Social Entrepreneurs need to be innovative problem-solvers to identify and apply practical solutions to problems, combining innovation, resourcefulness and opportunity. They identify major social problems and so, as such, need to find creative solutions and generate new ideas.
Often the desired criteria for a job advertisement is “Good problem solving skills”. Any successful business or life activity demands the ability to problem solve. Good problem solving skills are identified in the workplace as highly valued skills and employees who boldly face daily problems and challenges are worth more to an organisation than those who passively rely on their supervisors. Even in my own experience, it was the staff with good problem solving skills that I gave more responsibility to. I have qualifications as an Early Childhood Educator and one of the main areas of development that we would focus on was developing a child’s problem solving skills because of the importance of these skills. In my years of education, business and leadership, I have identified 5 types of problem solvers.
The 5 Types of Problem Solvers
1. The Blinker – This is the person who doesn’t even see that there is a problem, it is like they have horse blinkers on. They are too concerned with their own little world to even notice that there is something wrong.
2. The Avoider – This person actually sees the problem but avoids it. They couldn’t be bothered finding a solution.
3. The Identifier – Identifiers see the problem but instead of finding a solution themselves they find someone else to give the solution. In business, this would be the staff member who constantly goes to the supervisor rather than taking initiative to find the solution themselves.
4. The Changer – These are the problem solvers who identify a problem and implement a solution.
5. The Impacter – These problem solvers are experts at getting others to support their cause, and they excel at finding solutions to social or people problems that involve change. Impacters are great at getting people to “buy in”. The are great thinkers and innovative solutions finders but the key is that they involve others in the problem solving process. IMPACTERS CHANGE THE WORLD!!
Ask yourself: What type of Problem Solver am I?
If you want to become an impacter, you can develop your problem solving skills.
In my next post Successful Problem Solving – Part 2, I will identify the steps to problem solving.