Creative Problem Solving
Recap by Social Success Marketing
July 28, 2022
When we were kids, we had problems—kid problems. We didn’t just solve our problems; we solved them with creativity. As adults, we often forget how important creative problem-solving skills are. This is especially true in the workplace, where many of us spend much of our day trying to figure out how to do something.
Creativity can be defined as a mental faculty or power of invention, imagination, originality, etc., applied to art, science, literature, etc.
The term “problem solving” is not included in the above definition because it implies a more structured approach to solving a problem. Creative problem solving is much broader and includes any type of solution that does not follow established procedures.
The World Economic Forum listed creative problem solving as one of the top skills needed by workers for 2025. This makes sense as technology—and eventually how we do business—changes at an ever-increasing pace.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, 50% of all employees would need reskilling by 2025 as technology adoption increased.
I also did a quick search on Google:
- “Business creativity” returned 642,000,000 results.
- “Why is creativity important in business?” returned 206,000,000 results.
Clearly, it is a popular topic in business.
In this chat hosted by Michelle Riccetto, Marketing Manager of Brash Inc., participants covered the following topics and more:
- What is creative thinking?
- Methods for developing creative solutions
- Tips for creative problem solving
To set the tone for the conversation, Riccetto began by defining creative problem solving.
Creative Problem Solving: What It Is
Riccetto said, “We often associate the word ‘creative’ with artistic jobs like design, writing, marketing, etc. However, creative problem solving is for everyone! It is a well-defined technique to approach problems, address challenges, and implement solutions in an innovative way.”
Here is how participants defined it:
- “Finding an out-of-the-box answer to a tough challenge.” — Dan Bigger of Optessa
- “Applying some lateral thinking to the problem to come up with a solution. Best in a team doing some brainstorming.” — Neil Hussey, representing a lubrication company in the UK
- “In a few words, existing old or new problem plus a new or different approach equals a new or ideal solution.” — Ruby Rusine of Social Success Marketing
- “Taking a problem and looking at it from all angles. Thinking outside of the box!” — Annie from American Repair Maintenance
- “Thinking outside the box. Flipping the script; turn a weakness into a strength.” — Allway Tools Inc.
- “Not sticking to the four corners of the problem only.” — Pavel Stepanov of VirtuDesk
How Creative Problem Solving Works
The #USAMfgHour community shared how they approach creative problem solving when asked, “What steps do you think are involved in creative problem solving?”
Riccetto suggested the following framework:
- Clarify and identify the problem.
- Research the problem.
- Generate ideas.
- Formulate creative challenges.
- Combine and evaluate ideas.
- Draw up an action plan.
- Implement the ideas.
Here is what some participants said:
- “Scream, curse, throw things, call @DanBiggerUSAMfg, and then devise a plan to address the problem in the most effective ways.” — John Buglino of Optessa
- “I think it first starts with assessing what the issue or concern is. Once you figure that out, you can start to think of new ways to tackle those issues or concerns by finding ways that aren’t the typical route.” — Emily Kite of Obsidian Manufacturing
- “First thing to do is define the problem. Then break it down into small parts. Then you can start to look for solutions.” — Neil Hussey
- “Get a clear understanding of the problem. Brainstorm options of potential solutions. Create a hypothesis and test.” — Jeanette Stevens of Genedge
- “Find the problem, goal, or challenge. Brainstorm the solutions. Evaluate the proposed ideas and select a strategy. Develop and launch the selected strategy.” — Matt (@long3_tc)
- “The steps involved in creative problem solving are identifying the problem, developing a list of possible solutions—realistic or not—and then going through the possible solutions without immediately dismissing them. ‘Yes, and’ is the phrase, I believe.” — Adam Baker of Schooley Mitchell
- “Yes! I wish more people were like that. Don’t dismiss ideas right off the bat. Learn to listen and leave convention behind to innovate!” — Michelle Riccetto
- “Assessing and evaluating, identifying how to get there, and then rolling out and implementing the solution.” — Felix Nater of Felix Nater Associates
- “It’s amazing how, when you get to the heart of the problem—not the perceived reason—the solutions often present themselves.” — Amy Anderson
- “The first step should be bringing in more people. One person cannot do it alone.” — Dan Bigger
- “It depends on the nature of the problem. I would say the steps involved are identifying the issue at hand, identifying past solutions if any had been attempted, and strategizing.” — Allway Tools Inc.
- “Not sure about all the steps, but I am guessing you need a team.” — Whitney Koch of Welker, Inc.
- “Hypothesizing, brainstorming, and data collection for starters.” — Chase Bodor of Plastics Plus Technology, Inc.
- “Put away any preconceived notions. Put away all biases. Bring in many points of view. Listen with open ears and an open mind. Know that no idea is a bad idea.” — Rebecca Prox of DSI/Dynamatic
There is no single answer to this question. The steps involved in creative problem solving can vary depending on the problem being solved and the person solving it.
However, general steps often include brainstorming ideas, looking at the problem from different perspectives, and experimenting with different solutions.
Creative Problem Solving: Personal Experience
Riccetto then asked everyone to share a time when they used creative problem solving.
She said, “Creative problem solving comes up all the time, at home or in the workplace. Any process that involves finding new solutions or a new approach rather than following a routine method is considered a creative process.”
Many participants did not hesitate to share their personal experiences:
- “Figuring out a means to get the word out there without spending an arm and a leg on television, radio, and print advertising while reaching the future DIYers, professionals, and homeowners of tomorrow.” — Allway Tools Inc.
- “I was presented with a new campaign. I was not sure how I would tackle it, and what had been done in the past didn’t work. I took time to test some ideas, evaluate and analyze data, update the messaging and content, conduct more testing, and then implement it. It worked.” — Jeanette Stevens
- “I was once tasked with finding a way to increase web traffic to a client’s site. I brainstormed a few ideas and settled on a plan for the client. I implemented this plan and saw a significant increase in their web traffic. I did a case study of that.” — Ruby Rusine
- “In a client-facing, high-volume role, our team’s performance fell under target even though activity was up. The manager and I held a session, realized it was due to low morale, and introduced morale-boosting activities. Results spiked the next month.” — Matt (@long3_tc)
- “When it comes to understanding the algorithm of TikTok, there is a lot of creative problem solving involved in figuring out what works and what doesn’t between hashtags, video quality, and how the brand is viewed.” — Emily Kite
- “On my recent road trip to Colorado, the exhaust pipe on my RV broke in half after my rear tire blew out. I used a wire hanger to temporarily hold it up and together until I made it to a nearby auto shop. Very scary!” — Brett Kramer
- “Being in facility maintenance, we are always having to be creative problem solvers. By taking a proactive approach, we are consistently analyzing data and evaluating solutions to maintain efficiency.” — American Repair Maintenance
- “It’s literally 90% of my job. Problem solving for projects, brands, clients, employees, finances—you name it. Fun, but it can get exhausting.” — Paul Kiesche of Aviate Creative
- “When working with folks who don’t see the point in using or having social media, my creative solution was just to nod my head and then do what I felt I needed to do.” — Missy Moorefield of Southern Fasteners and Supply Inc.
- “I’ve been kicking the proverbial creativity ball around while trying to build some email campaigns for customer engagement.” — Chase Bodor
- “My only plan was to establish my own real estate business, which I did. However, when I noticed most of my agents experienced the same problem I had before, I started looking at the concept of creating a virtual assistant business—and here I am.” — Pavel Stepanov
Creative Problem Solving Obstacles
To improve your ability to solve problems creatively, it helps to understand some common creative problem-solving obstacles.
Riccetto said, “Creative problem solving can be difficult. We often block our minds from thinking outside of the box and find it much more comfortable to follow the norm when implementing solutions. However, in the long run, these conventional approaches aren’t always the most effective!”
Here is what participants said:
- “Obstacles to creative problem solving have included other people’s opinions, being outranked by seniority or authority, budgets, resources, etc.” — Rebecca Prox
- “Making sure there are no holes in my ‘creative’ story.” — Bethany Bigelow of Home Building Solutions, LLC
- “Be aware of your personal biases, as they can be an obstacle to creative problem solving. So, yes, you can be an obstacle.” — Ruby Rusine
- “Definitely overthinking and opposition. One can make you doubt yourself and second-guess what could be right, while the other is a roadblock to new and innovative ideas, causing all kinds of stress.” — Jeanette Stevens
- “Generally, pushback from people who say, ‘But we’ve always done it this way.’” — JD
- “Overthinking. Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest and fastest to execute.” — Chase Bodor
- “Stubborn people! Some individuals are so stuck in their ways that implementing creative solutions can be a real struggle. Nothing feels better than having a supportive team that is willing to think outside of the box.” — Chris Giglio
- “Refusal to accept the outcome of creative problem solving because it is outside of the box.” — Whitney Koch
- “I am usually battling the vast number of yes-men in the room.” — Dan Bigger
- “Translating ideas so those who are not as familiar with specific terms or processes can still understand, such as when problem solving with multiple departments.” — Annie
- “People who say, ‘We’ve always done it this way,’ and are resistant to change in any form. Convincing the people in charge of the purse strings to fund the research and development needed.” — Neil Hussey
- “A camel is a horse designed by a committee. Sometimes, too much input from too many different parties can detract from the main goal or dilute a more effective strategy. A lack of neuron activity in the creative part of my brain also poses an obstacle.” — Matt
- “I think some obstacles for me are not always knowing how to solve a problem and figuring out what the issues are. Researching trends and trying to integrate them isn’t always an easy task.” — Emily Kite
- “Don’t go with the flow. Be the purple cow.” — Pavel Stepanov
How to Foster Creative Problem Solving in Business and Life
Creative problem-solving skills are essential in today’s world. They help us solve problems in our personal lives, at work, and even in our relationships with others.
But how can we develop these skills? Here are some tips from the host and participants.
Riccetto shared the following tips to help flex your mind and implement creative problem solving:
- Pose problems as questions.
- Test or talk through each solution.
- Keep an open mind.
- Create an encouraging environment.
- Use different types of thinking, including divergent thinking, convergent thinking, and design thinking.
Participants also shared their advice:
- “Love the fourth tip! You don’t want anybody on the team to be afraid of offering an idea. Too many good solutions are lost because a negative environment was created during the problem-solving phase.” — Chris Giglio
- “Always encourage colleagues to speak up when they have an idea, especially the younger ones.” — JD
- “Be willing to fail. Creativity requires risk-taking. Sometimes you have to try something completely new before you get the right answer; sometimes you have to give up on an idea and move on.” — Ruby Rusine
- “Stay calm, which is ironic coming from me! But seriously, a deep breath can really help before you go crazy.” — John Buglino
- “Open a whiteboard. Encourage individuality. Act on good ideas. Reward people who bring ideas. Celebrate successful failures.” — Rebecca Prox
- “Be open to new ideas and suggestions. Try to look at the problem from different angles. Inject empathy wherever possible, and allow yourself and others to make mistakes. Allow the process, always make room for testing, try not to jump the gun, and be positive!” — Jeanette Stevens
- “It’s all about communication. Communicate the problem and find people within or outside of your organization who can help.” — Dan Bigger
- “Read a lot. Listen without talking or formulating a response. Take in a variety of opinions. Be open to many different experiences.” — Whitney Koch
- “Get the younger, less experienced people to talk first. Involve as many people as possible, even those from outside the discipline being discussed. Diversity of thought generates the greatest solutions.” — Neil Hussey
- “Try to gather perspectives that help build a well-rounded dataset about the problem. Interview the people who experience the problem or have seen similar problems. Then, when you have a few approaches ready, test them.” — Chase Bodor
- “Make sure you really define the issue at hand before diving in. If someone has ideas or input, hear them out! Also, have a backup plan if the first solution doesn’t work.” — Annie
- “Be open to new ideas and thinking outside the box, but find balance and keep the energy and focus targeted on the challenge or issue. Set a time limit for each stage of problem solving to keep discussions from getting off track.” — Matt
