The Value of Problem Solving

I was once told that the most beneficial part of any education is the ability to problem solve. It makes sense, but I never really thought about it too deeply; that is until I got into the workforce. When in the workforce, there is a good chance you will run into problems on a daily basis. That means it is super important to know how to be nimble and agile when facing problems in the workplace. The companies that are successful know the importance of problem solving, as it is what keeps businesses thriving. It can help them thrive by helping to improve efficiency, save money, drive growth, build trust and credibility, and encourage good team culture.

Something I personally learned is that you can tackle recurring processes that aren’t efficient enough through problem solving. For example, in my job there’s a good number of times I have to send out the same type of email to different people. At first, I didn’t have to send out emails too often, so I just typed them out each time or had to find the last similar email I sent and copy and paste it to a new email. It wasn’t a problem at the time but became one when the amount I needed to send ramped up. I knew it was an issue and that there was an easier way, so instead I made email drafts with a template I can copy from and only need minor adjustments. This turned out to be way more efficient and took all the guesswork out of sending out the emails and ensures consistency across the board, therefore having less mistakes in the future. Now, I utilize this tool whenever I can. It seemed like a minor problem, but it was one that was easy to solve and saved me so much time for any future emails I need to send.

Efficiency is only one of the many benefits of problem solving. Another is that it could also help you become a better team member. It is easy to point out problems, but when you find a way to solve those problems you can be a major benefit to your company, not to mention that it can get you serious brownie points from coworkers, leadership, and customers. I mean, who doesn’t like to have their problem fixed? Say there was an issue with communication with different departments in the company and you found a way to fix the issue and create a smooth transition to a new communication method and solve the problem. This issue could have caused many more problems if it continued but since you took the initiative to fix it, people will recognize that you are dependable and someone they are able to rely on.

All in all, there is a lot of value that comes out of problem solving in business, but in order to get that value it comes down to being flexible and learning how to tackle any obstacle that comes your way by defining the problem and figuring out how to get around it or even use it to help your company grow and thrive. With every problem comes something you can learn from and implement processes that will help to avoid new ones in the future. That is what will boost your success, whether it is personal or business centered.