the problem solving and decision making skills

• INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
• Decision-Making and Problem Solving

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Interpersonal Skills:

• A - Z List of Interpersonal Skills
• Interpersonal Skills Self-Assessment
• Communication Skills
• Emotional Intelligence
• Conflict Resolution and Mediation Skills
• Customer Service Skills
• Team-Working, Groups and Meetings

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

• Effective Decision Making
• Decision-Making Framework
• Introduction to Problem Solving

Identifying and Structuring Problems

Investigating Ideas and Solutions

Implementing a Solution and Feedback

• Creative Problem-Solving

Social Problem-Solving

• Negotiation and Persuasion Skills
• Personal and Romantic Relationship Skills

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and start improving your life in just 5 minutes a day.

You'll get our 5 free 'One Minute Life Skills' and our weekly newsletter.

We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.

The SkillsYouNeed Guide to Interpersonal Skills

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.

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

What is Problem Solving? (Steps, Techniques, Examples)

By Status.net Editorial Team on May 7, 2023 — 5 minutes to read

What Is Problem Solving?

Definition and importance.

Problem solving is the process of finding solutions to obstacles or challenges you encounter in your life or work. It is a crucial skill that allows you to tackle complex situations, adapt to changes, and overcome difficulties with ease. Mastering this ability will contribute to both your personal and professional growth, leading to more successful outcomes and better decision-making.

Problem-Solving Steps

The problem-solving process typically includes the following steps:

• Identify the issue : Recognize the problem that needs to be solved.
• Analyze the situation : Examine the issue in depth, gather all relevant information, and consider any limitations or constraints that may be present.
• Generate potential solutions : Brainstorm a list of possible solutions to the issue, without immediately judging or evaluating them.
• Evaluate options : Weigh the pros and cons of each potential solution, considering factors such as feasibility, effectiveness, and potential risks.
• Select the best solution : Choose the option that best addresses the problem and aligns with your objectives.
• Implement the solution : Put the selected solution into action and monitor the results to ensure it resolves the issue.
• Review and learn : Reflect on the problem-solving process, identify any improvements or adjustments that can be made, and apply these learnings to future situations.

Defining the Problem

To start tackling a problem, first, identify and understand it. Analyzing the issue thoroughly helps to clarify its scope and nature. Ask questions to gather information and consider the problem from various angles. Some strategies to define the problem include:

• Brainstorming with others
• Asking the 5 Ws and 1 H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How)
• Analyzing cause and effect
• Creating a problem statement

Generating Solutions

Once the problem is clearly understood, brainstorm possible solutions. Think creatively and keep an open mind, as well as considering lessons from past experiences. Consider:

• Creating a list of potential ideas to solve the problem
• Grouping and categorizing similar solutions
• Prioritizing potential solutions based on feasibility, cost, and resources required
• Involving others to share diverse opinions and inputs

Evaluating and Selecting Solutions

Evaluate each potential solution, weighing its pros and cons. To facilitate decision-making, use techniques such as:

• SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
• Decision-making matrices
• Pros and cons lists
• Risk assessments

After evaluating, choose the most suitable solution based on effectiveness, cost, and time constraints.

Implementing and Monitoring the Solution

Implement the chosen solution and monitor its progress. Key actions include:

• Communicating the solution to relevant parties
• Setting timelines and milestones
• Assigning tasks and responsibilities
• Monitoring the solution and making adjustments as necessary
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the solution after implementation

Utilize feedback from stakeholders and consider potential improvements. Remember that problem-solving is an ongoing process that can always be refined and enhanced.

Problem-Solving Techniques

During each step, you may find it helpful to utilize various problem-solving techniques, such as:

• Brainstorming : A free-flowing, open-minded session where ideas are generated and listed without judgment, to encourage creativity and innovative thinking.
• Root cause analysis : A method that explores the underlying causes of a problem to find the most effective solution rather than addressing superficial symptoms.
• SWOT analysis : A tool used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to a problem or decision, providing a comprehensive view of the situation.
• Mind mapping : A visual technique that uses diagrams to organize and connect ideas, helping to identify patterns, relationships, and possible solutions.

Brainstorming

When facing a problem, start by conducting a brainstorming session. Gather your team and encourage an open discussion where everyone contributes ideas, no matter how outlandish they may seem. This helps you:

• Generate a diverse range of solutions
• Encourage all team members to participate
• Foster creative thinking

When brainstorming, remember to:

• Reserve judgment until the session is over
• Encourage wild ideas
• Combine and improve upon ideas

Root Cause Analysis

For effective problem-solving, identifying the root cause of the issue at hand is crucial. Try these methods:

• 5 Whys : Ask “why” five times to get to the underlying cause.
• Fishbone Diagram : Create a diagram representing the problem and break it down into categories of potential causes.
• Pareto Analysis : Determine the few most significant causes underlying the majority of problems.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis helps you examine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to your problem. To perform a SWOT analysis:

• List your problem’s strengths, such as relevant resources or strong partnerships.
• Identify its weaknesses, such as knowledge gaps or limited resources.
• Explore opportunities, like trends or new technologies, that could help solve the problem.
• Recognize potential threats, like competition or regulatory barriers.

SWOT analysis aids in understanding the internal and external factors affecting the problem, which can help guide your solution.

Mind Mapping

A mind map is a visual representation of your problem and potential solutions. It enables you to organize information in a structured and intuitive manner. To create a mind map:

• Write the problem in the center of a blank page.
• Draw branches from the central problem to related sub-problems or contributing factors.
• Add more branches to represent potential solutions or further ideas.

Mind mapping allows you to visually see connections between ideas and promotes creativity in problem-solving.

Examples of Problem Solving in Various Contexts

In the business world, you might encounter problems related to finances, operations, or communication. Applying problem-solving skills in these situations could look like:

• Identifying areas of improvement in your company’s financial performance and implementing cost-saving measures
• Resolving internal conflicts among team members by listening and understanding different perspectives, then proposing and negotiating solutions
• Streamlining a process for better productivity by removing redundancies, automating tasks, or re-allocating resources

In educational contexts, problem-solving can be seen in various aspects, such as:

• Addressing a gap in students’ understanding by employing diverse teaching methods to cater to different learning styles
• Developing a strategy for successful time management to balance academic responsibilities and extracurricular activities
• Seeking resources and support to provide equal opportunities for learners with special needs or disabilities

Everyday life is full of challenges that require problem-solving skills. Some examples include:

• Overcoming a personal obstacle, such as improving your fitness level, by establishing achievable goals, measuring progress, and adjusting your approach accordingly
• Navigating a new environment or city by researching your surroundings, asking for directions, or using technology like GPS to guide you
• Dealing with a sudden change, like a change in your work schedule, by assessing the situation, identifying potential impacts, and adapting your plans to accommodate the change.
• How to Resolve Employee Conflict at Work [Steps, Tips, Examples]
• How to Write Inspiring Core Values? 5 Steps with Examples
• 30 Employee Feedback Examples (Positive & Negative)

• Onsite training

3,000,000+ delegates

15,000+ clients

1,000+ locations

• KnowledgePass
• Log a ticket

01344203999 Available 24/7

Problem Solving and Decision Making: Key Differences & Applications

Explore the nuances of solving complex problems and making intricate decisions in this insightful blog. Gain a deeper understanding of the key distinctions between them. In this blog, explore Problem Solving and Decision Making, their key differences and how to apply these abilities in the workplace. Let's dive in!

Exclusive 40% OFF

Training Outcomes Within Your Budget!

We ensure quality, budget-alignment, and timely delivery by our expert instructors.

Share this Resource

• Introduction to Management
• Introduction to Managing People
• Senior Management Training

Have you ever faced the trouble of deciding what is right or wrong? In our daily lives, we often come across situations that require us to confront challenges and make choices. This is why two critical cognitive processes are involved in addressing these situations: Problem Solving and Decision Making. While the terms are frequently used interchangeably, they represent distinct mental activities with specific objectives. Problem Solving involves identifying and resolving issues using critical thinking and creativity. On the other hand, Decision Making entails choosing the best course of action among alternatives and considering risks and rewards. In this blog, we will Learn the differences between Problem Solving and Decision Making, how to apply these abilities at work, and some advice on how to improve them.

Table of Contents 

1) What do you understand by Decision Making? 

2) Understanding Problem Solving 

3) What are the differences between Problem Solving and Decision Making?

4) Tips on how to improve Problem-solving and Decision-making skills

5) How can you integrate Decision Making and Problem Solving? 

6) Conclusion 

What do you understand by Decision Making? 

It is a hard choice when we are faced with the question to make important decisions, in organisational setting and personal life as well. Nevertheless, it is not a reason to be afraid, but rather, to master these tasks through comprehensive knowledge of their consequences. First, we should define Decision Making before going on to the difference between Decision Making and Problem Solving.

It is an intellectual process that has a direct impact on our everyday and work-life matters. It is the process of analysing different options to find the best one in line with various factors and the one that is going to meet the objectives.

Effective Decision Making combines Critical Thinking, analysis, and judgment, and it can be the determinant of outcome and consequences. Let's uncover the important steps to Decision -making and some real-life examples:

1) Evaluation of alternatives: The first step in Decision Making requires the identification of problems and conceptualisation of possible alternatives that can help to deal with the given situation or problem.

2) Rationality and objectivity: The correct Decision Making process consists of a detailed analysis of all the data that is accessible, assessing the pros and cons of each scenario, and selecting a logical and beneficial option. 

3) Heuristics and biases: Sometimes, it is possible that you may have mental heuristics to be quick in the decision process. However, biases may be introduced by shortcuts and suboptimal choices could become inevitable for you.

4) Decision Making under uncertainty: Some times, you have to make important decisions based on the information that is not complete or with determined assumptions. The risk is directly connected and making risk assessment is considered to be the answer to this question. You must enhance on your flexibility to address the unpredictable.

5) Group Decision Making: In collaborative contexts, people may arrive at a decision together having discussed, brainstormed and found a common consensus with one another. Such a method taps into the different perceptions and skills.

6) Strategic Decision Making: In organisations, Strategic Decision Making requires being concerned with the possible long-term implications, aligning decisions with organisational goals, and trying to anticipate potential impacts on stakeholders.  

7) Ethical considerations:  This involves assessing the moral implications of choices, decisions, and actions. It revolves around making the right and just choices, guided by one's ethical values and principles.

8) Learning from outcomes: As an effective decision-maker, one should have the audacity to learn from both successful and unsuccessful outcomes because learning from these will only enhance future Decision Making processes. 

Here are some real-life examples that may require you to make some justified decisions: 

a) Choosing between two job offers based on salary, benefits, and career prospects. 

b) Deciding which college or university to attend, considering factors like location, courses offered, and campus culture. 

c) Selecting an investment option after analysing risk, return potential, and financial goals. 

d) Determining the best marketing strategy for a new product launch, considering target audience, budget, and competition. 

e) Making a medical treatment choice for a patient after weighing the benefits, risks, and patient preferences.   

Understanding Problem Solving  

You're now aware of how you can make effective Decision Making. Let us now learn how to effectively carry out Problem Solving tasks in our daily life. Problem Solving is a fundamental cognitive process that entails identifying challenges, finding solutions, and accompliching the set goals. 

It is a logical process aimed at knowing the problem, looking for possible solutions, and choosing the most efficient solution. This helps you to navigate complexities and arrive at successful conclusions. Let us now look at some tips that can help you in Problem Solving effectively:  

1) Problem identification: As a first step towards Problem Solving, effectively carry out tasks. Also, recognise and define the issue or challenge that needs to be addressed.  

2) Data gathering: Gathering relevant information and data related to the problem is essential for understanding its root causes and implications. This helps you become a good problem solver. 

3) Analysis and diagnosis: Analyse the gathered information to identify the underlying causes of the problem. This helps you in devising targeted solutions. 

4) Solution generation: Brainstorming and generating multiple potential solutions is crucial for you when you are exploring diverse approaches to resolve the problem. 

5) Evaluation of alternatives: Carefully evaluate the pros and cons of each solution. This helps you in selecting the most feasible and effective one. 

6) Implementation: After choosing a solution, you have to put the chosen solution into action. This requires planning, coordination, and effective execution. 

7) Creative thinking: Sometimes adopting an open-minded view towards finding a solution to the challenging situations will encourage you to be creative.

8) Root cause analysis: Finding and tackling the cause behind the problem in itself can make a change that lasts and you will get a much better, sustainable solution to your problem.

Let us now see some real-life examples where you need to apply your Problem Solving skills: 

a) Resolving a technical issue with a computer by identifying and troubleshooting the actual cause of the problem. 

b) Finding an alternative transportation route when faced with unexpected road closures. 

c) Addressing a communication breakdown within a team by facilitating open discussions and conflict resolution. 

d) Solving a math problem by applying various Problem Solving Techniques and mathematical principles. 

e)  Fixing a malfunctioning appliance by diagnosing the issue and performing necessary repairs. 

Learn to be more Mindful when you are applying your Problem Solving skills with our Conflict Management Training .  

What are the differences between Problem Solving and Decision Making?

Let us now have a look how Problem Solving and Decision Making skills are different from each other:

1) Definition  

Problem Solving is a step-by-step approach that one uses to identify, analyse, and finally come up with the solution to the issues or challenges they face. It seeks to find the origin of a problem, generate possible ideas or solutions, and choose the best alternative to be implemented. In most researches and practices, the primary aim of Problem Solving is reducing or overcoming the negative impacts of the problem.

On the other hand, the Decision Making process gives the choice, which can be taken from different alternatives. Every process of Decision Making produces a choice like taking action, a strategy, or making a resolution. There is not necessarily a problem but it is applicable in any situation which requires making a choice.

2) Objective 

Problem Solving is an effort to overcome a given obstacle or challenge. Its basic aim is to produce a solution that would change the current situation from less desirable to more desirable. On the other hand, Decision Making aims at selecting the best possible choice from among several alternatives. It could be proactive, such as deciding on an expansion strategy for the market, or it could be reactive, such as deciding on a course of action in response to the moves of a competitor.

3) Nature 

In the Problem Solving process, a problem often arises as a response to a discrepancy between what was expected and what is actually experienced, necessitating a solution. This process is typically reactive. On the other hand, Decision Making can be both proactive and reactive. Proactive Decision Making involves making choices based on anticipation of future events, while reactive Decision Making involves selecting courses of action in response to an immediate situation or problem.

4) Process 

The process of Problem Solving usually starts with understanding and diagnosing the problem. This is followed by brainstorming various solutions and analysing the suitability of each before finally implementing the most fitting one.

On the other hand, the Decision Making process typically begins with identifying a need, often through gathering information. This leads to the search for alternatives and compiling a list of these options. The alternatives are then weighed against criteria such as risks, benefits, and implications before making a choice.

5) Tools and techniques 

In Problem Solving, commonly used tools include root cause analysis, brainstorming, SWOT analysis, and fishbone diagrams (Ishikawa). These tools help in pinpointing the origin of a problem and exploring all possible solutions.

On the other hand, Decision Making often utilises techniques such as decision trees, cost-benefit analysis, pros and cons lists, and grid analysis. These methods assist in evaluating the implications of each available choice.

6) Skills required 

The major skills required in Problem Solving include critical thinking, analytical skills, creativity, and resilience. It is crucial to have the ability to persevere and not be overwhelmed by challenges.

However, Decision Making requires analytical skills, risk assessment, intuition, and foresight. The essential capability here is to be accountable for decisions, which involves predicting the outcomes of every choice

7) Duration and finality  

Problem Solving is time-consuming. It requires a deep dive into understanding the problem before moving on to solutions. The process concludes once a solution is implemented, and the problem is resolved. 

On the other hand, Decision Making can be swift (like everyday decisions) or prolonged (strategic decisions) depending on the complexity of the problems. Once a decision is made, the next step is to implement it, but decisions can sometimes be revisited based on outcomes or changing scenarios. 

Gain a deeper understanding of yourself to take more effective Decision Making with our Decision Making Course .

Tips on how to improve Problem Solving and Decision Making skills

Decision Making and Problem Solving are two most important skills that every individual must possess to excel in their career and in their personal life. There are multiple ways which can be used to improve these skills. Let’s have a look at some of these tips to improve these skills:

Developing skills related to Decision Making and Problem Solving

You can improve your Decision-making and Problem-solving skills by developing other skills such as analytical thinking, creativity and critical thinking. These allied skills will help you boost your analytical thinking skills, will help you think creatively and outside the box. Moreover, honing these skills will help you understand the problems deeply and analyse them without getting partial with your decisions.

Effective communication

Communication is the one of the major keys to success. Effective communication helps in solving problems, miscommunications and helps you understand different perspectives to the same problem. By practicing effective communication, you can convey an information or tasks seamlessly to you team members or colleagues. It helps you understand the root cause of any problem and helps you take an informed decision.

Think about past decisions

It may seem unrelated to you in this context, however, thinking back on your decisions that you made previously can help you not repeat the mistakes, or save you the time that you previously took to make a small decision. Reflecting on past decisions helpin analysing the current problems impartially and help you learn more about your own methods to decide or solve a problem.

Research your industry

Before you make any important decision, or solve out a problem, you need to know about your industry in detail. Since not all situations are same, neither are the industries. Every industry, company or business have their own set of goals, requirements, ideologies, and policies. Whenever you are a part of that specific industry, you should keep in mind, their framework. If you are going beyond their framework or their principles, while solving a problem, there may not be any significant impact taken by your decisions.

Keep yourself updated

It is necessary that you keep yourself updated. As you know that our world is going through many technological advancements. Hence you need to know and update yourself so that you can incorporate all these inventions and discoveries in your industry.

Crack Your Interview with Management Interview Questions and Answers .

How can you integrate Decision Making and Problem Solving? 

Even though Decision Making and Problem-solving have their differences, there are still instances where you need to integrate these two special skills so that you can carry out any challenging tasks or situations, whether it be in the workplace or in your personal life. The following tips will help you show how you can take effective decisions and simultaneously solve problems: 

1) Foster a systematic approach: You can start by adopting a systematic approach to Problem Solving. It involves defining the issue, gathering relevant information, analysing data, generating potential solutions, and evaluating alternatives. Then, you can implement your structured Problem Solving process, which provides a solid foundation for your informed Decision Making. 

2) Identify decision points: You can recognise the key decision points within the Problem-solving process. Then you have to determine which factors require choices and weigh the consequences of each decision on the overall Problem Solving outcome.  

3) Incorporate critical thinking: You can emphasise your critical thinking throughout both Problem Solving and Decision Making. Engage in objective analysis so that you can consider multiple perspectives and challenge assumptions to arrive at well-rounded solutions and decisions.  

4) Utilise data-driven decisions: Ensure that the decisions made during the Problem Solving process are backed by relevant data and evidence. Your data-driven Decision-making minimises biases and increases the chances of arriving at the most suitable solutions. 

Gain a deeper understanding of yourself to take more effective Decision-mking with our Personal & Organisational Development Training . 

Conclusion 

If you integrate both Problem Solving and Decision Making, you can have a more potent approach toward various challenges or tasks. This will help you in making well-informed choices in those circumstances. Moreover, this synergy will empower you to have a Problem -solving mindset to navigate complexities with clarity and achieve effective outcomes. 

Enhance your remote leadership skills with our Managing Remote Teams Course .

Frequently Asked Questions

Problem Solving is both a skill and a competency. It involves the ability to analyse situations, identify issues, generate solutions, and implement them effectively. Developing this capability enhances decision-making, creativity, and adaptability in various personal and professional contexts.

The five steps for Problem Solving and decision-making are: 

1) Define the problem

2) Identify possible solutions 

3) Evaluate alternatives

4) Make a decision 

5) Implement and monitor the chosen solution.

The Knowledge Academy’s Knowledge Pass , a prepaid voucher, adds another layer of flexibility, allowing course bookings over a 12-month period. Join us on a journey where education knows no bounds.

The Knowledge Academy offers various Management Courses , including the Management Training for New Managers Course, Problem Solving Course and Introduction to Management Course. These courses cater to different skill levels, providing comprehensive insights into 10 Ways for Developing Leadership Skills .

Our Business Skills Blogs cover a range of topics related to Decision Making, offering valuable resources, best practices, and industry insights. Whether you are a beginner or looking to advance your Management skills, The Knowledge Academy's diverse courses and informative blogs have got you covered.

The Knowledge Academy takes global learning to new heights, offering over 30,000 online courses across 490+ locations in 220 countries. This expansive reach ensures accessibility and convenience for learners worldwide.  

Alongside our diverse Online Course Catalogue , encompassing 17 major categories, we go the extra mile by providing a plethora of free educational Online Resources like News updates, blogs, videos, webinars, and interview questions. Tailoring learning experiences further, professionals can maximise value with customisable Course Bundles of TKA .  

Upcoming Business Skills Resources Batches & Dates

Fri 27th Sep 2024

Fri 29th Nov 2024

Fri 14th Feb 2025

Fri 16th May 2025

Fri 25th Jul 2025

Fri 29th Aug 2025

Fri 10th Oct 2025

Fri 28th Nov 2025

Get A Quote

WHO WILL BE FUNDING THE COURSE?

My employer

By submitting your details you agree to be contacted in order to respond to your enquiry

• Business Analysis
• Lean Six Sigma Certification

Share this course

Our biggest summer sale.

We cannot process your enquiry without contacting you, please tick to confirm your consent to us for contacting you about your enquiry.

By submitting your details you agree to be contacted in order to respond to your enquiry.

We may not have the course you’re looking for. If you enquire or give us a call on 01344203999 and speak to our training experts, we may still be able to help with your training requirements.

Or select from our popular topics

• ITIL® Certification
• Scrum Certification
• ISO 9001 Certification
• Change Management Certification
• Microsoft Azure Certification
• Microsoft Excel Courses
• Explore more courses

Press esc to close

Fill out your  contact details  below and our training experts will be in touch.

Fill out your   contact details   below

Thank you for your enquiry!

One of our training experts will be in touch shortly to go over your training requirements.

Back to Course Information

Fill out your contact details below so we can get in touch with you regarding your training requirements.

* WHO WILL BE FUNDING THE COURSE?

Preferred Contact Method

No preference

Back to course information

Fill out your  training details  below

Fill out your training details below so we have a better idea of what your training requirements are.

HOW MANY DELEGATES NEED TRAINING?

HOW DO YOU WANT THE COURSE DELIVERED?

Online Instructor-led

Online Self-paced

WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THIS COURSE?

Next 2 - 4 months

WHAT IS YOUR REASON FOR ENQUIRING?

Looking for some information

Looking for a discount

I want to book but have questions

One of our training experts will be in touch shortly to go overy your training requirements.

Your privacy & cookies!

Like many websites we use cookies. We care about your data and experience, so to give you the best possible experience using our site, we store a very limited amount of your data. Continuing to use this site or clicking “Accept & close” means that you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more about our privacy policy and cookie policy cookie policy .

We use cookies that are essential for our site to work. Please visit our cookie policy for more information. To accept all cookies click 'Accept & close'.

• Business Essentials
• Leadership & Management
• Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Digital Transformation
• Finance & Accounting
• Business in Society
• For Organizations
• Support Portal
• Media Coverage
• Founding Donors
• Leadership Team

• Harvard Business School →
• HBS Online →
• Business Insights →

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

• Career Development
• Communication
• Decision-Making
• Earning Your MBA
• Negotiation
• News & Events
• Productivity
• Staff Spotlight
• Student Profiles
• Work-Life Balance
• AI Essentials for Business
• Alternative Investments
• Business Analytics
• Business Strategy
• Business and Climate Change
• Creating Brand Value
• Design Thinking and Innovation
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Disruptive Strategy
• Economics for Managers
• Entrepreneurship Essentials
• Financial Accounting
• Global Business
• Launching Tech Ventures
• Leadership Principles
• Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
• Leading Change and Organizational Renewal
• Leading with Finance
• Management Essentials
• Negotiation Mastery
• Organizational Leadership
• Power and Influence for Positive Impact
• Strategy Execution
• Sustainable Business Strategy
• Sustainable Investing
• Winning with Digital Platforms

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

• 17 Jan 2023

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

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

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

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

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

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Problem-Solving in Business?

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

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

Design Thinking

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

The design thinking process has four stages :

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

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

Creative Problem-Solving

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

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

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

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

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

Why Is Problem-Solving Important for Leaders?

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

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

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

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

Related: 5 Design Thinking Skills for Business Professionals

4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need

1. problem framing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related: 3 Effective Methods for Assessing Customer Needs

3. Breaking Cognitive Fixedness

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

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

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

4. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment

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

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

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

How to Build Problem-Solving Skills

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

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

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

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

About the Author

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

The Most Important Decision-Making Skills (With Examples)

• Most Common Skills
• What Are Soft Skills?
• What Are Leadership Skills?
• What Are What Are Hybrid Skills?
• What Are Teamwork Skills?
• What Are Communication Skills?
• What Are Organizational Skills?
• What Are Personal Skills?
• What Are Interpersonal Skills?
• What Are Decision Making Skills?
• What Are Negotiation Skills?
• How To Multitask
• What Are Creative Thinking Skills?
• What Are Adaptability Skills?
• What Are Internal Analysis?
• What Are Multitasking Skills?
• What Is Professional Networking?
• What Is Nonverbal Communication?
• What Are Critical Thinking Skills?
• Presentation Skills
• What Is Accountability?
• What Is Emotional Intelligence?
• Verbal Communication Skills

Find a Job You Really Want In

Good decision-making skills are sought by almost all companies. Whether you’re applying for an entry-level position or an executive role, you should highlight your decision-making skills throughout the application process. In this article, we will go over what decision-making skills are, how to improve your skills in this area, and how to highlight your ability to make good decisions. Key Takeaways: You make decisions every day for various functions, from personal to professional, and consistently making good decisions can only help your career. There are three main ways to approach decision-making: using intuition, reasoning, or a combination of both. When making a decision you should identify the problem, do some research, and evaluate your options before you make a decision. In This Article    Skip to section What are decision-making skills? The most important decision-making skills More decision-making skills The decision-making process How to improve your decision-making skills How to highlight your decision-making skills while job hunting Decisiveness Skills FAQs References Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs Show More What are decision-making skills?

Decision-making skills are about your ability to choose a good option out of two or more alternatives. It takes a host of skills to be able to quickly and compassionately make wise choices that are good for both the present and the future.

There are three main categories of decision-making skills that correspond to three different ways to make decisions: using intuition, reasoning, or a combination of both.

Intuition is your default response, or the gut feeling you get when presented with a problem or decision to make. This first reaction comes from a combination of things you’ve learned, experiences you’ve had, and opinions you hold, so everyone’s intuition is different.

Using intuition means basing your decision on your lived experiences, so it can be subjective. Skills like creativity and emotional intelligence fall into this category.

Reasoning , on the other hand, is rooted in data. You reason when you use the data available to you and only base a decision on facts and figures instead of your instinctive reaction. This is a more objective way to come to a decision and it’s usually how bigger decisions are made.

Problem-solving and logical thinking are examples of decision-making skills in this category.

Both. Most often, decisions are made with some combination of both intuition and reasoning. Using both is a good way to check and make sure your choice is logical while also paying attention to the human element of it.

Since we make decisions all the time, we usually don’t stop to think about whether we should make an intuition-based or reason-based decision. Instead, we naturally use a combination of the two.

The most important decision-making skills

Many skills go into making effective decisions, from problem-solving to emotional intelligence. Here are some of the most important ones:

Problem-solving. The number one skill you need to be an effective decision-maker is problem-solving. Since decisions are just a type of problem (determining which option is the best), having strong problem-solving skills is definitely an asset.

If you approach a decision from a logical mindset as if it were a problem to solve, odds are that the solutions you come up with and your final decision will be stronger.

Choosing a reliable manufacturer to supply the product you sell. Comparing candidates to the job requirements. Reassigning tasks when an employee unexpectedly resigns.

Collaboration. Decisions can’t always be made by one person. You need to have good collaboration and compromise skills to make the best decision sometimes when it involves a group.

Even when you’re making a decision on your own, getting extra input from friends or coworkers can help you brainstorm the best outcome. Collaboration is your friend, both when you need to make a group decision and when you’re the one responsible for making the decision.

Brainstorming potential names for a new product. Asking staff about the impact of extended hours. Listening to employee needs and preferences for a new office space.

Emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence , or EQ, is the ability to observe and understand your own emotions and the emotions of the people around you. Being able to take emotions into account will make you a stronger decision-maker.

Think of this as related to intuitive decision-making. You need to balance facts, figures, and emotions to come to a good decision.

Proposing the best way to boost sales. Evaluating the impact of cutting spending. Choosing an interim manager from an internal pool.

Logical reasoning. This skill is key for the middle steps of the decision-making process. Being able to fully evaluate and analyze your information, options, and decisions will make your decisions stronger.

This skill is more closely related to reasoning, the side of decision-making that relies on facts and figures instead of on emotions.

Deciding how bonuses will be given for the year. Choosing which employee or employees to lay off. Creating an employee schedule based on time off requests and coverage needs.

Creativity. The more creative you are in your problem-solving, the better options and potential outcomes you’ll have to work with, as well as having creative ways to implement your decision.

The most straightforward option isn’t always the best one, and sometimes you need to think outside the box to find a solution that meets everyone’s needs.

Arranging a small office space so that everyone can fit comfortably and be productive. Finding ways to lower costs without sacrificing performance. Developing a new record-keeping system that meets your team’s needs.

Organization . Being organized can help you keep all of your background information, options, and other tools in order.

This allows you to stay clear-headed in your decision-making, reducing the risk that you’ll overlook a key piece of information. It can also help you feel less overwhelmed by the decision, which also results in better choices.

Creating a centralized calendar where employees can update their schedule preferences. Organizing data that will help you decide whether or not to continue a project. Collecting employee feedback in survey form to make it simpler to see what the majority wants.

More decision-making skills

There are many more skills that will help you sharpen your ability to make good decisions. Take a look at this list and see what you’re already good at and where you could improve.

Time management. Making decisions in a timely manner isn’t just about making a quick, hasty decision. Managing your time to properly work through the seven steps is a skill that will put you above everyone else.

Leadership . When collaborating and making a group decision, someone needs to take charge and make sure the decision is implemented, which is when good leadership skills are needed.

Ethics. Making ethical decisions is a necessary skill to have, so knowing how to weigh the ethical pros and cons is key.

Research . The better research you can gather in the first steps of the decision-making process, the better prepared you’ll be to make a good decision.

Analysis . Having strong analytical skills will help you ensure that your decisions are logical and reasonable.

Flexibility. Quick-thinking and flexibility are your friends when it comes to making decisions since sometimes you’ll have to compromise or new constraints will pop up, changing how you approach a decision.

The decision-making process

Effective decision-makers use a seven-step process to tackle decisions. While it isn’t necessary to go through these exact steps when you make a basic decision, like what to cook for dinner, it can be a great way to check your thinking as you make a big work decision, like which strategy will lead to better sales.

Identify the problem. First, you need to see the decision that you need to make and understand what will go into making that decision. This step is crucial since everything else builds upon what you do here.

Make sure you properly understand the situation, what’s being asked of you, and what tools you have available to you before moving to the next step.

Do some digging. For any decision you’ll need some background information to help you choose the right option. Sometimes this means just thinking back to details from meetings, or it can be doing more sophisticated research. You can use step one to help you identify what information you’ll need to make a good decision.

Think creatively. In this step you want to think of as many solutions as possible. It doesn’t matter if they’re good or bad, you just want to consider all of your options.

Feel free to be as creative in your thinking as you want with this step. There are no bad options here since you want to think of every possible outcome. You’ll have a chance to check all of your brainstormed options later.

Evaluate your options. Here’s the part where you’ll give all your potential outcomes a second check. Go through the list of solutions you came up with in step three and test which ones feel better or sound more logical to you.

Don’t forget to keep your end goal in mind when you consider all the choices. That way you’re sure to make a good decision.

Make the decision . It’s time to pick one of the options you came up with. Keep in mind that you can choose a solution you came up with or even combine solutions to make the best decision possible. Reflect on your process for step four and pick the decision you feel best about.

Act on your decision. Once you’ve decided what to do, you need to start taking the actions that will help you implement the decision. These can be big or small steps, but stay focused and resolved to get the job done.

Don’t be afraid to bring other people into your process in this step. Especially for large workplace decisions, you might want to call on your coworkers to help you get things done.

Look back. When your decision is made and you’ve had some time to see its effects, take a second to evaluate that decision. Think about whether the decision had the outcome you wanted it to, or if it wasn’t so successful.

Taking this time to reflect on your decision-making is a great way to not only improve your ability to make a good decision but also to learn more about yourself. You can even ask other people for their opinion on the effects of a decision to see how your perception of the impact lines up with others’ opinions.

How to improve your decision-making skills

To improve your decision-making skills, practice goal-setting, reducing your number of choices, and conducting good research. You should also work on your communication skills and give yourself a limit on how long you have to make a decisions.

Set good goals . Having your eye on the big picture is enormously helpful when it comes to decision-making. Someone can make all the right decisions, but if their ultimate goal is wrongheaded, then those great decisions don’t add up to anything useful.

Reduce choice. Americans love options, but being inundated with too many potential choices can paralyze you. Before you begin making decisions, try to narrow down your possible choices to the top three.

Research. Decision-making isn’t easy when you don’t have all the facts in front of you. Good decisions are predicated on good data, so start working to improve your research skills. The greater your knowledge and expertise, the simpler most decisions become.

Communicate early and often. Communication skills complement decision-making skills well. Whether you’re seeking out advice or expressing a project’s goal, thorough communication helps you make decisions more effectively.

Don’t analyze forever. The phrase “paralysis by analysis” is all too true. Don’t be afraid to make small decisions without 100% of the information you might need. A few minor failures can actually help generate better ideas. Start with the minimum viable solution, and iterate from there.

How to highlight your decision-making skills while job hunting

To highlight your decision-making skills in your job search , look for decision-making skills and terms in the job description, and incorporate any that apply to you into your resume and cover letter. You should also highlight them in your interview answers.

Check the job description. Read the job description carefully and look for words that indicate decision-making like:

Incorporate the decision-making skills from the job description into your resume. Look for ways to incorporate the same language from the job description into your resume .

Let’s take a look at an example resume’s work experience section showcasing decision-making skills:

Saved product team over $50k annually in materials costs by analyzing low ROI spends and rerouting funds to lucrative projects Reduced accounting labor hours by 21% by automating payroll systems and creating streamlined tracking spreadsheets Optimized virtual meeting schedule, netting an average of 3 hours of meetings saved weekly, while improving employee productivity by 6%

Expound on your decision-making skills in your cover letter. A cover letter should cover similar accomplishments where you leveraged your top-notch decision-making skills. However, you can go into more detail about one or two accomplishments, rather than briefly touching on them as you would in a resume .

Highlight your decision-making skills in your interview. For a job interview , it’s equally important to know what metrics your performance will be judged on. By showing that you’re already thinking of how to achieve the most important results, you’re painting yourself as a candidate with great decision-making abilities.

Decisiveness Skills FAQs

What are the key skills for decision-making?

Key skills for decision-making are problem-solving, logical reasoning, and emotional intelligence. These skills combine to help you navigate almost any decision. This is because you use your logic and EQ to consider your reasoning and intuition and come up with a balanced approach. Your problem-solving skills will also help you build confidence when you have to make a choice and stick with it.

How can I be a good decision maker?

To be good at making decisions, match your decision based on your goals and values. This ensures that your decision is one that you can stand by, regardless of the outcome. However, sometimes this is hard to figure out.

If you struggle to make decisions, make sure to manage your stress, consider all the outcomes, and weigh the pros and cons. Additionally, if you can, take some time to avoid making rash decisions. It also helps to talk to others or to write out your thoughts and feelings in the process.

What are the characteristics of a good decision?

A good decision comes with clear reasoning, judgment of values, and is realistically accomplished. As long as your decision does not bring harm to others, you can use these characteristics to determine whether or not your decision was a good one. Your decisions should, in one way or another, bring you closer to your goals, both big and small.

What is strategic decision-making?

Strategic decision-making is when you base short-term decisions on long-term goals. In a sense, your decisions are part of your “strategy” to achieve some end. Strategic decision-making is particularly useful for businesses when they need to align daily needs with long-term objectives.

How do you demonstrate strong decision-making skills?

Demonstrate strong decision-making skills by providing examples of times you’ve used good decision-making skills. You can do this in your resume, cover letter , or during your interview.

Consumer Protection Financial Bureau – Financial Knowledge and Decision-Making Skills

Harvard Business School – 5 Key Decision-Making Techniques For Managers

UMass Dartmouth – Decision-Making Process

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Amanda is a writer with experience in various industries, including travel, real estate, and career advice. After taking on internships and entry-level jobs, she is familiar with the job search process and landing that crucial first job. Included in her experience is work at an employer/intern matching startup where she marketed an intern database to employers and supported college interns looking for work experience.

Related posts

What Is Aptitude And Why Do You Need To Know About It?

The Most Important Clerical Skills (With Examples)

50 Jobs That Use Photoshop The Most

How To Write A Plan Of Action (With Examples)

• Career Advice >
• Decision Making Skills

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Make Great Decisions, Quickly

• Martin G. Moore

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.

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.

• 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.

Partner Center

SLO campus power outage. Classes starting at 8:45 AM and earlier cancelled today. Next update by 8:15am

• Cuesta College Home
• Current Students
• Student Success Centers

Study Guides

• 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.

• Uses of Critical Thinking
• Critically Evaluating the Logic and Validity of Information
• Recognizing Propaganda Techniques and Errors of Faulty Logic
• Developing the Ability to Analyze Historical and Contemporary Information
• Recognize and Value Various Viewpoints
• Appreciating the Complexities Involved in Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
• Being a Responsible Critical Thinker & Collaborating with Others
• Suggestions
• Read the Textbook
• When to Take Notes
• 10 Steps to Tests
• Studying for Exams
• Test-Taking Errors
• Test Anxiety
• Objective Tests
• Essay Tests
• The Reading Process
• Levels of Comprehension
• Strengthen Your Reading Comprehension
• Reading Rate
• How to Read a Textbook
• Organizational Patterns of a Paragraph
• Topics, Main Ideas, and Support
• Inferences and Conclusions
• Interpreting What You Read
• Concentrating and Remembering
• Converting Words into Pictures
• Spelling and the Dictionary
• Eight Essential Spelling Rules
• Exceptions to the Rules
• Motivation and Goal Setting
• Effective Studying
• Time Management
• Listening and Note-Taking
• Memory and Learning Styles
• Textbook Reading Strategies
• Memory Tips
• Test-Taking Strategies
• The First Step
• Study System
• Maximize Comprehension
• Different Reading Modes
• Paragraph Patterns
• An Effective Strategy
• Finding the Main Idea
• Read a Medical Text
• Read in the Sciences
• Read University Level
• Textbook Study Strategies
• The Origin of Words
• Using a Dictionary
• Interpreting a Dictionary Entry
• Structure Analysis
• Common Roots
• Word Relationships
• Using Word Relationships
• Context Clues
• The Importance of Reading
• Vocabulary Analogies
• Guide to Talking with Instructors
• Writing Help

Cuesta College's Fall Semester Begins Aug. 12

Dr. elizabeth coria selected for aspen institute fellowship, marie schoeff art gallery exhibition.

Short term classes available now.

Register Today!

• Subject List
• Take a Tour
• For Authors
• Subscriber Services
• Publications
• African American Studies
• African Studies
• American Literature
• Anthropology
• Architecture Planning and Preservation
• Art History
• Atlantic History
• Biblical Studies
• British and Irish Literature
• Childhood Studies
• Chinese Studies
• Cinema and Media Studies
• Communication
• Criminology
• Environmental Science
• Evolutionary Biology
• International Law
• International Relations
• Islamic Studies
• Jewish Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Latino Studies
• Linguistics
• Literary and Critical Theory
• Medieval Studies
• Military History
• Political Science
• Public Health
• Renaissance and Reformation
• Social Work
• Urban Studies
• Victorian Literature
• Browse All Subjects

How to Subscribe

• Free Trials

In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Problem Solving and Decision Making

Introduction.

• General Approaches to Problem Solving
• Representational Accounts
• Problem Space and Search
• Working Memory and Problem Solving
• Domain-Specific Problem Solving
• The Rational Approach
• Prospect Theory
• Dual-Process Theory
• Cognitive Heuristics and Biases

Related Articles Expand or collapse the "related articles" section about

About related articles close popup.

Lorem Ipsum Sit Dolor Amet

Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Aliquam ligula odio, euismod ut aliquam et, vestibulum nec risus. Nulla viverra, arcu et iaculis consequat, justo diam ornare tellus, semper ultrices tellus nunc eu tellus.

• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Psychology
• Counterfactual Reasoning
• Critical Thinking
• Heuristics and Biases
• Protocol Analysis
• Psychology and Law

Other Subject Areas

Forthcoming articles expand or collapse the "forthcoming articles" section.

• Data Visualization
• Executive Functions in Childhood
• Remote Work
• Find more forthcoming articles...
• Export Citations
• Share This Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Problem Solving and Decision Making by Emily G. Nielsen , John Paul Minda LAST REVIEWED: 26 June 2019 LAST MODIFIED: 26 June 2019 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199828340-0246

Problem solving and decision making are both examples of complex, higher-order thinking. Both involve the assessment of the environment, the involvement of working memory or short-term memory, reliance on long term memory, effects of knowledge, and the application of heuristics to complete a behavior. A problem can be defined as an impasse or gap between a current state and a desired goal state. Problem solving is the set of cognitive operations that a person engages in to change the current state, to go beyond the impasse, and achieve a desired outcome. Problem solving involves the mental representation of the problem state and the manipulation of this representation in order to move closer to the goal. Problems can vary in complexity, abstraction, and how well defined (or not) the initial state and the goal state are. Research has generally approached problem solving by examining the behaviors and cognitive processes involved, and some work has examined problem solving using computational processes as well. Decision making is the process of selecting and choosing one action or behavior out of several alternatives. Like problem solving, decision making involves the coordination of memories and executive resources. Research on decision making has paid particular attention to the cognitive biases that account for suboptimal decisions and decisions that deviate from rationality. The current bibliography first outlines some general resources on the psychology of problem solving and decision making before examining each of these topics in detail. Specifically, this review covers cognitive, neuroscientific, and computational approaches to problem solving, as well as decision making models and cognitive heuristics and biases.

General Overviews

Current research in the area of problem solving and decision making is published in both general and specialized scientific journals. Theoretical and scholarly work is often summarized and developed in full-length books and chapter. These may focus on the subfields of problem solving and decision making or the larger field of thinking and higher-order cognition.

back to top

Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login .

Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here .

• About Psychology »
• Meet the Editorial Board »
• Abnormal Psychology
• Academic Assessment
• Acculturation and Health
• Action Regulation Theory
• Action Research
• Addictive Behavior
• Adolescence
• Adoption, Social, Psychological, and Evolutionary Perspect...
• Advanced Theory of Mind
• Affective Forecasting
• Affirmative Action
• Ageism at Work
• Allport, Gordon
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Ambulatory Assessment in Behavioral Science
• Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)
• Animal Behavior
• Animal Learning
• Anxiety Disorders
• Art and Aesthetics, Psychology of
• Assessment and Clinical Applications of Individual Differe...
• Attachment in Social and Emotional Development across the ...
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Adults
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Childre...
• Attitudinal Ambivalence
• Attraction in Close Relationships
• Attribution Theory
• Authoritarian Personality
• Bayesian Statistical Methods in Psychology
• Behavior Therapy, Rational Emotive
• Behavioral Economics
• Behavioral Genetics
• Belief Perseverance
• Bereavement and Grief
• Biological Psychology
• Birth Order
• Body Image in Men and Women
• Bystander Effect
• Categorical Data Analysis in Psychology
• Childhood and Adolescence, Peer Victimization and Bullying...
• Clark, Mamie Phipps
• Clinical Neuropsychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Consistency Theories
• Cognitive Dissonance Theory
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Communication, Nonverbal Cues and
• Comparative Psychology
• Competence to Stand Trial: Restoration Services
• Competency to Stand Trial
• Computational Psychology
• Conflict Management in the Workplace
• Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience
• Consciousness
• Coping Processes
• Correspondence Analysis in Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Creativity at Work
• Cross-Cultural Psychology
• Cultural Psychology
• Daily Life, Research Methods for Studying
• Data Science Methods for Psychology
• Data Sharing in Psychology
• Death and Dying
• Deceiving and Detecting Deceit
• Defensive Processes
• Depressive Disorders
• Development, Prenatal
• Developmental Psychology (Cognitive)
• Developmental Psychology (Social)
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM...
• Discrimination
• Dissociative Disorders
• Drugs and Behavior
• Eating Disorders
• Ecological Psychology
• Educational Settings, Assessment of Thinking in
• Effect Size
• Embodiment and Embodied Cognition
• Emerging Adulthood
• Emotional Intelligence
• Empathy and Altruism
• Employee Stress and Well-Being
• Environmental Neuroscience and Environmental Psychology
• Ethics in Psychological Practice
• Event Perception
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Expansive Posture
• Experimental Existential Psychology
• Exploratory Data Analysis
• Eyewitness Testimony
• Eysenck, Hans
• Factor Analysis
• Festinger, Leon
• Five-Factor Model of Personality
• Flynn Effect, The
• Forensic Psychology
• Forgiveness
• Friendships, Children's
• Fundamental Attribution Error/Correspondence Bias
• Gambler's Fallacy
• Game Theory and Psychology
• Geropsychology, Clinical
• Global Mental Health
• Habit Formation and Behavior Change
• Health Psychology
• Health Psychology Research and Practice, Measurement in
• Heider, Fritz
• History of Psychology
• Human Factors
• Humanistic Psychology
• Implicit Association Test (IAT)
• Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• Inferential Statistics in Psychology
• Insanity Defense, The
• Intelligence
• Intelligence, Crystallized and Fluid
• Intercultural Psychology
• Intergroup Conflict
• International Classification of Diseases and Related Healt...
• International Psychology
• Interviewing in Forensic Settings
• Intimate Partner Violence, Psychological Perspectives on
• Introversion–Extraversion
• Item Response Theory
• Law, Psychology and
• Lazarus, Richard
• Learned Helplessness
• Learning Theory
• Learning versus Performance
• LGBTQ+ Romantic Relationships
• Lie Detection in a Forensic Context
• Life-Span Development
• Locus of Control
• Loneliness and Health
• Mathematical Psychology
• Meaning in Life
• Mechanisms and Processes of Peer Contagion
• Media Violence, Psychological Perspectives on
• Mediation Analysis
• Memories, Autobiographical
• Memories, Flashbulb
• Memories, Repressed and Recovered
• Memory, False
• Memory, Human
• Memory, Implicit versus Explicit
• Memory in Educational Settings
• Memory, Semantic
• Meta-Analysis
• Metacognition
• Metaphor, Psychological Perspectives on
• Microaggressions
• Military Psychology
• Mindfulness
• Mindfulness and Education
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
• Money, Psychology of
• Moral Conviction
• Moral Development
• Moral Psychology
• Moral Reasoning
• Nature versus Nurture Debate in Psychology
• Neuroscience of Associative Learning
• Nonergodicity in Psychology and Neuroscience
• Nonparametric Statistical Analysis in Psychology
• Observational (Non-Randomized) Studies
• Obsessive-Complusive Disorder (OCD)
• Occupational Health Psychology
• Olfaction, Human
• Operant Conditioning
• Optimism and Pessimism
• Organizational Justice
• Parenting Stress
• Parenting Styles
• Parents' Beliefs about Children
• Path Models
• Peace Psychology
• Perception, Person
• Performance Appraisal
• Personality and Health
• Personality Disorders
• Personality Psychology
• Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies: From Car...
• Phenomenological Psychology
• Placebo Effects in Psychology
• Play Behavior
• Positive Psychological Capital (PsyCap)
• Positive Psychology
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Prejudice and Stereotyping
• Pretrial Publicity
• Prisoner's Dilemma
• Problem Solving and Decision Making
• Procrastination
• Prosocial Behavior
• Prosocial Spending and Well-Being
• Psycholinguistics
• Psychological Literacy
• Psychological Perspectives on Food and Eating
• Psychology, Political
• Psychoneuroimmunology
• Psychophysics, Visual
• Psychotherapy
• Psychotic Disorders
• Publication Bias in Psychology
• Reasoning, Counterfactual
• Rehabilitation Psychology
• Relationships
• Reliability–Contemporary Psychometric Conceptions
• Religion, Psychology and
• Replication Initiatives in Psychology
• Research Methods
• Risk Taking
• Role of the Expert Witness in Forensic Psychology, The
• Sample Size Planning for Statistical Power and Accurate Es...
• Schizophrenic Disorders
• School Psychology
• School Psychology, Counseling Services in
• Self, Gender and
• Self, Psychology of the
• Self-Construal
• Self-Control
• Self-Deception
• Self-Determination Theory
• Self-Efficacy
• Self-Esteem
• Self-Monitoring
• Self-Regulation in Educational Settings
• Self-Report Tests, Measures, and Inventories in Clinical P...
• Sensation Seeking
• Sex and Gender
• Sexual Minority Parenting
• Sexual Orientation
• Signal Detection Theory and its Applications
• Simpson's Paradox in Psychology
• Single People
• Single-Case Experimental Designs
• Skinner, B.F.
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Small Groups
• Social Class and Social Status
• Social Cognition
• Social Neuroscience
• Social Support
• Social Touch and Massage Therapy Research
• Somatoform Disorders
• Spatial Attention
• Sports Psychology
• Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE): Icon and Controversy
• Stereotype Threat
• Stereotypes
• Stress and Coping, Psychology of
• Student Success in College
• Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis
• Taste, Psychological Perspectives on
• Teaching of Psychology
• Terror Management Theory
• Testing and Assessment
• The Concept of Validity in Psychological Assessment
• The Neuroscience of Emotion Regulation
• The Reasoned Action Approach and the Theories of Reasoned ...
• The Weapon Focus Effect in Eyewitness Memory
• Theory of Mind
• Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral
• Thinking Skills in Educational Settings
• Time Perception
• Trait Perspective
• Trauma Psychology
• Twin Studies
• Type A Behavior Pattern (Coronary Prone Personality)
• Unconscious Processes
• Video Games and Violent Content
• Virtues and Character Strengths
• Women and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM...
• Women, Psychology of
• Work Well-Being
• Workforce Training Evaluation
• Wundt, Wilhelm
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Legal Notice
• Accessibility

Powered by:

• [195.158.225.230]
• 195.158.225.230

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

• First Online: 17 October 2019

Cite this chapter

• Jonathan S. Vordermark II 2  

763 Accesses

There are major differences between decision-making and problem-solving. The two entities differ in discrete and subtle ways and should be resolved at different levels within teams or organizations. Decision-making usually involves more experienced higher-order, process-dependent, and non-linear skills. The impact of decisions is usually more global, long-term, and less quantifiable and qualifiable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

Bosk CL. (2003). Forgive and Remember: Managing Medical Failure . Second Edition. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press; 2003.

Book   Google Scholar  

Montgomery K. How Doctors Think: Clinical Judgment and the Practice of Medicine . New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2006.

Google Scholar  

Pellegrino ED, Thomasma DC. A Philosophical Basis of Medical Practice. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 1981.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Ranchos de Taos, NM, USA

Jonathan S. Vordermark II

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Vordermark II, J.S. (2019). Problem-Solving and Decision-Making. In: An Introduction to Medical Decision-Making. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23147-7_3

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23147-7_3

Published : 17 October 2019

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-23146-0

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-23147-7

eBook Packages : Medicine Medicine (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

What Are Problem-Solving Skills? Definition and Examples

• Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn

Forage puts students first. Our blog articles are written independently by our editorial team. They have not been paid for or sponsored by our partners. See our full  editorial guidelines .

Why do employers hire employees? To help them solve problems. Whether you’re a financial analyst deciding where to invest your firm’s money, or a marketer trying to figure out which channel to direct your efforts, companies hire people to help them find solutions. Problem-solving is an essential and marketable soft skill in the workplace. 

So, how can you improve your problem-solving and show employers you have this valuable skill? In this guide, we’ll cover:

Problem-Solving Skills Definition

Why are problem-solving skills important, problem-solving skills examples, how to include problem-solving skills in a job application, how to improve problem-solving skills, problem-solving: the bottom line.

Problem-solving skills are the ability to identify problems, brainstorm and analyze answers, and implement the best solutions. An employee with good problem-solving skills is both a self-starter and a collaborative teammate; they are proactive in understanding the root of a problem and work with others to consider a wide range of solutions before deciding how to move forward. 

Examples of using problem-solving skills in the workplace include:

• Researching patterns to understand why revenue decreased last quarter
• Experimenting with a new marketing channel to increase website sign-ups
• Brainstorming content types to share with potential customers
• Testing calls to action to see which ones drive the most product sales
• Implementing a new workflow to automate a team process and increase productivity

Problem-solving skills are the most sought-after soft skill of 2022. In fact, 86% of employers look for problem-solving skills on student resumes, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2022 survey . 

It’s unsurprising why employers are looking for this skill: companies will always need people to help them find solutions to their problems. Someone proactive and successful at problem-solving is valuable to any team.

“Employers are looking for employees who can make decisions independently, especially with the prevalence of remote/hybrid work and the need to communicate asynchronously,” Eric Mochnacz, senior HR consultant at Red Clover, says. “Employers want to see individuals who can make well-informed decisions that mitigate risk, and they can do so without suffering from analysis paralysis.”

Showcase new skills

Build the confidence and practical skills that employers are looking for with Forage’s free job simulations.

Problem-solving includes three main parts: identifying the problem, analyzing possible solutions, and deciding on the best course of action.

>>MORE: Discover the right career for you based on your skills with a career aptitude test .

Research is the first step of problem-solving because it helps you understand the context of a problem. Researching a problem enables you to learn why the problem is happening. For example, is revenue down because of a new sales tactic? Or because of seasonality? Is there a problem with who the sales team is reaching out to? 

Research broadens your scope to all possible reasons why the problem could be happening. Then once you figure it out, it helps you narrow your scope to start solving it. 

Analysis is the next step of problem-solving. Now that you’ve identified the problem, analytical skills help you look at what potential solutions there might be.

“The goal of analysis isn’t to solve a problem, actually — it’s to better understand it because that’s where the real solution will be found,” Gretchen Skalka, owner of Career Insights Consulting, says. “Looking at a problem through the lens of impartiality is the only way to get a true understanding of it from all angles.”

Decision-Making

Once you’ve figured out where the problem is coming from and what solutions are, it’s time to decide on the best way to go forth. Decision-making skills help you determine what resources are available, what a feasible action plan entails, and what solution is likely to lead to success.

On a Resume

Employers looking for problem-solving skills might include the word “problem-solving” or other synonyms like “ critical thinking ” or “analytical skills” in the job description.

“I would add ‘buzzwords’ you can find from the job descriptions or LinkedIn endorsements section to filter into your resume to comply with the ATS,” Matthew Warzel, CPRW resume writer, advises. Warzel recommends including these skills on your resume but warns to “leave the soft skills as adjectives in the summary section. That is the only place soft skills should be mentioned.”

On the other hand, you can list hard skills separately in a skills section on your resume .

Forage Resume Writing Masterclass

Learn how to showcase your skills and craft an award-winning resume with this free masterclass from Forage.

Avg. Time: 5 to 6 hours

Skills you’ll build: Resume writing, professional brand, professional summary, narrative, transferable skills, industry keywords, illustrating your impact, standing out

In a Cover Letter or an Interview

Explaining your problem-solving skills in an interview can seem daunting. You’re required to expand on your process — how you identified a problem, analyzed potential solutions, and made a choice. As long as you can explain your approach, it’s okay if that solution didn’t come from a professional work experience.

“Young professionals shortchange themselves by thinking only paid-for solutions matter to employers,” Skalka says. “People at the genesis of their careers don’t have a wealth of professional experience to pull from, but they do have relevant experience to share.”

Aaron Case, career counselor and CPRW at Resume Genius, agrees and encourages early professionals to share this skill. “If you don’t have any relevant work experience yet, you can still highlight your problem-solving skills in your cover letter,” he says. “Just showcase examples of problems you solved while completing your degree, working at internships, or volunteering. You can even pull examples from completely unrelated part-time jobs, as long as you make it clear how your problem-solving ability transfers to your new line of work.”

Learn How to Identify Problems

Problem-solving doesn’t just require finding solutions to problems that are already there. It’s also about being proactive when something isn’t working as you hoped it would. Practice questioning and getting curious about processes and activities in your everyday life. What could you improve? What would you do if you had more resources for this process? If you had fewer? Challenge yourself to challenge the world around you.

Think Digitally

“Employers in the modern workplace value digital problem-solving skills, like being able to find a technology solution to a traditional issue,” Case says. “For example, when I first started working as a marketing writer, my department didn’t have the budget to hire a professional voice actor for marketing video voiceovers. But I found a perfect solution to the problem with an AI voiceover service that cost a fraction of the price of an actor.”

Being comfortable with new technology — even ones you haven’t used before — is a valuable skill in an increasingly hybrid and remote world. Don’t be afraid to research new and innovative technologies to help automate processes or find a more efficient technological solution.

Collaborate

Problem-solving isn’t done in a silo, and it shouldn’t be. Use your collaboration skills to gather multiple perspectives, help eliminate bias, and listen to alternative solutions. Ask others where they think the problem is coming from and what solutions would help them with your workflow. From there, try to compromise on a solution that can benefit everyone.

If we’ve learned anything from the past few years, it’s that the world of work is constantly changing — which means it’s crucial to know how to adapt . Be comfortable narrowing down a solution, then changing your direction when a colleague provides a new piece of information. Challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone, whether with your personal routine or trying a new system at work.

Put Yourself in the Middle of Tough Moments

Just like adapting requires you to challenge your routine and tradition, good problem-solving requires you to put yourself in challenging situations — especially ones where you don’t have relevant experience or expertise to find a solution. Because you won’t know how to tackle the problem, you’ll learn new problem-solving skills and how to navigate new challenges. Ask your manager or a peer if you can help them work on a complicated problem, and be proactive about asking them questions along the way.

Career Aptitude Test

What careers are right for you based on your skills? Take this quiz to find out. It’s completely free — you’ll just need to sign up to get your results!

Step 1 of 3

Companies always need people to help them find solutions — especially proactive employees who have practical analytical skills and can collaborate to decide the best way to move forward. Whether or not you have experience solving problems in a professional workplace, illustrate your problem-solving skills by describing your research, analysis, and decision-making process — and make it clear that you’re the solution to the employer’s current problems. 

Image Credit: Christina Morillo / Pexels 

Related Posts

6 negotiation skills to level up your work life, how to build conflict resolution skills: case studies and examples, what is github uses and getting started, upskill with forage.

Build career skills recruiters are looking for.

Teaching Problem-Solving Skills

Many instructors design opportunities for students to solve “problems”. But are their students solving true problems or merely participating in practice exercises? The former stresses critical thinking and decision­ making skills whereas the latter requires only the application of previously learned procedures.

Problem solving is often broadly defined as "the ability to understand the environment, identify complex problems, review related information to develop, evaluate strategies and implement solutions to build the desired outcome" (Fissore, C. et al, 2021). True problem solving is the process of applying a method – not known in advance – to a problem that is subject to a specific set of conditions and that the problem solver has not seen before, in order to obtain a satisfactory solution.

Below you will find some basic principles for teaching problem solving and one model to implement in your classroom teaching.

Principles for teaching problem solving

• Model a useful problem-solving method . Problem solving can be difficult and sometimes tedious. Show students how to be patient and persistent, and how to follow a structured method, such as Woods’ model described below. Articulate your method as you use it so students see the connections.
• Teach within a specific context . Teach problem-solving skills in the context in which they will be used by students (e.g., mole fraction calculations in a chemistry course). Use real-life problems in explanations, examples, and exams. Do not teach problem solving as an independent, abstract skill.
• Help students understand the problem . In order to solve problems, students need to define the end goal. This step is crucial to successful learning of problem-solving skills. If you succeed at helping students answer the questions “what?” and “why?”, finding the answer to “how?” will be easier.
• Take enough time . When planning a lecture/tutorial, budget enough time for: understanding the problem and defining the goal (both individually and as a class); dealing with questions from you and your students; making, finding, and fixing mistakes; and solving entire problems in a single session.
• Ask questions and make suggestions . Ask students to predict “what would happen if …” or explain why something happened. This will help them to develop analytical and deductive thinking skills. Also, ask questions and make suggestions about strategies to encourage students to reflect on the problem-solving strategies that they use.
• Link errors to misconceptions . Use errors as evidence of misconceptions, not carelessness or random guessing. Make an effort to isolate the misconception and correct it, then teach students to do this by themselves. We can all learn from mistakes.

Woods’ problem-solving model

Define the problem.

• The system . Have students identify the system under study (e.g., a metal bridge subject to certain forces) by interpreting the information provided in the problem statement. Drawing a diagram is a great way to do this.
• Known(s) and concepts . List what is known about the problem, and identify the knowledge needed to understand (and eventually) solve it.
• Unknown(s) . Once you have a list of knowns, identifying the unknown(s) becomes simpler. One unknown is generally the answer to the problem, but there may be other unknowns. Be sure that students understand what they are expected to find.
• Units and symbols . One key aspect in problem solving is teaching students how to select, interpret, and use units and symbols. Emphasize the use of units whenever applicable. Develop a habit of using appropriate units and symbols yourself at all times.
• Constraints . All problems have some stated or implied constraints. Teach students to look for the words "only", "must", "neglect", or "assume" to help identify the constraints.
• Criteria for success . Help students consider, from the beginning, what a logical type of answer would be. What characteristics will it possess? For example, a quantitative problem will require an answer in some form of numerical units (e.g., $/kg product, square cm, etc.) while an optimization problem requires an answer in the form of either a numerical maximum or minimum.

Think about it

• “Let it simmer”.  Use this stage to ponder the problem. Ideally, students will develop a mental image of the problem at hand during this stage.
• Identify specific pieces of knowledge . Students need to determine by themselves the required background knowledge from illustrations, examples and problems covered in the course.
• Collect information . Encourage students to collect pertinent information such as conversion factors, constants, and tables needed to solve the problem.

Plan a solution

• Consider possible strategies . Often, the type of solution will be determined by the type of problem. Some common problem-solving strategies are: compute; simplify; use an equation; make a model, diagram, table, or chart; or work backwards.
• Choose the best strategy . Help students to choose the best strategy by reminding them again what they are required to find or calculate.

Carry out the plan

• Be patient . Most problems are not solved quickly or on the first attempt. In other cases, executing the solution may be the easiest step.
• Be persistent . If a plan does not work immediately, do not let students get discouraged. Encourage them to try a different strategy and keep trying.

Encourage students to reflect. Once a solution has been reached, students should ask themselves the following questions:

• Does the answer make sense?
• Does it fit with the criteria established in step 1?
• Did I answer the question(s)?
• What did I learn by doing this?
• Could I have done the problem another way?

If you would like support applying these tips to your own teaching, CTE staff members are here to help.  View the  CTE Support  page to find the most relevant staff member to contact. 

• Fissore, C., Marchisio, M., Roman, F., & Sacchet, M. (2021). Development of problem solving skills with Maple in higher education. In: Corless, R.M., Gerhard, J., Kotsireas, I.S. (eds) Maple in Mathematics Education and Research. MC 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1414. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81698-8_15
• Foshay, R., & Kirkley, J. (1998). Principles for Teaching Problem Solving. TRO Learning Inc., Edina MN.  (PDF) Principles for Teaching Problem Solving (researchgate.net)
• Hayes, J.R. (1989). The Complete Problem Solver. 2nd Edition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Woods, D.R., Wright, J.D., Hoffman, T.W., Swartman, R.K., Doig, I.D. (1975). Teaching Problem solving Skills.
• Engineering Education. Vol 1, No. 1. p. 238. Washington, DC: The American Society for Engineering Education.

Catalog search

Teaching tip categories.

• Assessment and feedback
• Blended Learning and Educational Technologies
• Career Development
• Course Design
• Course Implementation
• Inclusive Teaching and Learning
• Learning activities
• Support for Student Learning
• Support for TAs
• Learning activities ,

More From Forbes

Tips and techniques for problem-solving and decision-making.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Divya Parekh , of The DP Group, covers business growth, storytelling, high-impact performance and authority building.

Are you struggling to find effective solutions to problems you face in your professional or entrepreneurial ventures? Are you often indecisive when faced with complex decisions?

The ability to solve problems and make decisions quickly and effectively can mean the difference between success and failure. There are two main approaches to problem-solving and decision-making: vertical thinking and horizontal thinking. Both approaches have strengths and weaknesses, so understanding the differences between them can help you apply the right method at the right time.

Let's look at a few case studies to understand the very different benefits of these two approaches.

Vertical Thinking For Decision-Making

First, let's take Jane, the CFO of a financial services company. She needs to decide whether to invest in a new company software system.

Jane gathers all the relevant data about the software system and analyzes it thoroughly. She compares the cost of the system to the potential benefits, evaluates the risks involved and consults with subject matter experts. After careful consideration, she decides the benefits outweigh the costs and risks, and the company should invest in the software system.

This is vertical thinking: making a well-informed decision based on a thorough analysis of the data. Vertical thinking is especially useful in situations where there is a clear goal and a need for a precise, data-driven approach. Experts often use it in fields like finance, where decisions depend heavily on facts and figures.

Horizontal Thinking For Problem-Solving

Let's move on to Sophie, the head of marketing for a fashion company. The company has been struggling to attract new customers.

Sophie sets up a brainstorming meeting with different department heads. They come up with a variety of creative solutions based on their diverse perspectives. One idea that stands out is to partner with a popular social media influencer to promote the company's products. The team works together to develop a plan to reach out to the influencer and negotiate a partnership.

This is horizontal thinking: working with a team to generate a variety of ideas and consider different perspectives to find an innovative solution. Horizontal thinking is a great approach for problem-solving when the problem is complex and there may be multiple solutions or approaches. Creative professionals, especially in marketing, advertising and designing, highly value this approach.

How Emotions Affect These Approaches

Over several years of coaching, I've noticed that emotions can play a significant role in problem-solving and decision-making, regardless of the thinking style used.

For instance, when using vertical thinking, emotions such as frustration and impatience can arise when a person or team has been working on a problem for an extended period with no clear solution. Conversely, when a team lands on a solution, there can be a sense of relief and accomplishment.

Similarly, when using horizontal thinking, emotions such as excitement and optimism can arise during a brainstorming session when new and creative ideas are being generated. However, disappointment or frustration can also arise when an idea fails to work.

It's important to recognize and acknowledge these emotions as they can affect team dynamics and ultimately, the success of the problem-solving process. I encourage leaders to create a safe and supportive environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their emotions and concerns.

Make These Thinking Styles Work For You

In my experience, a personalized approach that balances both vertical and horizontal thinking can help manage emotions and any other issues that arise effectively. By using vertical thinking to identify specific problems and solutions, and horizontal thinking to generate creative ideas, you can create a problem-solving process that encourages collaboration, creativity and innovation while minimizing negative emotions.

Are you ready to take your problem-solving and decision-making skills to the next level?

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

What are conceptual skills? (With definitions, types, examples, and tips)

Management roles have changed dramatically over the years. Higher-level managers are now responsible for turning their companies' visions into actionable strategies.

They also make decisions that require balancing strategic objectives with calculated risks. They help their organisations adapt to changing trends to achieve long-term growth.

Good conceptual skills enable you to perform all these tasks and responsibilities competently.

Conceptual skills help you understand high-level ideas. They also help you creatively approach challenging situations. Developing your conceptual skills can improve your leadership and managerial abilities.

Managers and leaders should gain an in-depth understanding of conceptual skills and their applications. These skills can be used in many ways, from managing projects to resolving conflicts .

We discuss conceptual skills and how to develop them to get ahead in your career. The topics we'll cover include:

What are conceptual skills?

Types of conceptual skills, why are conceptual skills important for people in management roles, examples of conceptual skills in the workplace, demonstrating conceptual skills in interviews, how to improve your conceptual skills.

Conceptual skills are soft skills that help you better understand abstract and complex situations. They help you see the big picture in scenarios and turn your ideas into actionable strategies.

For example, rather than diving headlong into a project, a conceptual manager first tries to determine its purpose and how it relates to the company. A conceptual leader can also understand how conflicts arise and act to resolve them.

Conceptual skills are different from technical and human skills. Technical skills relate to tass, such as machine welding or software programming. Human skills are abilities for interacting and building relationships with other people.

Conceptual skills focus on strategic planning and understanding ideas. Despite their differences, these three types of skills can complement each other.

Check out this conceptual skill list to find out how to become a conceptual manager:

1. Active listening skills

Active listening ipayingay attention to a speakerunderstandingnd what they mean, anrespondingnd appropriately. Listening skills include attention, empathy, patience, validation, nonverbal communication, and situational awareness.

2. Communication skills

A conceptual person can communicate information and ideas clearly and efficiently. Some examples of communication skills include written, verbal, and nonverbal communication, presentation skills, active listening, and asking the right questions.

3. Analytical skills

A skilled analyst can look at different aspects of a dataset or project to ensure they all contribute to the overall goal. Examples of conceptual and analytical skills include research, data analysis, critical thinking, and creativity.

4. Problem-solving skills

Problem-solving skills enable you to identify issues and come up with effective solutions. Some skills that fall under problem-solving include logical thinking, critical thinking, multitasking, troubleshooting, and decision-making.

5. Creative thinking skills

A creative thinker can find new ways to solve complex issues. Creative skills include open-mindedness, strategic planning, collaboration, and idea formulation.

6. Abstract thinking skills

Abstract thinking allows you to interpret information beyond its literal meaning. To become an abstract thinker, you need to develop abilities such as creativity, mindfulness, counterfactual thinking, prediction, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking.

7. Decision-making skills

Decision-making involves choosing actions in a rational and informed way. Some skills that can help you make better decisions include problem-solving, creativity, logical thinking, leadership, critical thinking, collaboration, and intuition.

8. Leadership skills

An effective leader guides a team to a desired outcome. Typical leadership skills include team building, management, empathy, delegation, flexibility, and persuasion.

9. Managerial skills

Managerial skills are abilities that lead your team to complete specific objectives. Examples include communication, planning, decision-making, problem-solving, delegation, and motivation.

Conceptual skills are critical for leadership positions, especially mid— and upper-management roles in Malaysia. A manager should ensure that each employee is working towards the organisation's larger goal. One must always keep the big picture in mind.

With strong conceptual skills, you can identify challenges and use your analytical and abstract thinking to develop effective solutions that help the company succeed.

Suppose you're the manager of a team that conducts market research. You notice that the company's customer base is changing. Without the conceptual and analytical abilities to make sense of the data, you cannot identify and reach out to potential new customers.

This can mean missed business opportunities for the company.

Conceptual skills can also help you manage your team. You can combine your conceptual and technical skills to determine how each team member can contribute to the organisation's goals, allowing you to delegate work more effectively.

You can also use conceptual and human skills to resolve conflicts between team members, which can improve the work environment.

Conceptual skills and their role in decision-making

Conceptual skills help you identify issues sooner than other people in the organisation. This allows you to think ahead and make decisions that can benefit the company in the long term.

Suppose the company is trying to adopt a new technology. You can use your conceptual abilities to process incoming information. This can help you determine the potential risks and challenges and make strategic decisions to ensure smooth implementation.

Conceptual skills and their role in problem-solving

Your conceptual skills can help the company overcome obstacles that may prevent it from reaching its goals.

For instance, if an unexpected problem occurs in a project, you can analyse the situation to determine its root cause. Then, you can then brainstorm solutions to get everything back on track.

Conceptual abilities can help you prepare your team to deal with unforeseen problems. This is essential for setting long-term organisational vision and goals.

Let's look at several conceptual skills examples in the workplace:

• Business strategy development : A marketing manager discovers that younger consumers are becoming more interested in the company's products. They create marketing materials to appeal to these consumers.
• Crisis management : An organisation faces a patent infringement lawsuit. A conceptual executive looks for evidence that the company isn't infringing and devises strategies such as negotiating licensing fees and preparing for a non-infringement defence.
• Innovative product development : A product development manager uses their conceptual ability to understand current consumer trends and preferences to create a new product that meets emerging market needs. They also conduct product feasibility research and anticipate potential challenges.

Showing your conceptual skills in job interviews can help you stand out from other job seekers. Follow these tips to land your next great opportunity:

1. Preparation strategies

Before an interview, you should review the job description. Find out how conceptual skills can be useful in the role. Research the company's strategic direction and the challenges it faces. Then, prepare examples where your conceptual abilities align with those needs.

2. Answering interview questions effectively

Anticipate interview questions that may test your conceptual skills. Here are some examples:

Can you describe your problem-solving process?

Answer: When faced with a problem, I first analyse the situation to identify the root cause. Then, I gather relevant information and data to develop potential solutions and weigh the pros and cons of each. Based on my analysis, I select the best solutions and implement them. I also keep track of the results to ensure their effectiveness.

How do you make data-driven decisions?

Answer: I begin by examining the problem or situation. Then, I gather and analyse relevant data to gain insights that can support my decision. I aim to make informed decisions based on the evidence I've collected. I'm also mindful of any potential limitations or biases in the data.

3. Showcasing past experiences

Look for opportunities to share past experiences where your conceptual skills proved pivotal. Describe the challenges you faced, the innovative solution you chose, and the results of your decisions. Also, talk about what you've learned and how you've grown from the experiences.

If you want to improve your conceptual skills to advance your career, consider these steps:

• Develop a reading habit : Reading can help you build conceptual skills. Consider seeking out articles or books that challenge your abstract thinking abilities.
• Volunteer to be a team leader : When the opportunity arises, volunteering to lead your team is a great way to practise your conceptual skills. Set small and practical goals and participate in brainstorming sessions and strategic meetings.
• Training and education : There are online courses and workshops that focus on conceptual skills. These programmes enable you to develop a wide range of skills that can make you a more effective manager. These skills include data analysis, decision-making, problem-solving, cost-benefit assessment, critical thinking, and abstract thinking.

Final thoughts

Conceptual skills are essential in leadership, management, and execution. They enable you to analyse and understand complex concepts, use analytical and abstract thinking, and develop actionable strategies for long-term growth.

These abilities can benefit an organisation and help you stand out from your colleagues or other job seekers. Read books and attend courses to improve your conceptual skills and advance your career continually.

Here are some questions people often ask about conceptual skills:

• What are examples of conceptual skills? ⁠Some examples of conceptual skills include analytical, creative, and abstract thinking. They also include communication, problem-solving, decision-making, leadership, and managerial skills.
• Why are conceptual skills important for leadership roles? ⁠ A leader should do more than complete tasks and manage day-to-day operations. You must also see the big picture and understand how your team's efforts contribute to the organisation's goals. You must solve problems and make decisions. Conceptual skills can help you perform all these functions more effectively.
• How can I develop my conceptual skills? ⁠ Some ways to improve your conceptual skills include reading texts about conceptual abilities, volunteering to become a leader, and attending courses and workshops.
• How do I demonstrate conceptual skills in a resume or cover letter? ⁠ You can highlight your conceptual skills in your resume's work experience, achievements, skills, or summary section. If you want to include them, mention a time in your career when you used your conceptual abilities to overcome complex problems.
• How can an interviewer test your conceptual skills? ⁠ Your interviewer may assess your conceptual skills by asking questions about your analytical, abstract thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, or leadership abilities.
• How do I balance showcasing conceptual and practical skills in an interview? ⁠ If you want to showcase conceptual and practical skills in an interview, explain how the two types of skills complement each other. For instance, you can talk about using your conceptual abilities to analyse data but make decisions based on objective information rather than assumptions.
• What are common mistakes when trying to demonstrate conceptual skills? ⁠ Some of the common mistakes that job seekers make when demonstrating conceptual skills include using vague or irrelevant examples, not quantifying results, and failing to prepare for behavioural questions. 

Top search terms

Popular on jobstreet, explore related topics, subscribe to career advice.

Managing Conflict with Humor

Improving emotional intelligence (eq), anger management: help for anger issues.

• Effective Communication: Improving Your Interpersonal Skills

Body Language and Nonverbal Communication

• The 5 Love Languages and Their Influence on Relationships
• Gaslighting: Turning Off the Gas on Your Gaslighter
• Online Therapy: Is it Right for You?
• Mental Health
• Health & Wellness
• Children & Family
• Relationships

Are you or someone you know in crisis?

• Bipolar Disorder
• Eating Disorders
• Grief & Loss
• Personality Disorders
• PTSD & Trauma
• Schizophrenia
• Therapy & Medication
• Exercise & Fitness
• Healthy Eating
• Well-being & Happiness
• Weight Loss
• Work & Career
• Illness & Disability
• Heart Health
• Learning Disabilities
• Family Caregiving
• Teen Issues
• Communication
• Emotional Intelligence
• Love & Friendship
• Domestic Abuse
• Healthy Aging
• Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia
• End of Life
• Meet Our Team

What is conflict?

Causes of conflict in a relationship, how do you respond to conflict, conflict resolution, stress, and emotions, core skill 1: quick stress relief, core skill 2: emotional awareness, nonverbal communication and conflict resolution, more tips for managing and resolving conflict, conflict resolution skills.

Whatever the cause of disagreements and disputes at home or work, these skills can help you resolve conflict in a constructive way and keep your relationships strong and growing.

Conflict is a normal part of any healthy relationship. After all, two people can’t be expected to agree on everything, all the time. The key is not to fear or try to avoid conflict but to learn how to resolve it in a healthy way.

When conflict is mismanaged, it can cause great harm to a relationship, but when handled in a respectful, positive way, conflict provides an opportunity to strengthen the bond between two people. Whether you’re experiencing conflict at home, work, or school, learning these skills can help you resolve differences in a healthy way and build stronger, more rewarding relationships.

Conflict 101

• A conflict is more than just a disagreement. It is a situation in which one or both parties perceive a threat (whether or not the threat is real).
• Conflicts continue to fester when ignored. Because conflicts involve perceived threats to our well-being and survival, they stay with us until we face and resolve them.
• We respond to conflicts based on our perceptions of the situation, not necessarily to an objective review of the facts. Our perceptions are influenced by our life experiences, culture, values, and beliefs.
• Conflicts trigger strong emotions. If you aren’t comfortable with your emotions or able to manage them in times of stress, you won’t be able to resolve conflict successfully.
• Conflicts are an opportunity for growth. When you’re able to resolve conflict in a relationship, it builds trust. You can feel secure knowing your relationship can survive challenges and disagreements.

Conflict arises from differences, both large and small. It occurs whenever people disagree over their values, motivations, perceptions, ideas, or desires. Sometimes these differences appear trivial, but when a conflict triggers strong feelings, a deep personal need is often at the core of the problem. These needs can range from the need to feel safe and secure or respected and valued, to the need for greater closeness and intimacy.

Think about the opposing needs of a toddler and a parent. The child’s need is to explore, so venturing to the street or the cliff edge meets that need. But the parent’s need is to protect the child’s safety, a need that can only be met by limiting the toddler’s exploration. Since these needs are at odds, conflict arises.

The needs of each party play an important role in the long-term success of a relationship. Each deserves respect and consideration. In personal relationships, a lack of understanding about differing needs can result in distance, arguments, and break-ups. In the workplace, differing needs can result in broken deals, decreased profits, and lost jobs.

[Read: Tips for Building a Healthy Relationship]

When you can recognize conflicting needs and are willing to examine them with compassion and understanding, it can lead to creative problem solving, team building, and stronger relationships.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Do you fear conflict or avoid it at all costs? If your perception of conflict comes from painful memories from early childhood or previous unhealthy relationships, you may expect all disagreements to end badly. You may view conflict as demoralizing, humiliating, or something to fear. If your early life experiences left you feeling powerless or out of control, conflict may even be traumatizing for you.

If you’re afraid of conflict, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you enter a conflict situation already feeling threatened, it’s tough to deal with the problem at hand in a healthy way. Instead, you’re more likely to either shut down or blow up in anger.

Healthy and unhealthy ways of managing and resolving conflict

Conflict triggers strong emotions and can lead to hurt feelings, disappointment, and discomfort. When handled in an unhealthy manner, it can cause irreparable rifts, resentments, and break-ups. But when conflict is resolved in a healthy way, it increases your understanding of the other person, builds trust, and strengthens your relationships.

If you are out of touch with your feelings or so stressed that you can only pay attention to a limited number of emotions, you won’t be able to understand your own needs. This will make it hard to communicate with others and establish what’s really troubling you. For example, couples often argue about petty differences—the way she hangs the towels, the way he slurps his soup—rather than what is  really bothering them.

The ability to successfully resolve conflict depends on your ability to:

• Manage stress quickly while remaining alert and calm. By staying calm, you can accurately read and interpret verbal and nonverbal communication.
• Control your emotions and behavior. When you’re in control of your emotions, you can communicate your needs without threatening, intimidating, or punishing others.
• Pay attention to the  feelings being expressed as well as the spoken words of others.
• Be aware of and respect differences. By avoiding disrespectful words and actions, you can almost always resolve a problem faster.

To successfully resolve a conflict, you need to learn and practice two core skills:

• Quick stress relief: the ability to quickly relieve stress in the moment.
• Emotional awareness: the ability to remain comfortable enough with your emotions to react in constructive ways, even in the midst of a perceived attack.

Being able to manage and relieve stress in the moment is the key to staying balanced, focused, and in control, no matter what challenges you face. If you don’t know how to stay centered and in control of yourself, you will become overwhelmed in conflict situations and unable to respond in healthy ways.

Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:

Foot on the gas. An angry or agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still.

Foot on the brake. A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little energy or emotion.

Foot on both gas and brake. A tense and frozen stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.

How stress affects conflict resolution

Stress interferes with the ability to resolve conflict by limiting your ability to:

• Accurately read another person’s body language .
• Hear what someone is really saying.
• Be aware of your own feelings.
• Be in touch with your own, deep-rooted needs.
• Communicate your needs clearly.

Is stress a problem for you?

You may be so used to feeling stressed that you’re not even aware you  are stressed. Stress may pose a problem in your life if you identify with the following:

• You often feel tense or tight somewhere in your body.
• You’re not aware of movement in your chest or stomach when you breathe.
• Conflict absorbs your time and attention.

Learn how to manage stress in the moment

One of the most reliable ways to rapidly reduce stress is by engaging one or more of your senses—sight, sound, taste, smell, touch—or through movement. You could squeeze a stress ball, smell a relaxing scent, taste a soothing cup of tea, or look at a treasured photograph. We all tend to respond differently to sensory input, often depending on how we respond to stress, so take some time to find things that are soothing to you. Read: Quick Stress Relief .

Emotional awareness is the key to understanding yourself and others. If you don’t know how or why you feel a certain way, you won’t be able to communicate effectively or resolve disagreements.

[Read: Improving Emotional Intelligence]

Although knowing your own feelings may sound simple, many people ignore or try to sedate strong emotions like anger, sadness, and fear. Your ability to handle conflict, however, depends on being connected to these feelings. If you’re afraid of strong emotions or if you insist on finding solutions that are strictly rational, your ability to face and resolve differences will be limited.

Why emotional awareness is a key factor in resolving conflict

Emotional awareness—the consciousness of your  moment-to-moment emotional experience—and the ability to manage all of your feelings appropriately, is the basis of a communication process that can resolve conflict.

Emotional awareness helps you to:

• Understand what is really troubling other people
• Understand yourself, including what is really troubling you
• Stay motivated until the conflict is resolved
• Communicate clearly and effectively
• Interest and influence others

Assessing your level of emotional awareness

The following quiz helps you assess your level of emotional awareness. Answer the following questions with:  almost never, occasionally, often, very often, or  almost always . There are no right or wrong responses, only the opportunity to become better acquainted with your emotional responses.

What kind of relationship do you have with your emotions?

• Do you experience feelings that flow, encountering one emotion after another as your experiences change from moment to moment?
• Are your emotions accompanied by physical sensations that you experience in places like your stomach or chest?
• Do you experience distinct feelings and emotions, such as anger, sadness, fear, and joy, which are evident in different facial expressions?
• Can you experience intense feelings that are strong enough to capture both your own attention and that of others?
• Do you pay attention to your emotions? Do they factor into your decision-making?

If any of these experiences are unfamiliar, your emotions may be “turned” down or even off. In either case, you may need help developing your emotional awareness. You can do this by using Helpguide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit.

When people are in the middle of a conflict, the words they use rarely convey the issues at the heart of the problem. But by paying close attention to the other person’s nonverbal signals or “body language,” such as facial expressions, posture, gestures, and tone of voice, you can better understand what the person is really saying. This will allow you to respond in a way that builds trust, and gets to the root of the problem.

[Read: Nonverbal Communication and Body Language]

Your ability to accurately read another person depends on your own emotional awareness. The more aware you are of your own emotions, the easier it will be for you to pick up on the wordless clues that reveal what others are feeling. Think about what you are transmitting to others during conflict, and if what you say matches your body language. If you say “I’m fine,” but you clench your teeth and look away, then your body is clearly signaling you are anything but “fine.” A calm tone of voice, a reassuring touch, or an interested facial expression can go a long way toward relaxing a tense exchange.

You can ensure that the process of managing and resolving conflict is as positive as possible by sticking to the following guidelines:

Listen for what is felt as well as said. When you really listen, you connect more deeply to your own needs and emotions, and to those of other people. Listening also strengthens, informs, and makes it easier for others to hear you when it’s your turn to speak.

Make conflict resolution the priority rather than winning or “being right.” Maintaining and strengthening the relationship, rather than “winning” the argument, should always be your first priority. Be respectful of the other person and their viewpoint.

Focus on the present. If you’re holding on to grudges based on past conflicts, your ability to see the reality of the current situation will be impaired. Rather than looking to the past and assigning blame, focus on what you can do in the here-and-now to solve the problem.

Pick your battles. Conflicts can be draining, so it’s important to consider whether the issue is really worth your time and energy. Maybe you don’t want to surrender a parking space if you’ve been circling for 15 minutes, but if there are dozens of empty spots, arguing over a single space isn’t worth it.

Be willing to forgive. Resolving conflict is impossible if you’re unwilling or unable to forgive others. Resolution lies in releasing the urge to punish, which can serve only to deplete and drain your life.

Know when to let something go. If you can’t come to an agreement, agree to disagree. It takes two people to keep an argument going. If a conflict is going nowhere, you can choose to disengage and move on.

Using humor in conflict resolution

You can avoid many confrontations and resolve arguments and disagreements by communicating in a humorous way . Humor can help you say things that might otherwise be difficult to express without offending someone. However, it’s important that you laugh with the other person, not at them. When humor and play are used to reduce tension and anger, reframe problems, and put the situation into perspective, the conflict can actually become an opportunity for greater connection and intimacy.

More Information

• CR Kit - Covers causes of conflict, different conflict styles, and fair fighting guidelines to help you positively resolve disagreements. (Conflict Resolution Network)
• 12 Skills Summary - A 12-step conflict resolution training kit. (Conflict Resolution Network)
• Effective Communication - The art of listening in conflict resolution. (University of Maryland)
• 10.3 Causes and Outcomes of Conflict – Organizational Behavior . (n.d.). Retrieved May 25, 2022, from Link
• Başoğul, C., & Özgür, G. (2016). Role of Emotional Intelligence in Conflict Management Strategies of Nurses. Asian Nursing Research , 10(3), 228–233. Link
• Corcoran, Kathleen O’Connell, and Brent Mallinckrodt. “Adult Attachment, Self-Efficacy, Perspective Taking, and Conflict Resolution.” Journal of Counseling & Development 78, no. 4 (2000): 473–83. Link
• Yarnell, Lisa M., and Kristin D. Neff. “Self-Compassion, Interpersonal Conflict Resolutions, and Well-Being.” Self and Identity 12, no. 2 (March 1, 2013): 146–59. Link
• Tucker, Corinna Jenkins, Susan M. Mchale, and Ann C. Crouter. “Conflict Resolution: Links with Adolescents’ Family Relationships and Individual Well-Being.” Journal of Family Issues 24, no. 6 (September 1, 2003): 715–36. Link

More in Communication

Using laughter and play to resolve disagreements

Boost your EQ to help find happiness and success

Tips and techniques for getting anger under control

How to feel and respond to the emotions of others

Effective Communication

Tips for building communication skills

How to read body language to build better relationships at home and work

The 5 Love Languages

What they are and how they influence relationships

Turning Off the Gas on Your Gaslighter

5 ways to deal with gaslighting

Professional therapy, done online

BetterHelp makes starting therapy easy. Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist.

Help us help others

Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.

Essential Entrepreneurial Skills for Success

In the world of entrepreneurship, success hinges upon a diverse set of skills. To thrive in this dynamic landscape, one must possess the art of salesmanship and the ability to communicate effectively. These skills, combined with drive, determination, and resilience, create a foundation for achievement.

Independence and decision-making prowess empower entrepreneurs to trust their instincts and take ownership of their outcomes. Understanding consumer behavior and adapting strategies accordingly are essential for staying innovative.

Patience and perseverance are the bedrock for enduring the challenges that come with forging a path of innovation.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Effective communication and persuasion skills are crucial for acquiring and retaining customers, building trust, and conveying innovative ideas to potential investors and partners.
• Drive, determination, and resilience are essential for overcoming obstacles, maintaining a positive mindset, and achieving success in endeavors.
• Independence and decision-making abilities, along with a willingness to take risks and learn from mistakes, are important for success in an era where innovation is highly valued.
• Understanding consumer behavior, anticipating future demands, and developing innovative strategies that resonate with the target audience are key to staying ahead of the competition and thriving.

Salesmanship and Communication Skills

Salesmanship and communication skills are crucial for entrepreneurs. They involve effective communication and persuasion, which helps in acquiring and retaining customers. This ultimately contributes to revenue generation and business growth.

Effective persuasion is an essential skill for entrepreneurs. It allows them to convince potential customers about the value and benefits of their products or services. By building rapport with customers, entrepreneurs can establish trust and credibility. This significantly increases the chances of making a sale.

Communication skills also play a vital role for entrepreneurs. They help in understanding customer needs and preferences. This allows entrepreneurs to tailor their offerings accordingly.

Entrepreneurs who possess strong salesmanship and communication skills can effectively convey their innovative ideas to potential investors and partners. This paves the way for collaborations and business opportunities.

In an ever-evolving business landscape, these skills are essential for entrepreneurs to stay ahead and drive innovation.

Drive, Determination, and Resilience

Motivated by a strong drive to achieve, entrepreneurs with determination and resilience are willing to put in the hard work and overcome obstacles on their path to success.

These individuals understand that setbacks are a natural part of the entrepreneurial journey and approach challenges with a positive mindset. They believe in their abilities and maintain a relentless pursuit of their goals and objectives.

By maintaining a positive mindset, entrepreneurs can better navigate through difficult times and find creative solutions to problems. They view obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than as roadblocks. This mindset allows them to stay focused, motivated, and adaptable in the face of adversity.

Ultimately, their determination and resilience enable them to overcome obstacles and achieve success in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Independence and Decision-making Abilities

Trusting their instincts and embracing autonomy, entrepreneurs rely on their decision-making abilities to make final calls and take ownership of the outcomes in their business operations. Their success hinges on their ability to trust their intuition and make confident decisions.

Entrepreneurs understand that taking ownership means being accountable for the results of their choices, whether they lead to success or failure. They are not afraid to take risks and learn from their mistakes.

By trusting their intuition and taking ownership, entrepreneurs are able to navigate the ever-changing landscape of business with confidence and adaptability. This mindset allows them to think outside the box and innovate, leading to groundbreaking ideas and solutions.

In an era where innovation is highly valued, entrepreneurs who trust their intuition and take ownership are poised for success.

Understanding Consumer Behavior

Recognizing the importance of consumer attention, entrepreneurs adapt their strategies to meet consumer expectations and anticipate future demands.

Understanding consumer behavior is crucial in this process. By identifying consumer needs and preferences, entrepreneurs can tailor their products and services to match consumer preferences and stay ahead of market trends. This knowledge allows them to develop innovative strategies that resonate with their target audience.

By keeping up with market trends and changes, entrepreneurs can stay ahead of the competition and identify new opportunities for growth.

Anticipating future consumer demands is also essential for long-term success. By staying informed and adaptable, entrepreneurs can proactively meet the evolving needs of their customers, ensuring their business remains relevant and thriving in the ever-changing marketplace.

Patience and Perseverance

With a steadfast commitment to their goals, entrepreneurs who possess patience and perseverance are able to weather the challenges and setbacks that come with running a business. These characteristics are essential for success in the ever-changing and competitive world of entrepreneurship. Developing resilience allows entrepreneurs to bounce back from failures and disappointments, learning from them and using them as stepping stones to future success. Cultivating patience is equally important, as building a successful business takes time and effort. Entrepreneurs who are patient understand that success doesn’t happen overnight and are willing to endure the slow and challenging journey. They embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth and continue to push forward, never losing sight of their ultimate goals. Patience and perseverance are invaluable traits that enable entrepreneurs to overcome obstacles and achieve sustainable success in their ventures.

Financial Management and Budgeting

Entrepreneurs who effectively manage their finances and create budgets have a greater ability to track their expenses and make informed decisions about their business operations.

Financial planning plays a crucial role in the success of any innovative venture. By creating a budget, entrepreneurs can allocate their resources effectively and identify areas where cost control is necessary. This allows them to optimize their spending, reduce waste, and maximize profits.

A well-crafted budget also provides a roadmap for financial stability and growth, enabling entrepreneurs to plan for future investments and expansion. Moreover, it helps entrepreneurs prioritize their financial goals and make strategic decisions based on accurate financial information.

Networking and Relationship Building

After understanding the importance of financial management and budgeting, entrepreneurs must also focus on building connections and utilizing influencer marketing to drive their business forward. Building connections is crucial for entrepreneurs as it allows them to expand their network, gain valuable insights, and establish partnerships that can lead to business growth. Influencer marketing, on the other hand, is a powerful tool that leverages the influence and reach of well-known individuals to promote products or services. By collaborating with influencers who align with their brand, entrepreneurs can effectively reach their target audience and build trust. This type of marketing strategy has become increasingly popular in the digital age, where social media platforms provide a platform for influencers to connect with their followers. Building connections and utilizing influencer marketing are essential entrepreneurial skills that can help entrepreneurs establish their brand, increase visibility, and ultimately drive business success.

Problem-solving and Adaptability

Problem-solving and adaptability are key traits that enable individuals to navigate challenges and changes in the business environment. In today’s rapidly evolving world, businesses must be able to adapt to change and find creative solutions to complex problems in order to stay competitive and innovative.

Adapting to change involves being open-minded, flexible, and willing to embrace new ideas and technologies. Creative problem-solving requires thinking outside the box and finding unique solutions that address the root cause of the issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can salesmanship and communication skills contribute to the success of an entrepreneur.

Effective salesmanship and communication skills are vital tools for entrepreneurs. They greatly impact entrepreneurial success by allowing entrepreneurs to effectively sell products or services, acquire and retain customers, and generate revenue and growth.

What Are Some Strategies for Maintaining Drive, Determination, and Resilience in the Face of Challenges?

To maintain drive, determination, and resilience in the face of challenges, entrepreneurs can employ strategies such as setting clear goals, seeking support from mentors, practicing self-care, and embracing failure as a learning opportunity.

How Can Entrepreneurs Effectively Balance Their Independence and Decision-Making Abilities With Seeking Advice and Input From Others?

Entrepreneurs can effectively balance their independence and decision-making abilities with seeking advice by acknowledging their own strengths, but also recognizing the value of input from others. This allows for informed decisions and a collaborative approach to problem-solving.

What Are Some Key Factors to Consider When Trying to Understand Consumer Behavior and Anticipate Their Needs?

Understanding consumer behavior is crucial for entrepreneurs. By identifying needs and preferences, keeping up with market trends, and anticipating future demands, they can effectively anticipate consumer needs and tailor their strategies to meet expectations.

How Can Entrepreneurs Cultivate Patience and Perseverance in Order to Navigate the Ups and Downs of the Entrepreneurial Journey?

Entrepreneurs can cultivate patience and perseverance by developing a mindset focused on long-term goals, staying motivated through challenges, and embracing setbacks as opportunities for growth.