

That way, when failure does happen, they can continue the process of finding and implementing the right resolution.ĭeveloping habits of creative problem solvers means to separate oneself from the situation. Instead of taking failure personally, they accept failure as part of the problem-solving process. These negative emotions are unenjoyable to experience, so many people shy away from solving the problem to avoid any potential consequences.Ĭreative problem solvers don’t feel this way. In fact, failure often brings feelings of shame, disappointment, fear and frustration. Confidence and determination are habits of creative problem solvers because they are fully invested taking any step necessary to achieve the goal, even during the unsure times. Rather, connecting concepts along the way is an exhilarating reward for them during the problem-solving process. Some even quit before they really start when they realize that there are no guarantees that the issue will truly be resolved in the end.Ĭreative problem solvers don’t need everything to make sense during each step of the journey. Many people start floundering during the difficult parts of the process because they don’t know if their effort is going to make a difference in resolving the issue.

Nothing’s certain until it actually happens. Why are we currently approaching the problem this way?.To devise the right solution, creative problem solvers often ask these questions: Courage and persistence are habits of creative problem solvers because they know that by addressing the elephant in the room, they are that much closer to discovering the solution. And to know every option of any given situation, you have to ask the right questions.Īsking tough questions is how creative people solve problems. The creative part of problem solving is exploring all of your options. They believe that these struggles are only temporary setbacks in getting to the wanted solution.

These habits of creative problem solvers keep a positive perspective in place because the future is always in sight, even during the tense moments of the problem-solving process. They then work backwards to devise all the actions that need to occur (and in which order) before solving the problem from the starting line. When reverse engineering a problem, creative problem solvers start first with the desired future outcome. That’s because when you don’t have the final destination in mind, it’s hard to plan the right route to get there. Work BackwardsĪpproaching an issue in a linear fashion can lead to dead-ends and off-road meanderings.

And when that gut feeling can be backed up by data and facts, the solution becomes undeniable. Intuition is a launching point in the problem-solving process. That’s why finding balance is one of the habits of creative problem solvers. And too much reliance on intuition can lead the team off-course from ever resolving the issue. Too much dependence on data can stall the process in solving the issue. Too much of one thing in the problem-solving process isn’t going to solve the problem. These habits of creative problem solvers lead them to focusing more on what is to come rather than on what is happening now. Because creative problem solvers want the end result more than the problem, they don’t get stuck at step one. The first step in problem solving is to identify the problem. A problem is merely an opportunity in disguise-that is, if you focus on how a solution can improve the situation for the better. They dwell on its negativity and get so wrapped up in the symptoms of these issues that they can’t see their way out of the mess. Here are seven habits of creative problem solvers and how you can adopt these behaviors into your own life. By changing your habits one at a time, you can evolve from a person that stops progress to a champion of change. It does require a change in your mindset and your actions. That being said, the creative problem-solving process may not be simple for you. Once you understand the process for solving problems creatively, you are likely to see why creative problem solvers choose this outlook on life. These roles are earned through habits and life choices we make along the way.įortunately, you can become a creative problem solver simply by adopting habits of creative problem solvers. People aren’t born complainers or creative problem solvers. And if you’re adding to the problem, what does that say about your character? Are you a creative problem solver or a complainer? Creative problem solvers add value while complainers add to the problem.
