How can Mind Tools help you develop your problem solving skills?

Mind Tools Newsletter

- Problem Solving -

Throughout February, the Mind Tools Newsletter will be looking at some of the most in-demand workplace skills needed for 2024. In this edition, we look at Problem Solving.

Mind Tools' own Annual Benchmark Report, made from interviews with leading Learning & Development leaders, shows that skills such as Leadership, Teamwork, Time Management, Problem Solving and Critical Thinking will be crucial in the 2024 workplace.

Careers can be made based on how that individual deals with the problems they encountered. Those who excel at problem-solving often find themselves in leadership positions, entrusted with tackling complex challenges and driving innovation.

Mind Tools can help you develop these skills. In this newsletter, we’ve brought together some of our top problem solving articles. These are just a small sample of some of the over 3000 resources available to Mind Tools Members on-demand. Also available to members, we have a Skill Bites course that focuses on Problem Solving.

Discover what Mind Tools can do for you and your career, sign-up today.

Problem Solving

What Is Problem Solving?

The first step in solving a problem is understanding what that problem actually is. You need to be sure that you're dealing with the real problem – not its symptoms.

Group of colleagues gather around to hear an idea.

How Good Is Your Problem Solving?

To be an effective problem-solver, you need to be systematic and logical in your approach. This quiz helps you assess your current approach to problem solving. By improving this, you'll make better overall decisions.

Take quiz

Creative Problem Solving

Creative problem solving is a way of solving problems or identifying opportunities when conventional thinking has failed. It encourages you to find fresh perspectives and come up with innovative solutions, so that you can formulate a plan to overcome obstacles and reach your goals.

Group of colleagues coming to a decision.

5 Whys Infographic

This is a simple but powerful tool for cutting quickly through the outward symptoms of a problem to reveal its underlying causes – so that you can deal with it once and for all. Learn how to use it with our handy infographic.

View Infographic

Discover Skill Bites

Created by our Mind Tools experts, Skill Bites are a collection of bite-sized courses designed to guide you through specific pain points and challenges of management and leadership.

Each Skill Bite has eight to ten sessions, with each session taking just 10-15 minutes to complete. You'll start by assessing your current level of competence, then go on to learn new skills and record your learning.

Which Skill Bite topics are available?

• Problem Solving - This week's newsletter topic, our problem solving Skill Bite will help you learn tools and methods to help you tackle challenges effectively.

• Collaboration - A vital skill for team and organization success.

• Stress Management - Discover your triggers and how to deal with them.

• Critical Thinking - Develop your skill for making objective and well-thought-out decisions.

• Giving Feedback - How to give feedback candidly and respectfully.

• Resilience - How to bounce back when things don't go quite as expected.

Skill Bites are exclusive, only available to our members – learn more about them today.

Discover Skill Bites

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