Demonstrate Your Problem Solving Skills
Problem solving skills is something few of us learn early on. None of the subjects taught in school are going to help you become a better problem solver.
Problem solving is one of the top skills a person needs to:
- Get the job you want.
- Get the client or customer you want.
- Maintain long-lasting relationships.
- Be of service to others.
- Make progress.
- Overcome challenges.
So how do you demonstrate your problem solving skills? And how do you become a better problem solver? Through experience and observation, here are my 5 steps.
1. Become a Great Listener
Benefits of Being a Good Listener
Listen more and talk less. There's a massive benefit to that. When you listen and understand what the other person may be saying, you are in a better position to bring value.
If you want to solve either somebody else's problems or your own, you need to listen. That could mean:
- Carefully listening to the advice someone gives you.
- Paying close attention to what a public speaker has to say.
- Listening to what people have to say, so you can better understand them.
- Paying close attention to a person's troubles, so you can better help them.
- Listening to your heart instead of your head.
The reason why relationship problems never get solved is because nobody's willing to listen.
The same applies to any type of problem you're dealing with. Whether an individual problem or a problem that applies to more than one person.
2. Become a Life-Long Learner
When you commit to learning for the long term, you are better equipped to solve problems. Knowledge is power, and what you don't know can stop you from solving problems you're facing. And don't just study any topic for the sake of learning it. Study the topics and areas that will benefit you in some way. Something that's practical. So if maintaining a healthy weight is an issue for you:
- Study health.
- Look at the science behind it.
- Read the right books and blogs.
- Study those who are fit and healthy.
The more information you gather, the better you'll be able to problem solve. And not just problem solve for yourself, but for other people as well. You'll be able to better demonstrate it.
3. Become a Practitioner
There's no better way to demonstrate and improve your problem solving skills than to lead by example. Words are meaningless without the actions to back it up. So dive into the problems you're dealing with. Work on solutions. Solve those problems, commit to confronting the challenges you're facing. And put everything you learn into action to see if it works.
How It works, or why it doesn't work. The more you practice, the more experience you're going to gain. Then when it comes to solving problems for others, or in any other area of your life, it'll be more practical. Because you would have experienced it first hand.
4. Share Real Life Experiences
Stories sell. Authenticity sells. Sharing real life examples and stories of what you've experienced and how you overcame it is powerful. Calling yourself a "life coach" is one thing, but demonstrating your ability to coach others successfully is another thing. And that's what I mean. Sharing concrete examples either from your own life experiences, or how your solutions have impacted others is a step in the right direction.
As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.
