Empowering Others through Problem-Solving

Hello🙂

Are you spending all day solving problems, and directing or redirecting everyone throughout the day at your center because you are the only one who can answer their questions? Is it exhausting?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone else could figure out how to solve the small problems before they come to you for the answers?

Let’s talk about how to empower others with the skill of problem-solving!

All employees want to feel that they are valued and are able to contribute within their workplace environment. Think💭 back to when you first started in the early childhood field. Who empowered you to solve problems?

Now it is our turn as leaders to ignite the passion of our employees so that they have the drive within themselves to learn and grow their skills of problem- solving.

Our role as leaders is to make sure that we are elevating our team by providing guidelines and tools in order for them to properly problem-solve. I know you are thinking, where do I start? Well let me help give you some guidance!

Steps to Solving a Problem:

1. Identify what the problem

2. What is the cause of the problem

3. Brainstorm possible solution

4. Develop a plan

5. Communicate and Implement plan

6. Reflect to be sure the problem had been solved or adjust

What skills are needed for problem-solving?

 How can leaders facilitate empowerment?

•  Give opportunities to solve problems

• Show empathy when mistakes are made

• Encourage curiosity to ask questions

• Practice reflection: what was learned, how did change your perspective?

Empowering employees to problem-solve will help build their confidence, allow them to feel valued and build trust between you and your team. As you empower others to problem-solve, it will free up time in your day and build a culture of problem-solving.

When an employee feels empowered at work, they want to be at work; (and helps with employee retention!)

As we end our time together this week, I want to share one strategy that I use to build problem-solving skills. When someone comes to me with a problem, I ask “what is one way you are thinking this can be solved?” I encourage them to try their idea and follow-up with them to reflect on how their solution worked. It may not have been the way I would have solved the problem, but this strategy gave them autonomy to come up with an idea and try it.

As leaders, we want to solve everything for everyone, but we are not teaching other to think and solve for themselves. As teachers, they are encouraged to create opportunities for children to use critical thinking skills, why are we not doing the same for our employees?

Till Next time,

Jen😄

P.S. Would you like 3 problem solving Team Building activities? (Click here)

P.S. Send me a message if you would like to chat more about how to grow a problem-solving culture: [email protected]