Success Advice
6 Awesome Ways to Enhance Your Problem-Solving Skills
Being able to solve problems is one of the greatest skills that an entrepreneur can have. But what if your brainstorming sessions lack that certain spark? Or what if your problems are piling up with no viable solutions in sight?
If you’re wondering how to improve your problem solving skills, here are just six techniques that should do the trick:
1. Listen to music
Studies have been mixed on whether or not music can help you with complex cognitive processing. If you need to pull yourself out of an unproductive funk, however, music is even better than a grappling hook. It will lower your blood pressure, regulate your heartbeat and release feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine.
In short, it’ll have such a positive impact on your psychological state that it’ll act as a cleanser for stress and anxiety. Once you’ve pushed aside these negative emotions, your brain is free to focus on your problems without distraction.
2. Encourage shower thoughts
Have you ever wondered why your best thoughts always come in the shower? It’s because you aren’t thinking so hard. Your mind is free to wander down distant and unconventional paths that you’d normally reject, so you’re able to come up with out-of-the-box solutions to difficult problems because you aren’t burdened with the constraints of your rational mind.
The good news is that you don’t have to be in the shower to unlock this potential. You can exercise, meditate, go for a walk, listen to music or just sit on a park bench and let your thoughts drift. What you’re physically doing is less important than the fact that you’re mentally free.
“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” – Bill Gates
3. Pretend it’s opposite day
Lateral thinking is a much-touted process in the business world, but if you’re a more deliberate, strategic sort, it can be difficult to train yourself to think in lateral ways. One solution is to approach your problem from the complete opposite point of view. Here are a few examples:
- If you’re trying to figure out the cheapest way to do something, figure out the most expensive way to do it instead.
- If you want to make something smaller, think about how to make it bigger.
- If you want to retain customers, brainstorm methods that would actually drive them away.
By focusing on the negative mirror of a problem, you can force yourself to consider new perspectives and break out of your cognitive rut. Try it! It costs nothing, and it might just fix your troubles.
4. Play complex puzzle games
Multiple studies have shown that games are good for you. From improving your memory to increasing your attention span; games of all types have been associated with positive cognitive benefits. But did you know that puzzle games in particular are helpful to your problem-solving skills?
In a study by Nanyang Technological University, different groups of participants were given different types of games to play for an hour each day. The “complex puzzle” games were shown to improve executive function more than any other kind. If you’re looking to stimulate your brain with the maximum amount of results, try something like a crossword or serpent cube puzzle.
“A sum can be put right: but only by going back till you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on.” – C.S. Lewis
5. Use props
Consider your last brainstorming session. Did it involve lots of pens, notepads and binders? Was there anything more creative on the table than a traditional paper product? If you keep using the same tools, you can’t be surprised that you always come to the same solutions. Try something a little different with your next group strategy session.
Use photos, toys, trinkets and other knick-knacks to inspire your imagination and get some new ideas flowing. It’s an unconventional solution for the problem of how to improve problem solving skills, but it’s a highly effective one.
6. Track your epiphanies
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably had your fair share of “eureka” moments. Don’t let yourself be talked out of them by skeptical investors or colleagues. According to research by Scientific American, sudden epiphanies have a better track record for accuracy and relevance than ideas that come through deliberate analysis.
This is because of the “all or nothing” way that the brain produces ideas and solutions, and it’s supported by research done with EEG and MRI scans. If you’re trying to figure out a difficult problem, it’s worth your while to write down all of your “aha” moments. They might just contain the key to cracking the entire code.
These are just a few ways to improve problem solving skills. There are many more, of course, but these should be enough to kick-start your creativity and invigorate your cognitive processes. Don’t be afraid to use these ideas as a springboard for further greatness, either. If your imagination wants to take you on a journey, your best bet is to buckle up and enjoy the ride.
How have you enhanced your problem solving skills? Leave your thoughts below!
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Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)
The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)
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The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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