Don't leave your career to chance. Skill up with inspiring tips, tactics, and affirmations and become the creative, wise CEO of your life. One mail a week. Always free.
How to Skyrocket Your Problem-Solving Stock 🚀
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Hey Reader - I once worked with a woman who had a knack for instant answers. It seemed like she had options for doors #1, #2, or #3 in seconds. When I asked for the secret to her success, she laughed, "Oh, I have twins. Finding real time answers is my superpower!" Luckily, you don't need to juggle twins to be as accomplished as my teammate. Just model her methodology: Combine creativity and dedication to find workable solutions, then roll with the changes. How Do You Solve for the Collective?Amy and Chad Kempel also have a story about real-time answers. They hoped to expand their family after the heartbreak of miscarriage. Still, they were shocked to hear that five more (yes, five!) were on the way. After the quintuplets arrived home 73 days after delivery, Chad struggled to balance his 60-mile commute with helping out. Then he had an a-ha moment: Although they were winning on the emotional front, they were losing a logistical battle. So, he dug in and started experimenting. Diaper changes were a snap once he stacked onesies, and he rigged a small harness to hold bottles in place for feedings. The case study highlights a secret many people miss about effective problem-solving: the right answer is the one that works for everyone. Have you ever noticed this gap in a cross-group team where someone solves their piece and then walks away? Or were you frustrated when someone hid their part of the project, then delivered it when it was too late for feedback or fine-tuning? By contrast, the best collaborators understand the whole puzzle as well as their part. People who can master this type of zoom-out/zoom-in thinking aren't just accomplished—they're leaders. So, if you're ready for MacGyver-level notoriety, make solving for the collective a habit. Precision Problem-Solving Series RecapMany people think of problem-solving as a straight line: There's an issue, you identify options, find the answer, and move on. But if things were that simple, we'd never have conflict! Developer Tejal Rivas recently shared an insight about AI which also applies to skilling. She said, "I want to be minimal with my use of AI for ethical reasons, including the water resources needed to power data centers. Efficient prompt engineering helps me ask AI my question once, without needing to clarify three or more times." Being thorough and efficient is possible as long as you factor in what's happening behind the scenes. That's why the March series, Precision Problem-Solving, has focused on aspects no one mentions like the role emotions play, how partnering works when getting pushy doesn't, and mindset shifts to overcome procrastination. So, the next time you're problem-solving, try these steps. They're the secret sauce to getting an accurate solution the first time around: Precision problem-solving isn't about steamrolling others—it can also be about the style and soul you display on the way to the finish line. So, take charge like the creative, wise CEO of your life—a Soul Boss—and be the person who makes finding the right answers easy. All the best, Michelle Mains Keep the Soul Boss inspiration going!
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Soul Boss Soft Skills
Don't leave your career to chance. Skill up with inspiring tips, tactics, and affirmations and become the creative, wise CEO of your life. One mail a week. Always free.
Hey Reader - Pop quiz: If someone offered a cash bonus for elevator pitching your latest accomplishment, could you do it? No judgment if your answer is, “Uh, well, um”! In “The Hottest Job in Tech: Writing Words,” Business Insider described how communication is rising to the top of in-demand job skills. What’s the root of the problem? AI. OpenAI founder Sam Altman recently mentioned how an “AI accent” is creeping into conversations. And Communications Consultant Gab Ferree summed up the...
Hey Reader - Have you been flying under the radar, quietly mumbling with skepticism about AI? Well, it’s time to come out, come out from wherever you are, because you’re in good company. In a recent poll, 46% of respondents reported viewing AI negatively. And to make that statistic even crazier, even the US Immigration and Enforcement team had a slightly better standing. But here’s the thing: AI is a fact of working life. So, the answer isn’t as simple as ignoring it and trying to turn back...
Hey Reader - Celebrity stylist Erin Walsh has a non-negotiable for clients: Get rid of clothes from your old life. Sometimes your old life is keeping the suit you wore when you aced a job interview. Other times, it’s hanging on to potential, where the shoes you spent too much money on hide out on the highest shelf. But the twist is that the best wardrobe isn’t built on stuff—it hinges on confidence. So, whether a client is longing for the future or hung up in nostalgia, she pushes them to...