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Tag: problem solving

Problem solving: analytical and creative thinking

We usually have to face obstacles in our daily life and we must be ready to deal with such challenges in the best and the most effective way.

But which skills are required to be a good and effective problem solver?
According to the article “The skills of problem solving”, both analytical and creative mental skills are required.
 The analytical approach provides a logical framework that allows you to identify the most appropriate solution from those available.
On the contrary, the creative approach  is related to feelings and is more about intuition, invention and innovation. Creativity helps you develop new and uncommon ideas, which probably do not have a logical connection with the problem but are likely to lead you to a solution.
Impossible.jpg
Image source:  FlickrDuncan C (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Seven steps for effective problem solving in the workplace

Ask anyone in the workplace if problem solving is part of their day and they’d certainly answer “Yes!”. But how many of us have had training in problem solving?

Because people are born problem solvers, the biggest challenge is to overcome the tendency to immediately came up with a solution. The most common mistake in problem solving is to put the solution at the beginning of the process, when what we need is a solution at the end of the process.

Here are seven-steps for an effective problem-solving process.

  1. Identify the issues
  2. Understand everyone’s interests
  3. List the possible solutions (options)
  4. Evaluate the options
  5. Select an option or options
  6. Document the agreements(s)
  7. Agree on contingencies, monitoring, and evaluation

Read the article written by Tim Hicks

Problem solving

Image source: Flickr – pierpeter (CC-BY-NC 2.0)

 

 

 

Top Team Building Activities

Team building activities are essential in creating a productive team, since they serve to increase communication among team members in a positive working environment. Actually staff are most productive when they are happy within they role, and feel that they are making a valued contribution to the team’s goals.

Team building does not have to be painful, annoying or even embarrassing. There are many valuable team building exercises that can be effective in uniting groups, developing individual skills and collective strengths.

There are four main types of team building activities, which includes:

1. communication activities and icebreakers;

2. problem solving and/or decision making activities;

3. adaptability and/or planning activities;

4. building trust.

If you want to learn more on team building activities, read here: http://www.huddle.com/blog/team-building-activities/

teamwork concept on blackboard

Image source: http://bit.ly/1uEy4E9

Soft skills: the new asset for “digital” workers

In the current labour market, deeply modified by social integration and economic and cultural globalization, the development of soft skills — skills that are more social than technical— is a crucial part of fostering a dynamic workforce. These skills can be gained from past jobs, responsibilities, life experiences and personal interests. They can be even hidden and, when identified, they can help people become better contenders in job search as well as in the daily-working activities.

International researches have made a list of skills a person should have to compete successfully in the global economy of the 21st century:

  • Creativity/innovation
  • Critical thinking
  • Information literacy
  • Problem solving
  • Decision making
  • Flexibility and adaptability
  • Learning to learn
  • Research and inquiry
  • Communication
  • Initiative and self direction
  • Productivity
  • Leadership and responsibility
  • Collaboration
  • ICT operations and concepts
  • Digital Citizenship

For the full study by David Finegold and Alexis Spencer Notarbartolo on the impact of 21st century competencies click here

Skills_27

Image source: Flickr by Yoel Ben-Avraham – CC BY-ND 2.0 

Post by: Omar Appolloni

Problem solving

Being a confident problem solver is really important to your success.

There are four basic steps in problem solving:

  • Defining the problem
  • Generating alternatives
  • Evaluating and selecting alternatives
  • implementing solutions

The Problem Solving menu, available at Mindtools.com, will help you to improve your approach to solving the problems that you and your team have to face.Image source http://goo.gl/xLdDX