Art of Problem Solving at Work

Welcome to another edition of the Soft Skills newsletter. I hope you’re all doing well!

Today, let’s talk about an important soft skill—Problem Solving.

Have you ever faced a situation at work where everything seemed to be falling apart?

Like when you and your team put in your best effort, but things just don’t seem to move forward?

Let me make you understand with a case study :

Tom had just been promoted to Manager at an Investment Bank.

• His first big assignment was to oversee the implementation of a new client onboarding system designed to make processes faster and smoother.
• However, the project had been dragging on for months without much progress. Senior management was frustrated and demanding solutions.

The Crisis Unfolds

Each day, system errors kept piling up. The IT and operations teams were barely communicating, and, worst of all, the client threatened to cancel the contract.

• The pressure was high, with daily updates required. Tom knew this was his moment to step up.
• He had two options—panic or take the lead and fix the situation. He chose the latter.

Asking the Right Questions Tom started by asking the right questions:

• Why were the errors happening?
• Who needed to be involved in fixing them?
• What could be done immediately to prevent further damage?

He soon discovered the core issues:

• The IT team was working with outdated requirements.
• The operations team wasn’t testing effectively to track errors.
• Deadlines were being missed, leading to ongoing delays.

Bringing People Together Instead of pointing fingers, Tom called for a joint meeting with both teams. He set one rule—no blame, only solutions.

• The room started off tense, especially with senior management pushing aggressively. But Tom’s calm and structured approach encouraged people to open up.
• For the first time, IT understood the pressure operations faced, and operations saw the technical challenges IT was dealing with. This breakthrough helped build mutual understanding.

Building a Plan With input from both teams, Tom created a three-step action plan:

1. Roll out quick fixes to address critical errors in testing.
2. Appoint a point of contact between IT and operations to prevent miscommunication.
3. Set up daily progress meetings to track updates and build accountability.

The plan wasn’t perfect, but it was a good start to keep things moving—and that’s what mattered.

Turning the Tide Within 10 days, errors dropped by 70%. Daily check-ins kept everyone aligned, and Tom personally updated both the client and senior management.

• The client, impressed by the transparency and effort, decided to stay.
• By the end of the month, the onboarding process was faster, smoother, and back on track.
• Tom not only saved the project but also earned his team’s trust.

Key Takeaways

1. Communication solves most problems, bring people together, listen, and encourage collaboration.
2. Focus on solutions, not blame. Problems happen, but how we respond defines the outcome.
3. Small steps lead to big wins. Start with quick fixes while planning for long-term improvements.
4. Transparency and empathy build client trust even during crises.

Have you faced a similar challenge at work?

How did you solve it?

Share your story - Would love to hear it!

Thank you for reading until the end! See you soon in the next edition of this newsletter. Until then, take care and keep growing!

• If you have any topics related to soft skills that you’d like me to cover, feel free to reach out to me via DM or leave a comment.

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