How to be a problem-solver

How to be a problem-solver

Whether it’s something that has gone wrong and you need to resolve the issue or an opportunity that requires a decision. Problem-solving is an intricate part of life.

Here are some steps to take in order to ensure you make the right decisions:

• Step One: Identify the goal!

All this means is that you need to know what you want to achieve. So, think about what exactly needs to be solved and why. For instance, if you’re approaching the end of your Matric year and have not applied to any University or found a job… It doesn’t just make me panic, it freaks my parents out too!

The questions to ask here, are:

What is the problem that needs to be solved? I need a plan for next year.

Why? Because, even though things do not always work out the way we want or plan, it’s still very important to have something to work towards, some kind of strategy.

In a situation like this, the best thing to do is determine what your passion is, what you are really good at and what you see yourself doing in the future. Once this is decided you can move on to the next step.

• Step Two: Gathering information and weighing your options!

In any situation, when you need to make a good decision, it is important to gather all the information related to the subject. This will help you better understand what needs to be done to solve the problem.

In this case, I ask myself, “what are my strengths, what skills have I acquired and what skills do I still wish to acquire?” Once these questions are answered, I research which field or industry this puts me in.

“I love talking, I love being the centre of attention, I am great at explaining things and I make people laugh when I talk. I also take great pride in how I look”

This could open up the following opportunities for me: I could become a teacher, a facilitator or presenter.

Phase two of this step is looking at the people in these particular fields, gather information about them and find out the steps they took in making a success of their lives. Hear the pros and cons of the industries and evaluate them carefully. Once this done, and it could take some time, it leads you to the next step.

• Step Three: Consider the consequences!

Because we’re not living in a world all on our own, we always need to think about how our decisions will affect us and those around us. In this step we really dissect the pros and cons and think of every possible thing that could happen.

So, when I combine what I am good at with what I enjoy, I am more drawn to being a stage and TV presenter. This job will require quite a bit of travelling, late nights, and appearing on TV, meaning my life will come under scrutiny.

The biggest question that comes with decision making is, “Can I live with my decision years from now?”

• Step Four: Make your decision!

Now that you have looked at all the possibilities and weighed all the pros and cons, you can make a well informed decision that you can feel good about.

Now you know that any decision you make may cause the people close to you to become anxious. The reason for this anxiety is because it may be unknown territory. It’s a question of security.

Make sure you involve those close to you in your decision-making, but ensure that YOU make the final decision.

• Step Five: Evaluate your decision!

Once you have made the decision, the next step is for you to evaluate your decision.

This step can be the most important because this is when everything has been put into action and you can compare what you anticipated to what actually happens. By analysing the result, you will be able to learn from your decision and make better decisions as you gain more experience at problem-solving.

Problem-solving is a good way to plan your career because if you just go on gut all the time, you could step into a number of traps that you weren’t expecting because you didn’t follow these steps.