Problem Solving Skills Managers Must Have to Make Their Business a Success


by Ross Lincoln - Date: 2006-12-07 - Word Count: 582 Share This!

The success of any business relies heavily on the competency and ability of the manager.

That is why managers are usually given the most ardent and difficult task of directly supervising the business' operations, dealing with staff, getting into negotiations with potential business partners for deals and making sure the overall well being of the firm is maintained.

Those would be enough to justify the usually attractive compensation provided to them.

That way, more kids are aspiring to be tough and effective managers someday. Business management is a profession gaining more popularity as people and economies continue to realize their contributions not just to the progress of a company, but to the entire economy.

But it pays to be a business manager. To be one, you should acquire and develop effective problem solving skills. Yes, managers are first and foremost, problem solvers.

Problem solving skills

Different managers and experts have been coming up with their own problem solving skills. It is inevitable because that is mankind's nature---to improve what is already widely used norms and practices.

Practically, all problem solving skills and practices are derived from the most basic problem solving processes most popularly known in the academe as the scientific approach.

It could be inferred that Science in general, regardless of specific branch or discipline, has forced men to come up with a systematic approach to problem solving.

Thus, the scientific approach to problem solving, being the basic process, is very potent and effective in putting solutions to every challenges, especially in businesses.

Scientific approach

As refresher, it would help a lot if you would be reoriented to these scientific problem solving steps:

1. Know the problem.

2. Gather pertinent data and information regarding that problem or issue.

3. Formulate/ Devise a hypothesis. This will serve as a guide that would give direction to your problem-solving effort.

4. Test and do activities and tasks that would help you prove the validity of your scientific guess.

5. Make a striking and practical conclusion. It follows that when you arrive to this stage, the solution to your problem is already established.

After doing the steps, you could now solve the problem more effectively. Encountering the same problem again in the future would never be a problem.

The SWOT analysis

In the management discipline, business schools and most practitioners are using what they call the SWOT analysis in making sure their business is headed to success.

Success is not only achieved through physical hard work. Mental processes and skills are very essential when a manager aims to make the business successful.

You may be wondering what SWOT analysis is. SWOT is an acronym, more of a mnemonic devised to make the concept of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats easier to remember.

Usually, SWOT analysis is employed by managers when they are putting up a business. But the practice is very flexible that managers of existing companies are widely employing it when they are facing challenges over the business' operations, prospects and profitability.

To do so, enumerate the Strengths the business currently has. Then, list all the Weaknesses, or those gray areas where the business is not really doing well at.

Opportunities foreseen in the future are listed, in contrast to the threats, or the pitfalls and dangers the business is expected to encounter along the way.

By simply doing that, you could have the relevant data that would lead to you to a simple analysis to solve your business' problems and challenges.

Indeed, success of every business is attainable only is the managers would pay particular attention to details and would try to flex their mental muscles for some analyses.


Related Tags: business ideas, brainstorming, marketing strategy

Ross Lincoln makes it quicker and easier for you to create profitable business ideas, develop your marketing strategy or start brainstorming on any topic. For a free trial of the ultimate innovation software, please visit http://www.ideacenter.com

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