Problem-solving is one of the key skills every entrepreneur needs to hone as they face problems almost every day. But what if you are faced with a problem you are struggling to figure out then it might be time for some creativity to be inserted into the problem-solving skills. The solution may be something you may have never thought of before, so let us look at six ways to boost your creative problem-solving skills.
But first, what are creative problem-solving skills?
According to indeed.com, creative problem-solving skills can be defined as an approach that identifies unique solutions to issues through a process of problem identification and resolution planning. It goes beyond the regular workflow of problem-solving and seeks to use methods which are a bit out of the box.
Let’s look at six ways to boost your creative problem-solving skills.
1. No need to be artistic
According to the online Oxford dictionary, creative is defined as relating to or involving the use of the imagination or original ideas to create something. Therefore, everyone has the ability to be creative as we all have imagination and the ability to think of original ideas.
2. Practice empathy
This is when you have the ability to share someone else’s emotions and imagine how you would feel in that position. By practicing empathy, you can get a better understanding of your target audience and what may be pain points for them. This ability helps you to see the problem clearer from the target customer’s point of view.
3. Use divergent and convergent thinking
You need to balance divergent and convergent thinking when you consider your problem. With divergent thinking, you will brainstorm ideas and ways that you can solve the problem. You shouldn’t pre-judge any suggestions and every suggestion is considered valid. In the next step, we use convergent thinking where we decide which solutions look good and analyse them to ensure they will solve the problem we have.
4. Make the problem a question
Create a question from the problem. Instead of using yes/no questions rather use open-ended questions which will encourage more questions until you get to the root of the problem. By using yes/no questions, you limit the space for discussion and fewer people will feel encouraged to share their ideas.
5. Speak positively
Don’t use the phrase “yes/no but….” as this could make an individual feel that what they have said is invalid. Rather choose the phrase “Yes, and…” as this will encourage a discussion to find the ideal solution for your problem.
6. Promote diverse thinking
Ensure everyone who is affected by the problem has the ability and opportunity to share their ideas about how to solve the problem. When you gather these groups, it is important to listen to what everyone has to say and then integrate it for a final solution. By having everyone participate in finding the solution, you will have buy-in from everyone in your company.
By following the six methods, you will boost your creative problem-solving skills.
Proudly brought to you by the NSBC