Problem-solving and decision-making are two similar, yet distinct, skills that employers from varying industries search for in candidates. Knowing how to approach and resolve situations in the workplace are skills that can add to your value as an employee and potentially increase your chances of securing a job. If you’re interested in learning how to strengthen your problem-solving and decision-making skills at work, understanding how they differ and how to develop them can help you work more effectively and independently.
In this article, we compare problem-solving and decision-making, explain how to use these skills at work and offer tips on developing your abilities.
Problem-solving vs. decision-making
Problem-solving is an analytical method to identify potential solutions to a situation. It’s a complex process and judgment calls, or decisions, may have to be made on the way. The primary goal is to find the best solution. Problem-solving involves identifying an issue, finding causes, asking questions and brainstorming solutions. Gathering facts helps make the solution more obvious.
Decision-making is the process of choosing a solution based on your judgment, situation, facts, knowledge or a combination of available data. The goal is to avoid potential difficulties. Identifying opportunity is an important part of the decision-making process. Making decisions is often a part of problem-solving.
Why problem-solving and decision-making are important
Problem-solving and decision-making skills are both important because they can help you navigate a variety of situations that might come up at work. They complement one another and can resolve many of the same issues. Both problem-solving and decision-making involve critical thinking. Problem-solving and decision-making apply to all careers and industries. Because both can help companies by resolving complex situations and problems, employers typically value these skills in job candidates. They show you can think through various scenarios and make sound decisions that are good for the company.
For example, a business may have multiple problems that all demand time and resources. A good manager or leader can decide which problems to prioritize. That includes making numerous decisions as part of the problem-solving process and then following through with the steps to fix the problem.
Related: 6 Important Workplace Adaptability Skills (With Examples)
How to use problem-solving and decision-making skills
To improve your efficiency at work, you can follow a streamlined and organized approach to solve problems and make decisions. Here are five steps that you can follow to make the most of your problem-solving and decision-making skills:
1. Define the issue
The first step is to define the problem or issue. Once you’ve pinpointed the issue, analyze it and think about what might have caused it. Try to identify any smaller issues within the main problem. It’s important to understand the issue before you start thinking about potential solutions and decisions. Having a clearly defined problem can make it easier to make decisions later on in the process. Define or state your issue in as specific terms as possible so it’s easy to understand. To determine the needs of the issue, you might ask yourself:
What factors are contributing to this issue?
Who are the people involved with the issue?
When is this issue occurring?
Where is this issue taking place?
These questions can clarify information related to the issue to help you and others understand the issue as much as possible before moving forward with creating a solution.
2. Brainstorm different approaches
After you’ve defined and analyzed the issue, you can begin brainstorming different approaches to resolving it. In an effort to see all sides of the problem, try to get feedback from mentors and people involved with the issue. You can also think about how you’ve solved past problems similar to the current issue. Be sure to consider both short- and long-term approaches to the issue. Additionally, think about how potential approaches align with your company’s mission and goals.
You can brainstorm independently or collaboratively, and you can use tools like a whiteboard or online software to illustrate your brainstorming. Common brainstorming techniques include:
Mind mapping: Mind mapping is creating illustrations of ideas in hierarchical layouts. Mind maps can show the relationships between different aspects of an issue, making this technique fitting for problem-solving and decision-making.
SWOT analysis: You can use a SWOT analysisto identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to an issue. Understanding these important components can help you to come up with potential solutions.
Flowcharts: Flowcharts can be useful for illustrating processes and workflows, so they can be helpful in planning a process to respond to an issue. Creating a flowchart can help you organize your ideas and design step-by-step solutions to problems.
Rapid ideation: Rapid ideation is a brainstorming technique in which everyone involved with an issue writes as many potential solutions as they can think of in a short amount of time. After everyone writes their ideas, you can review them as a team.
3. Evaluate different approaches
After you’ve brainstormed approaches, it’s time to evaluate them. Think through all the pros and cons for each option, and consider how each one would affect your organization. Think about the different resources that each decision would require. Taking all these factors into consideration can help you make the best decision for your company.
4. Make your decision
Once you have evaluated your different approaches, it’s time to make your decision. You can choose from different decision-making structures, which include:
Collaborative decision-making: This decision-making structure includes input from a variety of opinions.
Command decision-making: In this structure, you make a decision without getting feedback from other people, which can be the fastest way to decide.
Vote decision-making: This decision-making structure lets you get input from numerous people in a short amount of time. It allows people to vote on a decision from a set of options.
Consensus-based decision-making: In this structure, everyone involved attempts to agree on a decision. This process can be lengthy, so it’s ideal if a decision is not time-sensitive and if you want to make sure your decision has complete support.
After making your decision, ensure it fully addresses the issue and does not create a new one. Make sure the decision is something that your company can realistically implement and it aligns with the mission, vision and values of the company.
5. Implement your decision
After you’ve made your decision, you can decide how to implement it. Start by identifying primary objectives and deliverables and creating deadlines. Then, outline specific steps to meet the objectives. In the implementation plan, you can include those who are involved with the issue and assign responsibilities to the employees. Then, share your plan with everyone involved with the issue and get feedback.
6. Monitor your progress
Once your plan is in place, be sure to monitor your progress. Determine whether you’ve met your plan’s objectives. You can also get feedback from those involved or collect data to gauge the effectiveness of your decision. Adjust your plan if needed, or return to your brainstorm of potential solutions if a new decision is required.
Developing related skills can help you improve your problem-solving and decision-making process. Some useful skills to develop include:
Analytical thinking: Analytical thinking can help you determine the root causes of an issue as well as determine which potential decisions are best.
Creativity: Skills in creativity can help you to brainstorm solutions and make innovative decisions, which can be beneficial to your company.
Critical thinking: Critical thinking can help you effectively understand and analyze an issue so that you can make the best decision.
Communicate with other people
Communication can be key to making excellent decisions. You can ask for feedback from people involved with an issue or ask a mentor for advice. Communicating with other people can help you see different perspectives, which can help you make the best decision possible. You can also ask your colleagues or supervisor how they deal with similar issues to get insight into how other people in your industry decide and solve problems.
Related: Communication Goals for Effective Business Communication
Reflect on your past decisions
Reflecting on past decisions and solutions can help you to further improve your problem-solving and decision-making process. Think back on decisions you’ve made and how effective they were. Consider the process you used to make a decision and choose components that worked to include in your new problem-solving and decision-making process.
Learn more about your industry
Learning more about your industry can help you better understand different situations and make the best possible decisions for your company. You can learn more about your industry through training, certifications and courses, and you can also talk to a mentor to gain insight into your industry.
Research other techniques
You can also research different techniques and activities to help you make decisions and solve problems. For example, you can research the problem-solving and decision-making process of a company that you respect. This can help you come up with new and innovative solutions to make the best decisions for your company.
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