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Problem Solving Skills Quotes

Browse 10 quotes about Problem Solving Skills.

Problem Solving Skills Quotes

“Troubleshooting is a form of advance problem solving, which few people excel in performing. Troubleshooting is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem, where the symptoms of a problem in a complex system can have many possible causes. Problem solvers rely upon prior experience to determine the potential causes, and employ the process of elimination to detect the actual causes of a problem. The troubleshooter must always look for the simplest solution while considering the possibility that there is more than one fault. Every organization needs a person whom is adept at troubleshooting, analyzing, and resolving problem with an ingenious solution, or novel argument. A person who can see multiple sides to any dilemma, and structure a series of useful elucidations for consideration possesses an optimistic nature.”

“Spaghetti thinking prevents taking action towards solutions. If you are frustrated with a coworker, have a child who can’t seem to make a decision or have a friend who seems to have the same set of problems over and over, then they are probably in spaghetti thinking. You ask them something and they get off topic. They talk their way around the real problem. They avoid the most important problem to solve. You want them to commit to solving one problem and they throw 15 other problems in the pile. They avoid real action and real solutions and comfort themselves with venting and overthinking. Spaghetti thinking prevents clarity, wastes time, and prevents productivity.”

“Einstein said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about the solutions.” I don’t think this is because Einstein was afraid of solutions or was just worrying in circles and beating himself up about the problem (as many of us do). I think Einstein understood the importance of getting clear about the problem he was really trying to solve. Think about how often we need to solve the problem of finishing a report for work, but instead we think we need chips. Or we need to solve the problem of getting rest, but instead we scroll through social media. We need respect and acknowledgement from our boss, yet instead of talking to our boss we go home and pick a fight with our spouse.”

“For us to solve our problems as quickly and painlessly as possible, we want to be completely clear about the real problem hidden underneath the roots. Asking “What is the real problem you are trying to solve?” sounds simple. Knowing the true problem you are trying to solve and then solving it, however, isn’t always easy. Experts in air navigation understand how important it is to stay perfectly on course. If a pilot steers a plane one degree off course, they will be 92 feet off course by the time they’ve traveled one mile. Pilots don’t get to miss the runway by 92 feet. The clearer you are about your own problem, the more likely you are to land in the right spot.”

“If you’re having a conversation with someone who is stuck personally or professionally, then it’s likely they are trying to see how many problems they can shove “on their fork” at the same time. Do they realize they are piling up multiple problems like their own little pasta mountain? Probably not. Will putting several problems together as if they were one problem create a mess? Absolutely.”

“You can’t hit a bullseye if you don’t know where the goal is and you can’t solve a problem if you don’t know what problem you are trying to solve. If you are leading a team, child, client or employee, then getting them out of spaghetti thinking is the hidden secret to helping them make better decisions. It will also protect your time and energy so people stop emotionally vomiting on you and wasting your time talking about problems they have no intention of doing anything about. We can still be good listeners, but the ultimate goal is to help develop powerful problem solvers. Confused employees aren’t productive employees. Confused children aren’t children capable of reaching their full success. Confused clients leave bad reviews.”