Oftentimes, in one’s career, there may be a time when you wholeheartedly believe that you were passed over for a promotion. To be sure, office politics and favoritism play a part in promotions across the board and irrespective of race and gender. However, there are some cases where one really has to be honest with themselves and ask, “Am I really ready for a promotion?” and “Am I really ready to be an effective leader?” Sadly, in many cases, it is safe to state that there are some individuals that are promoted who are not ready and who cannot effectively function in their new leadership or C-suite level position. This can be attributed to a number of complex factors, such as lack of professional development, lack of people and communication skills, lack of leadership skills and overall attitude. But, in my professional opinion, one of the primary reasons why many individuals are not promoted is a lack of problem solving skills.
Excellent leaders are not only able to effectively use their people, communication, and leadership skills, but they are typically great problem solvers. As sure as the sun rises, there will always be problems that arise in the workplace that calls for a leader who is fearless and who is consistently able to solve problems. And, in a workplace setting with relatively fair and just dynamics, these will be the individuals who will be promoted because they are the biggest assets to the organization.
So, how do you become a better problem solver? Here are four ways to help you to improve your problem solving skills and to begin enjoying challenges at work with enthusiasm:
