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Problem Solving And Making Decisions

  • Category Psychology
  • Topic Problem Solving

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  • Describing the problem and what may have caused it

One of our permanent Residential Childcare Officers is 6-months pregnant. She is planning to start her maternity leave on 30.06.2019. We have advertised for a temporary maternity cover position (April) but were not able to recruit. Moreover one other permanent member of staff has recently handed his resignation. He is obliged to serving one month notice period and consequently his last day of employment will be 31.05.2019. One of the reasons of his resignation is seeking an opportunity for personal development and promotion.

  • Scope of the problem

Due to the nature of service provided by Castle Gate and staffing levels, the problem we are facing can be considered as significant. Our company is about to lose two out of six permanent employees at very short period of time which can have an extremely negative impact on the business itself, our employees and the quality of service we provide.

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  • Who, how and what it affects in the workplace/team

Losing two out of six permanent RCCOs will certainly affect the whole team. If a cover or replacement can’t be found on time our employees might need to work short-staffed. This might be dangerous for them as well as our clients as it is crucial to maintain the agreed staff-client ratios. To prevent this from happening, our employees may be encouraged to do some additional hours and as a result they may feel tired and overworked. Moreover the morale within the team might drop, people might feel pressured and even more people might consider resigning.

Furthermore, the problem may also affect the business itself, especially our clients. Due to staff shortages we might not be able to provide the amount of respite agreed in individual care packages. We might be forced to make changes in bookings and cut down on the number of overnight stays. On the other hand, if we decide to work under-staffed, we might put our clients at risk or provide poor quality of service.

  • What you are trying to achieve by solving the problem

By solving the problem I would like to provide a safe working environment for my colleagues at Castle Gate and maintain required staff levels. I would also like to provide consistency of care for our clients in order to meet their needs and be able to provide allocated short breaks.

  • What the result would be if no action is taken

If no action is taken Castle Gate may not be able to provide the correct amount of short breaks for our clients, agreed in their care packages. On the contrary, if we try to maintain the amount of respite without required staff levels, our clients and staff might be put at risk. Moreover, if the problem is not solved promptly our Ofsted rating might be affected.

Investigation and Identification of Possible Solutions

  • Briefly describe possible solutions to the problem

The senior’s meeting was held on Monday 06.05.2019. The service manager, deputy manager and a senior RCCO met to discuss possible solutions to the problem. The team looked into short, medium and long term solutions and evaluated them.

Short Term Solutions

One of the short term solutions will be identifying the shits that need covering after 31.05.2019 and offering them to our bank workers and permanent RCCO’s (as overtime). The remaining shifts would be offered to agencies.

Medium Term Solution

A medium term solution would be advertising the full time post and a maternity cover temporary post (again). This would require advertising, shortlisting applications and interviewing. This process would take much longer but it would solve the problem permanently.

Considering difficulties to cover a temporary post which we faced recently (April), when it was first advertised, the next possible solution is to advertise a permanent post externally and offer the temporary contract (maternity cover) to our bank workers (internally). It has been identified that our bank workers might be more likely to accept the post as they are flexible and not looking for a permanent position.

Another possible solution is to temporarily cut down on our client’s care packages, until we successfully recruit.

Long Term Solution

It has been identified that the main reason to the resignation of our permanent RCCO was seeking opportunity for further personal development and promotion. The management team discussed what potential development opportunities could be offered to staff in the future.

Evaluation of Possible Solutions

  • After analyzing the rota and bookings we identify what shifts will need covering after 31.05.2019. We run a staff meeting to inform the team about the problem, present them with a list of available shifts and ask them to consider doing additional hours. At the same time we contact our bank staff asking them for their availability. We gather the information; allocate the shifts and make changes to the rota. We list the rest of the shifts that still need covering and contact the agencies.

Medium term

  • Deputy Manager writes an advertisement for a permanent and a temporary post. DM contacts HR department and requests the publication of the advertisement. DM also contacts casual RCCO’s and offers them the opportunity to apply for a temporary post.
  • DM reviews the rotas and bookings. DM identifies young people who might be affected, how many short breaks need to be canceled and when and plans on canceling the respite in a fair manner. DM contacts parents or carers of our clients informing them about the current situation and the need to cut down on their packages.
  • Senior RCCO contacts the training department to find out about development opportunities for staff at Castle Gate. Senior RCCO gathers information about training programs, courses and apprenticeships available and feedbacks the information to the management. The service manager invites a training consultant to a staff meeting to inform the team about possible options.
  • Senior RCCO creates a survey for staff to gather information about the work environment and suggested areas of improvement. The outcome of the survey is discussed at staff meeting, when the whole team can present their views on how to make our work environment better and how to keep staff satisfied and motivated.

Offering additional shifts to staff (overtime); use of bank workers and agencies

Advantages/Disadvantages

  • Maintaining the flow of the business; keeping the business open In long perspective, staff can be tired and overworked because of doing additional hours, which can have a negative impact on the quality of service they provide
  • By using the bank staff to cover a permanent post we won’t be able to use them to cover sicknesses and annual leave which is what they are mainly used for
  • Use of agency can have an impact on the quality of provided service (e.g. agency workers don’t know our clients)
  • Additional costs: use of agency and bank workers is expensive; overtime rate (1.3) for employees doing additional hours
  • Can solve the problem permanently The recruitment process takes long time (advertising, interviewing, notice period); a need to implement short term solution in the meantime
  • Adding a valuable member of staff to the team
  • Smaller costs than when using agency workers and bank staff or paying overtime rate
  • Maintaining staff levels
  • Cutting down on clients care packages
  • Keeping the business open regardless staff shortages Not being able to keep to the plans and arrangements
  • Disadvantage to clients who lose out on their respite

After investigating possible solutions we decided to advertise one permanent full time position and one temporary full time position (maternity cover). The maternity cover will also be offered to casual RCCO’s which may increase our chance of covering the post. It has been recognized that recruitment can be a long process; therefore we decided to implement the short term solution in the meantime. Deputy Manager will keep reviewing the rotas and bookings on two-weekly basis to be able to cover the shifts (overtime, bank workers and agency) until successful recruitment.

There are many ways to monitor and review the outcomes of the plans

  • Reviewing of the short term plan
  • DM to update the rota and bookings on two-weekly basis to ensure all shifts are covered
  • DM to contact the agency regularly to offer outstanding shifts
  • Senior RCCO to do inductions for new agency workers
  • DM to seek feedback from staff to make sure the performance of agency workers is satisfactory
  • Reviewing of the medium term plan
  • Induction for a new member of staff – welcoming a new member of staff in the team, introducing the colleagues, showing the building etc.
  • New starter to read and sign all relevant policies and Statement of Purpose
  • DM to arrange two-weekly supervisions with a new member of staff to monitor their performance and offer support and guidance
  • DM to assign a mentor for a new member of staff; a colleague who will help and support a new starter during the probation period
  • DM to hold regular catch up meetings with the mentor
  • Staff’s supervisions – DM to help staff to reflect on and evaluate their practice, offer support and guidance, discuss any potential problems and issues
  • Regular staff meetings – service manager, deputy manager and senior RCCO to hold two-weekly staff meetings

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solving problems and making decisions essay

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How to Make Great Decisions, Quickly

  • Martin G. Moore

solving problems and making decisions essay

It’s a skill that will set you apart.

As a new leader, learning to make good decisions without hesitation and procrastination is a capability that can set you apart from your peers. While others vacillate on tricky choices, your team could be hitting deadlines and producing the type of results that deliver true value. That’s something that will get you — and them — noticed. Here are a few of a great decision:

  • Great decisions are shaped by consideration of many different viewpoints. This doesn’t mean you should seek out everyone’s opinion. The right people with the relevant expertise need to clearly articulate their views to help you broaden your perspective and make the best choice.
  • Great decisions are made as close as possible to the action. Remember that the most powerful people at your company are rarely on the ground doing the hands-on work. Seek input and guidance from team members who are closest to the action.
  • Great decisions address the root cause, not just the symptoms. Although you may need to urgently address the symptoms, once this is done you should always develop a plan to fix the root cause, or else the problem is likely to repeat itself.
  • Great decisions balance short-term and long-term value. Finding the right balance between short-term and long-term risks and considerations is key to unlocking true value.
  • Great decisions are timely. If you consider all of the elements listed above, then it’s simply a matter of addressing each one with a heightened sense of urgency.

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Like many young leaders, early in my career, I thought a great decision was one that attracted widespread approval. When my colleagues smiled and nodded their collective heads, it reinforced (in my mind, at least) that I was an excellent decision maker.

solving problems and making decisions essay

  • MM Martin G. Moore is the founder of Your CEO Mentor and author of No Bullsh!t Leadership and host of the No Bullsh!t Leadership podcast. His purpose is to improve the quality of leaders globally through practical, real world leadership content. For more information, please visit, www.martingmoore.com.

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5.3: Using Critical Thinking Skills- Decision Making and Problem Solving

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Introduction

In previous lessons, you learned about characteristics of critical thinkers and information literacy. In this module, you will learn how to put those skills into action through the important processes of decision making and problem solving.

As with the process of developing information literacy, asking questions is an important part of decision making and problem solving. Thinking is born of questions. Questions wake us up. Questions alert us to hidden assumptions. Questions promote curiosity and create new distinctions. Questions open up options that otherwise go unexplored. Besides, teachers love questions.

We make decisions all the time, whether we realize it or not. Even avoiding decisions is a form of decision making. The student who puts off studying for a test until the last minute, for example, might really be saying, “I’ve decided this course is not important” or “I’ve decided not to give this course much time.”

Decisions are specific and lead to focused action. When we decide, we narrow down. We give up actions that are inconsistent with our decision.

In addition to decision making, critical thinking skills are important to solving problems. We encounter problems every single day, and having a solid process in place is important to solving them.

At the end of the lesson, you will learn how to put your critical thinking skills to use by reviewing an example of how critical thinking skills can help with making those everyday decisions.

Using Critical Thinking Skills: Asking Questions

Questions have practical power. Asking for directions can shave hours off a trip. Asking a librarian for help can save hours of research time. Asking how to address an instructor—by first name or formal title—can change your relationship with that person. Asking your academic advisor a question can alter your entire education. Asking people about their career plans can alter your career plans.

You can use the following strategies to develop questions for problem solving and decision making:

Ask questions that create possibilities. At any moment, you can ask a question that opens up a new possibility for someone.

  • Suppose a friend walks up to you and says, “People just never listen to me.” You listen carefully. Then you say, “Let me make sure I understand. Who, specifically, doesn’t listen to you? And how do you know they’re not listening?”
  • Another friend tells you, “I just lost my job to someone who has less experience. That should never happen.” You respond, “Wow, that’s hard. I’m sorry you lost your job. Who can help you find another job?”
  • A relative seeks your advice. “My mother-in-law makes me mad,” she says. “You’re having a hard time with this person,” you say. “What does she say and do when you feel mad at her? And are there times when you don’t get mad at her?”

These kinds of questions—asked with compassion and a sense of timing—can help people move from complaining about problems to solving them.

Discover new questions. Students sometimes say, “I don’t know what questions to ask.” Consider the following ways to create questions about any subject you want to study or about any

area of your life that you want to change:

  • Let your pen start moving. Sometimes you can access a deeper level of knowledge by taking out your pen, putting it on a piece of paper, and writing down questions—even before you know what to write. Don’t think. Just watch the pen move across the paper. Notice what appears. The results might be surprising.
  • Ask about what’s missing . Another way to invent useful questions is to notice what’s missing from your life and then ask how to supply it. For example, if you want to take better notes, you can write, “What’s missing is skill in note taking. How can I gain more skill in taking notes?” If you always feel rushed, you can write, “What’s missing is time. How do I create enough time in my day to actually do the things that I say I want to do?”
  • Pretend to be someone else. Another way to invent questions is first to think of someone you greatly respect. Then pretend you’re that person. Ask the questions you think she would ask.
  • What can I do when ... an instructor calls on me in class and I have no idea what to say? When a teacher doesn’t show up for class on time? When I feel overwhelmed with assignments?
  • How can I ... take the kind of courses that I want? Expand my career options? Become much more effective as a student, starting today?
  • When do I ... decide on a major? Transfer to another school? Meet with an instructor to discuss an upcoming term paper?
  • What else do I want to know about ... my academic plan? My career plan? My options for job hunting? My friends? My relatives? My spouse?
  • Who can I ask about ... my career options? My major? My love life? My values and purpose in life?

Many times you can quickly generate questions by simply asking yourself, “What else do I want to know?” Ask this question immediately after you read a paragraph in a book or listen to someone speak.

Start from the assumption that you are brilliant. Then ask questions to unlock your brilliance.

Using Critical Thinking Skills in Decision Making

As you develop your critical thinking skills, you can apply them as you make decisions. The following suggestions can help in your decision-making process:

Recognize decisions. Decisions are more than wishes or desires. There’s a world of difference between “I wish I could be a better student” and “I will take more powerful notes, read with greater retention, and review my class notes daily.” Deciding to eat fruit for dessert instead of ice cream rules out the next trip to the ice cream store.

Establish priorities. Some decisions are trivial. No matter what the outcome, your life is not affected much. Other decisions can shape your circumstances for years. Devote more time and energy to the decisions with big outcomes.

Base decisions on a life plan. The benefit of having long-term goals for our lives is that they provide a basis for many of our daily decisions. Being certain about what we want to accomplish this year and this month makes today’s choices more clear.

Balance learning styles in decision making. To make decisions more effectively, use all four modes of learning explained in a previous lesson. The key is to balance reflection with action, and thinking with experience. First, take the time to think creatively, and generate many options. Then think critically about the possible consequences of each option before choosing one. Remember, however, that thinking is no substitute for experience. Act on your chosen option, and notice what happens. If you’re not getting the results you want, then quickly return to creative thinking to invent new options.

Choose an overall strategy. Every time you make a decision, you choose a strategy—even when you’re not aware of it. Effective decision makers can articulate and choose from among several strategies. For example:

  • Find all of the available options, and choose one deliberately. Save this strategy for times when you have a relatively small number of options, each of which leads to noticeably different results.
  • Find all of the available options, and choose one randomly. This strategy can be risky. Save it for times when your options are basically similar and fairness is the main issue.
  • Limit the options, and then choose. When deciding which search engine to use, visit many search sites and then narrow the list down to two or three from which to choose.

Use time as an ally. Sometimes we face dilemmas—situations in which any course of action leads to undesirable consequences. In such cases, consider putting a decision on hold. Wait it out. Do nothing until the circumstances change, making one alternative clearly preferable to another.

Use intuition. Some decisions seem to make themselves. A solution pops into your mind, and you gain newfound clarity. Using intuition is not the same as forgetting about the decision or refusing to make it. Intuitive decisions usually arrive after we’ve gathered the relevant facts and faced a problem for some time.

Evaluate your decision. Hindsight is a source of insight. After you act on a decision, observe the consequences over time. Reflect on how well your decision worked and what you might have done differently.

Think of choices. This final suggestion involves some creative thinking. Consider that the word decide derives from the same roots as suicide and homicide . In the spirit of those words, a decision forever “kills” all other options. That’s kind of heavy. Instead, use the word choice , and see whether it frees up your thinking. When you choose , you express a preference for one option over others. However, those options remain live possibilities for the future. Choose for today, knowing that as you gain more wisdom and experience, you can choose again.

Using Critical Thinking Skills in Problem Solving

Think of problem solving as a process with four Ps : Define the problem , generate possibilities ,

create a plan , and perform your plan.

Step 1: Define the problem. To define a problem effectively, understand what a problem is—a mismatch between what you want and what you have. Problem solving is all about reducing the gap between these two factors.

Tell the truth about what’s present in your life right now, without shame or blame. For example: “I often get sleepy while reading my physics assignments, and after closing the book I cannot remember what I just read.”

Next, describe in detail what you want. Go for specifics: “I want to remain alert as I read about physics. I also want to accurately summarize each chapter I read.”

Remember that when we define a problem in limiting ways, our solutions merely generate new problems. As Albert Einstein said, “The world we have made is a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far. We cannot solve problems at the same level at which we created them” (Calaprice 2000).

This idea has many applications for success in school. An example is the student who struggles with note taking. The problem, she thinks, is that her notes are too sketchy. The logical solution, she decides, is to take more notes; her new goal is to write down almost everything her instructors say. No matter how fast and furiously she writes, she cannot capture all of the instructors’ comments.

Consider what happens when this student defines the problem in a new way. After more thought, she decides that her dilemma is not the quantity of her notes but their quality . She adopts a new format for taking notes, dividing her notepaper into two columns. In the right-hand column, she writes down only the main points of each lecture. In the left-hand column, she notes two or three supporting details for each point.

Over time, this student makes the joyous discovery that there are usually just three or four core ideas to remember from each lecture. She originally thought the solution was to take more notes. What really worked was taking notes in a new way.

Step 2: Generate possibilities. Now put on your creative thinking hat. Open up. Brainstorm as many possible solutions to the problem as you can. At this stage, quantity counts. As you generate possibilities, gather relevant facts. For example, when you’re faced with a dilemma about what courses to take next semester, get information on class times, locations, and instructors. If you haven’t decided which summer job offer to accept, gather information on salary, benefits, and working conditions.

Step 3: Create a plan. After rereading your problem definition and list of possible solutions, choose the solution that seems most workable. Think about specific actions that will reduce the gap between what you have and what you want. Visualize the steps you will take to make this solution a reality, and arrange them in chronological order. To make your plan even more powerful, put it in writing.

Step 4: Perform your plan. This step gets you off your chair and out into the world. Now you actually do what you have planned.

Ultimately, your skill in solving problems lies in how well you perform your plan. Through the quality of your actions, you become the architect of your own success.

When facing problems, experiment with these four Ps, and remember that the order of steps is not absolute. Also remember that any solution has the potential to create new problems. If that happens, cycle through the four Ps of problem solving again.

Critical Thinking Skills in Action: Thinking About Your Major, Part 1

One decision that troubles many students in higher education is the choice of a major. Weighing the benefits, costs, and outcomes of a possible major is an intellectual challenge. This choice is an opportunity to apply your critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. The following suggestions will guide you through this seemingly overwhelming process.

The first step is to discover options. You can use the following suggestions to discover options for choosing your major:

Follow the fun. Perhaps you look forward to attending one of your classes and even like completing the assignments. This is a clue to your choice of major.

See whether you can find lasting patterns in the subjects and extracurricular activities that you’ve enjoyed over the years. Look for a major that allows you to continue and expand on these experiences.

Also, sit down with a stack of 3 × 5 cards and brainstorm answers to the following questions:

  • What do you enjoy doing most with your unscheduled time?
  • Imagine that you’re at a party and having a fascinating conversation. What is this conversation about?
  • What kind of problems do you enjoy solving—those that involve people? Products? Ideas?
  • What interests are revealed by your choices of reading material, television shows, and other entertainment?
  • What would an ideal day look like for you? Describe where you would live, who would be with you, and what you would do throughout the day. Do any of these visions suggest a possible major?

Questions like these can uncover a “fun factor” that energizes you to finish the work of completing a major.

Consider your abilities. In choosing a major, ability counts as much as interest. In addition to considering what you enjoy, think about times and places when you excelled. List the courses that you aced, the work assignments that you mastered, and the hobbies that led to rewards or recognition. Let your choice of a major reflect a discovery of your passions and potentials.

Use formal techniques for self-discovery. Explore questionnaires and inventories that are designed to correlate your interests with specific majors. Examples include the Strong Interest Inventory and the Self-Directed Search. Your academic advisor or someone in your school’s career planning office can give you more details about these and related assessments. For some fun, take several of them and meet with an advisor to interpret the results. Remember inventories can help you gain self-knowledge, and other people can offer valuable perspectives. However, what you do with all this input is entirely up to you.

Critical Thinking Skills in Action: Thinking About Your Major, Part 2

As you review the following additional suggestions of discovering options, think about what strategies you already use in your own decision-making process. Also think about what new strategies you might try in the future.

Link to long-term goals. Your choice of a major can fall into place once you determine what you want in life. Before you choose a major, back up to a bigger picture. List your core values, such as contributing to society, achieving financial security and professional recognition, enjoying good health, or making time for fun. Also write down specific goals that you want to accomplish 5 years, 10 years, or even 50 years from today.

Many students find that the prospect of getting what they want in life justifies all of the time, money, and day-to-day effort invested in going to school. Having a major gives you a powerful incentive for attending classes, taking part in discussions, reading textbooks, writing papers, and completing other assignments. When you see a clear connection between finishing school and creating the life of your dreams, the daily tasks of higher education become charged with meaning.

Ask other people. Key people in your life might have valuable suggestions about your choice of major. Ask for their ideas, and listen with an open mind. At the same time, distance yourself from any pressure to choose a major or career that fails to interest you. If you make a choice solely on the basis of the expectations of other people, you could end up with a major or even a career you don’t enjoy.

Gather information. Check your school’s catalog or website for a list of available majors. Here is a gold mine of information. Take a quick glance, and highlight all the majors that interest you. Then talk to students who have declared these majors. Also read the descriptions of courses required for these majors. Do you get excited about the chance to enroll in them? Pay attention to your gut feelings.

Also chat with instructors who teach courses in a specific major. Ask for copies of their class syllabi. Go to the bookstore and browse the required texts. Based on all of this information, write a list of prospective majors. Discuss them with an academic advisor and someone at your school’s career-planning center.

Invent a major. When choosing a major, you might not need to limit yourself to those listed in your school catalog. Many schools now have flexible programs that allow for independent study. Through such programs, you might be able to combine two existing majors or invent an entirely new one of your own.

Consider a complementary minor. You can add flexibility to your academic program by choosing a minor to complement or contrast with your major. The student who wants to be a minister could opt for a minor in English; all of those courses in composition can help in writing sermons. Or the student with a major in psychology might choose a minor in business administration, with the idea of managing a counseling service some day. An effective choice of a minor can expand your skills and career options.

Think critically about the link between your major and your career. Your career goals might have a significant impact on your choice of major.

You could pursue a rewarding career by choosing among several different majors. Even students planning to apply for law school or medical school have flexibility in their choice of majors. In addition, after graduation, many people tend to be employed in jobs that have little relationship to their major. And you might choose a career in the future that is unrelated to any currently available major.

Critical Thinking Skills in Action: Thinking About Your Major, Part 3

Once you have discovered all of your options, you can move on to the next step in the process— making a trial choice.

Make a Trial Choice

Pretend that you have to choose a major today. Based on the options for a major that you’ve already discovered, write down the first three ideas that come to mind. Review the list for a few minutes, and then choose one.

Evaluate Your Trial Choice

When you’ve made a trial choice of major, take on the role of a scientist. Treat your choice as a hypothesis, and then design a series of experiments to evaluate and test it. For example:

  • Schedule office meetings with instructors who teach courses in the major. Ask about required course work and career options in the field.
  • Discuss your trial choice with an academic advisor or career counselor.
  • Enroll in a course related to your possible major. Remember that introductory courses might not give you a realistic picture of the workload involved in advanced courses. Also, you might not be able to register for certain courses until you’ve actually declared a related major.
  • Find a volunteer experience, internship, part-time job, or service-learning experience related to the major.
  • Interview students who have declared the same major. Ask them in detail about their experiences and suggestions for success.
  • Interview people who work in a field related to the major and “shadow” them—that is, spend time with those people during their workday.
  • Think about whether you can complete your major given the amount of time and money that you plan to invest in higher education.
  • Consider whether declaring this major would require a transfer to another program or even another school.

If your “experiments” confirm your choice of major, celebrate that fact. If they result in choosing a new major, celebrate that outcome as well.

Also remember that higher education represents a safe place to test your choice of major—and to change your mind. As you sort through your options, help is always available from administrators, instructors, advisors, and peers.

Choose Again

Keep your choice of a major in perspective. There is probably no single “correct” choice. Your unique collection of skills is likely to provide the basis for majoring in several fields.

Odds are that you’ll change your major at least once—and that you’ll change careers several times during your life. One benefit of higher education is mobility. You gain the general skills and knowledge that can help you move into a new major or career field at any time.

Viewing a major as a one-time choice that determines your entire future can raise your stress levels. Instead, look at choosing a major as the start of a continuing path that involves discovery, choice, and passionate action.

As you review this example of how you can use critical thinking to make a decision about choosing your major, think about how you will use your critical thinking to make decisions and solve problems in the future.

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Making decisions and solving problems are two key areas in life, whether you are at home or at work. Whatever you’re doing, and wherever you are, you are faced with countless decisions and problems, both small and large, every day.

Many decisions and problems are so small that we may not even notice them. Even small decisions, however, can be overwhelming to some people. They may come to a halt as they consider their dilemma and try to decide what to do.

Small and Large Decisions

In your day-to-day life you're likely to encounter numerous 'small decisions', including, for example:

Tea or coffee?

What shall I have in my sandwich? Or should I have a salad instead today?

What shall I wear today?

Larger decisions may occur less frequently but may include:

Should we repaint the kitchen? If so, what colour?

Should we relocate?

Should I propose to my partner? Do I really want to spend the rest of my life with him/her?

These decisions, and others like them, may take considerable time and effort to make.

The relationship between decision-making and problem-solving is complex. Decision-making is perhaps best thought of as a key part of problem-solving: one part of the overall process.

Our approach at Skills You Need is to set out a framework to help guide you through the decision-making process. You won’t always need to use the whole framework, or even use it at all, but you may find it useful if you are a bit ‘stuck’ and need something to help you make a difficult decision.

Decision Making

Effective Decision-Making

This page provides information about ways of making a decision, including basing it on logic or emotion (‘gut feeling’). It also explains what can stop you making an effective decision, including too much or too little information, and not really caring about the outcome.

A Decision-Making Framework

This page sets out one possible framework for decision-making.

The framework described is quite extensive, and may seem quite formal. But it is also a helpful process to run through in a briefer form, for smaller problems, as it will help you to make sure that you really do have all the information that you need.

Problem Solving

Introduction to Problem-Solving

This page provides a general introduction to the idea of problem-solving. It explores the idea of goals (things that you want to achieve) and barriers (things that may prevent you from achieving your goals), and explains the problem-solving process at a broad level.

The first stage in solving any problem is to identify it, and then break it down into its component parts. Even the biggest, most intractable-seeming problems, can become much more manageable if they are broken down into smaller parts. This page provides some advice about techniques you can use to do so.

Sometimes, the possible options to address your problem are obvious. At other times, you may need to involve others, or think more laterally to find alternatives. This page explains some principles, and some tools and techniques to help you do so.

Having generated solutions, you need to decide which one to take, which is where decision-making meets problem-solving. But once decided, there is another step: to deliver on your decision, and then see if your chosen solution works. This page helps you through this process.

‘Social’ problems are those that we encounter in everyday life, including money trouble, problems with other people, health problems and crime. These problems, like any others, are best solved using a framework to identify the problem, work out the options for addressing it, and then deciding which option to use.

This page provides more information about the key skills needed for practical problem-solving in real life.

Further Reading from Skills You Need

The Skills You Need Guide to Interpersonal Skills eBooks.

The Skills You Need Guide to Interpersonal Skills

Develop your interpersonal skills with our series of eBooks. Learn about and improve your communication skills, tackle conflict resolution, mediate in difficult situations, and develop your emotional intelligence.

Guiding you through the key skills needed in life

As always at Skills You Need, our approach to these key skills is to provide practical ways to manage the process, and to develop your skills.

Neither problem-solving nor decision-making is an intrinsically difficult process and we hope you will find our pages useful in developing your skills.

Start with: Decision Making Problem Solving

See also: Improving Communication Interpersonal Communication Skills Building Confidence

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Problem Solving and Decision Making - Two Essential Skills of a Good Leader

Darren Matthews

Problem solving and decision making are two fascinating skillsets. We call them out as two separate skills – and they are – but they also make use of the same core attributes.

They feed on a need to communicate well, both through questioning and listening, and be patient and not rushing both processes through. Thus, the greatest challenge any leader faces when it comes to solving problems and decision making is when the pressure of time comes into play. But as Robert Schuller highlights in his quote, allowing problem-solving to become the decision means you’ll never break free from the problem.

“Never bring the problem-solving stage into the decision-making stage. Otherwise, you surrender yourself to the problem rather than the solution.”—Robert H. Schuller

So how does a leader avoid this trap? How do they ensure the problem solving doesn’t become the be-all and end-all?

The 7 steps of Effective Problem Solving and Decision Making

A vital hurdle every leader must overcome is to avoid the impulsive urge to make quick decisions . Often when confronted with a problem, leaders or managers fall back in past behaviours. Urgency creates pressure to act quickly as a result, the problem still exists, just side-lined until it rears its ugly head again.

Good problem solving opens opportunity. A notable example of this is the first principles thinking executed by the likes of Elon Musk and others. Understanding the fundamentals blocks of a process and the problem it’s creating can lead to not just the problem but accelerate beyond it.

So, to avoid the trap, and use problem solving and decision making effectively , you should embody yourself with the following seven steps.

1.      What is the problem?

Often, especially in time-critical situations, people don’t define the problem. Some label themselves as fire-fighters, just content with dowsing out the flames. It is a reactionary behaviour and one commonplace with under-trained leaders. As great as some fire-fighters are, they can only put out so many fires at one time, often becoming a little industry.

The better approach is to define the problem, and this means asking the following questions:

  • What is happening? ( What makes you think there is a problem?)
  • Where is it taking place?
  • How is it happening?
  • When is it happening?
  • Why is it happening?
  • With whom is it happening? (This isn’t a blame game…all you want to do is isolate the problem to a granular level.)
  • Define what you understand to be the problem in writing by using as few sentences as possible. (Look at the answers to your what, where, why, when, and how questions.)

2.      What are the potential causes?

Having defined the problem it is now time to find out what might be causing the problem. Your leadership skills: your communication skills need to be strong, as you look to gather input from your team and those involved in the problem.

Key points:

  • Talk to those involved individually. Groupthink is a common cause of blindness to the problem, especially if there is blame culture within the business.
  • Document what you’ve heard and what you think is the root cause is.
  • Be inquisitive. You don’t know what you don’t know, so get the input of others and open yourself up to the feedback you’ll need to solve this problem.

3.      What other ways can you overcome the problem?

 Sometimes, getting to the root cause can take time. Of course, you can’t ignore it, but it is important to produce a plan to temporarily fix the problem. In business, a problem will be costing the business money, whether it be sales or profit. So, a temporary fix allows the business to move forward, providing it neutralises the downside of the original problem.

4.      How will you resolve the problem?

At this stage, you still don’t know what the actual problem is. All you have is a definition of the problem which is a diagnosis of the issue. You will have the team’s input, as well as your opinions as to what the next steps should be.

If you don’t, then at this stage you should think about reassessing the problem. One way forward could be to become more granular and adopt a first-principles approach.

  • Break the problem down into its core parts
  • What forms the foundational blocks of the system in operation?
  • Ask powerful questions to get to the truth of the problem
  • How do the parts fit together?
  • What was the original purpose of the system working in this way?
  • Name and separate your assumptions from the facts
  • Remind yourself of the goal and create a new solution

Solve hard problems with inversion

Another way is to invert the problem using the following technique:

1. Understand the problem

Every solution starts with developing a clear understanding of what the problem is. In this instance, some clarity of the issue is vital.

2. Ask the opposite question

Convention wisdom means we see the world logically. But what if you turned the logical outcome on its head. Asking the opposite questions brings an unfamiliar perspective.

3. Answer the opposite question

It seems a simple logic, but you can’t just ask the opposite question and not answer it. You must think through the dynamics that come from asking the question. You're looking for alternative viewpoints and thoughts you've not had before.

4. Join your answers up with your original problem

This is where solutions are born. You’re taking your conventional wisdom and aligning it with the opposite perspective. So often the blockers seen in the original problem become part of the solution.

5.      Define a plan to either fix the problem permanently or temporarily

You now know the problem. You understand the fix, and you are a position to assess the risks involved.

Assessing the risks means considering the worst-case scenarios and ensuring you avoid them. Your plan should take into the following points:

  • Is there any downtime to implementing the solution? If so, how long, and how much will it cost? Do you have backup systems in place to minimise the impact?
  • If the risk is too great, consider a temporary fix which keeps current operations in place and gives you time to further prepare for a permanent fix.
  • Document the plan and share it with all the relevant stakeholders. Communication is key.

Here we see the two skills of problem solving and decision making coming together. The two skills are vital to managing business risks as well as solving the problem.

6.      Monitor and measure the plan

Having evolved through the five steps to this stage, you mustn’t take your eye off the ball as it were.

  • Define timelines and assess progress
  • Report to the stakeholders, ensuring everyone is aware of progress or any delays.
  • If the plan doesn’t deliver, ask why? Learn from failure.

7.      Have you fixed the problem?

Don’t forget the problem you started with. Have you fixed it? You might find it wasn’t a problem at all. You will have learnt a lot about the part of the business where the problem occurred, and improvements will have taken place.

Use the opportunity to assess what worked, what didn’t, and what would have helped. These are three good questions to give you some perspective on the process you’ve undertaken.

Problem solving and decision making in unison

Throughout the process of problem solving, you’re making decisions. Right from the beginning when the problem first becomes clear, you have a choice to either react – firefight or to investigate. This progresses as move onto risk assessing the problem and then defining the solutions to overcome the issue.

Throughout the process, the critical element is to make decisions with the correct information to hand. Finding out the facts, as well as defeating your assumptions are all part of the process of making the right decision.

Problem solving and decision making – a process 

Problem solving isn’t easy. It becomes even more challenging when you have decisions to make. The seven steps I’ve outlined will give you the ability to investigate and diagnose the problem correctly.

  • What is the problem?
  • What are the potential causes?
  • What other ways can you overcome the problem?
  • How will you resolve the problem?
  • Define a plan to either fix the problem permanently or temporarily.
  • Monitor and measure the plan.
  • Have you fixed the problem?

Of course, this logical step by step process might not enable you to diagnose the issue at hand. Some problems can be extremely hard, and an alternative approach might help. In this instance, first principles thinking or using the power of inversion are excellent ways to dig into hard problems. Problem solving and decision making are two skills every good leader needs. Using them together is an effective way to work.

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  • Critical Thinking

Decision-making and Problem-solving

Appreciate the complexities involved in decision-making & problem solving.

Develop evidence to support views

Analyze situations carefully

Discuss subjects in an organized way

Predict the consequences of actions

Weigh alternatives

Generate and organize ideas

Form and apply concepts

Design systematic plans of action

A 5-Step Problem-Solving Strategy

Specify the problem – a first step to solving a problem is to identify it as specifically as possible.  It involves evaluating the present state and determining how it differs from the goal state.

Analyze the problem – analyzing the problem involves learning as much as you can about it.  It may be necessary to look beyond the obvious, surface situation, to stretch your imagination and reach for more creative options.

seek other perspectives

be flexible in your analysis

consider various strands of impact

brainstorm about all possibilities and implications

research problems for which you lack complete information. Get help.

Formulate possible solutions – identify a wide range of possible solutions.

try to think of all possible solutions

be creative

consider similar problems and how you have solved them

Evaluate possible solutions – weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each solution.  Think through each solution and consider how, when, and where you could accomplish each.  Consider both immediate and long-term results.  Mapping your solutions can be helpful at this stage.

Choose a solution – consider 3 factors:

compatibility with your priorities

amount of risk

practicality

Keys to Problem Solving

Think aloud – problem solving is a cognitive, mental process.  Thinking aloud or talking yourself through the steps of problem solving is useful.  Hearing yourself think can facilitate the process.

Allow time for ideas to "gel" or consolidate.  If time permits, give yourself time for solutions to develop.  Distance from a problem can allow you to clear your mind and get a new perspective.

Talk about the problem – describing the problem to someone else and talking about it can often make a problem become more clear and defined so that a new solution will surface.

Decision Making Strategies

Decision making is a process of identifying and evaluating choices.  We make numerous decisions every day and our decisions may range from routine, every-day types of decisions to those decisions which will have far reaching impacts.  The types of decisions we make are routine, impulsive, and reasoned.  Deciding what to eat for breakfast is a routine decision; deciding to do or buy something at the last minute is considered an impulsive decision; and choosing your college major is, hopefully, a reasoned decision.  College coursework often requires you to make the latter, or reasoned decisions.

Decision making has much in common with problem solving.  In problem solving you identify and evaluate solution paths; in decision making you make a similar discovery and evaluation of alternatives.  The crux of decision making, then, is the careful identification and evaluation of alternatives.  As you weigh alternatives, use the following suggestions:

Consider the outcome each is likely to produce, in both the short term and the long term.

Compare alternatives based on how easily you can accomplish each.

Evaluate possible negative side effects each may produce.

Consider the risk involved in each.

Be creative, original; don't eliminate alternatives because you have not heard or used them before.

An important part of decision making is to predict both short-term and long-term outcomes for each alternative.  You may find that while an alternative seems most desirable at the present, it may pose problems or complications over a longer time period.

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Critical Thinking and Decision-Making  - What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking and decision-making  -, what is critical thinking, critical thinking and decision-making what is critical thinking.

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Critical Thinking and Decision-Making: What is Critical Thinking?

Lesson 1: what is critical thinking, what is critical thinking.

Critical thinking is a term that gets thrown around a lot. You've probably heard it used often throughout the years whether it was in school, at work, or in everyday conversation. But when you stop to think about it, what exactly is critical thinking and how do you do it ?

Watch the video below to learn more about critical thinking.

Simply put, critical thinking is the act of deliberately analyzing information so that you can make better judgements and decisions . It involves using things like logic, reasoning, and creativity, to draw conclusions and generally understand things better.

illustration of the terms logic, reasoning, and creativity

This may sound like a pretty broad definition, and that's because critical thinking is a broad skill that can be applied to so many different situations. You can use it to prepare for a job interview, manage your time better, make decisions about purchasing things, and so much more.

The process

illustration of "thoughts" inside a human brain, with several being connected and "analyzed"

As humans, we are constantly thinking . It's something we can't turn off. But not all of it is critical thinking. No one thinks critically 100% of the time... that would be pretty exhausting! Instead, it's an intentional process , something that we consciously use when we're presented with difficult problems or important decisions.

Improving your critical thinking

illustration of the questions "What do I currently know?" and "How do I know this?"

In order to become a better critical thinker, it's important to ask questions when you're presented with a problem or decision, before jumping to any conclusions. You can start with simple ones like What do I currently know? and How do I know this? These can help to give you a better idea of what you're working with and, in some cases, simplify more complex issues.  

Real-world applications

illustration of a hand holding a smartphone displaying an article that reads, "Study: Cats are better than dogs"

Let's take a look at how we can use critical thinking to evaluate online information . Say a friend of yours posts a news article on social media and you're drawn to its headline. If you were to use your everyday automatic thinking, you might accept it as fact and move on. But if you were thinking critically, you would first analyze the available information and ask some questions :

  • What's the source of this article?
  • Is the headline potentially misleading?
  • What are my friend's general beliefs?
  • Do their beliefs inform why they might have shared this?

illustration of "Super Cat Blog" and "According to survery of cat owners" being highlighted from an article on a smartphone

After analyzing all of this information, you can draw a conclusion about whether or not you think the article is trustworthy.

Critical thinking has a wide range of real-world applications . It can help you to make better decisions, become more hireable, and generally better understand the world around you.

illustration of a lightbulb, a briefcase, and the world

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The Challenge: Making Decisions and Solving Problems Essay

Decision-making and problem-solving are two different concepts, but successful problem-solving depends on the quality of the decisions made. As the competition and demand for quality services increase in the nursing field, new challenges emerge, impacting both managers and junior staff. According to Welch (2013), effective decision-making and problem-solving necessitate the adoption of multi-disciplinary approaches and participative leadership style.

In the case presented, workload, team communication issues n dissatisfaction are highlighted as the core issues at California Children Services (CCS). These problems can be addressed through a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including the staff, the administrator, and the public. The first step, in this case, would be gathering a list of complaints and the probable causes from the staff and prioritizing them.

The problems facing the CCS have both internal and external dimensions influencing the staff operations. Kossaify et al. (2017) show that organizational problems are best solved through team effort. After prioritizing the problems, I would welcome input from a randomly selected group of employees on their preferred solutions. This step is essential because the employees are in the first line of service delivery, and their satisfaction directly determines the quality of care.

To develop viable solutions, I would also invite the public to share their feedback through questionnaires delivered at the CCS and on our website. Involving public opinion is important because, as the direct recipients of our service, their satisfaction is paramount (Welch, 2013). Lastly, I would form a panel of ten people representing the various stakeholder groups and schedule a series of meetings to develop practical solutions to the problems. I would also lead the team to develop a plan for effective communication at the CCS.

Kossaify, A., Hleihel, W., & Lahoud, J. C. (2017). Team-based efforts to improve quality of care, the fundamental role of ethics, and the responsibility of health managers: monitoring and management strategies to enhance teamwork. Public health , 153 , 91-98. Web.

Welch, R. A. (2013). Making decisions and solving problems. Leading and Managing in Nursing-E-Book , 98.

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IvyPanda. (2022, November 25). The Challenge: Making Decisions and Solving Problems. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-challenge-making-decisions-and-solving-problems/

"The Challenge: Making Decisions and Solving Problems." IvyPanda , 25 Nov. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-challenge-making-decisions-and-solving-problems/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'The Challenge: Making Decisions and Solving Problems'. 25 November.

IvyPanda . 2022. "The Challenge: Making Decisions and Solving Problems." November 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-challenge-making-decisions-and-solving-problems/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Challenge: Making Decisions and Solving Problems." November 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-challenge-making-decisions-and-solving-problems/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Challenge: Making Decisions and Solving Problems." November 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-challenge-making-decisions-and-solving-problems/.

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Essay on Decision Making and Problem Solving

INTRODUCTION

It is known that good decision making and problem solving skills are essential for effective managers in today’s competitive environment. As managers make decisions every day, they are responsible for the successful achievement of the major organizational goals. Most managers believe that “to the extent their decisions are rational they contribute directly to the objectives of the organization.” (Holloman, 1992, para.2) Of course, all managers should take into consideration the fact that it is very important to know appropriate decision making and problem solving strategies which will help to find the right way out of this or that situation and to achieve positive outcomes.

Moreover, it is found that those managers who understand the importance of decision making is business will agree that decision making influences every aspect of business, including the employees’ retention, customers’ satisfaction, the reputation of the company in the market and managerial job security. Decision making process is closely connected with problem solving process; that is why it is the major task of any effective manager to develop good decision making and problem solving skills.

My goal in this paper is to discuss the importance of decision making and problem solving in management. In order to achieve this goal it is necessary to review the appropriate literature which will give an opportunity to analyze the above mentioned issues in a proper way. This topic is an interesting one as it gives an opportunity to understand that it is necessary to develop decision making and problem solving skills in today’s managers. Moreover, this topic is both personally and professionally rewarding and helps to find answers about the problems at work and to provide managers with a vehicle for professional advancement.

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Today it is not difficult to find a lot of useful material on decision making and problem solving in management in journals and periodicals. The review of the literature in this paper will be organized under various subtopics.

PROBLEM SOLVING STYLES OF MANAGERS

It is found that the effectiveness of manager’s job is characterized by his ability to make decisions and to solve problems. The higher the manager’s position, the more complex the decisions will be. Donald Mosley, the Professor of Management at the University of Alabama and his colleagues discuss these issues in the article Problem Solving Styles Determine Manager’s Approach to Making Decisions. Decision making and problem solving processes are focused on the manager’s problem solving style which depends on the individual’s psychological types. According to Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, that is specially designed in order to measure the individual’s problem solving style, there are several problem-solving styles. (Mosley, 1991, para.2)

First of all, there are two ways perceiving information. It means some managers perceive information through their five senses, while others perceive information through their intuition or “the ability to know things without the use of rational thinking processes.” (Mosley, 1991, para.3) According to Myers-Briggs Type indicator, those managers who use their senses in problem solving are rather patient, practical and realistic. They tend to use details. Those managers who rely on their intuition are often rather impatient and creative. They are “idea and theory oriented” people. The statistics shows that there are 75% of sensing type managers, and 25% of intuitive type managers. (Mosley, 1991, para.4)

Secondly, there are two basic ways of data evaluation: thinking and feeling. The first way of data evaluating is when managers think their decisions through with the use of logic and rational reasoning. The second way of data evaluation is when managers decide through their feelings with the use of innate processes that depend on personal values and beliefs. The statistics shows that there are 60% of male managers who are thinkers, and 60% of female managers who prefer to rely on their feelings. (Mosley, 1991, para.5)

Besides the above mentioned types, there are combined types of managers, such as sensing-feeling types, sensing-thinking, intuitive-feeling and intuitive-thinking managers.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Today many managers are aware of the importance of development of problem solving skills to succeed in the competitive market. The development of these skills can be performed through learning process as well as through reflection of certain problems that occur in the development phases of business process. Moreover, problem solving skills can help to identify the most powerful influences on the managers’ perceptions of problems. (Giroux, 2009, p.180)

The research study conducted by Isabelle Giroux, the Professor of Management at Brock University, proves the importance of problem solving skills for small business owner-managers. She tries to find out the major causes of bankruptcy in small firms where internal difficulties prevent managers from adequately responding to the problems. She is sure that lack of appropriate problem solving skills creates serious implications for successful development of business. The analysis of the research data concerning problem solving process in firms give an opportunity to define the most important components of this process. The findings represented in the study show that “problem solving in these small firms is an intuitive, often emotional process that is not characterized by objective conceptualizations of problems that leads to rational solutions.” (Giroux, 2009, p.174)

Problem solving skills should include intuition to solve some critical problems, learning, or the managers’ ability to improve past mistakes, and emotional response to problem solving. Giroux states that emotions play a significant role in “shaping how each person perceives, approaches and solves a problem.” (Giroux, 2009, p.176) In addition, it is found that luck and destiny also influence the managers’ ability to successfully deal with critical problems in business. Many respondents who took part in the survey used the words luck and destiny when they described the situations in which they tried to resolve critical problems. One more component of problem solving skills is self-efficacy and determination which can help managers to achieve positive outcomes in complex business situations. (Giroux, 2009, p.178)

THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN PROBLEM SOLVING

It is known that creativity plays an important role in today’s management. The growth of creativity of human potential leads to successful development of our society and economy. Today companies face different problems including simple and complicated ones, absolutely new and routine ones. In most cases, they lead to “blind and automatic decisions.” (Hornak, 2009, para.1) The common problems most companies face in today’s business environment include development of new effective policies, implementation of changes in the workplace, creation of new products and services, and improvements of existing ones, development and implementation of more effective advertising concepts and so on. Creativity is one of the most important components in problem solving. According to the research conducted by the Institute of Prospective Technology, about 70-80% of competitiveness of business organizations are always based on new technologies and new knowledge. (Hornak, 2009, para.3)

Creative potential of managers stands for the managers’ ability to perform their duties in a creative way. Creative problem solving is determined by the manager’s behavior and personality potentials. Behavior potential of managers includes flexible attitude, openness in communication, consistency at work, methods to solve conflict situations, sense of group dynamics and the ability to work in team, and consciousness at work. Personality potential includes emotional potential and intelligence potential which involves professional knowledge, knowledge of other cultures, analytical thinking, and general knowledge of social, political and economic situation. Emotional potential is based on self-motivation, self-control, awareness of one’s own emotional state, and social perception. The above mentioned components influence the development of creative potential of managers in today’s competitive business environment and guarantee effective problem solving. (Hornak, 2009, para.8)

DECISION MAKING DOMAINS

Although many special techniques and systems have already been developed in order to make managers’ decisions more rationale, they are used as tools in this process as they cannot eliminate the necessity for judgment. Charles Holloman, a behavioral consultant and licensed therapist, states that decision making process is “often a tortuous process”. (Holloman, 1992, para.2) It is known that the theory of decision making represents an analytical model.

The main domains of decision making in management include rational, non-rational and irrational models. The first one is used in all areas of organizational activity. The second one, non-rational model is based on intuition and personal experience. The third model is irrational. It is personalized and psychological. The main feature of rational domain is based on the fact that a decision maker should have a conscious goal. In the intuitive domain of decision making, managers’ decisions are focused on recognition and personal experience. These decisions can be made intuitively because of the possible limitations of the analytical method, but at the same time “they can be made instinctively because the consequences are relatively unimportant or the skills involved in making intuitive decisions were acquired under conditions that allowed the decision maker to test and improve their adequacy. “ (Holloman, 1992, para.8) In the irrational domain, the decisions of managers are based on personal preferences as well as aversions. In this case, the managers’ feelings and wishes influence the decision making process. It is found that most managers mix these decision making domains in this or that business situation. Fulton Oursler, a famous American journalist and writer, said, “In making decisions, we must use the brains that God has given to us. But we must also use our heart which He also gave us.” (Holloman, 1992, para.26)

THE ADVANTAGES OF INTUITIVE DECISION MAKING IN MANAGEMENT

The issue concerning intuitive decision making in management have been discussed by a number of specialists, including psychologists, Management Professors and others. Different researchers give different definitions to the term intuition. For example, Jung defines the term intuition as “psychological function transmitting perceptions in an unconscious way.”, while Smith defines it as “rapid, affectively charged judgment arrived at without conscious awareness of the reasoning processes involved.” (Khandelwal & Taneja, 2010, para.1) Intuition does not require any analytic process as it focuses on the current situation and gives an opportunity to realize specific strategy and find innovation. It is found that intuitive decision making is “an integral part of successful business management.” (Khandelwal & Taneja, 2010, para.5) The study conducted by American researchers proves the fact that about 80% of business success of executives relies on their intuitive decision making. Moreover, it is proved that leadership skills of managers depend on intuition as leadership is considered to be the talent to know what decisions should be made in this or that business situation, even if they are rather risky. The major advantages of intuitive decision making include managing conflict, intuitive visioning and strategizing, adjustment to changing environment, problem solving, and others. Many managers successfully use intuition to check the outcomes of rational analysis. Intuitive decision making helps managers to feel the changing situation and to work out flexible and workable scenarios which will provide positive outcomes. Managers must learn to trust their intuition in order to succeed in business. (Khandelwal & Taneja, 2010, para.12)

THE WAYS TO SPEED DECISION MAKING PROCESS

Today most managers understand the importance of speedy decisions in the workplace. It is known that in many cases, the organization’s decisions are moved through several organizational levels. For example, simple decisions are made by individual managers and do not require the interference of others, while strategic and operational decisions require the interference of many people in the company and take a rather long period of time to resolve the problems. (Denton & Richardson, 2000, para.2)

In order to speed decision making process, managers should eliminate the need to approve decisions by means of elimination of the layers of management. In many cases, it is very important to eliminate unnecessary paper work. Moreover, it is recommended to simplify decision making process in management because “simplification provides another route to speeding up decision making.” (Denton & Richardson, 2000, para.10) Besides, it is necessary to combine functions and knowledge of managers. Teams are considered to be a rather effective tool in management. Combining skills and knowledge of operational staff can speed decision making process in management.

Healthy decision making process involves not only creating the process and consensus building by means of inclusive discussion and critical thinking model, but also feedback from the staff members who can point out where “the successes and failures have occurred”. (Schachter, 2006, para.9)

THE ROLE OF ETHICS IN DECISION MAKING

As decision making process is closely connected with business ethics, most managers pay special attention to moral system, which helps to predict the possible outcomes of decision in this or that business situation. The researchers who study ethical and unethical decision making at work are sure that this issue is one of the most important in management because in some situations they still cannot explain “how and under what circumstances individuals make unethical choices.” (Rittig et al., 2011, p.164) Although many business organizations spend much money on such formal documents and special programs as codes of conduct and ethics, commissioning special sanction programs and so on, in many cases, there are no positive outcomes. One of the models of ethical decision making developed by Rest in 1986 refers not only to ethical decisions, but also to moral awareness, when a manager recognizes a moral problem, to moral judgment, when a manager rules his actions as ethical or unethical, and to moral intention, when a manager intends to follow a certain course of action in this or that business situation. (Rittig et al., 2011, p.165)

Daniel Rittig, the Professor of Management at Florida Gulf Coast University and his colleagues studied Rest’s four –stage model of ethical decision making the relationship between the organization’s formal ethical infrastructure and managers’ moral awareness of ethical situations at work, moral judgment and moral intention. They tested this model based on the results of the survey of 805 respondents who took part in three ethical situations. It was found that ethics plays an important role in decision making process. In most business situations, “ethical misconduct whether for personal gain or for the organization’s advantage can be rather detrimental.” (Rettig et al., 2011, p.194) Moreover, the study proved the fact that formal ethical infrastructure of any business organization which comprises formal communication, formal surveillance, and sanction programs can help to create and maintain “a healthy ethical climate described by trust, honesty and professionalism.” (Rettig, et al., 2011, p.195)

In conclusion, it is necessary to say that decision making and problem solving are important components of managerial functions. I consider that intuitive decision making that is considered to be a bridge between unconscious and conscious decision making can help to see possible changes, identify current and future problems, manage information in a proper, and deal with conflict situations. That is why I recommend developing intuitive skills in management. It is necessary to learn to trust intuition. My personal experience proves the fact that good decision making and problem solving skills can help managers to find appropriate strategies for this or that business environment. Moreover, I am sure that in order to speed decision making process, it is necessary to eliminate unnecessary paper work and approvals, to simplify decision making process and to combine skills and knowledge of operational staff. Special attention should be paid to creativity in problem solving as creative managers are always ready to cope with any difficult situation and to achieve positive outcomes in today’s competitive business environment. I will use the information represented in this research project for both my personal and professional development.

Denton, K. & Richardson, P. (2000) Making Speedy Decisions. Industrial Management. Vol.41(5). Retrieved from:<http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5044791592> Giroux, I. (2009) Problem Solving in Small Firms: An Interpretive Study. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development. Vol.16(1). Retrieved from:<http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=4&did=1882612541&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1328257585&clientId=29440> Holloman, C. (1992) Using Both Head and Heart in Managerial Decision Making. Industrial Management. November 1, 1992. Retrieved from:<http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Using+both+head+and+heart+in+managerial+decision+making.-a013793765> Hornak, E. (2009) Development of Managers’ Creative Potential. Annals of DAAAM and Proceedings. January 1, 2009. Retrieved from:<http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Development+of+managers’+creative+potencial.-a0224712905> Khandelwal, P. & Taneja, A. (2010) Intuitive Decision Making in Management. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations. July 1, 2010. Retrieved from:<http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Intuitive+decision+making+in+management.-a0235631668> Mosley, D., O’brien, F., Pietri, P. (1991) Problem Solving Styles Determine Managers’ Approach to Making Decisions. Industrial Management. September 1, 1991. Retrieved from:<http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Problem+solving+styles+determine+manager’s+approach+to+making…-a011550855> Rittig, D., Koufteros, X., Umphress, E. (2011) Formal Infrastructure and Ethical Decision Making: An Empirical Investigation and Implications for Supply Management. Decision Sciences. Vol.42(1). February 19, 2011. Retrieved from:<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2010.00305.x/full> Schachter, D. (2006) The Importance of Good Decision Making. Information Outlook. Vol.10(4). Retrieved from:< http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5036777193>

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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.

Related interview questions & answers:

  • How do you handle stress?
  • How do you handle conflict?
  • Tell me about a time when you failed

Biron Clark

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