8 Effective Problem-Solving Strategies in Life

Dr. Ankit Sharma, PhD

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Effective Problem-Solving Strategies

One thing we constantly face in life & cannot avoid no matter how hard we try is problems. Problems are the eternal truth of life. As long as you live, you need to face & cope with problems. To cope with that, some Effective Problem-Solving Strategies can be helpful. Problems are often seen as barricades to our paths, but as per the wise words of Robert H. Schuller, ” Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.”

A problem-solving technique is an arrangement to track down an answer or conquer a challenge. Every problem-solving technique incorporates various moves toward giving you supportive rules on the most proficient method to determine an issue or challenge.

Effective Problem-Solving expects you to recognize the issue, select the right process to move toward it & follow an arrangement custom-made to the particular issue you are attempting to settle.

Some Problem-Solving Strategies To Try In Life

Effective Problem-Solving Strategies

1. Be Cool

In the wake of any problem, most of our initial reaction is to panic or be restless. That does more harm than good. One of the most vital Effective Problem-Solving Strategies is to maintain your calm. Remember, if you have encountered a problem, it is entirely up to you to tackle & overcome it. Losing your calm is the best thing you can do to lose control over the entire situation.

In your personal or professional life, having a cool brain is vital to handling a problem. Often problems seem so immense that we cannot see any way out of it. But analyzing the situation effectively (which requires a cool brain) can produce many solutions. The key takeaway is to devise any probable solution to a problem; a cool brain is needed.

2. Define The Problem

Jumping directly to solutions can be enticing; however, without first articulating an issue, the solution won’t be right. Large numbers of the problem-solving exercises incorporate segments where the issue is investigated & obviously characterized before continuing.

This is a crucial contributor to the problem-solving process & finding an opportunity to characterize an issue completely can save time & exertion later. An unmistakable definition distinguishes superfluous data & it likewise guarantees that you or your group sets off in good shape.

3. Avoid Jumping To Conclusions

It’s simple for teams to display mental inclination or have assumptions about the two issues & expected solutions. Make sure to back up any issue explanations or expected solutions with realities, research, & satisfactory thinking ahead.

The best strategies request that members be calculated & challenge assumptions. Ensure you give the team sufficient opportunity & space to gather pertinent data & think about the issue in another manner. By moving toward the interaction with an unmistakable, sane outlook, you’ll frequently observe that improved solutions are really impending.

4. Break Down The Problem

Divining more significant issues into more modest pieces or steps could be useful. This permits you to zero in on settling each more modest piece of the issue exclusively, which might be more reasonable. Begin by recognizing what the prerequisites to tackle this issue are.

You can ask yourself what you are attempting to achieve & what obstructions you want to overcome. Make a list of each important undertaking you consider. Then, at that point, plan each step by posting them arranged by when they should be achieved. At long last, divide the list by doling out various errands to individual colleagues.

5. Reassess The Problem

Assuming that the issue could truly be unsolvable, consider reassessing the issue. For instance, if your employer needs to foster a specific item, & requires extra assets to achieve this, you could reassess the issue by inquiring why the business needs to foster this item.

Your business needs to foster this item since it has high buyer interest. Rather than zeroing in on how the business can make that item, you might verify that it is more reasonable to recognize one more thing with a high shopper request that your business has the assets to create.

6. Don’t Indulge In Blame Game

In case of any problem, we often try to shake off the responsibility & try to blame others for the issue. It only worsens the situation. In case of any problem, instead of pinning the blame or responsibility on someone, a more fruitful method is assessing the problem & trying to come up with a solution. That is one of the most Effective Problem-Solving Strategies.

A problem can be the result of the fault of one or many faults. Finding the root cause of the problem & a viable solution is more important than holding someone responsible. Accusing someone of the problem can’t solve the problem or start a blame game. It will only consume valuable time for damage control.

7. Use Past Experience

Carve out the opportunity to consider if you have experienced a comparative circumstance to your ongoing issue before. This can assist you with drawing associations between various occasions. Ask yourself how you moved toward the past circumstance & adjust those answers for the issue you are currently attempting to address.

Often, we encounter a problem that is unique in nature. We have yet to gain experience dealing with that. Try to find out if anyone among your family, friends, or colleagues has encountered something similar. Ask for their advice or help to solve the problem at hand.

8. Try Trial-&-Error Approach

One of the Effective Approaches to Solving Problems is trying the trial-&-error approach. If your problem has different solutions & you are attempting to see the best one, utilizing the experimentation approach might be helpful.

Please list a few possible solutions & afterwards attempt them individually. Take notes as you go so you have something to reference whenever you have finished your preliminaries. Then, at that point, utilize this data to decide the best solution.

Some Books About Problem-Solving

Many books can be found on Effective Problem-Solving Strategies. They help you to manage a problem effectively in your personal & professional life. Here are some of them:

  • Fixed: How to Perfect the Fine Art of Problem Solving by Amy E Herman.
  • Cracked it!: How to solve big problems and sell solutions like top strategy consultants by Bernard Garrette, Corey Phelps, & Olivier Sibony.
  • Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath.
  • Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People by Ken Watanabe.
  • What’s Your Problem?: To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve by Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg.
  • Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky.
  • Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life by Ozan Varol.
  • Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything by Charles Conn and Robert McLean.

FAQs

Q: Do one need to be a genius to solve a problem?

A: Day-to-day problems don’t require genius-level intellect. Standard experience & minds are good enough to solve them.

Q: Why do some problems seem bigger at first?

A: Unique problems may seem bigger at first as we don’t have any prior experience with them.

Q: It seems I always attract problems; why does it happen?

A: Problems are a common thing in everyone’s life. To a person, their problem is bigger than the rest.

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