Problem Solving

Sample Behavioral Indicators

• Approaches a complex task or problem by breaking it down into parts and considering each part in detail.
• Seeks alternative information and chooses and option that meets the goal or solves the problem.
• Identifies and evaluates problems and possible causes to determine root causes and impacts.
• Works with key stakeholders to generate solutions, taking into consideration political, organizational, and individual realities.
• Identifies options for solving a problem and evaluates the relative strengths and weaknesses of each option.

Sample Behavioral-Based Interview Questions

• Tell me about one of the most difficult (or one of the best) decisions you have made. What made it so difficult? What process did you use to make this decision?
• Give me an example of a time you had to make a decision where you needed to carefully consider a great deal of conflicting, as well as supporting information.
• Describe a time you had to make a quick decision with incomplete information.
• Describe a problem situation where you had to seek out relevant information, define key issues, and decide on which steps to take to get the desired results.
• Give me an example of a time you identified a potential problem and resolved the situation before it became serious.
• We all make decisions that turn out to be mistakes. Describe a decision you made at work that you wish you could do over. What would you do differently if you could do it over again?

Recommended Resources

• Creative Problem Solving for Managers: Developing Skills for Decision Making and Innovation (Proctor). Routledge, 2014.
• Decision Making and Problem Solving: Creating Success (Adair). Kogan, 2013.
• Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work (Heath). Crown Business, 2013.
• The Decision Book: 50 Models for Strategic Thinking (Krogerus). Crown Business, 2012.