Are you frustrated with your team’s ability to solve problems? If you consistently feel like your team isn’t working together effectively as decision-makers and problem-solvers, it could be because you don’t understand their problem-solving styles. To set your employees up for success, start by categorizing them into five profiles, and recognizing their unique strengths and weaknesses. Then you can pair them accordingly to optimize their performance.
- The adventurer. This employee confidently and optimistically follows their intuition, making decisions quickly—sometimes too quickly.
- The detective. This thorough coworker is methodical, and driven by data & evidence. As such, they may undervalue intuition and collaboration.
- The listener. This collaborative and trusting decision-maker works well with their colleagues. However, they often find it challenging to tune into their own opinions or express viewpoints that might be at odds with others.
- The thinker. This is your colleague who thrives on identifying multiple paths and possible outcomes. They’re thoughtful, cautious decision-makers who like to know their options. The downside? Their desire to understand the “why” behind a decision can slow things down.
- The visionary. This creative coworker sees pathways others don’t. They have a big vision but may fall prey to scarcity bias, overvaluing outside-the-box solutions and undervaluing the obvious ones.