3 steps to solving problems at work

Identify in detail

Whether the entire team is experiencing an issue or one particular employee is struggling, the key to effective problem solving is identifying every issue in detail. Resist the urge to dive right into brainstorming solutions. Define specifically every challenge being faced as to fully understand what you and your team are dealing with.

Evaluate every angle

If the problem being dealt with involves multiple employees, be sure to get a full understanding of the issue by looking at it from all angles. Problems affect every employee differently, therefore it’s critical to get everyone’s take. Having varied feedback will help you and the team make a more informed decision on how to properly move forward.

Decide and measure

Once you’ve fully evaluated the issue, don’t put off making a decision any longer. Find what you feel is the right solution and don’t look back. Trust that you’ve moved past the problem to the best of your ability. Then, set a measure for assessing if the solution was successful. How will you monitor whether the problem was sufficiently solved? The key to being a skilled problem solver is to learn from issues that arise so you and your team will be better prepared for the future.