6 Steps to becoming a great problem solver

Image by Thanasis Papazacharias from Pixabay 

According to Richard Branson, When you're trying to solve a problem, it's important that you find the right people to give you the correct advice. However, if you're just starting out, you might not know the right people, and as well as getting good advice, it's important to try and become a great problem solver yourself. So, if you want to become better at solving problems, then here are six things you must do:

Be Objective

It can be difficult to solve a problem when you are too far in it. Many people get too focused on a particular method or goal, and then they miss what is going on around them that could be an obvious solution. To be a great problem solver, you should approach each new problem as though it were brand new. Perform a root cause analysis and then apply a specific solution to the problem.

List all the obstacles.

It's unlikely that there'll only be one problem, and if you find a fix, it could trigger a new problem. So, to be a great problem solver, you need to get a bird's eye view of what is going on and all the issues involved. Make a list of all the things that could prevent you from getting to the solution, and then you'll have a better chance of solving the problem. 

Identify opportunities

There are often great opportunities wrapped up inside simple problems. Great problem solvers are also great opportunists, so always be open to opportunities as you may discover something really exciting.

Use your research

Thankfully we live in a data-driven world, which means that all the numbers and stats are there for you and can be really useful when it comes to helping you have problems to solve. However, it's important not to get lost in the numbers because, at some point, you need to stop looking at them and take action. To be a great problem solver, you need to understand that if the solutions had always existed, then the problems wouldn't be there.

Ask open-minded people.

Coming back to Richard Branson's point, it's great to get other people involved. However, there is no point in getting just anyone to help you. You need to ask open-minded people and people who have different viewpoints than you. There is no point getting people in the room who are all the same age, race, sex, and have the same background as it's likely you'll all be thinking similar things. However, if you ask a more diverse group of people to help solve your problem, you'll learn more, you'll get totally different perspectives and come up with some great solutions you would never have done on your own. 

Put your ego aside

Many excellent solutions to problems are ignored because the leader wants the solution to be their idea. Great problem solvers are just happy to solve the problem, and they are happy to give the credit to anyone who resolves the issue because that is the goal.