a school that emphasises the importance of future-focussed skills will ensure your child has the abilities they need to survive and thrive anywhere in the world. What are future-focussed skills? Students who are prepared for the future need to possess highly developed communication skills, self-management skills, research skills, thinking skills, social skills and problem-solving skills. In this blog, I would like to focus on problem-solving skills.

The Forage defines problem-solving skills as those that allow an individual to identify a problem, come up with solutions, analyse the options and collaborate to find the best solution for the issue.

Importance of Problem-Solving in the Classroom Setting

Learning how to solve problems effectively and positively is a crucial part of child development. When children are allowed to solve problems in a classroom setting, they can test those skills in a safe and nurturing environment. Generally, when they face age-appropriate issues, they can begin building those skills in a healthy and positive manner.

Without exposure to challenging situations and scenarios, children will not be equipped with the foundational problem-solving skills needed to tackle complex issues in the real world. Experts predict that problem-solving skills will eventually be more sought after in job applicants than hard skills related to that specific profession. Students must be given opportunities in school to resolve conflicts, address complex problems and come up with their own solutions in order to develop these skills.

Benefits of Problem-Solving Skills for Students

Learning how to solve problems offers students many advantages, such as:

Improving Academic Results

When students have a well-developed set of problem-solving skills, they are often better critical and analytical thinkers as well. They are able to effectively use these 21st-century skills when completing their coursework, allowing them to become more successful in all academic areas. By prioritising problem-solving strategies in the classroom, teachers often find that academic performance improves.

Developing Confidence

Giving students the freedom to solve problems and create their own solutions is essentially permitting them to make their own choices. This sense of independence — and the natural resilience that comes with it — allows students to become confident learners who aren’t intimidated by new or challenging situations. Ultimately, this prepares them to take on more complex challenges in the future, both on a professional and social level.

Preparing Students for Real-World Challenges

The challenges we are facing today are only growing more complex, and by the time students have graduated, they are going to be facing issues that we may not even have imagined. By arming them with real-world problem-solving experience, they will not feel intimidated or stifled by those challenges; they will be excited and ready to address them. They will know how to discuss their ideas with others, respect various perspectives and collaborate to develop a solution that best benefits everyone involved.

The Best Problem-Solving Strategies for Students

No single approach or strategy will instil a set of problem-solving skills in students. Every child is different, so educators should rely on a variety of strategies to develop this core competency in their students. It is best if these skills are developed naturally.

These are some of the best strategies to support students problem-solving skills:

Project-Based Learning

By providing students with project-based learning experiences and allowing plenty of time for discussion, educators can watch students put their problem-solving skills into action inside their classrooms. This strategy is one of the most effective ways to fine-tune problem-solving skills in students. During project-based learning, teachers may take notes on how the students approach a problem and then offer feedback to students for future development. Teachers can address their observations of interactions during project-based learning at the group level or they can work with students on an individual basis to help them become more effective problem-solvers.

Encourage Discussion and Collaboration in the Classroom Setting

Another strategy to encourage the development of problem-solving skills in students is to allow for plenty of discussion and collaboration in the classroom setting. When students interact with one another, they are naturally developing problem solving skills. Rather than the teacher delivering information and requiring the students to passively receive information, students can share thoughts and ideas with one another. Getting students to generate their own discussion and communication requires thinking skills.

Utilising an Inquiry-Based approach to Learning

Students should be presented with situations in which their curiosity is sparked and they are motivated to inquire further. Teachers should ask open-ended questions and encourage students to develop responses which require problem-solving. By providing students with complex questions for which a variety of answers may be correct, teachers get students to consider different perspectives and deal with potential disagreement, which requires problem-solving skills to resolve.

Model Appropriate Problem-Solving Skills

One of the simplest ways to instil effective problem-solving skills in students is to model appropriate and respectful strategies and behaviour when resolving a conflict or addressing an issue. Teachers can showcase their problem-solving skills by:

Identifying a problem when they come across one for the class to see
Brainstorming possible solutions with students
Collaborating with students to decide on the best solution
Testing that solution and examining the results with the students
Adapting as necessary to improve results or achieve the desired goal

Prioritise Student Agency in Learning

Recent research shows that self-directed learning is one of the most effective ways to nurture 21st-century competency development in young learners. Learning experiences that encourage student agency often require problem-solving skills. When creativity and innovation are needed, students often encounter unexpected problems along the way that must be solved. Through self-directed learning, students experience challenges in a natural situation and can fine-tune their problem-solving skills along the way. Self-directed learning provides them with a foundation in problem-solving that they can build upon in the future, allowing them to eventually develop more advanced and impactful problem-solving skills for real life.

21st-Century Skill Development at OWIS Singapore

Problem-solving has been identified as one of the core competencies that young learners must develop to be prepared to meet the dynamic needs of a global environment. At OWIS Singapore, we have implemented an inquiry-driven, skills-based curriculum that allows students to organically develop critical future-ready skills — including problem-solving. Our hands-on approach to education enables students to collaborate, explore, innovate, face-challenges, make mistakes and adapt as necessary. As such, they learn problem-solving skills in an authentic manner.

For more information about 21st-century skill development, schedule a campus tour today.

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How to List Problem-Solving Skills on a Resume [List Included]

Problem-solving skills are more in-demand than ever.

Employers love candidates with problem-solving skills because, in 99% of cases, they guarantee you're also logical, creative, clear-headed, and a great decision-maker.

But claiming you have organizational skills on your resume is not enough.

To impress recruiters, you've got to prove that you possess them.

This includes understanding which problem-solving skills you possess and adding them to your resume (the right way), among other things.

This is where this article comes in! We put together everything you need to know about problem-solving skills, including:

8 Essential Problem-Solving Skills for Your Resume

How to Add Problem-Solving Skills to Your Resume

Why Are Problem-Solving Skills Important
6 Problem-Solving Steps

Let's dive right in!

8 Problem-Solving Skills for Your Resume

Research shows that problem-solving skills consist of several facets :

Identifying and analyzing a problem
Taking effective actions
Understanding the effect of the decisions
Coming up with creative and novel solutions
Transferring knowledge from one situation to another
Thinking abstractly about problems

As such, there is no single problem-solving skill. Problem-solving includes a set of skills, all of which are equally important in helping your personal and professional life.

Below, we’ll cover the eight most important problem-solving skills that you can also list on your resume to impress recruiters:

#1. Research skills

To properly identify and understand a problem, you need excellent research skills.

Research skills involve being able to gather information from the right sources, reviewing that information in detail to extract the data you need, analyzing the data according to the context, and being able to apply the data to your situation.

#2. Analytical skills

Analytical skills are required throughout the entire process of solving a problem.

In a nutshell, analytical skills refer to being able to analyze a situation in depth and from different perspectives . Specifically, you need analytical skills to achieve all of the following while solving a problem:

Detect patterns
Interpret data
Analyze new information
Reach conclusions based on several factors

#3. Creativity

Being creative means being able to think outside of the box and look at situations and problems inventively.

For most people, creativity is mainly associated with creative industries such as arts and crafts, architecture, design, etc.

In reality, however, creativity is an essential success factor for every job and the data is here to support that. According to this Adobe study , problem-solving (51%) and creativity (47%) have gained the most value in driving salary increases in the last five years.

When it comes to the process of solving a problem, creativity can help you consider more perspectives, think abstractly about problems, and come up with novel solutions that others haven’t thought of before.

#4. Critical thinking skills

Being able to think critically means that you’re good at rationalizing, understanding the connections between ideas or situations, and logically analyzing any given situation.

As such, strong critical thinking skills can help you see beyond what’s at face value, make more informed decisions, and anticipate the outcomes of said decisions.

People who have critical thinking skills share traits such as open-mindedness , cognitive flexibility , skepticism , clarity , and precision .

#5. Decision-making skills

Before coming up with a single action plan to solve a problem, you’ll need to first brainstorm several possible solutions.

After that, you need good decision-making skills to choose the best possible solution. Without decision-making skills, you risk prolonging finding a proper solution or aggravating a problem even more.

#6. Communication skills

With strong communication skills , you’re able to successfully explain the problem to others and propose your solutions. In turn, you can be sure that everyone’s on the same page and that you’re carrying out the action plan accordingly.

Some communication skills required for problem-solving include:

Written and verbal communication
Giving and receiving feedback

#7. Collaboration

Problem-solving is rarely a process you carry out alone. More often than not, you need to consult relevant stakeholders, give and receive feedback, and work with a team towards a common goal (i.e. solving the problem).

Well, collaboration entails exactly that - working well with others, cooperatively addressing problems, and putting a group’s goal ahead of personal goals.

Some important collaboration skills that help with problem-solving include:

Conflict resolution
Emotional intelligence

#8. Attention to Detail

Have you ever heard of the expression “the devil’s in the details?”

It means that something may seem simple on the surface, but in fact, the details make it complicated and are likely to cause problems.

Well, if you’re someone who shows great attention to detail, you’re not likely to let details keep you from solving a problem effectively.

Not to mention, being able to spot and understand even the smallest details that make up a problem means you’ll be able to grasp the issue in its entire complexity and come up with even more inventive and workable solutions.

Now that we covered the most important problem-solving skills, we’ll show you how to add them to your resume so that you can stand out from other candidates.

Let us walk you through the process, step-by-step:

#1. Mention Your Problem-Solving Skills on Your Resume Summary

The resume summary is a three or four-sentence paragraph positioned at the top of your resume that includes:

Your profession and years of experience
Your top skills (i.e. hard skills or soft skills)
One or two noteworthy achievements

The goal of the resume summary is to catch the hiring manager’s attention, show them you’re a relevant candidate and get them to go through the rest of your resume in detail.

As such, it’s your first chance to highlight your problem-solving skills effectively. You can either do that by mentioning them among your top skills or by mentioning an achievement that proves you possess a given skill.

In the best-case scenario, you can even do both.

Here is an example of how you can include problem-solving skills in your resume summary:

Behavioral psychologist with 7+ years of experience in the field. Great research, analytical, and communication skills. Over the last eight years, I’ve worked closely with more than 100 patients with different behavioral disorders, helping them improve their personal and professional lives through different treatment methods.

#2. Add the RIGHT Problem-Solving Skills Under Your Soft Skills

Secondly, you should list your problem-solving skills under your resume’s soft skills section .

The listing part is pretty easy - simply create a section titled Skills and write down your problem-solving skills.

There is, however, one caveat:

You don’t want to overkill your skills section by listing every problem-solving skill we covered in this article.

Not only will the hiring manager have trouble believing you possess each and every skill, but there’s also a high chance you don’t even need all those skills to begin with.

To make your skills section as relevant as possile, do the following:

Check the job description. The job description can show you exactly what skills you need for the job. If you’re applying for, say, a software engineering position, you’ll probably be required to have the following problem-solving skills: analytical skills, creativity, attention to detail, and cognitive flexibility.
Identify the skills you possess. Think about which skills you can back up with actual experience from your previous jobs. Only list problem-solving skills that you actually possess and that you can prove you possess on your resume.
Add those skills under your soft skills. Then, add the problem-solving skills that you have and that are required in the job under your resume’s “Soft Skills” section.

#3. Prove Your Problem-Solving Skills In Your Work Experience Section

Finally, you should use the work experience section to prove that you’ve got the problem-solving skills you’ve mentioned throughout your resume.

Anyone can just claim that they’ve got problem-solving skills on their resume - not everyone can back them up with experience.

Here’s what you can do to convey that you possess problem-solving skills and also make your work experience section as impactful as possible:

Tailor your work experience to the job. Only add past jobs that are relevant to the position you are applying for now. If you’re applying for, say, a software engineering position, the hiring manager will be interested in your previous jobs in the field, but probably not too interested in the time you worked as a server at a restaurant.
Focus on your achievements instead of your responsibilities. More often than not, hiring managers know exactly what your responsibilities consisted of in previous jobs. What they want to know is how you made a positive impact with your achievements.
Make your achievements quantifiable. Speaking of achievements, you want to make them as quantifiable as possible. After all “treated ten patients in the course of a year using positive reinforcement” sounds much better than “treated ten patients.”
Use the Laszlo Bock formula . If you’re having trouble phrasing your achievements, the following formula will probably be of help: “Accomplished X as measured by Y doing X.”
Leverage action verbs and keywords. There are hundreds of words and verbs you can use instead of “did,” “accomplished,” etc. The more descriptive you are of your achievements, the more impressive they can sound.

And here’s an example of a project manager describing their problem-solving skills in their work experience section:

Fixed company communication issues by implementing a new project management solution.
Improved team productivity by implementing time-tracking software and doing daily stand-up calls.
Managed to meet all client deliverable deadlines in 2022.

Why Are Problem-Solving Skills Important?

Are you wondering what exactly is it that makes problem-solving skills so important?

After all, there are hundreds of soft skills out there that you can master, improve, or learn how to add to your resume. So it’s normal to wonder “why should I focus on problem-solving?”

Here is why problem-solving skills matter:

They can improve your employability. Problem-solving skills are among the most important skills to employers across a range of occupations. In short, employers are always looking for proactive thinkers who can address professional challenges.
They can help you grow in your career more easily. You’ll be more likely to get promoted if you can come up with creative solutions to the different problems that you’ll face throughout your career.
They can become an essential part of your personal brand . Your current employer, coworkers, and future employers alike will see you as someone creative, reliable, and helpful.
They are related to a range of other valuable skills. When you prove you’re a problem solver, you’re effectively saying you’re attentive to detail, logical, creative, analytical, curious, and other things employers are looking for in their employees.

10 Jobs That Require Problem-Solving Skills

As we’ve already mentioned, problem-solving skills come in handy for practically every job.

Whether you’re a teacher who needs to solve a dispute between peers in your class or a customer representative who needs to help a client, knowing how to go about solving issues is definitely an asset.

That said, some jobs are all about solving problems. In such cases, problem-solving skills are not just a nice addition to have on your resume - they’re crucial to getting hired.

Here are the top 10 jobs requiring problem-solving skills in 2024:

Software engineer
Air-traffic controller
Police officer
Social worker
Psychologist
UX designer

35 Action Verbs You Can Use to Highlight Your Problem-Solving Skills

The language you use to describe your problem-solving skills matters.

Sure, you can use “ solved” to describe how you dealt with a problem throughout your entire resume and risk coming off as repetitive and unimaginative.

Or , you can use any of the following action verbs and keywords and make your problem-solving skills pop out in the eyes of recruiters:

Calculate
Critically think
Draw conclusions
Experiment
Listen/Listen actively

The Problem-Solving Process in 6 Steps

Problem-solving is a methodical process. It consists of certain steps that you always need to take if you want to find a good solution.

The more you understand and practice this process, the better you can get at solving problems.

Below, we cover the six main steps of problem-solving in detail:

#1. Identify the problem

The first step to solving a problem is identifying exactly what’s causing it.

After all, if you’re not focusing on the real underlying issue, you might come up with solutions that don’t fit the problem itself.

Say, for example, that you’re a teacher that’s facing poor class performance. Identifying whether the problem comes from the students’ not studying enough or from your own teaching methods can make a big difference in the solutions you come up with.

It typically happens that the faster you find the root cause of the problem, the easier it is to find a proper solution.

#2. Understand the problem

Once you identify the problem, you’ve got to understand it completely. Here are some questions you can ask to make sure you properly understand a problem:

What is the scale of the problem?
What are its short and long-term effects?
Have you faced something like this before?
Can the problem be solved by dividing it into smaller parts?

The better you understand the problem in its complexity, the more likely you are to come up with effective solutions.

#3. Research the systems that make up the problem

In many cases, solving a problem will be a complex undertaking. See, complex problems are often the result of several different underlying systems that you need to understand to find a dynamic solution.

Let’s take the teacher example from above.

If a certain student is not doing too well and keeps getting poor grades, you might be tempted to go the easy route and simply chastise them and tell them to study more.

This, in a lot of cases, might simply not work because you’re not addressing the root cause of the problem.

The student might, for example, be burned out , unmotivated by the curriculum, or simply struggling with specific topics.

A problem-solving solution that’s more likely to work would be to talk to the student (or their parents), try to understand the reason for their poor grades, and address the root cause behind the problem itself.

#4. Visualize the problem

This may not apply to all situations, but it can definitely come in handy for most.

Drawing a diagram to visualize the situation or your solution to the problem can help you grasp its complexity better - especially if the problem is multi-faceted. Anything from PowerPoint to a piece of white paper can be a good tool to visualize your problem, highlight the problem area, and tackle it more effectively.

#5. Brainstorm solutions

After you’ve done all the above, it’s time to start thinking about solutions.

This is another step of the problem-solving process that’s based on collaboration and effective communication. In the brainstorming phase, you should sit with team members or relevant stakeholders and come up with as many creative ideas and solutions as possible.

This is not where you come up with your most refined, well-thought-out ideas. Instead, it’s where you discuss freely and combine diverse knowledge and analysis of the problem to come up with diverse solutions.

Brainstorming is an essential part of problem-solving that can help you break out of boring or predictable ideas and thinking patterns.

#6. Choose the best answer(s)

This is where decision-making skills come in. With a list of different potential solutions, you can narrow down your options to finally choose the best one.

To reach a solution more easily, take the following into consideration:

Your company’s/organization’s objectives
The budget and the timeframe at your disposal
The success outcomes
Potential risks linked to the solution

Finally, discuss your solutions with relevant stakeholders and team members to gather all the possible feedback that can help you make the best possible decision.

And remember - once you’ve chosen the best possible solution to a problem, your work is far from over. Being a problem solver also includes the following:

Develop and implement an action plan
Monitor the progress of your plan
Make necessary adjustments during the process
Evaluate the outcomes of your solution

Problem-Solving Skills Resume Example

Want a resume that makes your problem-solving skills pop like the above example?

Use one of our tried-and-tested resume templates .

They’re free, modern, and created in collaboration with some of the best HR professionals from around the globe!

Key Takeaways

And that's a wrap on problem-solving skills. By now, you should know everything there is to know on the topic.

Before you go, here are the main points we covered in this article:

Problem-solving skills are a set of soft skills that help you solve problems effectively. They involve critical thinking, analytical skills, creativity, communication skills, and attention to detail.
Problem-solving skills can improve your employability, work performance, and personal brand.
Add your problem-solving skills to your resume summary, under the soft skills section, and in your work history section.
When you’re creating your work history section, make sure to tailor it to the job, focus on your achievements and make them quantifiable, and use action verbs and keywords from the job description.
To get better at solving problems, follow these steps: identify and understand the problem, research the systems that make up the problem, visualize the problem, brainstorm, and choose the best possible solution.
Once that’s done, create an action plan and make sure to monitor its progress as you’re implementing it.

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How to Teach Kids Problem-Solving Skills

KidStock / Blend Images / Getty Images

Steps to Follow
Allow Consequences

Whether your child can't find their math homework or has forgotten their lunch, good problem-solving skills are the key to helping them manage their life.

A 2010 study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that kids who lack problem-solving skills may be at a higher risk of depression and suicidality. Additionally, the researchers found that teaching a child problem-solving skills can improve mental health .

You can begin teaching basic problem-solving skills during preschool and help your child sharpen their skills into high school and beyond.

Why Problem-Solving Skills Matter

Kids face a variety of problems every day, ranging from academic difficulties to problems on the sports field. Yet few of them have a formula for solving those problems.

Kids who lack problem-solving skills may avoid taking action when faced with a problem.

Rather than put their energy into solving the problem, they may invest their time in avoiding the issue. That's why many kids fall behind in school or struggle to maintain friendships .

Other kids who lack problem-solving skills spring into action without recognizing their choices. A child may hit a peer who cuts in front of them in line because they are not sure what else to do.

Or, they may walk out of class when they are being teased because they can't think of any other ways to make it stop. Those impulsive choices may create even bigger problems in the long run.

The 5 Steps of Problem-Solving

Kids who feel overwhelmed or hopeless often won't attempt to address a problem. But when you give them a clear formula for solving problems, they'll feel more confident in their ability to try. Here are the steps to problem-solving:

Identify the problem . Just stating the problem out loud can make a big difference for kids who are feeling stuck. Help your child state the problem, such as, "You don't have anyone to play with at recess," or "You aren't sure if you should take the advanced math class."
Develop at least five possible solutions . Brainstorm possible ways to solve the problem. Emphasize that all the solutions don't necessarily need to be good ideas (at least not at this point). Help your child develop solutions if they are struggling to come up with ideas. Even a silly answer or far-fetched idea is a possible solution. The key is to help them see that with a little creativity, they can find many different potential solutions.
Identify the pros and cons of each solution . Help your child identify potential positive and negative consequences for each potential solution they identified.
Pick a solution. Once your child has evaluated the possible positive and negative outcomes, encourage them to pick a solution.
Test it out . Tell them to try a solution and see what happens. If it doesn't work out, they can always try another solution from the list that they developed in step two.

Practice Solving Problems

When problems arise, don’t rush to solve your child’s problems for them. Instead, help them walk through the problem-solving steps. Offer guidance when they need assistance, but encourage them to solve problems on their own. If they are unable to come up with a solution, step in and help them think of some. But don't automatically tell them what to do.

When you encounter behavioral issues, use a problem-solving approach. Sit down together and say, "You've been having difficulty getting your homework done lately. Let's problem-solve this together." You might still need to offer a consequence for misbehavior, but make it clear that you're invested in looking for a solution so they can do better next time.

Use a problem-solving approach to help your child become more independent.

If they forgot to pack their soccer cleats for practice, ask, "What can we do to make sure this doesn't happen again?" Let them try to develop some solutions on their own.

Kids often develop creative solutions. So they might say, "I'll write a note and stick it on my door so I'll remember to pack them before I leave," or "I'll pack my bag the night before and I'll keep a checklist to remind me what needs to go in my bag."

Provide plenty of praise when your child practices their problem-solving skills.

Allow for Natural Consequences

Natural consequences may also teach problem-solving skills. So when it's appropriate, allow your child to face the natural consequences of their action. Just make sure it's safe to do so.

For example, let your teenager spend all of their money during the first 10 minutes you're at an amusement park if that's what they want. Then, let them go for the rest of the day without any spending money.

This can lead to a discussion about problem-solving to help them make a better choice next time. Consider these natural consequences as a teachable moment to help work together on problem-solving.

Becker-Weidman EG, Jacobs RH, Reinecke MA, Silva SG, March JS. Social problem-solving among adolescents treated for depression . Behav Res Ther . 2010;48(1):11-18. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2009.08.006

Pakarinen E, Kiuru N, Lerkkanen M-K, Poikkeus A-M, Ahonen T, Nurmi J-E. Instructional support predicts childrens task avoidance in kindergarten . Early Child Res Q . 2011;26(3):376-386. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.11.003

Schell A, Albers L, von Kries R, Hillenbrand C, Hennemann T. Preventing behavioral disorders via supporting social and emotional competence at preschool age . Dtsch Arztebl Int . 2015;112(39):647–654. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2015.0647

Cheng SC, She HC, Huang LY. The impact of problem-solving instruction on middle school students’ physical science learning: Interplays of knowledge, reasoning, and problem solving . EJMSTE . 2018;14(3):731-743.

Vlachou A, Stavroussi P. Promoting social inclusion: A structured intervention for enhancing interpersonal problem‐solving skills in children with mild intellectual disabilities . Support Learn . 2016;31(1):27-45. doi:10.1111/1467-9604.12112

Öğülmüş S, Kargı E. The interpersonal cognitive problem solving approach for preschoolers . Turkish J Educ . 2015;4(17347):19-28. doi:10.19128/turje.181093

American Academy of Pediatrics. What's the best way to discipline my child? .

Kashani-Vahid L, Afrooz G, Shokoohi-Yekta M, Kharrazi K, Ghobari B. Can a creative interpersonal problem solving program improve creative thinking in gifted elementary students? . Think Skills Creat . 2017;24:175-185. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2017.02.011

Shokoohi-Yekta M, Malayeri SA. Effects of advanced parenting training on children's behavioral problems and family problem solving . Procedia Soc Behav Sci . 2015;205:676-680. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.09.106

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, an international bestselling author of books on mental strength and host of The Verywell Mind Podcast. She delivered one of the most popular TEDx talks of all time.

Interview Questions

Comprehensive Interview Guide: 60+ Professions Explored in Detail

26 Good Examples of Problem Solving (Interview Answers)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 15, 2023

Employers like to hire people who can solve problems and work well under pressure. A job rarely goes 100% according to plan, so hiring managers will be more likely to hire you if you seem like you can handle unexpected challenges while staying calm and logical in your approach.

But how do they measure this?

They’re going to ask you interview questions about these problem solving skills, and they might also look for examples of problem solving on your resume and cover letter. So coming up, I’m going to share a list of examples of problem solving, whether you’re an experienced job seeker or recent graduate.

Then I’ll share sample interview answers to, “Give an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem?”

Problem-Solving Defined

It is the ability to identify the problem, prioritize based on gravity and urgency, analyze the root cause, gather relevant information, develop and evaluate viable solutions, decide on the most effective and logical solution, and plan and execute implementation.

Problem-solving also involves critical thinking, communication, listening, creativity, research, data gathering, risk assessment, continuous learning, decision-making, and other soft and technical skills.

Solving problems not only prevent losses or damages but also boosts self-confidence and reputation when you successfully execute it. The spotlight shines on you when people see you handle issues with ease and savvy despite the challenges. Your ability and potential to be a future leader that can take on more significant roles and tackle bigger setbacks shine through. Problem-solving is a skill you can master by learning from others and acquiring wisdom from their and your own experiences.

It takes a village to come up with solutions, but a good problem solver can steer the team towards the best choice and implement it to achieve the desired result.

Watch: 26 Good Examples of Problem Solving

Examples of problem solving scenarios in the workplace.

Correcting a mistake at work, whether it was made by you or someone else
Overcoming a delay at work through problem solving and communication
Resolving an issue with a difficult or upset customer
Overcoming issues related to a limited budget, and still delivering good work through the use of creative problem solving
Overcoming a scheduling/staffing shortage in the department to still deliver excellent work
Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues
Handling and resolving a conflict with a coworker
Solving any problems related to money, customer billing, accounting and bookkeeping, etc.
Taking initiative when another team member overlooked or missed something important
Taking initiative to meet with your superior to discuss a problem before it became potentially worse
Solving a safety issue at work or reporting the issue to those who could solve it
Using problem solving abilities to reduce/eliminate a company expense
Finding a way to make the company more profitable through new service or product offerings, new pricing ideas, promotion and sale ideas, etc.
Changing how a process, team, or task is organized to make it more efficient
Using creative thinking to come up with a solution that the company hasn’t used before
Performing research to collect data and information to find a new solution to a problem
Boosting a company or team’s performance by improving some aspect of communication among employees
Finding a new piece of data that can guide a company’s decisions or strategy better in a certain area

Problem Solving Examples for Recent Grads/Entry Level Job Seekers

Coordinating work between team members in a class project
Reassigning a missing team member’s work to other group members in a class project
Adjusting your workflow on a project to accommodate a tight deadline
Speaking to your professor to get help when you were struggling or unsure about a project
Asking classmates, peers, or professors for help in an area of struggle
Talking to your academic advisor to brainstorm solutions to a problem you were facing
Researching solutions to an academic problem online, via Google or other methods
Using problem solving and creative thinking to obtain an internship or other work opportunity during school after struggling at first

You can share all of the examples above when you’re asked questions about problem solving in your interview. As you can see, even if you have no professional work experience, it’s possible to think back to problems and unexpected challenges that you faced in your studies and discuss how you solved them.

Interview Answers to “Give an Example of an Occasion When You Used Logic to Solve a Problem”

Now, let’s look at some sample interview answers to, “Give me an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem,” since you’re likely to hear this interview question in all sorts of industries.

Example Answer 1:

At my current job, I recently solved a problem where a client was upset about our software pricing. They had misunderstood the sales representative who explained pricing originally, and when their package renewed for its second month, they called to complain about the invoice. I apologized for the confusion and then spoke to our billing team to see what type of solution we could come up with. We decided that the best course of action was to offer a long-term pricing package that would provide a discount. This not only solved the problem but got the customer to agree to a longer-term contract, which means we’ll keep their business for at least one year now, and they’re happy with the pricing. I feel I got the best possible outcome and the way I chose to solve the problem was effective.

Example Answer 2:

In my last job, I had to do quite a bit of problem solving related to our shift scheduling. We had four people quit within a week and the department was severely understaffed. I coordinated a ramp-up of our hiring efforts, I got approval from the department head to offer bonuses for overtime work, and then I found eight employees who were willing to do overtime this month. I think the key problem solving skills here were taking initiative, communicating clearly, and reacting quickly to solve this problem before it became an even bigger issue.

Example Answer 3:

In my current marketing role, my manager asked me to come up with a solution to our declining social media engagement. I assessed our current strategy and recent results, analyzed what some of our top competitors were doing, and then came up with an exact blueprint we could follow this year to emulate our best competitors but also stand out and develop a unique voice as a brand. I feel this is a good example of using logic to solve a problem because it was based on analysis and observation of competitors, rather than guessing or quickly reacting to the situation without reliable data. I always use logic and data to solve problems when possible. The project turned out to be a success and we increased our social media engagement by an average of 82% by the end of the year.

Answering Questions About Problem Solving with the STAR Method

When you answer interview questions about problem solving scenarios, or if you decide to demonstrate your problem solving skills in a cover letter (which is a good idea any time the job description mention problem solving as a necessary skill), I recommend using the STAR method to tell your story.

STAR stands for:

It’s a simple way of walking the listener or reader through the story in a way that will make sense to them. So before jumping in and talking about the problem that needed solving, make sure to describe the general situation. What job/company were you working at? When was this? Then, you can describe the task at hand and the problem that needed solving. After this, describe the course of action you chose and why. Ideally, show that you evaluated all the information you could given the time you had, and made a decision based on logic and fact.

Finally, describe a positive result you got.

Whether you’re answering interview questions about problem solving or writing a cover letter, you should only choose examples where you got a positive result and successfully solved the issue.

Example answer:

Situation : We had an irate client who was a social media influencer and had impossible delivery time demands we could not meet. She spoke negatively about us in her vlog and asked her followers to boycott our products. (Task : To develop an official statement to explain our company’s side, clarify the issue, and prevent it from getting out of hand). Action : I drafted a statement that balanced empathy, understanding, and utmost customer service with facts, logic, and fairness. It was direct, simple, succinct, and phrased to highlight our brand values while addressing the issue in a logical yet sensitive way. We also tapped our influencer partners to subtly and indirectly share their positive experiences with our brand so we could counter the negative content being shared online. Result : We got the results we worked for through proper communication and a positive and strategic campaign. The irate client agreed to have a dialogue with us. She apologized to us, and we reaffirmed our commitment to delivering quality service to all. We assured her that she can reach out to us anytime regarding her purchases and that we’d gladly accommodate her requests whenever possible. She also retracted her negative statements in her vlog and urged her followers to keep supporting our brand.

What Are Good Outcomes of Problem Solving?

Whenever you answer interview questions about problem solving or share examples of problem solving in a cover letter, you want to be sure you’re sharing a positive outcome.

Below are good outcomes of problem solving:

Saving the company time or money
Making the company money
Pleasing/keeping a customer
Obtaining new customers
Solving a safety issue
Solving a staffing/scheduling issue
Solving a logistical issue
Solving a company hiring issue
Solving a technical/software issue
Making a process more efficient and faster for the company
Creating a new business process to make the company more profitable
Improving the company’s brand/image/reputation
Getting the company positive reviews from customers/clients

Every employer wants to make more money, save money, and save time. If you can assess your problem solving experience and think about how you’ve helped past employers in those three areas, then that’s a great start. That’s where I recommend you begin looking for stories of times you had to solve problems.

Tips to Improve Your Problem Solving Skills

Throughout your career, you’re going to get hired for better jobs and earn more money if you can show employers that you’re a problem solver. So to improve your problem solving skills, I recommend always analyzing a problem and situation before acting. When discussing problem solving with employers, you never want to sound like you rush or make impulsive decisions. They want to see fact-based or data-based decisions when you solve problems.

Next, to get better at solving problems, analyze the outcomes of past solutions you came up with. You can recognize what works and what doesn’t. Think about how you can get better at researching and analyzing a situation, but also how you can get better at communicating, deciding the right people in the organization to talk to and “pull in” to help you if needed, etc.

Finally, practice staying calm even in stressful situations. Take a few minutes to walk outside if needed. Step away from your phone and computer to clear your head. A work problem is rarely so urgent that you cannot take five minutes to think (with the possible exception of safety problems), and you’ll get better outcomes if you solve problems by acting logically instead of rushing to react in a panic.

You can use all of the ideas above to describe your problem solving skills when asked interview questions about the topic. If you say that you do the things above, employers will be impressed when they assess your problem solving ability.

If you practice the tips above, you’ll be ready to share detailed, impressive stories and problem solving examples that will make hiring managers want to offer you the job. Every employer appreciates a problem solver, whether solving problems is a requirement listed on the job description or not. And you never know which hiring manager or interviewer will ask you about a time you solved a problem, so you should always be ready to discuss this when applying for a job.

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Is it easy to switch from Data Scientist to Software Engineer?

Home Blog Web Development Is it easy to switch from Data Scientist to Software Engineer?

After completing computer science studies, data science has become a popular career choice for graduates. However, some people in the sector may wonder how to get from data science to software engineering.

It's feasible to go from a data scientist to a software engineer, and there are occupations that can help you move into a more successful career change.

Data scientists frequently switch to machine learning engineering positions. Software engineering positions benefit greatly from the solid foundation that data scientists frequently possess in data analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning.

Here, I will discuss how to transition from data scientist to software engineer. The following are some steps a data scientist can take to become a machine learning engineer:

What Does a Data Scientist Do?

The broad discipline of data science is concerned with applying different scientific methods and techniques to analyze both organized and unstructured data. Data science uses and explores a variety of methods, including machine learning (ML), data mining (DM), and artificial intelligence ( AI ).

This field is mostly focused on estimation, data analysis results, and understanding of these results. Professionals use statistical analysis and algorithms to extract knowledge from both structured and unstructured data.

Online Data Structure courses help you catch up with software development industry trends. Algorithms and data structures are necessary for a successful software engineering profession.

What Does a Software Engineer Do?

Computer science's software engineering discipline focuses on the creation, testing, and upkeep of software programs. Software engineers create software solutions for end users by utilizing engineering principles and their understanding of programming languages.

Among the numerous job options open to software engineers include the design and development of operating systems, network control systems, middleware, business applications, and computer games. With the possibility of working in practically every field, including big and small enterprises, governmental bodies, nonprofits, healthcare facilities, and more, a career as a software engineer may be enjoyable and demanding.

Why pivot from Data Science to Software Engineering?

A person may decide to switch from data science to software engineering for a number of reasons. The following are a few typical reasons:

Greater Variety of Skills:

In contrast to data science, software engineering frequently calls for a wider range of abilities. Software engineering is concerned with the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software systems, whereas data science concentrates on obtaining insights from data. Making a change might offer a more varied skill set.

Interest in building products:

Typically, data scientists analyze and interpret data to help in decision-making. On the other hand, software developers are responsible for developing the systems and solutions that make use of these insights. Some people might be satisfied with the observable results of software development.

Flexibility in Technology Stacks:

Depending on the types of data and analysis, data science may be restricted to particular tools and technologies. In contrast, a greater variety of technological stacks are available in software engineering, enabling people to experiment with various programming languages, frameworks, and platforms.

The choice to switch from data science to software engineering ultimately comes down to personal preferences, professional objectives, and changing interests. Professionals frequently move between these domains as they investigate new chances and difficulties in the tech sector.

How similar are these roles

Although the fields of software engineering and data science have rather diverse areas of expertise, each can benefit from the other's tools and abilities. Software engineers use both front-end and back-end programming languages to create a website or an app.

Contrarily, a data scientist gathers, purifies, examines, models, and analyzes large data so that a business can use it to make well-informed decisions. You should anticipate using GIT/GitHub and other tools, as well as languages like Python and JavaScript. The methods by which they approach and resolve issues differ significantly.

Skills required to become a Software Engineer from a Data Scientist

Can a data scientist become a software engineer? yes, of course, here are some of the skills that will be useful to switch from data science to software engineering:

While having a formal degree in computer science is advantageous, many great software engineers have had a variety of educational experiences. Learning more about the principles, algorithms, and data structures of computer science on your own or through further study can help close the gap.

If you are interested in learning more, you can check out the Web Development course price and start your learning.

Programming Skills

Develop your programming skills in languages like Java, Python, C++, or JavaScript, which are frequently used in software engineering. Gain practical experience writing code, troubleshooting it, and making it as efficient as possible.

Understanding of Software Development Life Cycle

Learn the principles of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), which includes requirements collection, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. A comprehensive understanding is essential to software engineering success.

Familiarity with Development Tools

Problem-Solving Skills

A strong problem-solving mentality is necessary for making the transition to software engineering. Gain the capacity to dissect difficult issues into digestible parts and create methodical solutions. Through coding challenges, hone your algorithmic thinking and problem-solving skills.

Get practical experience constructing software systems. Take part in hackathons, make contributions to open-source projects, or work on your own coding projects. Gaining practical experience is essential for improving problem-solving abilities in the actual world.

Methods to Transition from Data scientist to Software engineer

Method 1: enroll in coding bootcamps or online courses.

Using online classes or coding boot camps is one efficient way to go from being a data scientist to a software developer. The goal of these programs is to give students in-depth, practical instruction in software development techniques, programming languages, and necessary tools. Popular languages like Python, Java, and JavaScript are available for purchase as courses on online platforms.

Coding bootcamps, which are sometimes intense and immersive, can quicken your learning curve. Select courses that put an emphasis on teamwork and real-world projects if you want to obtain real-world experience.

Method 2: Pursue a Formal Computer Science Degree or Certification

A formal computer science education might be pursued for a more systematic and thorough approach. Gaining credentials or enrolling in a master's degree can help you comprehend software engineering concepts more thoroughly.

This approach provides a strong foundation in algorithms, data structures, software design, and other fundamental ideas. Professionals looking to move into software engineering can find courses and degree programs offered by universities and online platforms.

Knowledgehut's Software Engineer bootcamp part-time will give you the skills and knowledge that you need to both obtain and succeed in a software development position in the renowned company.

Method 3: Build a Strong Portfolio through Practical Projects

Having practical experience is essential for making the switch to software engineering. Work on real-world projects that require developing software apps to start. This could include working on open-source projects, building online applications, or making task automation tools.

Create a varied portfolio that highlights your aptitude for problem-solving and coding. By using GitHub or other similar platforms, you may show off your dedication to software development.

Pros and cons of switching from data scientist to software engineer

Here, I have listed some Pros and cons of switching from data scientist to software engineer that you should know:

Diverse Skill Set: Making the move to a software engineering position offers the chance to expand one's skill set to include system architecture, software design, and development.

Clear Career Trajectory: Positions like software architect, team lead, or project manager in software engineering frequently provide a more defined career path and a more obvious path for professional advancement.

Tangible Product Development: Software developers can get a sense of success and see a direct impact on end users when they work on physical product development, which involves creating actual applications and products.

Versatility in Technology Stacks: Software engineers can explore a variety of tech stacks with greater freedom because they deal with a broad range of technologies and programming languages.

Learning Curve: Changing positions may include a learning curve, particularly if there is a large knowledge gap in programming or software development. This could mean that more time and effort will be needed to acquire the new skills.

Specialized Domain Knowledge: Data scientists frequently have advanced statistical and data analysis skills. You might have to give up components of this skill while switching to software engineering.

Adaptation to Team Dynamics: Teams working in software engineering may be more collaborative than those in data science, which tend to be more independent in their work. Getting used to new team dynamics can be difficult.

Possibility of Overlaps: In certain situations, data science expertise may still be applicable, negating the need for a total departure from this field, depending on the company and the particular jobs.

All things considered, the move from data scientist to software engineer entails a combination of training, skill-building, and real-world experience. It will be easier for you to transition into the profession of software engineering if you continue to learn, especially about the concepts and practices of software development.

Ultimately, the decision to switch should align with individual career goals and preferences, weighing the advantages of a new skill set against potential challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Use statistical analysis and machine learning to improve software functionality, optimize algorithms, and make data-driven decisions for product development and improvement. This will allow you to use your data science abilities in software engineering.

Focus on programming languages like Python, Java, or JavaScript. Familiarize yourself with version control (e.g., Git), IDEs (e.g., Visual Studio Code), and collaboration tools. Explore web development frameworks and databases.

There are so many opportunities to learn software engineering. KnowledgeHut is an established training provider, enabling professionals from many industries and sectors to gain new skills and bridge their skill gap. Our courses are presented in a various formats, including classroom workshops, e-learning, virtual classrooms, and blended learning.

Yes, understanding algorithms and data structures is crucial for software engineering. They form the foundation for efficient problem-solving, code optimization, and designing scalable and robust software solutions.

Sachin Bhatnagar

With 20+ yrs of industry experience in media, entertainment and web tech, Sachin brings expertise in hands-on training and developing forward-thinking, industry-centric curricula. 30k+ students have enrolled in his tech courses.

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How to Develop Problem Solving Skills: 4 Tips. Learning problem-solving techniques is a must for working professionals in any field. No matter your title or job description, the ability to find the root cause of a difficult problem and formulate viable solutions is a skill that employers value. Learning the soft skills and critical thinking ...

Although problem-solving is a skill in its own right, a subset of seven skills can help make the process of problem-solving easier. These include analysis, communication, emotional intelligence, resilience, creativity, adaptability, and teamwork. 1. Analysis. As a manager, you'll solve each problem by assessing the situation first.

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.

Problem-solving skills defined. Problem-solving skills are skills that allow individuals to efficiently and effectively find solutions to issues. This attribute is a primary skill that employers look for in job candidates and is essential in a variety of careers. This skill is considered to be a soft skill, or an individual strength, as opposed ...

Leadership: Strong problem-solving abilities are essential for effective leadership, as leaders navigate complex situations, inspire teams, and drive organizational success. ... Developing problem-solving skills is an ongoing process that requires continuous learning, practice, and application in both simulated and real-life scenarios. ...

Example 1: Project manager with a proven track record of solving complex operational challenges. Skilled in identifying root causes, developing innovative solutions and leading teams to successful project completion. Example 2: Detail-oriented data analyst with strong problem solving skills.

Creativity. Communication. Decision-making. Team-building. Problem-solving skills are important in every career at every level. As a result, effective problem-solving may also require industry or job-specific technical skills. For example, a registered nurse will need active listening and communication skills when interacting with patients but ...

Problem-Solving Skills Definition. Problem-solving skills are the ability to identify problems, brainstorm and analyze answers, and implement the best solutions. An employee with good problem-solving skills is both a self-starter and a collaborative teammate; they are proactive in understanding the root of a problem and work with others to ...

List of 10 Benefits that an excellent problem solver can contribute to their profession. Ability to manage their time effectively. Ability to prioritize, plan and carry out plans. Ability to think out of the box and identify opportunities in problems. Ability to work under pressure and deal with stress.

Block out time in your calendar to get curious, either in isolation or with others. Ponder and expose yourself to how people from an opposing viewpoint see a topic. Ask others their opinion or ...

5. Ask for feedback. Collaboration and teamwork are key when developing creative solutions in the workplace. You can ask teammates or superiors for feedback on your ideas to gain insight into potential flaws in your reasoning and streamline your solutions. 6.

9. Practice creative problem-solving. The best way to learn a skill is to practice it. The more issues presented that need creative solutions, the easier it will become to hone a problem-solving process. Try regularly exposing yourself to new scenarios that require different thinking.

Key Problem-Solving Skills All Professionals Should Develop 1. Analysis. Identifying and analysing the problem is an essential part of developing a suitable solution. You can't develop a strong strategy until you fully understand the problem, its root causes, and its impact on the company. Therefore, analytical abilities are an essential ...

Problem-solving skills are skills that enable people to handle unexpected situations or difficult challenges at work. Organisations need people who can accurately assess problems and come up with effective solutions. In this article, we explain what problem-solving skills are, provide some examples of these skills and outline how to improve them.

4 Learn and improve. The final step in problem-solving is to learn from the experience and improve your skills and processes. You can use reflection, feedback, and self-assessment to identify what ...

4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need. 1. Problem Framing. One key skill for any leader is framing problems in a way that makes sense for their organization. Problem framing is defined in Design Thinking and Innovation as determining the scope, context, and perspective of the problem you're trying to solve.

Developing Problem-Solving Skills in Leadership Problem-solving is one of the most valuable leadership skills. Good leaders possess strong problem-solving skills that help them effectively analyze and solve complex issues. It involves critical thinking, decision-making, and reflection. In addition, successful leaders involve team members in ...

You can use problem-solving skills to help the company you work for make more money. This in turn can lead to a salary increase. Team player. Strong problem-solving skills can make you a better team player. Working well as part of a team is vital in most careers. Meet deadlines. Some jobs have very tight and strict deadlines.

At OWIS Singapore, we have implemented an inquiry-driven, skills-based curriculum that allows students to organically develop critical future-ready skills — including problem-solving. Our hands-on approach to education enables students to collaborate, explore, innovate, face-challenges, make mistakes and adapt as necessary.

Then, add the problem-solving skills that you have and that are required in the job under your resume's "Soft Skills" section. #3. Prove Your Problem-Solving Skills In Your Work Experience Section. Finally, you should use the work experience section to prove that you've got the problem-solving skills you've mentioned throughout your ...

Here are some tips on how to highlight your problem-solving skills in a job interview: 1. Describe your process. When describing how you solved a problem, be sure to include all the steps you took in your explanation. This will show the interviewer that you are systematic and thorough in your approach.

Here are the steps to problem-solving: . Identify the problem. Just stating the problem out loud can make a big difference for kids who are feeling stuck. Help your child state the problem, such as, "You don't have anyone to play with at recess," or "You aren't sure if you should take the advanced math class."

Examples of Problem Solving Scenarios in the Workplace. Correcting a mistake at work, whether it was made by you or someone else. Overcoming a delay at work through problem solving and communication. Resolving an issue with a difficult or upset customer. Overcoming issues related to a limited budget, and still delivering good work through the ...

Learn about integrated development environments (IDEs), teamwork tools, and version control systems (like Git). It is crucial to be proficient with the tools used for project management, testing, and debugging. Problem-Solving Skills; A strong problem-solving mentality is necessary for making the transition to software engineering.

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Narrative Essay: If I Were President

Have you ever thought about what you’d do if you were ever elected president of the United States of America? The 2016 elections were the subject of much debate over who would make the best president. There are many people who don’t feel like the right person was elected and have speculated extensively on whether he’s up for the job. Of course, there are plenty of people who are glad he was given the job over the other candidate. Do you think you could do a better job?

If I were president, I would take the emphasis off of racial ethnicity and class and place it back where the Constitution began, which is that everyone was created equal. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like, we are all people and all deserve the same rights. At the same time, America is a welcoming country and people should be taking the proper steps to become a legal resident of the country. If this were the case, there would be fewer people who have trouble with minorities because they wouldn’t be using resources that belong to American citizens when they were not legally entitled to them.

If I were president, children wouldn’t go hungry. Those with enough would be compelled to share and those who were lacking would get the help they need. The amount of food that is thrown away in America is appalling when so many people are going without a meal. Grocery stores could give their surplus or less than perfect looking produce to food banks. Restaurants could donate end of the day leftovers to food kitchens or homeless shelters. Never again would a child have to feel the pains of being hungry.

If I were president, education wouldn’t be so controversial. Parents would support teachers and teachers would support parents. Neither would be against the other and each would be focused solely on the education of the child and ensuring that he or she has a bright future. Funding would be pulled from politicians paychecks to help pay for the needs of every school. Teachers would be properly trained to work with students of all kinds and would be paid accordingly. After all, the future of the world depends on today’s children so shouldn’t our money be going to that over anything else?

If I were president, the environment would become a top concern. People would be motivated to recycle and reuse things so that landfills could be kept from taking over their communities. Research dollars would be allocated toward developing environmentally friendly fuel sources and people and companies would be compensated for choosing solar panels and other things that are better for the environment. Protecting our world is important for future generations and educating the public about what they can do to help would be a top priority.

If I were president, kindness would prevail and people would treat those around them with love, respect and basic courtesy. There wouldn’t be any resources wasted on petty arguments and fights between neighbors or family members. I know I might be wearing rose colored glasses, but if people truly treated others as they want to be treated, the world would be a better place for everyone.

Not everyone can become the president, but if those that do were better at doing what the people need and trying not to be ruled by money, every citizen of the country would benefit in a big way. If we all come together and do what’s best for the nation instead of one population or individual, the United States would be an even better place to live.

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Five takeaways from Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation address

The South African president spoke about poverty, hope and resilience in his annual speech.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his 2023 state of the nation address in Cape Town

On Thursday evening, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his seventh State of the Nation address as the country grapples with a long-lasting energy crisis and an economy pummelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Africa’s second-largest economy is also facing a surge in living costs and widespread unemployment.

Keep reading

Photos: power cuts hit south africa’s food sector, hundreds protest incessant power cuts in south africa, gunmen kill eight people at birthday party in south africa.

With next year’s elections fast approaching, Ramaphosa on Thursday sought to portray himself as the solution-maker in a nation he said was “defined by hope and resilience”.

Here are five key takeaways from the speech delivered to Parliament in Cape Town.

‘Extraordinary measures’ for energy crisis

Ramaphosa declared a national “ state of disaster ” over crippling power shortages that threaten the country’s economy and security, investing the government with additional powers to sign emergency procurement procedures faster and with less oversight.

“Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures,” he said.

The crisis dates back to 2008 but intensified last year. And now, power cuts of up to 8 hours per day are affecting homes, factories and businesses across the nation of 60 million.

The declaration will enable the government buy additional power from neighbouring countries on an emergency basis and provide assistance to businesses.

“Without a reliable supply of electricity, our efforts to grow an inclusive economy that creates jobs and reduces poverty will not succeed,” Ramaphosa said.

He also announced that he would appoint a minister of electricity to focus solely on the crisis, as well as loans and incentives to move South Africa onto solar energy.

Fighting poverty and unemployment

Public anger has been mounting about a 33 percent unemployment rate, surging living costs and the near collapse of government services in a number of towns.

The South African president blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for worsening “deep unemployment”, as the country lost two million jobs.

“The pandemic negatively affected livelihoods and increased poverty,” he said, while also claiming that about one and a half million new jobs were created between the third quarter of 2021 and that of 2022.

His government will continue to pay “destitute South Africans” the 350-rand ($19.60) social relief grant at a time when “the rising cost of living is deepening poverty and inequality”, he said.

“Through a strengthened and expanded social protection system, fewer people will live in poverty and fewer households will experience hunger,” he said.

Ramaphosa said most South African municipalities – 163 out of 257 – were found to be ineffective and sometimes corrupt, leading to poor service delivery.

“The government is implementing a number of interventions to address failures at local government level and improve basic service delivery,” Ramaphosa said.

“These include enhancing the capacity of public representatives and officials, maintaining and upgrading local infrastructure, and invoking the powers of national government to intervene where municipalities fail to meet their responsibilities.”

He added that “integrity assessments” will become a mandatory requirement for recruitment to the public service and entry exams will be introduced.

“We are amending legislation and strengthening the role of the Public Service Commission to ensure that qualified people are appointed to senior management positions and to move towards creating a single, harmonised public service,” the president said.

The announcement came even as the shadow of “state capture” – a scandal in which the Guptas, a family of Indian businessmen, used their affiliations with Ramaphosa’s predecessor Jacob Zuma to secure contracts without due process – continued to loom over the current administration.

Women’s rights and empowerment

Ramaphosa promised “significantly more funding” to be made available for the police, the National Prosecuting Authority and the Special Investigating Unit in a country with one of the highest sexual violence rates globally.

“Crimes against women and children remain a deeply disturbing feature of our national life,” he said, promising to set up specialised units focusing on specific types of crimes.

The government also intends to “direct at least 40 percent of public procurement to women-owned businesses” to support female entrepreneurs.

He also claimed that complaints that calls to 10111, the emergency response line, went unanswered will be addressed.

“Violent crimes take a heavy toll on every South African. Communities across our country live in fear for the safety of their families. This situation cannot continue and must not continue,” the president added.

Hope and resilience

Ramaphosa said his country was not defined by “the minerals under our earth or the spectacular landscape above it”, but by the “hope and resilience” of its people.

He claimed that when he asks himself why he took up the role of president, a voice in him tells him, “Follow in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela.”

The late former South African president and anti-apartheid activist made “great sacrifices” while serving his people, Ramaphosa said, in advance of the 10th anniversary of Mandela’s death.

“We need to work together and leave no one behind,” he said.

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History Grade 11 - Topic 4 Essay Questions

Essay Question:

To what extent were Black South Africans were deprived of their political, economic, and social rights in the early 1900s and how did this reality pave the way for the rise of African Nationalism? Present an argument in support of your answer using relevant historical evidence. [1]

Background and historical overview:

There was no South Africa (as we know it today) before 1910. Britain had defeated Boer Republics in the South African War which date from (1899–1903). There were four separate colonies: Cape, Natal, Orange River, Transvaal colonies and each were ruled by Britain. They needed support of white settlers in colonies to retain power. [2] In 1908, about 33 white delegates met behind closed doors to negotiate independence for Union of South Africa. The views and opinions of 85% of country’s future citizens (black people) not even considered in these discussions. British wanted investments protected, labour supplies assured, and agreed on the fundamental question to give political/economic power to white settlers. [3] This essay pushes back in time to analyse how this violent context in South African history served as an ideological backdrop for the rise of African nationalism in the country and elsewhere in the world.

The Union Constitution of 1910 placed political power in hands of white citizens. However, a small number of educated black, coloured citizens allowed to elect few representatives to Union parliament. [4] More generally, it was only whites who were granted the right to vote. They imagined a ‘settler nation’ where was no room for blacks with rights. In this regard, white citizens called selves ‘Europeans’. Furthermore, all symbols of new nation, European language (mainly English and Dutch), religion, school history. In this view, African languages, histories, culture were portrayed as inferior. [5]

Therefore, racism was an integral feature in colonial societies, and this essentially meant that Africans were seen as members of inferior ‘tribes’ and thus should practise traditions in ‘native’ reserves. Whilst, on the other hand, in the settler (white) nation, black people were recognized only as workers in farms, mines, factories owned by whites. Thus, black people were denied of their political rights, cultural recognition, economic opportunities, because of these entrenched processes and politics of exclusion. In 1910 large numbers of black South African men were forced to become migrant workers on mines, factories, expanding commercial farms. In 1913, the infamous Natives Land Act, worsened the situation for black people as land allocated to black people by the Act was largely infertile and unsuitable for agriculture. [6]

Rise of African Nationalism:

In the 19th century, the Western-educated African, coloured, Indian middle class who grew up mainly in the Cape and Natal, mostly professional men (doctors, lawyers, teachers, newspaper editors) and were proud of their African, Muslim, Indian heritage embraced idea of progressive ‘colour-blind’ western civilisation that could benefit all people. This was a more worldly outlook or form of nationalism which recognized all non-white groupings across the colonial world as victims of colonial racism and violence. [7] However, another form of nationalism recognized the differences within the colonized groups and argued for a stricter and more specific definition of what it means to be African in a colonial world. These were some differences within the umbrella body of African nationalism and were firmly anchored during the course of the 20th century.

African Peoples’ Organization:

One of the African organisations that led to the rise of African nationalism was the African People’s Organisation (APO). At first the APO did not concern itself with rights of black South Africans. They committed themselves to the vision that all oppressed racial groups must work together to achieve anything. Therefore, a delegation was sent to London in 1909 to fight for rights for coloured (‘coloured’. In this context, ‘everyone who was a British subject in South Africa and who was not a European’). [8]

Natal Indian Congress:

Natal Indian Congress Natal Indian Congress (NIC) was an important influence in the development of non-racial African nationalism in South Africa. Arguably, it was one of the first organisations in South Africa to use word ‘congress’. It was formed in 1894 to mobilise the Indian opposition to racial discrimination in Colony. [9] The founder of this movement was MK Gandhi who later spearheaded a massive peaceful resistance (Satyagraha) to colonial rule. This protest forced Britain to grant independence to India, 1947. The NIC organised many protests and more generally campaigned for Indian rights. In 1908, hundreds of Indians gathered outside Johannesburg Mosque in protest against law that forced Indians to carry passes, passive resistance campaigns of Gandhi and NIC succeeded in Indians not having to carry passes. But, however, they failed to win full citizenship rights as the NIC did not join united national movement for rights of all citizens until 1930s, 1940s

South African Native National Congress (now known as African National Congress):

In response to Union in 1910, young African leaders (Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Richard Msimang, George Montsioa, Alfred Mangena) worked with established leaders of South African Native Convention to promote formation of a national organization. The larger aim was to form a national organisation that would unify various African groups. [10] On 8 January 1912, first African nationalist movement formed at a meeting in Bloemfontein. South African National Natives Congress (SANNC) were mainly attended by traditional chiefs, teachers, writers, intellectuals, businessmen. Most delegates had received missionary education. They strongly believed in 19th century values of ‘improvement’ and ‘progress’ of Africans into a global European ‘civilisation’ and culture. In 1924, the SANNC changed name to African National Congress (ANC), in order to assert an African identity within the movement. [11]

Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU):

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union African protest movements that helped foster growing African nationalism in early 1920s . Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) was formed in 1919 was led by Clements Kadalie, Malawian worker. This figure had led successful strike of dockworkers in Cape Town. Mostly active among farmers and migrant workers. But, only temporarily away from their farms and was very difficult to organise. The central question to pose is to examine the ways in which the World War II influence the rise of African nationalism? Essentially, there were various ways that WW II influenced the rise of African nationalism. [12] Firstly, through the Atlantic Charter, AB Xuma’s, African claims in relation to this Charter. In addition, the influence of politicized soldiers returning from War had a significant impact.

The Atlantic Charter and AB Xuma’s African claims Churchill and Roosevelt issued the Atlantic Charter in 1941, describing the world they would like to see after WWII. To the ANC and African nationalists generally, the Atlantic Charter amounted to promise for freedom in Africa once war was over. Britain recruited thousands of African soldiers to fight in its armies (nearly two million Africans recruited as soldiers, porters, scouts for Allies during war). This persuaded Africans to sign up and Britain called it ‘a war for freedom’. [13] The soldiers returning home expected Britain to honour their sacrifice, however, the recognition they expected did not arrive and thus became bitter, discontented, and only had fought to protect interests of colonial powers only to return to exploitation and indignities of colonial rule.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this essay has attempted to examine the historical circumstances in which black people were denied of their political, economic, and social rights in the early 1990s. There are various that must be acknowledged in order to have a granular understanding of the larger and longer history of African nationalism, and this examination may exceed the scope of this essay. However, the central argument made here is that the rise of African nationalism in all its different ethos and manifestations was premised on humanizing black people in various parts of the colonial world. To stress this point, African nationalism emerged as a vehicle of resistance and humanization. Finally, African nationalism cannot be read outside the international context (as shown throughout the paper), as we have to take into account various factor which effectively influenced the spurge of this ideological outlook in society.

This content was originally produced for the SAHO classroom by Ayabulela Ntwakumba & Thandile Xesi.

[1] National Senior Certificate.: “Grade 11 November 2019 History Paper 2 Exam,” National Senior Certificate, November 2019. Eastern Cape Province Education.

[2] Williams, Donovan. "African nationalism in South Africa: origins and problems." The Journal of African History 11, no. 3 (1970): 371-383.

[3] Feit, Edward. "Generational Conflict and African Nationalism in South Africa: The African National Congress, 1949-1959." The International Journal of African Historical Studies 5, no. 2 (1972): 181-202.

[4] Chipkin, Ivor. "The decline of African nationalism and the state of South Africa." Journal of Southern African Studies 42, no. 2 (2016): 215-227.

[5] Prinsloo, Mastin. "‘Behind the back of a declarative history’: Acts of erasure in Leon de Kock's Civilizing Barbarians: Missionary narrative and African response in nineteenth century South Africa." The English Academy Review 15, no. 1 (1998): 32-41.

[6] Gilmour, Rachael. "Missionaries, colonialism and language in nineteenth‐century South Africa." History Compass 5, no. 6 (2007): 1761-1777.

[7] Lester, Alan. Imperial networks: Creating identities in nineteenth-century South Africa and Britain. Routledge, 2005.

[8] Van der Ross, Richard E. "The founding of the African Peoples Organization in Cape Town in 1903 and the role of Dr. Abdurahman." (1975).

[9] Vahed, Goolam, and Ashwin Desai. "A case of ‘strategic ethnicity’? The Natal Indian Congress in the 1970s." African Historical Review 46, no. 1 (2014): 22-47.

[10] Suttner, Raymond. "The African National Congress centenary: a long and difficult journey." International Affairs 88, no. 4 (2012): 719-738.

[11] Houston, G. "Pixley ka Isaka Seme: African unity against racism." (2020).

[12] Xuma, A. B. "African National Congress invitation to emergency conference of all Africans."

[13] Kumalo, Simangaliso. "AB Xuma and the politics of racial accommodation versus equal citizenship and its implication for nation-building and power-sharing in South Africa."

Bennett-Smyth, T., 2003, September. Transcontinental Connections: Alfred B Xuma and the African National Congress on the World Stage. In workshop on South Africa in the 1940s, Southern African Research Centre, Kingston, Canada.
Chipkin, I., 2016. The decline of African nationalism and the state of South Africa. Journal of Southern African Studies, 42(2), pp.215-227.
Feit, E., 1972. Generational Conflict and African Nationalism in South Africa: The African National Congress, 1949-1959. The International Journal of African Historical Studies, 5(2), pp.181-202.
Kumalo, S., AB Xuma and the politics of racial accommodation versus equal citizenship and its implication for nation-building and power-sharing in South Africa.
Moeti, M.T., 1982. ETHIOPIANISM: SEPARATIST ROOTS OF AFRICAN NATIONALISM IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Rotberg, R., "African nationalism: concept or confusion?." The Journal of Modern African Studies 4, no. 1. pp. 33-46.
Swan, M., 1984. The 1913 Natal Indian Strike. Journal of Southern African Studies, 10(2), pp.239-258.
Vahed, G. and Desai, A., 2014. A case of ‘strategic ethnicity’? The Natal Indian Congress in the 1970s. African Historical Review, 46(1), pp.22-47.
Van der Ross, R.E., 1975. “The founding of the African Peoples Organization in Cape Town in 1903 and the role of Dr. Abdurahman”.
van Niekerk, R., 2014. SOCIAL DEMOCRACY AND THE ANC: BACK TO THE FUTURE?. A Lula Moment for South Africa: Lessons from Brazil, pp.47-61.
Williams, D., 1970. “African nationalism in South Africa: origins and problems”. The Journal of African History, 11(3), pp.371-383.

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8-Year-Old Survives Bus Plunge Off Bridge That Left 45 People Dead

The bus, which was carrying people from Botswana to an Easter weekend pilgrimage in South Africa, fell 165 feet into a ravine.

By John Eligon

Reporting from Johannesburg

An 8-year-old girl was the sole survivor after a bus carrying 46 people on their way to an Easter weekend pilgrimage in South Africa on Thursday plunged 165 feet from a bridge into a ravine and burst into flames, according to a local department of transportation.

The bus was traveling from Botswana to Moria, a religious pilgrimage site in South Africa’s northeast, when it careered off a bridge winding through the Mmamatlakala mountain pass after the driver “lost control,” the department said in a statement.

Forty-five people, including the driver, were killed.

The girl was receiving medical attention at a nearby hospital, the Limpopo Province department of transportation in South Africa said in a statement . The child was in serious condition, according to another government statement.

“Rescue operations continued until the late hours of Thursday evening, as some bodies were burned beyond recognition, others trapped inside the debris and others scattered on the scene,” the transportation department said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa called his counterpart in Botswana, President Mokgweetsi Masisi, to extend his condolences, the president’s office said in a statement released late Thursday.

The crash occurred in a scenic, mountainous area of winding roads and sweeping vistas about three and a half hours north of Johannesburg. The road on a high overpass bent sharply over a ravine flanked on both sides by rocky, tree-covered slopes.

A man wearing a white shirt and red cap walked along a stretch of an overpass, with the damaged guardrail behind him.

The area attracts a lot of traffic on Easter weekend for a pilgrimage to Moria, the headquarters of the Zion Christian Church, one of the largest in the country. Mr. Ramaphosa visited last year’s pilgrimage, the first one since the Covid-19 pandemic. South African border officials had said they were bracing for an influx of visitors for this year’s pilgrimage.

The nationalities of the victims have not yet been determined.

The tragedy struck as South Africans prepared for a four-day weekend, with public holidays on Friday and Monday.

Around major holidays, the South African authorities often take extra measures like police roadblocks and publicity campaigns to help prevent traffic accidents. On Wednesday, South Africa’s minister of transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, started an Easter road-safety campaign, noting that traffic accidents often spiked during the holiday.

“Easter is a time for celebration, but it is also a time when roads can be more dangerous due to increased traffic and holiday festivities,” the ministry warned .

Africa has historically had among the highest road-fatality rates in the world, according to data from the World Bank and the World Health Organization .

South Africa had more than 12,400 road fatalities in 2022, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The Automobile Association of South Africa called the traffic deaths a “national crisis” in a statement released last year. The association argued that the government needed to invest more in road safety and to enforce traffic laws better.

“Unless these two issues are dealt with, our country’s abysmal road safety situation will never improve,” it said.

Russell Goldman contributed reporting from New York.

John Eligon is the Johannesburg bureau chief for The Times, covering a wide range of events and trends that influence and shape the lives of ordinary people across southern Africa. More about John Eligon

S.Africa's Zuma files appeal against exclusion from May vote

S outh Africa's former president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday filed an appeal against a decision by electoral officials barring him from running in elections as tensions mount ahead of the May polls.

The electoral commission last week excluded the 81-year-old politician, who is campaigning for a new opposition party, over a 2021 contempt of court conviction.

But in court papers seen by AFP, lawyers for Zuma and the party argued that the sentence did not disqualify him for it followed civil rather than criminal proceedings.

The electoral commission "had no valid reasons to violate the political rights of President Zuma," the papers said.

"(Zuma) was not an accused, he was not charged of an offence by a criminal court, he was not involved in any criminal trial proceedings".

South Africa is to hold general elections on May 29 in what is expected to be the most competitive vote since the advent of democracy in 1994.

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) is struggling in the polls and risks losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid, amid a weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

Among the groups that seek to capitalise on the ANC's weakness is Zuma's new uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party.

Named after the ANC's former armed wing during the anti-apartheid struggle, it looks poised to win a large share of the vote in the battleground region of KwaZulu-Natal -- Zuma's home province -- with some polls even putting it at 13 percent nationwide.

It largely relies on the considerable political clout still wielded by Zuma, who despite scandals and graft allegations is still largely popular particularly among the country's more than 10 million Zulus.

- 'Traitors' -

The fourth president of democratic South Africa from 2009 to 2018, he has long been bitter about the way he was forced out of office under a cloud of corruption allegations.

Campaigning for MK in an attempt to relaunch his career, he has attacked members of the ANC, his former political home, as "traitors" and "sellouts".

But last week the electoral commission said he could not run in May for under the constitution "any person who was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine" cannot stand in an election.

Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 after refusing to testify to a panel probing financial corruption and cronyism under his presidency.

He was freed on medical parole just two months into his term.

But his jailing sparked protests, riots and looting that left more than 350 dead in South Africa's worst violence since the advent of democracy.

An appeals court later ruled Zuma's release was illegally granted and ordered him back to jail.

On returning to a correctional centre he immediately benefited from a remission of non-violent offenders approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa, his arch-rival and successor.

Tensions between the ANC and MK have flared in recent weeks.

The former has unsuccessfully tried to have the latter disqualified and has taken it to court to stop it from using the MK name, alleging intellectual property theft.

MK leader Visvin Reddy is due to appear before another court on Wednesday for allegedly inciting violence in a viral online video where he is heard saying massive riots would erupt if the MK was not allowed to run.

Reddy denies the charges.

The electoral court in Bloemfontein is expected to decide on Zuma's exclusion from the race next week.

cld-ub-zam/bp

Ex-president Jacob Zuma is campaigning for a new opposition party in a bd iot re-launch his scandal-tainted career

Grains mixed, Livestock lower

The Associated Press

April 2, 2024, 11:43 AM

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CHICAGO (AP) — Grain futures were mixed Tuesday in early trading on the Chicago Board of Trade. Wheat for May was up 5.25 cents at $5.5975 a bushel; May corn lost .25 cent at $4.33 a bushel; May oats fell 1cent at $3.5525 a bushel; while May soybeans rose 7.75 cents at $11.9525 a bushel.

Beef and pork lower on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Apr. live cattle declined 3.52 cents at $1.8105 a pound; Apr. feeder cattle was off 6.27 cents at $2.4135 a pound; Apr. lean hogs lost .56 cent at $.8680 a pound.

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March 27, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

By Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Elise Hammond , Tori B. Powell and Aditi Sangal , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Here's what you should know about the Key Bridge collapse

From CNN staff

A Marine Emergency Team boat passes the wreckage of the Dali cargo vessel in Baltimore on Tuesday.

Officials recovered the bodies of two construction workers who were on Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed early Tuesday morning after a 984-foot-long cargo ship collided into a pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called the collapse Wednesday " a global crisis ."

"The national economy and the world's economy depends on the Port of Baltimore. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other port in the country," Moore said.

Here's what you should know:

The victims: The six people who are presumed dead were from Mexico Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, according to Col. Roland L. Butler Jr, the superintendent of Maryland State Police. Two bodies were recovered and have been identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes from Mexico and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera from Guatemala. The two workers were filling potholes on the bridge and were later found trapped in a red pickup truck in about 25 feet of water, Butler said. The FBI is handling notifying the victims' families, Butler said.
Recovery efforts: Authorities are pausing search efforts for the four other workers who are presumed dead, because additional vehicles are encased in concrete and other debris, making it unsafe for divers, Butler said. Once salvage operations clear the debris, divers will search for more remains, he said.
The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the fatal incident, according to the agency's chair Jennifer Homendy. During a Wednesday news conference, Homendy said there were 21 crew members and two pilots on board the Dali cargo ship when it crashed into the bridge. She also said a senior NTSB hazmat investigator identified 56 containers of hazardous material, and that some containers are in the water. The agency received six hours of voyage data from the ship and the investigation could take 12 to 24 months to complete, Homendy said. She emphasized that NTSB will not analyze information collected or provide conclusions while on scene of the collapse.
Looking forward: Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said rebuilding the bridge will not be "quick or easy" but that it will get done. He said there are four main focus points ahead: reopening the port, dealing with supply chain issues until its reopening, rebuilding the bridge and dealing with traffic issues until the bridge is rebuilt. Biden pledged the full support of the federal government in the response and recovery efforts. His administration has already conveyed a sense of urgency to open up federal funding to remove debris and ultimately rebuild the bridge. Maryland has submitted a request to the Biden administration for emergency relief funds "to assist in our work going forward," Moore said Wednesday.

It's almost impossible to place people on the bow of ship due to the unstable structure, fire official says

From CNN's Sarah Engel

Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said Wednesday that the cargo ship's bridge structure and containers at the bow remain unstable.

"It's going to be very difficult, if not impossible, and very dangerous, to place people on the bow of that boat right now," Wallace told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

"Naturally, we're still very cognizant of the fact that there are hazardous materials on board the vessel itself," Wallace said, alluding to the National Transportation Safety Board saying earlier that 56 containers were carrying hazardous materials.

Wallace said his team is relying heavily on aerial recognizance, including drones. "That's the only way we're able to see in," he said.

He added that the aerial surveillance has "been able to really assure us right now we have no [chemical] reactions on board."

"It's just utter devastation," NTSB chief says of the bridge collapse site

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, called the site of the Key Bridge collapse "devastating."

"It's pretty devastating, certainly, seeing not just what's going on with the cargo containers, but just looking at what was a bridge span — three bridge spans that is pretty much gone. It's just utter devastation," she said at Wednesday evening's news briefing.

She added that she is thinking of families who lost loved ones and those who are waiting to reunite with their lived ones.

NTSB interviewed the Dali's captain and some other crew members today, agency chief says

The National Transportation Safety Board has interviewed the ship's captain, his mate, the chief engineer and one other engineer today, according to Chair Jennifer Homendy.

The two pilots on board the Dali at the time of collision will be interviewed tomorrow, she added.

Cargo ship's voyage data recorder is basic when compared to an airplane's, NTSB chair says

From CNN's Tori B. Powell

The voyage data recorder on the cargo ship Dali was a "newer model" but is considered basic when compared to that on an airplane, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"But it is very basic compared to say, a flight data recorder, where we would have 1,000 parameters," she said at a news conference on Wednesday.

The NTSB chief investigator Marcel Muise added:

"It's not a ship-wide system recorder, so most of the sensors that are being recorded are from the bridge. So things like GPS, the audio, rudder feedback, rudder commands are recorded on there. But not engineering, the temperature of each cylinder, power distribution sensors."

There were no tug boats with Dali at the time of the collision. That's normal, NTSB chief says

People look at the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge while visiting Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Wednesday.

There were no tugs with Dali when the cargo vessel collided with Baltimore's Key Bridge, which is normal protocol, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

Remember: At 01:26:39 on Tuesday, Dali's pilot made a general very high frequency (VHF) radio call for tugs in the vicinity to assist, the NTSB investigator Marcel Muise had said.

"The tugs help the vessel leave the dock, leave the port and get into the main ship channel. And then they leave. Once it's on its way, it's a straight shot through the channel. So there are no tugs with the vessel at the time. So they were calling for tugs," she said.

NTSB chair says she saw some containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said she did see some of the 56 containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water.

When asked how many

When asked how many containers of hazardous materials were in the water, Homendy said:

"I did see some containers in the water, and some breached significantly on the vessel itself," she said. "I don't have an exact number, but it's something that we can provide in an update."

Homendy said that a preliminary report should be out in two to four weeks.

This post has been updated with more quotes from Homendy.

Bridge did not have any redundancy, unlike the preferred method for building bridges today, NTSB chair says

Baltimore's Key Bridge did not have any redundancy, which is included in the preferred method of building bridges in the present day, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"The bridge is a fracture critical," she explained. "What that means is if a member fails that would likely cause a portion of, or the entire bridge, to collapse, there's no redundancy. The preferred method for building bridges today is that there is redundancy built in, whether that's transmitting loads to another member or some sort of structural redundancy. This bridge did not have redundancy," Homendy said.

There are 17,468 fracture critical bridges in the United States out of 615,000 bridges total, she said, citing the Federal Highway Administration.

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