Here's how you can excel as a problem solver in team building.

You also have to be able to put aside your own ego and open yourself to the things you might learn from others. It's important to create that safe space for all to contribute when you are a new team, but you also need to take care of it when you are an established team, and all the permutations in between.

This so true, that we balance the ratio of having two ears and one mouth and we are listening twice as much as we speak. We all need to practice hearing what each person is saying and not just thinking of what we are going to say. Sometimes listening says volumes more than any advice we would have to give.

This is spot on, in today’s corporate environment too many executives just hear to respond instead of listen to understand. Empathy is an essential quality to build a cohesive team unit, without it, you have an empty shell.

While analysis of the problem is key, analysis of the individual strengths of your team is what helps come to the best answer. As a leader, you have to know how your team works best, coax the quiet ones, occupy the zealous to give the others time to speak and give courage to all that their view point will illuminate a facet of the problem uniquely. I have found this brings solutions that our out of the norm and often have sticking power because it was collaborative and thorough.

Taking the time to understand the situation, will greatly help. Understand the team dynamics and what’s at play. Another thing I think that will assist is to know the personality of the individuals on the team. Knowing this will help to diffuse situations, as well as help to understand each person’s role on the team.

Start by clarifying the team's purpose, establishing a shared vision that guides everyone through challenges. Embrace a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation, viewing problems as opportunities for growth. Foster trust and empathy within the team, creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued. Stay committed to the journey, celebrating progress and maintaining morale. By embodying these principles, teams can navigate obstacles effectively and cultivate a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Regardless of how quick you must respond to a concern, the outcome will always be more positive if you slow down and take a thoughtful approach. The best leaders and contributors build thinking time into their day, projects, and responses. An as-is/to-be approach building in current state/ideal state thinking allows you to build a broader scope of thinking and assess how to best arrive at a positive and streamlined approach. When in doubt and where time allows getting feedback from a diverse audience where possible can help ensure your approach and end state is well received and allows others to feel included and have buy-in to solutions.

I do agree that it is no good to jump to solutions. We should take the time to thoroughly discuss and analyze the problem. First, we need to gather all available information, second, looking at the issue from different views, third, break the issue down into smaller parts to reach conclusions rapidly. This approach helps to identify the core issue without wasting time achieving half the battle won.

Thinking with the team is one of the key success factors, it won’t only bring you new thoughts and good ideas, it will also grant the buy in of the team

Critical thinking is essential for effective teamwork. Recently, our team faced a surge in API traffic, prompting various solutions like rate limiting and using a WAF. Unsure of the cause, someone suggested creating a new API endpoint to check for scripted activity. This example shows critical thinking—questioning assumptions and finding unique solutions. This kind of thinking helps teams tackle challenges and make smart decisions together.

Key word is “team.” You can excel by leaning into the strengths and experiences of your individual team members. Where your team has gaps, lean into other teams. Work backwards from a well-defined problem statement and stay on course. Deprioritize distracting tangents if they are “nice-to-have.” Finally, identify how your team will measure success by starting with the end in mind. What you measure is where the team will focus.

Absolutely, team brainstorming is a powerhouse for creative solutions. When everyone contributes, even the most unconventional ideas can spark innovation. Creating a safe space where all suggestions are valued without immediate judgment fosters inclusion and trust. This openness unleashes diverse perspectives, leading to fresh and refined solutions. New idea: Implement a rotating facilitator role in brainstorming sessions to ensure everyone gets a chance to lead the discussion and contribute ideas.

If the problem you’re trying to solve involves multiple people and most likely it does,it’s important to get clear about what the problem is before you start trying to solve it. People often go around in circles trying to solve a problem until they realize they weren’t on the same page from the start. Hence brainstorming collectively as a team is an important factor in reaching to a common solution for the problem.

In my experience as a Manager /Supervisor or even a President of a company it can be really difficult to solve any group conflict ,concerns or project management without group discussions,feasible agreement and buy-in. Team effort even if it’s a sole person’s responsibility. I say that because most of our projects involve many moving parts which may mean everyone is in charge of their part but making sure we all move together for an excellent outcome is very important. The overall goal is to perform with excellence with every detail. The main person who’s the face of the project has a team of experts behind them and we all can be proud of the delivery and the win for our contract for service.

A position I try to remind the team on when making a decision, it’s you and the team member vs. the problem, not you vs. the team member. Encourage civil discourse, learn to defend your positions, but also understand that you are on the same team, working towards the same mission and serving the same group. Sometimes things come down to a vote, but once a decision is made as a team, there needs to be support from each member regardless of your original opinion. The unity piece is crucial, especially if you lead an organization or teams.

Casting a vote can be good, but it can also slow down progress. Know what needs a vote and what needs to be done asap and asked for forgiveness later.

When faced with a critical decision regarding project priorities, I facilitated a democratic voting process among team members. Each team member had the opportunity to voice their opinions and vote on the proposed options. By empowering the team to participate in the decision-making process, we achieved consensus and alignment on the chosen course of action, enhancing our commitment and motivation to achieve our shared goals.

Building a solution together from start to finish not only builds an innovate and diverse solution that will be embraced by more team members, but also eliminates the need to reach unanimous agreement on all details. Individuals align with others who provide a psychologically safe environment where ideas are brainstormed together. Give and take in decision making is a driver of democratic solutions.

To keep everyone on the same page, establish clear communication channels and schedules. Whether through project trackers, regular emails, or meetings, ensure all team members are informed and engaged. Over-communication can prevent misunderstandings and foster collaboration.

Here are the steps to excel as a problem solver in a team by effectively implementing strategies: Define Specific, Measurable Objectives: Establish clear objectives for the implementation phase. Outline specific steps, choose responsibilities, and establish time frames in order to develop a plan. Allocate Resources: Guarantee that the team is equipped with the requisite tools, information, and assistance. Maintain consistent and open conversation to ensure that all parties are in agreement. Encourage Feedback: Create an environment in which team members can exchange ideas and suggestions. Assess Results: Evaluate the results and refine strategies for ongoing improvement.

Moving forward, now it's time to implement. Watch the gears and see what grinds, needs oiling or replacing. Accountability is key. Was it the process itself or a misfired action? Assess, Fix and Work to Perfect.

Strategic implementation involves detailed planning, resource allocation, and clear communication. It requires monitoring progress, adapting to challenges, and proactively managing risks. Evaluation post-implementation enables teams to refine strategies for continuous improvement. Effective execution hinges on efficient resource utilization and cohesive teamwork.

Implementation is bound to fail if the members are unable to deploy the solution correctly on the ground. Therefore, the solution should always contain a thoroughly evaluated and tested 'Action Plan' within it. This action plan or ‘Operating Procedure’ should specify the roles and responsibilities for all members, set milestones and allocate resources effectively. On the other hand, it should also take into consideration that the team members have adequate foresight, adaptability and proactivity in their temperament to implement it successfully.

Setting up a culture of reflection provides an environment of continuous improvement. When project and solution reflection is built into the fabric of your team and organization, blame and competition is shifted into healthy thought processes where individuals are more open to feedback and often provide reflection on themselves more freely. Debriefing projects and processes on a regular basis creates a shift in culture and allows individual contributors to take on leadership opportunities speaking up and sharing their thoughts.

In my experience, it’s about real time assessment for your current team disposition. Allow the opportunity to discuss openly and make any applicable corrective changes that may result in incremental progress towards resolving the issue at hand. The aforementioned demonstrates unity, sincerity and open communication for reflective “best practices.”

To truly excel as a problem solver in team settings, it's crucial to reflect and learn from each solution implemented. This practice not only helps in assessing the effectiveness of the solution but also in understanding its impact on the team and the project. Taking the time to review what worked and what didn’t allows the team to adapt and improve future problem-solving strategies. Reflection fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement, ensuring that every challenge faced becomes an opportunity for growth and development.

One thing I've found helpful is looking back on collective efforts, we then uncover insights, celebrate successes, and identify areas for growth. Together, we learn, adapt, and thrive.

Reflection is a 2 way street but generally in practice only the leaders reflect. I am against this. In a real team environment, reflection can and shall come from all members.

In addition to the insights given above, encouraging team members to bond with each other, creating an environment so that they collaborate, ensuring transparency in deciding the course of action and providing clarity on the roles each one is to play is crucial. Leaders need to intervene when there are differences among team members and give space to the team to find solution within defined boundaries. My experience tells me that when you trust your team and allow the members to work without micromanaging, the results are the best and the morale of the team is high.

A critical aspect in team building is creating an environment of trust in the team. All members should be comfortable in relying on each other and truly believe that when required everyone in the team will not leave any stone unturned to support them. One of the best ways to build trust is for the leader to express his vulnerability, albeit with confidence. This in turn encourages other team members to admit their mistakes or inform in advance about not meeting a deadline. These actions ensure that the team's performance often exceed expectations. Other than trust, developing human skills of empathy, conflict resolution and ability to give and receive feedback also help in making the team more efficient and effective in finding solutions.

In my experience , instead of putting solutions as a leader. It is most effective when you enable the team to solve a problem or resolve a conflict with minimum intervension from you as a leader. Your role should be to guide , empower and enable. Not do things your way. You want things to be sustainable in your team, even after you leave. You do not want things to fall apart

One of the things I learned in the US Marines is that nothing is impossible. We may not have achieved a goal yet, but that doesn't mean it is impossible. I used to tell my team years ago that I always felt I had an advantage since others on the team spent days considering on "if" something was possible, while I spent those days trying to solve it, since I already knew it was possible. If you believe you can reach a goal, you are already halfway there.

Essentially, as a problem solver, one of the key skills is to ensure that the solution doesn't introduce more problems afterward. This oversight is critical to assess everything before implementation. If the provided solution doesn't align with the team's needs, culture, and environment for at least 1-3 years, then it's not a solution at all. It merely acts as a painkiller, offering temporary relief while giving the team false hope in its capabilities. But of cause, to make things move on people will rather go for pain relief pills first before they have time to tackle the real issue or having the real idea that could help. And that's another issue raise the time management...