Here's how you can assertively own your problem-solving process and outcomes.

Challenges are what brings out the best in our ability. I experienced the challenge of managing remote and onsite workers. What I did was to call for a virtual meeting with all the stakeholders. We agreed that I come up with HR policies to address the issues, and the policy served ask a reference point/guide to all staff in my workplace and still relevant till date. Challenges have a number of benefits: 1. It creates opportunity for growth and learning. Challenges made me to learn new skills, gain new knowledge and also developed new strategies for solving similar challenges in the future. 2. It inspires creativity and innovation. 3. It makes me happy, when I am able to solve a challenge. As it serves as a reference point for me.

Assertiveness in solving problems requires: Deep understanding of the internal environment and the external environment. Getting to the root of the problem. Effective communication. Boldness in decision-making and firmness in its implementation. Review and continuous learning.

Before you embrace a challenge, have a meaning and purpose close to you associated with it. It can act like a motivation. You must understand WHY you want to solve a problem before you can endure the inevitable difficulties of solving it. You may want to solve a problem for several reasons, but I find it helpful to focus my attention on the most important reason. Ex: why do you want to loose weight? A core reason can be to be able to fit into my new dress for an important future event.

Embrace Challenges Welcome obstacles: View challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Embracing difficulties with a positive mindset sets the tone for proactive problem-solving. Personal Experience: In my role as a project manager, I often faced tight deadlines and resource constraints. By embracing these challenges, I motivated my team to find innovative solutions and improve our processes.

This may sound easy, but often we are not clear on the underlying problem and its root cause. Therefore, it’s important to dig deeper so as to break the problem into smaller pieces. State the problem and ask “why?” you are facing the problem. Keep asking “why?” until you have exhausted your ability to answer.

Analyze Thoroughly Understand the problem: Take time to analyze the issue from all angles. Gather data, consult with stakeholders, and identify root causes before rushing to a solution. Personal Experience: During a major project delay, I conducted a thorough analysis to identify bottlenecks. This detailed examination enabled us to address the underlying issues and implement effective corrective actions.

Clear communication is like giving good directions - it keeps everyone on the same page. When you're tackling a problem, whether it's planning a family vacation or sorting out a work issue, spell things out plainly. Share what's bugging you, your ideas to fix it, and what you hope will happen. It's like laying out all the pieces of a puzzle before you start. This open approach builds trust and gets others on board. Maybe you're coordinating a neighborhood clean-up or brainstorming for a school project - being upfront about the what, why, and how keeps everyone in the loop. When you communicate clearly and confidently, you're not just solving a problem; you're leading the charge and owning the process.

Communicate Clearly Maintain transparency: Keep all relevant parties informed throughout the problem-solving process. Clear communication ensures alignment and fosters trust among team members and stakeholders. Personal Experience: I maintained open lines of communication with my team and clients during a critical project phase, providing regular updates and addressing concerns promptly. This transparency helped us stay on track and maintain stakeholder confidence.

Decide Decisively Make informed decisions: Use your analysis and input from stakeholders to make well-informed decisions. Decisiveness instills confidence in your leadership and drives progress. Personal Experience: When faced with a choice between two potential software solutions, I decisively chose the option that best aligned with our project goals and budget after thorough evaluation, which ultimately led to a successful implementation.

Act Confidently Execute with assurance: Implement your decisions confidently, knowing you have done the necessary groundwork. Confidence in execution encourages your team to follow your lead. Personal Experience: Leading a high-stakes project, I acted confidently in reallocating resources and adjusting timelines to meet an unexpected client request. My decisive action and confidence inspired my team to rally and deliver exceptional results.

Don’t skip this step! After self reflection it important to take feedback from others about your process. This helps make sure you are don’t act on any possible blind spot(s) and to ensure your assumptions in the process were well-grounded. Ask anyone giving feedback to be as honest and direct as possible. Be frugal to just use whatever you find helpful.