The Importance

More companies are looking for this skill in interviews, so that they attract the right people for the job. According to Frank, D. on Kepner-Tregoe: “There is a growing recognition that individuals with problem-solving skills are able to learn more quickly, are more adaptable, and able to sort through complex situations to find solutions faster than those individuals lacking or weak in problem-solving skills.”

Making decisions is part of problem solving. According to Changeboard (2019), “problem solving is a complex process, and judgement calls – or decisions – will have to be made on the way.”

Solving problems can come in different ways. In tennis, you need to respond fast to the ball coming to you, which is the spontaneous side of it. In contrast, strategy can be thought more thoroughly. There is time before the match to analyze the opponent/situation and during the changeover too.

Also, in business, there will be moments where immediate response is required or where you have some time to think and seek advice.

Problem solving comes more natural to some people than for others. What do you need to do to increase your ability to problem solve?

1. Observe well. Know what is going on. Don’t be biased. Collect the facts.

2. According to Stankovich, D. (2017). “Understand what is controllable.  Kids can learn about the factors they control (i.e. preparing for games), while letting go of the things they don’t control (i.e. it makes no sense to get worked up about an official working the game since kids can’t control this decision).”

3. Come up with creative solutions for the controllable and pick a strategy. Things might not work out immediately when you picked a decision, but you have to be able to distinguish whether it should work in the long run or whether you did actually pick the wrong solution.

I know it is easier said than done, but that’s why sports is so powerful. You are constantly exposed to this skill without even knowing it.

My experiences

I know the above steps are easier said than done, but that’s why sports is so powerful. On court, I am constantly exposed to this skill without even knowing it. But what about my personal life?

Off court, I am not so much of a spontaneous problem solver. Usually, I think about my next best move in order to reach a goal instead of acting fast. For example, the NCAA is an organization that oversees college tennis in the USA. As you can read in a previous blog about commerce, a student-athlete can’t have a business during their collegiate career that involves their name or sport. And let that exactly be ZG..

So, in order to grow my brand exposure, I have to focus on other aspects than making money. For now, my goal is to write inspiring blogs and then hopefully to open my webshop in the near future.

Please let me know in the comment box below. I am curious about your experiences!  🙌

References

 Changeboard team. (2019). Problem solving vs decision making – what is the difference?. Changeboard. Retrieved from: https://www.changeboard.com/article-details/16960/problem-solving-vs-decision-making-what-is-the-difference-/#:~:text=Making%20decisions%20is%20a%20part,made%20by%20using%20one's%20judgement.&text=They%20will%20also%20typically%20need,steps%20to%20fix%20the%20problem.

Frank, D. on Kepner-Tregoe  https://www.kepner-tregoe.com/blog/problem-solving-a-team-sport/#:~:text=There%20is%20a%20growing%20recognition,weak%20in%20problem%2Dsolving%20skills.

Stankovich, D. (2017). Helping Kids Learn Important Problem-Solving Life Skills through Sports. Advanced Human Performance Systems. Retrieved from: https://drstankovich.com/helping-kids-learn-important-problem-solving-life-skills-through-sports/