Identify the 5 Types of Problem-Solvers on Your Team

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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.

Do You Have the Skills You Need to Be the Boss?

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Transitioning into management for the first time is a significant career milestone. To identify which skills you might need to develop before making the leap, ask yourself these five questions:

  • What’s my leadership style? Reflect on your strengths, personality, and values, then decide what you want to be known for. Remember, you can adapt your approach over time as you continue to learn and advance.
  • How will I help my team grow? Understanding how to measure performance and assess gaps and growth opportunities on your team will be essential in your role as a manager. Take time to think about how your promotion may impact team structures and dynamics.
  • How will I prioritize and delegate work effectively? Ask yourself what you’d need to stop doing, keep doing, and do more of—and how you’ll provide oversight and accountability for the work you assign to others.
  • Am I a good public speaker, and can I lead meetings? Do an honest appraisal of your communication skills and assess your comfort with leading meetings and presenting to larger groups.
  • Am I comfortable delivering feedback and resolving conflict? Providing helpful direction, addressing performance gaps, and solving interpersonal problems are essential managerial responsibilities. Consider issues you may have witnessed with coworkers regarding processes, projects, or interpersonal dynamics. What did you learn from what you observed?

Going away from originality…

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Why are we going away from originality, what attracts us to these other cultures?

Is it the openness,

Is it the opportunity,

Is it vulgar, be it in form adulthood or in culture?

Is it the wealthy lifestyle,

Whatever it is, it is destroying our originality for our children.

Days are number…

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Days are numbers its passing by,

Search for life in each passing day,

Life will find you if you stop the numbers,

But catching it going round and round.

Leading Your Team Through Uncertainty

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Whether it’s winter season, layoffs, or geopolitical tensions—there is a lot happening in the global economy. How can you make sure you’re successful as a leader through uncertain times? Here are some strategies.

  • Create a humble, “company-first” culture. This entails leading by example and doing what’s right for the business and your people, instead of driving individual agendas or objectives. It also means recognizing that your role extends beyond the individual unit you manage and requires communicating across teams and units.
  • Focus on reinventing the business. When things aren’t “business as usual,” it’s time to look for opportunities to innovate. Be sure that the right minds are assigned to this reinvention—and that the more routine, day-to-day work is delegated to employees you trust to execute it.
  • Be more inclusive. This means prioritizing not only the diversity of your team in terms of gender and ethnicity, but also in terms of viewpoints, backgrounds, and skill sets. The more diverse and inclusive your team is, the more adaptable it will be through uncertain times.
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