self assessment problem solving

Self Evaluation Comments for Problem Solving (30 Examples)

By Status.net Editorial Team on May 19, 2023 — 9 minutes to read

Self-evaluation is an essential aspect of professional development. It helps you to identify areas of improvement and measure your progress towards achieving your goals. By evaluating your problem-solving skills, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and take steps to improve your performance.

Problem Solving Self-Evaluation Comments Examples

I was able to identify the root cause of the problem and develop a solution that addressed it effectively.
I was able to think outside the box and come up with a creative solution to a complex problem.
I was able to collaborate effectively with my team members to solve a challenging problem.
I was able to prioritize tasks and allocate resources efficiently to solve a problem within a tight deadline.
I was able to remain calm and composed under pressure while solving a critical problem.
I was able to analyze data and information to identify patterns and trends that helped me solve a problem.
I was able to communicate clearly and effectively with stakeholders to understand their needs and solve their problems.
I was able to adapt to changing circumstances and adjust my problem-solving approach accordingly.
I was able to learn from my mistakes and apply those lessons to future problem-solving situations.
I was able to use critical thinking skills to evaluate multiple options and select the best solution to a problem.
I was able to break down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts and solve each part individually.
I was able to identify potential obstacles and develop contingency plans to overcome them while solving a problem.
I was able to leverage my technical expertise to solve a problem that required specialized knowledge.
I was able to use my creativity and innovation to develop a unique solution to a problem.
I was able to gather and analyze feedback from stakeholders to continuously improve my problem-solving approach.
I was able to use my leadership skills to motivate and guide my team members towards a successful problem-solving outcome.
I was able to effectively manage competing priorities and still solve a problem within the given timeline.
I was able to use my communication skills to explain complex technical solutions to non-technical stakeholders.
I was able to use my analytical skills to identify patterns and trends that helped me solve a problem more efficiently.
I was able to use my problem-solving skills to identify opportunities for process improvements and implement them successfully.
I was able to use my research skills to gather information that helped me solve a problem more effectively.
I was able to use my project management skills to break down a large-scale problem into smaller, more manageable tasks.
I was able to use my negotiation skills to reach a mutually beneficial solution to a problem.
I was able to remain objective and unbiased while evaluating potential solutions to a problem.
I was able to use my attention to detail to identify small but critical issues that were contributing to a larger problem.
I was able to use my interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with stakeholders and work collaboratively towards a solution.
I was able to use my problem-solving skills to find a solution that balanced the needs of multiple stakeholders.
I was able to use my persistence and determination to keep working towards a solution even when faced with obstacles.
I was able to use my time management skills to prioritize tasks and allocate my time efficiently while solving a problem.
I was able to use my empathy and understanding of others’ perspectives to develop a solution that met everyone’s needs.

Improving Problem Solving Skills

To become a better problem solver, you need to develop critical thinking skills, effective communication skills, prioritize tasks, and use brainstorming techniques. Here are some tips to help you improve your problem-solving skills:

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze a situation, identify problems, and come up with creative solutions. To develop critical thinking skills, you need to:

Ask questions: Don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify the problem or gather more information.
Challenge assumptions: Don’t accept things at face value. Question assumptions and look for evidence to support them.
Evaluate evidence: Look for evidence that supports or contradicts your assumptions. Evaluate the quality and reliability of the evidence.
Consider alternative perspectives: Try to see the problem from different angles and consider alternative solutions.

Effective Communication Skills

Effective communication is essential for problem-solving because it helps you:

Understand the problem: Good communication skills help you clarify the problem and understand what is expected of you.
Collaborate with others: Effective communication skills help you work with others to find solutions.
Express your ideas clearly: Clear communication helps you convey your ideas and solutions to others.

To improve your communication skills, you need to:

Listen actively: Listen to others and try to understand their perspective.
Speak clearly: Speak clearly and concisely to avoid confusion.
Use nonverbal cues: Pay attention to body language and other nonverbal cues to understand what others are saying.

Prioritizing Tasks

Prioritizing tasks is essential for effective problem-solving because it helps you:

Focus on the most important tasks: Prioritizing helps you focus on the tasks that will have the most significant impact.
Manage your time: Prioritizing helps you manage your time more effectively.
Avoid procrastination: Prioritizing helps you avoid procrastination by breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.

To prioritize tasks effectively, you need to:

Identify the most important tasks: Identify the tasks that will have the most significant impact.
Break down large tasks: Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
Set deadlines: Set deadlines for each task to help you stay on track.

Brainstorming Techniques

Brainstorming is a technique used to generate creative ideas and solutions. To brainstorm effectively, you need to:

Generate a lot of ideas: Don’t be afraid to come up with as many ideas as possible, even if they seem silly or unrealistic.
Encourage creativity: Encourage creative thinking by allowing everyone to contribute ideas.
Avoid criticism: Don’t criticize or judge ideas during the brainstorming process.

To brainstorm effectively, you can use techniques like mind mapping, free writing, or group brainstorming sessions.

Time Management and Productivity

Managing time effectively.

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to problem-solving is managing your time effectively. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details and lose track of the big picture. To avoid this, set specific goals and deadlines for yourself. Make a to-do list and prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency. Use a timer or a stopwatch to keep track of how much time you spend on each task, and try to minimize distractions as much as possible.

For example, if you’re working on a project that requires a lot of research, set a goal to finish the research phase by the end of the day. Break the research down into smaller tasks, such as reading a certain number of articles or books, and set deadlines for each task. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re making progress towards your goal.

Overcoming Overwhelm

Feeling overwhelmed is a common problem when it comes to problem-solving. When you’re faced with a complex problem, it’s easy to feel like you don’t know where to start. To overcome this, break the problem down into smaller, more manageable parts. Identify the key issues or questions that need to be addressed, and focus on one at a time.

For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem with a product or service, start by identifying the key issues that are causing the problem. Once you’ve identified these issues, break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. Focus on one issue at a time, and come up with a plan to address it. Once you’ve addressed all of the key issues, you’ll have a better understanding of the problem as a whole, and you’ll be better equipped to come up with a solution.

Being Proactive

Being proactive is an important part of problem-solving. Instead of waiting for problems to arise, take a proactive approach and try to anticipate potential problems before they occur. This will help you stay ahead of the curve and avoid potential roadblocks.

For example, if you’re working on a project with a tight deadline, don’t wait until the last minute to start working on it. Instead, start working on it as soon as possible, and set specific goals and deadlines for yourself. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re making progress towards your goal. Additionally, be proactive in identifying potential roadblocks or issues that could arise, and come up with a plan to address them before they become a problem.

Performance Review and Goal Setting

Setting objectives.

When preparing for a performance review, it’s important to set specific objectives that will guide the conversation. Start by reflecting on your current role and responsibilities, and consider areas where you could improve or grow. These objectives should be measurable and achievable, and should align with your personal and professional goals.

For example, one objective might be to improve your communication skills by attending a workshop or taking an online course. Another objective might be to take on more leadership responsibilities within your team or department.

Measuring Performance

During the performance review, your manager will likely evaluate your progress towards meeting your objectives. It’s important to come prepared with concrete examples of how you’ve worked towards your goals, as well as any challenges or obstacles you’ve faced.

For example, if your objective was to improve your project management skills, you might share how you’ve successfully led a project from start to finish, or how you’ve implemented new tools or processes to streamline your workflow. If you’ve faced challenges, be honest about what went wrong and what you learned from the experience.

Creating an Action Plan

After reviewing your performance, you and your manager should work together to create an action plan for the next review period. This plan should include specific goals and objectives, as well as a timeline for achieving them. It’s also important to identify any resources or support you may need to reach your goals.

For example, if your objective is to improve your technical skills, you might discuss opportunities for additional training or mentorship. If your goal is to take on more leadership responsibilities, you might discuss ways to gain experience through shadowing or cross-functional projects.

Overall, the performance review and goal setting process is an important opportunity to reflect on your progress and set a course for future growth and development. By setting specific, measurable objectives and working collaboratively with your manager, you can ensure that you’re on track to achieve your personal and professional goals.

When writing self-evaluation comments, it is important to be honest and objective. Avoid making exaggerated or false claims about your abilities or achievements. Instead, focus on specific examples that demonstrate your skills and accomplishments.

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Problem Solving Self-Appraisal Comments Examples

Related Self-Evaluation Phrases

Problem Solving Self-Appraisal Phrases Examples To Examine Yourself

Problem Solving: 40 Useful Performance Feedback Phrases

Problem Solving: Use these sample phrases to craft meaningful performance evaluations, drive change and motivate your workforce.

Problem Solving is the skill of defining a problem to determine its cause, identify it, prioritize and select alternative solutions to implement in solving the problems and reviving relationships.

Problem Solving: Exceeds Expectations Phrases

Actively listens when others are talking and seek clarification on issues not well understood.
Seeks to brainstorm on problems to try to find the right solutions.
Evaluates all possible solutions and chooses the one that will deliver the best results.
Knows how well to collaborate with others to find solutions to problems.
Knows how to resolve any outstanding client issues and problems amicably.
Communicates views and thoughts in a very distinct and understandable manner.
Is decisive when it comes to making decisions and sticks by the decisions made.
Gathers all the necessary facts and information first before making any decision.
Monitors all outcomes of all actions undertaken to take full responsibility for any problem.
Breaks a problem down before starting to analyze it in a more detailed manner.

Problem Solving: Meets Expectations Phrases

Is always open-minded and readily accepts what others have to contribute.
Has an inquisitive nature and tries to analyze all that is happening around.
Always asks the right questions and raises any relevant issue when necessary.
Keeps things calm even when required to make quick decisions under high pressure.
Communicates or articulates issues in an obvious and concise way that people can easily understand.
Shows strong level-headedness when assessing situations and coming up with solutions.
Tries to be accommodative of other people's views and accepts them easily.
Always portrays enough knowledge of the problem and its feasible solutions.
Shows the willingness to change tact whenever the conditions change.
Creates opportunities to evaluate and implement the decisions that are arrived at properly.

Problem Solving: Needs Improvement Phrases

Not willing to be accommodative of other people's ideas and opinions.
Does not know how to present a problem in ways that people can understand.
Finds it difficult to articulate issues in a clear and understandable manner.
Not decisive and assertive when it comes to coming up with solutions.
Does not take the time to listen keenly to what others have to say or contribute.
Always in a hurry to make decisions and does not think things through.
Does not always monitor the decisions made to ensure that they have a positive impact.
When faced with a high-pressure problem, does not maintain a cool head to be able to solve it properly.
Not willing to collaborate with other people to come up with solutions to problems.
Does not manage client-related issues in a professional manner and customers are left unsatisfied.

Problem Solving: Self Evaluation Questions

How well do you solve issues and are you confident in your abilities?
Give an instance you solved a problem, and it was successful.
Give a situation that you solved a problem, and it was unsuccessful.
How well do you accommodate other people ideas and opinions when trying to solve a problem?
How do you manage high-pressure situations that require fast and urgent attention?
Do you involve other people when trying to solve any particular problem?
How well do you brainstorm before setting out to solve a problem?
Do you research well enough to get proper facts and information?
Are you in most cases conversant with what the problem is before you solve it?
How well are you keen on everything that is happening around you?

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Your complete guide to self-assessments (with examples)

self-assessment-examples-team-huddled-around-computer-talking

Bettering yourself — and your organization — starts with a look inward.

Especially in today’s labor market, employers are looking for ways to optimize employee performance. Some companies have pressed pause on hiring while others have forfeited to layoffs .

No matter where your organization falls on the hiring spectrum, employers everywhere can agree: it’s time to make sure employees are tapping into their full potential. The success of your organization depends on it.

At some point in everyone’s career, they'll likely have to participate in a performance evaluation.

In this post, we’ll talk about the benefits of self-assessments for both employers and employees. We’ll also give you some self-assessment examples to start using today. Plus, you’ll learn some best practices to help conduct effective and impactful self-assessments at your organization.

What is a self-assessment?

Typically, a performance evaluation, otherwise known as a self-assessment or performance review , begins with a series of notes from your employer or employers on how you have conducted yourself at work. They typically end with a self-assessment, where you share how much progress you believe you have made during a certain amount of time on the job.

8 benefits of self-evaluations for managers and employees

There are a number of reasons why self-assessments are a useful tool for both managers and employees.

On its face, self-assessments can seem like a performance management tool to keep employees on track. But it isn’t just a tool to keep employees on track to meet organizational goals. It helps employees grow, develop, and ultimately reach their full potential.

Here are some of the benefits self-evaluations offer employees and employers:

For managers

For managers or employers, self-assessments can be a useful tool that comes with a range of benefits. Here are four benefits of self-evaluations for managers.

Improved performance. But research tells us that self-assessments have a positive impact on personal and professional growth. In fact, one study found that implementing self-assessments drastically improved performance and self-directed learning skills.
Increased employee engagement. Managers have an incredible influence over the employee experience. A Gallup study found that managers can account for up to 70% of the variance in employee engagement . A self-assessment can be the entry point to open, clear, and transparent communication between manager and employee. When employees know what’s expected of them and what they need to work on, it can increase employee engagement .
Improved decision-making skills . Managers, you have to deeply know your employees’ strengths and areas of opportunity. When you’re managing a team, it’s critical to know when (and where) certain employees need to jump into a priority. Especially in a fast-changing world of work , the decisions that managers are making are increasing. But with help from a self-assessment by your employees, you have a window into where your employees can flex their skills. For example, let’s say a new data analysis project pops up. You need someone on your team to step up and lead the project. You also need another person to help crunch the numbers — and put together a narrative that the data tells. Because of your employees’ self-assessments, you can quickly identify and make decisions on who should lead what.
Better goal-setting. Self-assessments also help managers get a better understanding of what an employee's goals are at work. Having a good grasp on what employees want from their work and what they feel are their strengths and weaknesses can help managers lead better. A self-assessment is a handy tool for managers to use in order to highlight workers’ achievements, set future goals , check in on employee weaknesses, and assess how they can help employees improve those skills.

For employees

Just as managers benefit from self-assessments, so do employees. We’ve outlined four ways self-assessments help benefit the employee.

Increased self-awareness. A self-assessment can act as a mirror or reflection point. At BetterUp, we use a Whole Person Model to help our Members accurately gain self-awareness and self-reflect. According to our Whole Person Model, we see a 172% increase in self-awareness for those who start out low as a result of coaching. But what does coaching have to do with self-assessments? It can help bring awareness to an employee's strengths — and areas of opportunity.
Better learning and development goals. A self-assessment can help pinpoint different target growth areas. Designed to help prompt your employees to examine their skills, a self-assessment can be the tool you need to help identify a learning goal.
Improved self-confidence . A self-assessment, though it can sound intimidating, isn’t just for identifying what’s not working. For many employees, it’s also a reassurance of what’s working well, especially when your manager agrees. A self-assessment can help your employees realize strengths they might not have identified before. It can also show growth areas where they might’ve struggled before.
Opens up opportunities for further professional development. To go hand-in-hand with learning and development, self-assessments can help determine where employees should invest in professional development . For example, let’s say your employee takes a self-assessment and realizes they’re falling short on project management skills. Because of the assessment, you can offer project management workshops to help their professional development.

self-assessment-examples-two-colleagues-talking-over-ipad

38 self-assessment example questions for managers to use

Here are 38 examples of questions that managers can ask their employees during a self-assessment.

Self-evaluation questions on achievements

What areas do you think you could improve in?
What could you have done better at work over the past year?
What would you say your strengths are?
How do you think you have contributed the most to the company?
What has been your favorite project in the last year?
Do you think you did a good job fulfilling your responsibilities over the last year?

Self-assessment questions on goals

What goals did you set for yourself this year? Month? Quarter?
How many of those goals did you achieve?
Were you happy with the results of meeting those goals you set for yourself?
What are your future goals for next year? Quarter? Month? What can I do to help you better meet those goals?

Self-evaluation questions on advancement and professional growth

Have you taken part in any professional development programs the company offers?
Are there any leadership positions you would like to have in the future?
Is there any specific training that you feel you could use to help be more prepared to pursue a leadership role?
Are there any skills that you could develop outside of work that would help with your work performance?
Do you feel that there are any particular skills or talents of yours that you are not using?

Self-assessment questions on creativity

Do you feel that you think “outside the box” when it comes to finding solutions to work-related problems?
What are some examples of when you thought “ outside of the box ” in order to solve a work problem? What could your manager do to make it easier for you to use creative problem-solving skills ?
Do you feel that your position allows you to use your creative problem-solving skills to the fullest?

Self-evaluation questions on communication skills

Do you think that you communicate effectively with your manager and colleagues?
What do you think makes a good communicator?
How do you start difficult conversations with co-workers or managers?
How often do you ask for help on an assignment? Or ask questions to help clarify something about a project?

self-assessment-examples-two-women-talking-in-meeting

Self-assessment questions on time management

Do you think that you use your time wisely while at work?
When was a time when you thought you managed your time well?
How could you improve your time management skills in the future?
Can you describe an example of when you could have used your time better?

Self-evaluation questions on values and behaviors

Do you think that you have worked in a way that aligns with our core values?
What could you do to improve how you embody some of the company’s core values ?
What do you value most about your work?
When do you feel the most valued by the company?
What are the qualities you have that make a valuable employee?
List five things you do that positively impact your productivity .

Self-assessment questions on weaknesses

Can you identify any weaknesses that you might have that could be hampering your productivity?
Do you feel comfortable asking for help if you run into a problem with work?
How could you work toward improving your work-related opportunities?
Is there anything that leadership could do in order to help you address these opportunities?

Self-assessment example responses for employees

While coming up with questions for a performance review can be tough for managers. Crafting responses to a self-assessment that portrays an employee in their best light is even tougher.

Looking at a few examples of self-assessment questions and responses can be helpful when preparing for your own review. If you are particularly nervous about your self-assessment, practice by writing out some responses to the listed example questions. Use the example response as a jumping-off point for your own practice responses.

Here are some example responses to the self-evaluation questions listed above.

Self-evaluation responses on achievements

“I try to lead by example and feel that I put in my best effort every day. I am always the first person to arrive at work and always the last to leave.”
“I have extremely high standards for my work and have gone above and beyond my job description. I routinely set goals for myself and work late nights and over the weekend to complete assignments.”
“Earlier this year, I decided I wanted to improve my public speaking skills and volunteered to give a company-wide presentation on a recently completed project. I’m proud of myself for taking that fear head-on, and the presentation was well received.”

Self-assessment responses on goals

“I would like to be able to keep working on my leadership skills. In order to do this, I plan to double down on my commitment to keep pitching project ideas at meetings and taking the lead on group work. I am proud to say that I have grown as a leader over the past year and would love to continue to do so.”
“One of the goals I set for myself this year was to become more organized. I have struggled a bit to learn how to better manage my time or delegate tasks but I am actively trying to learn from my mistakes .”

Self-evaluation responses on advancement and growth

“When I applied for my current position, I did so with the long-term goal of eventually obtaining a managerial role. I can see myself overseeing a team at the company given my interests, ability to delegate tasks, organization, and expert time management skills. I also really enjoy pushing my colleagues to do their best and explore new ways of tackling a project.”
“ Now that I have worked at the company for a year, I have learned enough that I feel confident taking the creative lead on a project in the near future.”

Self-assessment responses about creativity

“Since starting with the company, I have often used creative problem-solving skills on assignments or used lateral thinking to find solutions to work-related problems.”
“I have been commended several times over the past quarter for my original ideas during pitch sessions, ability to think outside of the box, and come up with creative solutions to problems.”
“During my team’s weekly meeting, I am typically the first person to jump in with an idea for our next project.”
“I often try to help my colleagues figure out solutions to problems when they are stuck.”

Self-evaluation responses about communication skills

“I routinely ask questions to clarify expectations for assignments.”
“I am often the first one to speak up with a question or concern in a meeting.”
“I always speak respectfully when having hard conversations with managers and co-workers.”
“I know how to respectfully receive feedback on my performance from managers and co-workers.”
“I frequently talk to fellow team members about things that are going well or not so well on a project.”
“If I can not meet a deadline, I always give notice to my manager as early as possible with an explanation as to why I am behind.”

Self-assessment responses about time management skills

“In the past year, I have made all of my deadlines and frequently submit my work ahead of time.”
“My ability to be organized has saved co-workers hours of time on collaborations.”
“My co-workers will sometimes come to me for advice on how to improve their time management skills. I am always happy to give recommendations to co-workers in the hopes of making our company run more efficiently.”

Self-evaluation responses about values and behaviors

“I believe that the best relationships between employees and employers are built on transparency.”
“ I value kindness in the workplace and make sure to be as welcoming and helpful to everyone I interact with.”
“I believe that every obstacle can be overcome with open and respectful communication.”
“I value my co-workers and strive to be as thoughtful about their well-being as I am my own.”
“I believe that a positive attitude is the best tool in the workplace and always look at setbacks as opportunities.”

Self-assessment responses on weaknesses

“I am a high achiever and often struggle with telling a manager no to an extra work assignment even if I have a lot on my plate already. Unfortunately, this can impact my productivity as completing multiple tasks in a timely fashion can be a tough balancing act. As a result, I will sometimes miss a deadline or ask for a deadline to be changed. I have been learning how to let my manager know if I have too many tasks to take on a new assignment. I’m happy to say I have made some progress and will continue to work on improving.”
“I sometimes find it hard to ask for help completing a task when doing so could help me finish an assignment more efficiently. Because of this, I can inadvertently waste time on an assignment that could have been completed quickly with the help of a manager or co-worker. I am trying to be better at anticipating when I will need help for a project and asking for it early.”

self-assessment-examples-two-colleagues-huddling-in-office

Best practices when writing your self-assessment

1. be honest.

When writing a review of your work performance, be honest with yourself. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and a self-assessment is meant to highlight those on-the-job strengths. They also allow employees to come up with solutions on how to improve in their weaker areas. Make sure to be honest in mentioning times that you fell short at work from something small like turning up a few minutes late to a meeting to something more consequential like missing an important deadline.

2. Be confident

You should be proud of the work you do and there is nothing wrong with expressing that pride in a self-assessment. While being honest about work mistakes is crucial in a self-assessment, you should also mention the times that you went the extra mile or really shined.

3. Be committed to improving

A self-assessment is all about figuring out what you need to do to become better at your work, and there is always room for self-improvement . Make sure to express in your self-assessment how you want to keep growing. Expressing an interest in discovering new ways to improve on good work habits and strengths, as well as shortcomings, will make you appear to be an employee that will grow with the company.

4. Be professional

You should never make things personal in a self-assessment. That means no insulting your manager or boss for poor leadership skills or blaming a colleague for a less than stellar result on a collaborative project. It also means taking responsibility for your own shortcomings in the workplace. Being professional also means taking the performance review and the self-assessment seriously. Make sure to take the time to write a worthwhile review that isn’t rushed or forced and is instead filled with insights and solutions.

5. Take your time

A self-assessment that is rushed won’t help anyone. Make time for self-reflection beforehand, and take your time when sitting down to write your self-assessment and put some thought into it. This is one of the few chances that you will have in the workplace to advocate for yourself and remind your employer why you are great at your job. This is also a great opportunity to let management know that you are struggling with something and to see if there are any professional development programs that your company offers to help you address these weaknesses.

6. Be specific

During your self-assessment, use specific examples as much as possible. For example, if you are taking the time to write about how you consistently do the bulk of the work needed to complete group projects, make sure to list three or four examples. Don’t be afraid to say that you were the one that stayed up all night to make sure that a deadline was met. Or that you were the one that pushed your colleagues to make the project better.

Something that can help you do this more easily is to track your accomplishments throughout the year. Keep a journal or a small notebook at your desk or on your person where you can jot down notes about the things you think you have done well every day or every week. Having a weekly or monthly list of your accomplishments will make it much easier to remind a manager or employer how valuable you are to the company.

7. Use numbers

Data can help convince an employer that your work has been beneficial to the company. When writing a self-assessment, back up claims about your achievements with numbers. If you write in your self-assessment that you are great at figuring out ways to shorten the amount of time your team spends on projects, make sure to reference how much time you have been able to cut. Including concrete numbers in your self-assessment will allow your manager or employer to develop a metric to measure your achievements.

How to prepare for an employee self-assessment

Preparing ahead of time for giving or writing a self-assessment is central to having a constructive performance review. Managers should know what goals they would like employees to have completed and review themselves with some areas of weakness that employees can improve before talking about a self-assessment.

If you are having trouble figuring out how to craft a self-assessment to give to employees there are a number of free self-evaluation templates online, like this one .

By using a template, you can streamline the self-assessment process and make less work for yourself in the future if you need to modify any questions on the evaluation. When sitting down to have a person-to-person discussion about employee performance, remember to give constructive feedback .

Tap into the potential of your workforce

As a result, it’s important to make sure you’re maximizing the potential of your workforce. Self-assessments are the starting point to figuring out what potential lies within your employees (and your organization).

Whether you’re looking at your own performance or your employees’ performance, BetterUp can help. An employee self-evaluation can be the ticket to building better teamwork , job performance, and work ethic.

Get started with virtual coaching to help provide personalized support for your employees. The result? A mentally fit workforce that's better prepared for what the future holds.

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Make meaningful changes and become the best version of yourself. BetterUp's professional Coaches are here to support your personal growth journey.

Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

What is a DiSC assessment and how can it help your team?

Teamwork skills self-appraisal comments: 40 example phrases, 50+ self-care practices to take better care of yourself, 5 self-actualization examples: unlock maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the hidden benefits of self-compassion, how to stop being self-conscious: strategies to feel more confident, when you are the obstacle: how to overcome self-sabotage, why self-management is key to success and how to improve yours, overcome self-doubt (once and for all): 8 tips to move forward, similar articles, 360-degree feedback: definition, benefits, and examples, your guide to individual development plans (with examples), the ultimate guide to hiring for behavioral competency (with examples), how to beat the opposite of imposter syndrome: the dunning-kruger effect, 18 questions to ask in a performance self-evaluation, use a personal swot analysis to discover your strengths and weaknesses, self-concept: what is it, and can it change, 25 performance review questions (and how to use them), stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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Self-Assessment • 20 min read

How Good Is Your Problem Solving?

Use a systematic approach..

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Good problem solving skills are fundamentally important if you're going to be successful in your career.

But problems are something that we don't particularly like.

They're time-consuming.

They muscle their way into already packed schedules.

They force us to think about an uncertain future.

And they never seem to go away!

That's why, when faced with problems, most of us try to eliminate them as quickly as possible. But have you ever chosen the easiest or most obvious solution – and then realized that you have entirely missed a much better solution? Or have you found yourself fixing just the symptoms of a problem, only for the situation to get much worse?

To be an effective problem-solver, you need to be systematic and logical in your approach. This quiz helps you assess your current approach to problem solving. By improving this, you'll make better overall decisions. And as you increase your confidence with solving problems, you'll be less likely to rush to the first solution – which may not necessarily be the best one.

Once you've completed the quiz, we'll direct you to tools and resources that can help you make the most of your problem-solving skills.

How Good Are You at Solving Problems?

Instructions.

For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you. Please answer questions as you actually are (rather than how you think you should be), and don't worry if some questions seem to score in the 'wrong direction'. When you are finished, please click the 'Calculate My Total' button at the bottom of the test.

Answering these questions should have helped you recognize the key steps associated with effective problem solving.

This quiz is based on Dr Min Basadur's Simplexity Thinking problem-solving model. This eight-step process follows the circular pattern shown below, within which current problems are solved and new problems are identified on an ongoing basis. This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only.

Below, we outline the tools and strategies you can use for each stage of the problem-solving process. Enjoy exploring these stages!

Step 1: Find the Problem (Questions 7, 12)

Some problems are very obvious, however others are not so easily identified. As part of an effective problem-solving process, you need to look actively for problems – even when things seem to be running fine. Proactive problem solving helps you avoid emergencies and allows you to be calm and in control when issues arise.

These techniques can help you do this:

PEST Analysis helps you pick up changes to your environment that you should be paying attention to. Make sure too that you're watching changes in customer needs and market dynamics, and that you're monitoring trends that are relevant to your industry.

Risk Analysis helps you identify significant business risks.

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis helps you identify possible points of failure in your business process, so that you can fix these before problems arise.

After Action Reviews help you scan recent performance to identify things that can be done better in the future.

Where you have several problems to solve, our articles on Prioritization and Pareto Analysis help you think about which ones you should focus on first.

Step 2: Find the Facts (Questions 10, 14)

After identifying a potential problem, you need information. What factors contribute to the problem? Who is involved with it? What solutions have been tried before? What do others think about the problem?

If you move forward to find a solution too quickly, you risk relying on imperfect information that's based on assumptions and limited perspectives, so make sure that you research the problem thoroughly.

Step 3: Define the Problem (Questions 3, 9)

Now that you understand the problem, define it clearly and completely. Writing a clear problem definition forces you to establish specific boundaries for the problem. This keeps the scope from growing too large, and it helps you stay focused on the main issues.

A great tool to use at this stage is CATWOE . With this process, you analyze potential problems by looking at them from six perspectives, those of its Customers; Actors (people within the organization); the Transformation, or business process; the World-view, or top-down view of what's going on; the Owner; and the wider organizational Environment. By looking at a situation from these perspectives, you can open your mind and come to a much sharper and more comprehensive definition of the problem.

Cause and Effect Analysis is another good tool to use here, as it helps you think about the many different factors that can contribute to a problem. This helps you separate the symptoms of a problem from its fundamental causes.

Step 4: Find Ideas (Questions 4, 13)

With a clear problem definition, start generating ideas for a solution. The key here is to be flexible in the way you approach a problem. You want to be able to see it from as many perspectives as possible. Looking for patterns or common elements in different parts of the problem can sometimes help. You can also use metaphors and analogies to help analyze the problem, discover similarities to other issues, and think of solutions based on those similarities.

Traditional brainstorming and reverse brainstorming are very useful here. By taking the time to generate a range of creative solutions to the problem, you'll significantly increase the likelihood that you'll find the best possible solution, not just a semi-adequate one. Where appropriate, involve people with different viewpoints to expand the volume of ideas generated.

Tip: Don't evaluate your ideas until step 5. If you do, this will limit your creativity at too early a stage.

Step 5: Select and Evaluate (Questions 6, 15)

After finding ideas, you'll have many options that must be evaluated. It's tempting at this stage to charge in and start discarding ideas immediately. However, if you do this without first determining the criteria for a good solution, you risk rejecting an alternative that has real potential.

Decide what elements are needed for a realistic and practical solution, and think about the criteria you'll use to choose between potential solutions.

Paired Comparison Analysis , Decision Matrix Analysis and Risk Analysis are useful techniques here, as are many of the specialist resources available within our Decision-Making section . Enjoy exploring these!

Step 6: Plan (Questions 1, 16)

You might think that choosing a solution is the end of a problem-solving process. In fact, it's simply the start of the next phase in problem solving: implementation. This involves lots of planning and preparation. If you haven't already developed a full Risk Analysis in the evaluation phase, do so now. It's important to know what to be prepared for as you begin to roll out your proposed solution.

The type of planning that you need to do depends on the size of the implementation project that you need to set up. For small projects, all you'll often need are Action Plans that outline who will do what, when, and how. Larger projects need more sophisticated approaches – you'll find out more about these in the article What is Project Management? And for projects that affect many other people, you'll need to think about Change Management as well.

Here, it can be useful to conduct an Impact Analysis to help you identify potential resistance as well as alert you to problems you may not have anticipated. Force Field Analysis will also help you uncover the various pressures for and against your proposed solution. Once you've done the detailed planning, it can also be useful at this stage to make a final Go/No-Go Decision , making sure that it's actually worth going ahead with the selected option.

Step 7: Sell the Idea (Questions 5, 8)

As part of the planning process, you must convince other stakeholders that your solution is the best one. You'll likely meet with resistance, so before you try to “sell” your idea, make sure you've considered all the consequences.

As you begin communicating your plan, listen to what people say, and make changes as necessary. The better the overall solution meets everyone's needs, the greater its positive impact will be! For more tips on selling your idea, read our article on Creating a Value Proposition and use our Sell Your Idea Skillbook.

Step 8: Act (Questions 2, 11)

Finally, once you've convinced your key stakeholders that your proposed solution is worth running with, you can move on to the implementation stage. This is the exciting and rewarding part of problem solving, which makes the whole process seem worthwhile.

This action stage is an end, but it's also a beginning: once you've completed your implementation, it's time to move into the next cycle of problem solving by returning to the scanning stage. By doing this, you'll continue improving your organization as you move into the future.

Problem solving is an exceptionally important workplace skill.

Being a competent and confident problem solver will create many opportunities for you. By using a well-developed model like Simplexity Thinking for solving problems, you can approach the process systematically, and be comfortable that the decisions you make are solid.

Given the unpredictable nature of problems, it's very reassuring to know that, by following a structured plan, you've done everything you can to resolve the problem to the best of your ability.

This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only. It is just one of many Mind Tool quizzes that can help you to evaluate your abilities in a wide range of important career skills.

If you want to reproduce this quiz, you can purchase downloadable copies in our Store .

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Comments (2)

Afkar Hashmi

😇 This tool is very useful for me.

over 1 year

Very impactful

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60+ Self-Evaluation Examples to Empower your Workforce

Performance Management , Personal Development

Self-Evaluation Examples: Empower Your Workforce for Success

October 27, 2023

Fuel success with 60+ examples of self evaluation to unleash your team’s potential!

Self-evaluation is a crucial cornerstone of a successful 360-degree performance review process. It’s not just a mere checkbox on the to-do list; it’s a critical element that can make or break the effectiveness of the entire evaluation process. It’s the moment when employees have the chance to tell their story, showcasing their achievements and areas of career growth. But here’s the catch: if they don’t fill it out correctly, it can leave HR professionals in the dark, struggling to gauge an accurate picture of an employee’s performance .

This is why aiding employees in crafting an effective self-evaluation is important.

In this blog, we aim to provide you with a practical solution. We’ll share over 60 self-evaluation examples that your employees can easily utilize to gain a better understanding of how to construct their self-appraisals.

Before diving in, make sure to set clear goals and communicate expectations to your team based on their KPIs. This ensures that employees understand what’s expected of them and allows them to assess their work performance, backed by data for a comprehensive evaluation. With Peoplebox, aligning self-appraisal with performance goals becomes a seamless process for you and your team.

What Criteria Does the Self-evaluation Form Include?

Before your employees begin writing their self-appraisals, it’s essential that they have a clear understanding of the key criteria on which they should evaluate their own performance. Here are the fundamental criteria that make up an effective self-evaluation form, share it with your employees to assist them in crafting more insightful and impactful self-appraisals.

Accomplishments

In any performance evaluation, aligning accomplishments with organizational goals is paramount. Encourage employees to detail their achievements that directly contribute to the company’s mission and objectives. For instance, if an employee played a pivotal role in increasing sales by 20% or completed a project ahead of schedule, these are noteworthy accomplishments that should be highlighted.

Areas of Improvement

The ability to recognize and acknowledge areas for improvement is a crucial trait in professional growth. Employees should candidly discuss areas where they believe they can enhance their performance. Whether it’s a need for additional training or a particular skill set, this self-evaluation criterion fosters a proactive approach to self-improvement.

On job competencies

Understanding one’s strengths is as important as recognizing weaknesses. Employees should list their core competencies and strengths, emphasizing how these attributes contribute to their team and the organization as a whole. This encourages employees to take pride in their skills and boosts their confidence.

Things you value in the company

Incorporating this element into the self-evaluation process demonstrates an employee’s commitment to the organization’s values and culture. Encourage employees to share what they value most about the company, whether it’s the collaborative work environment, the opportunities for growth, or the company’s commitment to social responsibility. This not only reinforces the alignment between the employee and the company’s values but also helps in understanding organizational culture from an employee perspective.

Goals for next quarter

The forward-looking aspect of self-evaluation is often underestimated. Employees should set goals for the upcoming quarter or evaluation period. Whether it’s setting specific performance targets, acquiring new skills, or taking on additional responsibilities, this criterion reflects an employee’s commitment to personal and professional development.

Performance management platforms like Peoplebox make goal-setting and tracking easy. With options to assign owners, choose goal cycles, and track progress every step of the way, goal setting becomes a streamlined and collaborative process.

How to set employee goals for performance review on Peoplebox

Social and Soft Skills

In today’s interconnected workplace, social and soft skills are invaluable. During self-appraisal, employees should reflect on how their communication, teamwork, leadership, and adaptability skills have contributed to their effectiveness within the organization. Encouraging employees to provide concrete examples of situations where their soft skills made a difference adds depth to their self-assessment.

With a performance management software like Peoplebox, you can seamlessly integrate self-evaluation into your feedback process. This fosters a proactive approach to personal growth by encouraging employees to candidly discuss areas for improvement and recognize their core competencies.

Now that we have covered the key criteria to consider, let us dive into 60+ self-evaluation examples to empower your workforce for success.

But before that, it’s crucial to recognize that the quality of the answers is directly linked to the quality of the questions posed. Unsure about the right questions for a performance review? We’ve got you covered! Download our FREE ebook, filled with a curated list of impactful questions designed to enhance your performance review process.

60+ Employee Self-evaluation Examples

To make the self-evaluation process more effective, we’ve compiled an extensive list of specific examples of self-evaluation. These employee self-evaluation examples are categorized into achievements and areas for growth, covering a wide range of job-related skills and personal development aspects.

Self-evaluation Examples for Work To Assess Teamwork And Collaboration Skills

Effective teamwork and collaboration are at the heart of a thriving workplace. To evaluate these essential skills, employees should be prepared to reflect on their ability to work cohesively with others during self-appraisals.

Here are some key questions to consider:

How well do you work with your team? Can you share an example where your contribution to the team helped the company reach or near its business goal?

Example 1: “I consistently fostered a positive team environment by actively participating in group discussions and encouraging open communication. This led to our team consistently meeting project deadlines.”

Example 2: “I played a key role in resolving a team conflict by mediating between two conflicting parties, which resulted in improved collaboration and better productivity.”

Areas for Improvement

Example 1: “While I work well within my immediate team, I need to actively seek cross-functional collaboration to leverage diverse perspectives and insights.” Example 2: “I sometimes struggle to express my new ideas clearly in group settings, which occasionally leads to misunderstandings. I aim to enhance my communication skills in team meetings.”

Self Assessment Examples For Assessing Job Performance

Evaluating job performance is pivotal in any organization. Employees should critically assess their contributions to the company’s goals.

Here are some guiding questions for this self-evaluation:

What are your major accomplishments in your current role? How have you contributed to the organization’s success?

Example 1: “I consistently exceeded my quarterly sales targets by implementing innovative sales strategies and maintaining strong client relationships.”

Example 2: “I played a pivotal role in optimizing our project management system, which resulted in a 20% reduction in project completion time.”

Example 1: “I occasionally struggle with time management, which leads to minor delays in project completion. I plan to improve my time management skills to meet deadlines more consistently.”

Example 2: “While my technical skills are strong, I want to enhance my soft skills to improve client interactions and public speaking, and maintain better relationships.”

Self evaluation To Assess Job Performance And Future Goals

Self-assessment for job performance isn’t just about the present; it’s also an opportunity to envision and plan for the future with clear expectations.

Consider these questions:

Have you achieved your previous job performance goals? What are your future career goals and how are you working towards them?

Self appraisal examples highlighting accomplishments

Example 1: “I achieved all the goals set in my last performance review, and I’m on track to meet my long-term career objectives, which include securing a leadership role within the next two years.”

Example 2: “I consistently seek opportunities for professional growth and have completed four online courses in the last year to enhance my skills and knowledge.”

Self appraisal examples highlighting areas for Improvement

Example 1: “I sometimes find it challenging to align my daily tasks with my long-term goals. I plan to create a more structured career development plan to bridge this gap.”

Example 2: “While I excel in my current role, I lack experience in a few critical areas required for future leadership. I intend to seek mentorship and training in those specific areas.”

Self-evaluation Focused On KPIs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provide clear benchmarks for success. Self-evaluation in this context involves analyzing one’s alignment with these metrics.

Reflect on these questions during your self-assessment process:

How have you performed against your KPIs? Have you contributed to improving the KPIs within your department or team?

Example 1: “I consistently met or exceeded all my Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the year, leading to a 15% increase in departmental efficiency.”

Example 2: “I successfully streamlined our KPI tracking process, reducing manual work and allowing for real-time updates on progress.”

Example 1: “While I perform well on established KPIs, I need to work on setting more challenging KPIs to continue driving growth in our department.”

Example 2: “I sometimes struggle to adapt to new KPIs introduced mid-year. I plan to become more flexible in my approach to ensure better performance.”

Work Environment And Company Culture Self-evaluation

Company culture is essential to employee satisfaction and productivity. To evaluate one’s impact on the work environment and culture , consider these questions:

How have you contributed to fostering a positive work environment and company culture? Have you actively addressed workplace issues or conflicts?

Self appraisal comments highlighting accomplishments

Example 1: “I actively contributed to our company’s culture of diversity and inclusion by organizing a cultural awareness workshop, which received positive feedback from colleagues.”

Example 2: “I played a key role in maintaining a positive work environment by consistently addressing workplace issues and fostering a sense of belonging among my team members.”

Self assessment comments covering areas for Improvement

Example 1: “While I am an advocate for workplace culture, I sometimes struggle to balance my commitments in this area with my core job responsibilities.”

Example 2: “I aim to improve my conflict resolution skills to help address any arising tensions within the team effectively .”

Leadership Skills Self-evaluation Examples

Leadership skills are key for personal growth and team success. To assess these skills, think about your actions as a leader and how they influence your team.

What leadership accomplishments can you highlight? How have you mentored or inspired your team members?

Example 1: “I successfully led a cross-functional team through a challenging project, resulting in a 30% increase in project efficiency and a 15% cost reduction.”

Example 2: “I actively mentor team members, and my team’s overall performance improved by 20% this year, thanks to my leadership and guidance.”

Example 1: “While I excel in day-to-day leadership, I need to enhance my long-term strategic planning abilities to guide the team towards broader objectives.”

Example 2: “I aim to improve my delegation skills to empower team members more effectively and reduce the pressure on myself.”

Self-evaluation To Assess Communication And Interpersonal Skills

Effective communication is the cornerstone of workplace relationships. To evaluate your communication and interpersonal skills, reflect on these questions:

How well do you communicate with your colleagues, superiors, and clients? Have you actively sought and incorporated feedback from others?

Example 1: “I am proficient in delivering clear and concise presentations, and I received positive feedback from clients for my effective communication.”

Example 2: “I actively seek feedback from team members and colleagues, which has led to better collaboration and more open communication within our department.”

Example 1: “I occasionally struggle with written communication, so I am working to improve my written correspondence skills to ensure clarity and professionalism.”

Example 2: “I need to work on my active listening skills to ensure that I fully understand the perspectives of others in meetings and discussions.”

Self Assessment Examples To Evaluate Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is increasingly recognized as a vital skill. To assess your emotional intelligence, ask yourself:

How do you handle workplace conflicts and challenging emotional situations? Are you aware of your own emotions and their impact on your decision-making and interactions?

Example 1: “I consistently handle workplace conflicts with empathy and understanding, fostering a more harmonious work environment.”

Example 2: “I have developed a high degree of emotional resilience, which has allowed me to manage stressful situations effectively and ensure a positive impact on others.”

Example 1: “While I am emotionally intelligent, I sometimes struggle with recognizing and addressing emotions in others. I aim to enhance my empathy skills further.”

Example 2: “I need to work on my self-awareness to better understand how my emotions can impact my decision-making and interactions with others.”

Self-evaluation Examples for Work To Assess Problem Solving And Decision Making Skills

Problem solving and decision making are integral to professional growth. To evaluate these skills, consider the following:

How have you tackled complex problems and challenges in your role? Do you make well-informed decisions and analyze data effectively?

Example 1: “I consistently resolve complex problems by breaking them down into manageable steps and collaborating with team members, leading to a XX% reduction in project delays.”

Example 2: “I have a track record of making well-informed decisions by thoroughly analyzing data and considering potential risks, resulting in successful project outcomes.”

Example 1: “While I excel in routine problem-solving, I aim to improve my ability to think ‘outside the box’ and explore more creative solutions.”

Example 2: “I sometimes hesitate in decision-making, which can cause minor delays. I plan to enhance my confidence in making quick, effective decisions.”

Self-evaluation Examples for Work To Evaluate Time Management And Productivity

Time management and productivity are crucial in any job. For self-assessment, ponder these questions:

How well do you manage your time to meet deadlines and prioritize tasks? Have you adopted effective time management techniques to boost productivity?

Example 1: “I consistently meet deadlines and prioritize tasks effectively, resulting in a 10% increase in my daily productivity .”

Example 2: “I actively use time management techniques, like the Pomodoro method, to stay focused and achieve my daily tasks efficiently.”

Example 1: “I sometimes struggle with multitasking, which can impact my efficiency. I plan to work on improving my ability to juggle multiple tasks effectively.”

Example 2: “I aim to minimize distractions during work hours to further enhance my time management skills and boost my overall productivity.”

Self-evaluation To Assess Ethical Conduct

Maintaining ethical conduct and work ethics is essential for personal and organizational integrity. To assess your adherence to these values, ask yourself:

How consistently do you uphold your company’s ethical standards? Have you actively promoted ethical practices within your team or department?

Self appraisal comments highlighting strength

Example 1: “I adhere to our company’s code of ethics without exception and consistently model ethical behavior for my team, resulting in a culture of integrity.”

Example 2: “I have actively promoted ethical practices by reporting any unethical behavior or violations, thereby upholding our organization’s values.”

Self appraisal comments highlighting areas for Improvement

Example 1: “I need to work on my ability to handle ethical dilemmas more effectively, seeking guidance when necessary to make the right decisions.”

Example 2: “I aim to enhance my ethical decision-making by further understanding our company’s specific ethical guidelines and their implications.”

Self-evaluation To Assess Adaptability And Resilience

In a constantly changing world, adaptability and resilience are invaluable traits. Reflect on these questions for self-assessment:

How well do you adapt to changes in your work environment and projects? Are you resilient in the face of challenges and setbacks?

Example 1: “I effectively adapted to a sudden shift in project priorities, ensuring that our team remained productive and delivered results ahead of schedule.”

Example 2: “I consistently maintain a positive attitude in the face of challenges, which has been recognized by colleagues and has inspired a resilient mindset within the team.”

Example 1: “While I handle most changes well, I occasionally find it challenging to adapt to significant shifts in project scope. I am working on improving my adaptability in such cases.”

Example 2: “I aim to enhance my stress management skills to maintain resilience in high-pressure situations.”

Self-evaluation Examples Evaluating Customer Service Skills

In roles involving customer interactions, customer service skills are vital. To assess these skills, consider the following:

How well do you handle customer interactions and address their needs?
Have you built strong relationships with clients to enhance repeat business and referrals?

Example 1: “I consistently receive positive feedback from clients for my responsive communication and problem-solving abilities, resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction.”

Example 2: “I have developed strong relationships with key clients, which has led to increased repeat business and referrals.”

Example 1: “While I excel in customer interactions, I sometimes need to improve my product knowledge to answer more technical questions.”

Example 2: “I occasionally struggle with handling irate customers effectively. I am working on de-escalation techniques to improve in this area.”

Critical Thinking Self-appraisal Examples

Critical thinking is the foundation of effective decision-making. To evaluate your critical thinking skills, ask yourself these questions while self-evaluating:

How do you approach problems and make decisions by considering different perspectives? Have you promoted a culture of critical thinking and innovation within your team?

Example 1: “I consistently approach problems with a critical mindset, analyzing data and considering multiple perspectives to arrive at well-informed decisions.”

Example 2: “I have successfully trained my team to think critically, fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency.”

Example 1: “I aim to enhance my problem-solving creativity to generate more out-of-the-box solutions to complex challenges.”

Example 2: “I sometimes find it challenging to maintain critical thinking under tight deadlines. I plan to improve my ability to think clearly in high-pressure situations.”

Self-appraisal Examples To Evaluate Negotiation Skills

Negotiation skills are crucial in many roles. To assess your negotiation skills, think about your approach and effectiveness in negotiations. Reflect on these questions:

How well do you negotiate to achieve favorable outcomes? Are you assertive and well-prepared in negotiations, and do you maintain a collaborative approach?

Example 1: “I negotiate advantageous terms in contracts, saving the company XX% on supplier agreements.”

Example 2: “I have successfully mediated between team members in conflict, helping them find common ground and reach mutually beneficial solutions.”

Example 1: “I sometimes struggle with assertiveness during negotiations. I am working on improving my ability to stand firm on key points while maintaining a collaborative approach.”

Example 2: “I aim to enhance my negotiation preparation skills to enter discussions with more information and leverage.”

Self-evaluation Examples For Start, Stop, Continue Feedback

The “Start, Stop, Continue” approach is a simple yet effective way to assess your work habits. To use this approach for self-evaluation, ask yourself:

What new habits or actions should you start implementing for personal and professional growth? What existing habits or actions should you stop to improve your performance? What current practices or behaviors should you continue because they contribute positively to your work and development?

Peoplebox simplifies start/stop/continue feedback with its built-in templates, making the process effortless.

Use Peoplebox performance management platform to collect self appraisals

Self-evaluation Examples for New Tasks You Must Start

Example 1: “I plan to start actively seeking cross-functional projects to broaden my skills and knowledge within the organization.”

Example 2: “I intend to start providing more constructive feedback to my peers to foster a culture of growth and improvement within the team.”

Self-evaluation Examples for Tasks You Must Stop

Example 1: “I recognize that I need to stop procrastinating on certain tasks and start addressing them promptly to improve productivity.”

Example 2: “I should stop engaging in non-essential tasks during work hours and stay focused on my core responsibilities.”

Self-evaluation Examples for Tasks You Must Continue

Example 1: “I will continue actively participating in team-building activities to maintain a positive work environment.”

Example 2: “I intend to continue my daily routine of reviewing industry news to stay updated on current trends and best practices.”

Align Performance Review with Business Goals Using Peoplebox

Feedback and reviews are the cornerstone of your company’s success. When implemented correctly, it sets a culture of continuous improvement and growth. With advancements in digital technology, performance management tools like Peoplebox can come in handy.

It seamlessly integrates with your existing collaboration tools like Slack and Team and help you streamline your employee feedback and reviews.

Client review about Peoplebox’s integration capabilities

By integrating Peoplebox with your Slack/Microsoft Teams application, you can:

Conduct customized 360-degree reviews
Administer employee engagement and life surveys
Send personalized nudges for 1:1s, check-ins, and goal updation
Discuss and align on progress around goals & strategic initiatives
Run meaningful 1:1s with agenda and talking points
Onboard new employees

With Peoplebox by your side, remove unnecessary hassle from your HR process and get ready to give your employees the magical experience they deserve.

Talk to our solutions experts to know how Peoplebox can help.

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Blog · Performance Management

February 20, 2020

Employee Self-evaluation Sample Answers for Key Soft Skills

These self-evaluation sample answers will help you to keep the management informed of your work progress and to encourage your personal development.

by Dominika Cechova

Employee Self-evaluation Sample Answers for Key Soft Skills

We have previously explored the art of writing a self-assessment review and how to structure it, providing some useful examples for various industries and areas of work . In this article, we provide sample answers for assessing soft skills that are essential for each and every role .

Remember that once you are writing your self-evaluation you should always be critical and reflective but shouldn’t put yourself and your achievements down . Provide facts and figures to illustrate your achievements and make your statements stronger . Be specific and descriptive of both positive and negative attributes of your work.

For each of the areas, you should always consider the positive and negative attributes of your performance. Determine where did you exceed the expectations, where did you meet them and where and how you can continue to improve. Additionally, you might want to connect your self-assessment to the core values of the company.

Self-Evaluation - Soft Skills to Include in your Self-Evaluation

1. Collaboration and Teamwork

Think about how other team members see you, how effective are you at collaboration and what are your relationships at work like. You might also want to think about your ability to come up with creative solutions as a part of a team.

Self-Evaluation - Collaboration and Teamwork

Positive Sample Answer

“I believe that during the past quarter I have demonstrated strong teamwork skills. I have effectively collaborated with my department and team as well as I have shown my ability to work with external parties. During projects, I have shown confidence to express my creative ideas and opinions that added value to the team discussion.“

Negative Sample Answer

“I am aware I can be overly controlling and take over a project, not allowing others for enough space to contribute and develop their skills. I need to work on my ability to work effectively as a team and give others space to express their opinions and ideas. I need to learn how to take a step back and follow others rather than attempt to take a lead in every project.”

2. Self-motivation

Do you have a positive attitude towards your job and the company you work for? Do you meet the expectations of your role and maintain sufficient levels of productivity? Are you working to improve your knowledge and skills?

“Throughout my time at XX I have demonstrated high levels of self-management and motivation. I continuously manage to meet deadlines and finish my responsibilities in a timely manner.“

“I feel sometimes I get too focused on a task and take much longer than is appropriate due to my perfectionism. I have to learn to effectively dedicate resources to not only get work done well but also efficiently”

3. Leadership

Are you able to effectively manage people and work with others? Can you provide direction to your reports and teammates?

“I reckon I effectively lead by example and take actions and adopt behaviors I expect from my team. I feel I am defined by the actions I take at work rather than by what I say. I dedicate time to spend with my reports to help them resolve their challenges and issues and encourage their personal and professional development.”

“I think I should focus more on promoting the company culture and values around my team. Despite the fact I am effectively developing individual relationships across the team and support them through regular check-ins and one-to-ones, I should focus more on promoting team-spirit and collaboration across the team.”

4. Problem Solving

Are you able to effectively solve problems? Do you come up with creative solutions when a challenge occurs? What methods to solve problems do you use?

“I strongly feel problem-solving skills are one of my strongest characteristics. I usually manage to solve complex problems effectively by taking into consideration different perspectives and breaking down the problem to analyze it. When solving problems as a team I apply active listening to understand the issue thoroughly through the experience and knowledge of others. I seek clarification if the problem is not well understood.”

“I tend to get overwhelmed if an important decision needs to be made, and seek the support of others rather than looking at the facts myself. I need to work on how to prioritize and evaluate complex problems.”

5. Decisiveness

Are you able to make effective and informed decisions that are beneficial for you, your team and the whole business?

“I effectively prioritize the most urgent tasks and decisions. When a difficult decision needs to be made, I evaluate the positives and negatives and possible outcomes to make an informed decision. When analyzing a problem, I research it and request evidence from those who are more familiar with the theme.”

“I tend to rely too much on my past experiences and assumptions rather than putting effort into doing my research before coming to difficult decisions. Additionally, I should dedicate more time to self-reflection when things go wrong to eliminate bad habits and prevent the issue from happening again.”

6. Ability to work under pressure and Time Management

Are you able to work under pressure and manage your tasks? Do you manage your workload and avoid having unfinished commitments?

“I always meet my deadlines and effectively manage my workload. I believe I have a strong ability to prioritize the most important tasks. I am also aware of my lack of experience and thus I leave enough time to review completed tasks before I submit them to my manager.“

Self-Evaluation - Ability to work under pressure and time management

“I tend to struggle with time management. I often leave tasks that I find too challenging or boring last minute and then I do not have enough time to finish them to a required quality. If I am under stress, my attention to detail worsens.”

7. Communication

When evaluating your communication skills you should consider your written communication as well as verbal communication skills. Effective communication is key to a happy teamwork.

“I try to cultivate a culture of openness and sharing among the team. I appreciate critical conversations and positive confrontation over ignoring problems and challenges. I actively listen to my team and promote shared decision making. In my communication with clients I engage in professional manner and successfully build a positive rapport.”

“I sometimes get involved in miscommunication. Hence, I often spend too much time clarifying problems and tasks. I need to work on my ability to manage my emotions and not let them affect my professional relationships.”

8. Flexibility

Being flexible and adaptable is a must-have in a modern workplace. You have to be able to respond to change quickly and be able to adjust.

“I handle change with ease and often make improvements to make the transition easier. I also appreciate comments and criticism when adjusting to change to make it smooth. If things go wrong I remain calm and positive and aim to find a solution in a proactive manner.”

“I have to work on my ability to support others through change and avoid micromanagement. I also struggle to adopt new work assignments and tasks that I feel are outside of my job responsibilities.”

9. Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

Do you have a sufficient ability to negotiate deals for yourself and your business? Are you able to effectively resolve conflict?

“During my time at xx I have effectively negotiated xx deals and brought xx to the business. I believe that my analytical character and strong people skills allow me to be in control during the meetings and direct the manner to achieve results.”

Self-Evaluation - Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

“I think I have made great progress in my negotiation skills since I first stared at xx, yet I am aware of the areas of my improvement. I feel I approach the meetings in an appropriate manner and make the other part feel comfortable. However, I struggle to actively listen; I tend to interrupt the others, I also should, seek clarification when needed and thus I often jump into assumptions that are not 100% correct.”

10. Emotional intelligence

To get more examples on your performance read our article on 70 performance reviews phrases examples that will help you evaluate different areas of your job.

Self-Evaluation - Emotional Intelligence

“I feel I am very aware of my strengths and weaknesses and thus I am able to manage my emotions and frustrations as well as to recognise the value of my colleagues ideas, opinions and challenges. I am an effective listener and always try to understand and listen to colleagues' objections.”

“I often get frustrated when other members of my team struggle to keep up. I get overly emotional and do not handle frustration, stress or anger well. I struggle to communicate and often engage in conversations that are off-putting to others and am too controlling. Therefore, I often get distracted and do not take others' points into account.”

Writing a self-evaluation can be tricky. To some, it can be difficult to recognize the areas of improvement while others struggle not to be overly critical. The most fundamental thing is be reflective , and to take a step back. Be objective. Highlight your achievements without bribing or giving yourself too little credit and also identify areas of improvement and how they can be reached.

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The best self-evaluation examples for performance reviews

Asking employees to do what's known as a self-evaluation is a normal part of the performance review process . In other words, we ask them to analyse and reflect on their performance and their contribution to the company throughout a given period and put it in writing. To ensure we receive accurate, complete and honest self-evaluations, especially when doing so for the first time, we recommend looking at other employee self-evaluation examples or use pre-designed templates . The HR team can also provide a script or questionnaire on how to write a performance evaluation self-evaluation as a reference for employees. Below, we take a look at some examples of self-evaluations for performance reviews to clear any doubts:

Self-evaluation examples

Harvey Mudd College proposes a questionnaire that enables the user to choose which questions they want to answer and customise their self-evaluation. The questions are also split into categories to make it easier to understand.

Job description

How would you describe your main responsibilities?
Have these responsibilities changed over time
Do you carry out any other tasks, and if so, which?
Is there anything in your work you would like to change, and if so, how would you do it?
What could your line manager do to help you be more successful in your job?
How do you think your department could improve?

Performance vs achievements

What action have you taken to fulfil your responsibilities?
Do you feel you've been successful during this period?
Do you think you could have done anything better?
How do you think you have contributed to our department during this period?
What are your main strengths?
In which areas do you feel you could improve?
What objectives have you reached during this period?
Which ones did you not manage to achieve, and why?
What objectives do you propose for the next period?
Do you think you need help or extra resources to reach these objectives?

Professional development

What training programmes have you taken part in?
Are there any areas you would like to train in?
Do you need extra resources or training to do your job?
What could your line manager do to help you achieve your professional development goals?

Free Self Evaluation Template

To help you and your employees with their next self evaluation, we've created this self evaluation template that you can download for free. With this template, you and your employees will be able to prepare themselves in no time for their next performance review - with the added benefit that all your future self evaluations will be consistent in style and form. If you do have any additional questions that you would like to add to our template, you are of course more than welcome to modify it.

Self-evaluation sample answers

Properly preparing the self-evaluation answers is just as important as having a script, as they will be a part of the company's final assessment. Some inspiration for possible answers:

1. Collaboration and teamwork

Positive option: " I believe that my skills and my ability to work in a team have been valuable during this period. I have taken an active role in my department, working with confidence and expressing my ideas and opinions." Negative option: "I realise that I can be too controlling in a project, and I don't give other members of the team enough room to contribute or develop their ideas. I must learn to give others more space and let them take the initiative too."

2. Motivation

Positive option: "I have consistently shown commitment and motivation ever since I joined the company. I meet set deadlines and objectives on time." Negative option: "As I'm a perfectionist, I think that I sometimes spend too much time on one task. I must learn to use resources more efficiently."

3. Leadership

Positive option: " I feel that I lead my team by example. My actions are what defines my work." That's why I spend time thinking about how to solve the problems and challenges that may arise." Negative option: "Maybe I should try harder to promote the company's culture and values within my team. While I regularly hold meetings with this in mind, I should focus on boosting team spirit and collaboration."

4. Problem-solving

Positive option: "I have demonstrated my problem-solving skills several times during my time in the company." I manage to solve difficult situations efficiently, always taking the rest of the team into consideration." Negative option: "I sometimes feel overwhelmed when having to make an important decision, so I ask others for advice. I need to work on my ability to solve complex problems."

5. Decision-making skills

Positive option: "When faced with a difficult decision, I make a rational assessment of the positives and negatives, as well as the possible outcomes." I do research and seek expert advice to make an informed decision." Negative option: "When it comes to making decisions, I tend to fall back on past experiences instead of looking for new solutions. I should spend more time reflecting and avoid making the same mistakes."

6. Working under pressure

Positive option: "I manage my time effectively to meet deadlines, however tight they may be." I have the ability to prioritise the most important tasks, and if I can't do it, I'll delegate to others who have the experience." Negative option: "Time management is one of my weaknesses. I usually leave the more difficult or least appealing tasks until the last minute. My attention to details gets worse as the stress builds."

7. Communication

Positive option: "I value conversation and debate among colleagues. I actively listen to my team and encourage joint decision-making. I try to build positive relationships when communicating with clients." Negative option: "I need to work on my ability to deal with emotions and not let them affect my working relationships. I sometimes find it hard to communicate."

8. Adaptability

Positive option: "I adapt to change and I try to do my bit during transitions." I appreciate feedback when things don't go well, I stay calm and positive." Negative option: "I must work on supporting change and avoid micromanagement. I find it difficult to take on new tasks or those that don't fall under my responsibility."

9. Negotiation and problem-solving

Positive option: "I successfully negotiated (fill in as applicable) during this period which resulted in (add information about gains) for the company. I'm an analytical thinker which enables me to accurately assess situations and steer the conversation towards achieving results." Negative option: "While I feel I have progressed with my negotiation skills, I still think there's room for improvement. I approach meetings appropriately, and I always try to use active listening."

10. Emotional intelligence

Positive option: "I'm aware of my strengths and weaknesses, which enables me to deal with emotions more easily. I try to understand and listen to everyone." Negative option: "I often feel frustrated, and I find it hard to communicate when faced with certain behaviours by other team members. I get distracted and don't take other people's opinions into consideration."

Tips on how to write a performance evaluation self-assessment

As well as taking these self-evaluation examples into consideration, below are some general tips that can be useful when writing the document.

1. Use numbers to your advantage

Include figures that add value to your work, if possible. It's always better if you use numbers to speak for themselves. Also, a self-evaluation should include metrics and KPIs. For example: Wrong: "I achieved great success in 2020." Correct: "I exceeded my sales targets by 135% in 2020."

2. Mention results

Don't take anything for granted or think that numbers speak for themselves. Mention and explain every one of your achievements during the period in question. Don't expect your boss to remember every single one. For example: "In the third quarter, the marketing campaign achieved twice as much visibility than the previous quarter."

3. Take the company's objectives into account

One good way to stand out in your evaluation is to consider the company's objectives and explain how your work has contributed to achieving them. Find specific figures and justify them. For example: "I increased my own sales by 10% as part of the department's general sales strategy."

4. Record your achievements in real-time

Make notes throughout the year in preparation for the self-evaluation. Record them regularly, or even at the time, instead of having to remember everything at the eleventh hour. If we don't think this system is feasible, we can also go back through the schedule to remind ourselves what happened at each stage. This is a good exercise for jolting the memory.

5. Take your time

A well-written self-evaluation takes time. It's not something you can do in 20 minutes, nor in a day. Spend whatever time it takes to ensure that it shows your worth. Try to reserve a few days in your calendar before the deadline to work on the text.

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How to assess problem-solving skills

Human beings have been fascinated and motivated by problem-solving for as long as time. Let’s start with the classic ancient legend of Oedipus. The Sphinx aggressively addressed anyone who dared to enter Thebes by posing a riddle. If the traveler failed to answer the riddle correctly, the result was death. However, the Sphinx would be destroyed when the answer was finally correct.

Alas, along came Oedipus. He answered correctly. He unlocked this complex riddle and killed the Sphinx.

However, rationality was hardly defined at that time. Today, though, most people assume that it simply takes raw intelligence to be a great problem solver. However, it’s not the only crucial element.

Introduction to key problem-solving skills

You’ve surely noticed that many of the skills listed in the problem-solving process are repeated. This is because having these abilities and talents are so crucial to the entire course of getting a problem solved. Let’s look at some key problem-solving skills that are essential in the workplace.

Communication, listening, and customer service skills

In all the stages of problem-solving, you need to listen and engage to understand what the problem is and come to a conclusion as to what the solution may be. Another challenge is being able to communicate effectively so that people understand what you’re saying. It further rolls into interpersonal communication and customer service skills, which really are all about listening and responding appropriately.

Data analysis, research, and topic understanding skills

To produce the best solutions, employees must be able to understand the problem thoroughly. This is possible when the workforce studies the topic and the process correctly. In the workplace, this knowledge comes from years of relevant experience.

Dependability, believability, trustworthiness, and follow-through

To make change happen and take the following steps towards problem-solving, the qualities of dependability, trustworthiness, and diligence are a must. For example, if a person is known for not keeping their word, laziness, and committing blunders, that is not someone you’ll depend on when they provide you with a solution, will you?

Leadership, team-building, and decision-making

A true leader can learn and grow from the problems that arise in their jobs and utilize each challenge to hone their leadership skills. Problem-solving is an important skill for leaders who want to eliminate challenges that can otherwise hinder their people’s or their business’ growth. Let’s take a look at some statistics that prove just how important these skills are:

A Harvard Business Review study states that of all the skills that influence a leader’s success, problem-solving ranked third out of 16.

According to a survey by Goremotely.net, only 10% of CEOs are leaders who guide staff by example .

Another study at Havard Business Review found a direct link between teambuilding as a social activity and employee motivation.

Are you looking for a holistic way to develop leaders in your workplace?

Numerous skills and attributes define a successful one from a rookie when it comes to leaders. Our leadership development plan (with examples!) can help HR leaders identify potential leaders that are in sync with your company’s future goals.

Why is problem solving important in the workplace?

As a business leader, when too much of your time is spent managing escalations, the lack of problem-solving skills may hurt your business. While you may be hiring talented and capable employees and paying them well, it is only when you harness their full potential and translate that into business value that it is considered a successful hire.

The impact of continuing with poor problem-solving skills may show up in your organization as operational inefficiencies that may also manifest in product quality issues, defects, re-work and non-conformance to design specifications. When the product is defective, or the service is not up to the mark, it directly affects your customer’s experience and consequently reflects on the company’s profile.

At times, poor problem-solving skills could lead to missed market opportunities, slow time to market, customer dissatisfaction, regulatory compliance issues, and declining employee morale.

Problem-solving skills are important for individual business leaders as well. Suppose you’re busy responding to frequent incidents that have the same variables. In that case, this prevents you from focusing your time and effort on improving the future success of business outcomes.

Proven methods to assess and improve problem-solving skills

Pre-employment problem-solving skill assessment .

Recent research indicates that up to 85% of resumes contain misleading statements. Similarly, interviews are subjective and ultimately serve as poor predictors of job performance .

To provide a reliable and objective means of gathering job-related information on candidates, you must validate and develop pre-employment problem-solving assessments. You can further use the data from pre-employment tests to make informed and defensible hiring decisions.

Depending on the job profile, below are examples of pre-employment problem-solving assessment tests:

Personality tests: The rise of personality testing in the 20th century was an endeavor to maximize employee potential. Personality tests help to identify workplace patterns, relevant characteristics, and traits, and to assess how people may respond to different situations.

Examples of personality tests include the Big five personality traits test and Mercer | Mettl’s Dark Personality Inventory .

Cognitive ability test: A pre-employment aptitude test assesses individuals’ abilities such as critical thinking, verbal reasoning, numerical ability, problem-solving, decision-making, etc., which are indicators of a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ). The test results provide data about on-the-job performance. It also assesses current and potential employees for different job levels.

Criteria Cognitive Aptitude test , McQuaig Mental Agility Test , and Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory are commonly used cognitive ability assessment tests.

Convergent and divergent thinking methods

American psychologist JP Guilford coined the terms “convergent thinking” and “divergent thinking” in the 1950s.

Convergent thinking involves starting with pieces of information and then converging around a solution. An example would be determining the correct answer to a multiple-choice question.

The nature of the question does not demand creativity but rather inherently encourages a person to consider the veracity of each answer provided before selecting the single correct one.

Divergent thinking, on the other hand, starts with a prompt that encourages people to think critically, diverging towards distinct answers. An example of divergent thinking would be asking open-ended questions.

Here’s an example of what convergent thinking and a divergent problem-solving model would look like.

The 5 whys method , developed by Sakichi Toyoda, is part of the Toyota production system. In this method, when you come across a problem, you analyze the root cause by asking “Why?” five times. By recognizing the countermeasure, you can prevent the problem from recurring. Here’s an example of the 5 whys method.

Source: Kanbanzie

This method is specifically useful when you have a recurring problem that reoccurs despite repeated actions to address it. It indicates that you are treating the symptoms of the problem and not the actual problem itself.

Starbursting

While brainstorming is about the team coming together to try to find answers, starbursting flips it over and asks everyone to think of questions instead. Here’s an example of the starbursting method.

The idea of this method is to go and expand from here, layering more and more questions until you’ve covered every eventuality of the problem.

Use of data analysis to measure improvement in problem-solving skills for your organization

Problem-solving and data analytics are often used together. Supporting data is very handy whenever a particular problem occurs. By using data analytics, you can find the supporting data and analyze it to use for solving a specific problem.

However, we must emphasize that the data you’re using to solve the problem is accurate and complete. Otherwise, misleading data may take you off track of the problem at hand or even make it appear more complex than it is. Moreover, as you gain knowledge about the current problem, it further eases the way to solve it.

Let’s dig deeper into the top 3 reasons data analytics is important in problem-solving.

1. Uncover hidden details

Modern data analytics tools have numerous features that let you analyze the given data thoroughly and find hidden or repeating trends without needing any extra human effort. These automated tools are great at extracting the depths of data, going back way into the past.

2. Automated models

Automation is the future. Businesses don’t have enough time or the budget to encourage manual workforces to go through loads of data to solve business problems. Instead, the tools can collect, combine, clean, and transform the relevant data all by themselves and finally use it to predict the solutions.

3. Explore similar problems

When you use a data analytics approach to solve problems, you can collect all the data available and store it. It can assist you when you find yourself in similar problems, providing references for how such issues were tackled in the past.

If you’re looking for ways to help develop problem-solving skills in the workplace and want to build a team of employees who can solve their own problems, contact us to learn how we can help you achieve it.

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Self-evaluation examples: 60 of the best sample answers for employees and managers

Self-evaluations are essential for employee, and organisational development and help employees reflect on their performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, and set goals for improvement.

Self-evaluations provide several benefits, including improved self-awareness, increased ownership, better communication, trust, and development planning.

To aid in the self-evaluation process, it's helpful to have a set of examples to draw inspiration from. This article provides 60 of the best sample answers for employees and managers preparing for a self-evaluation.

How teams benefit from self-evaluations

Self-evaluations can provide valuable insight and help create a more positive and productive performance review process. Let’s look the some of the top benefits.

Improved self-awareness

Self-evaluations help employees reflect on their performance and identify their strengths and weaknesses. This can lead to improved self-awareness and personal growth.

Increased Ownership

When employees are involved in the evaluation process, they take more ownership of their work and are more committed to meeting their goals and objectives.

Better Communication

Self-evaluations allow employees to communicate their accomplishments, goals, and concerns to their managers. This helps to establish open and honest lines of communication, which can improve the team's overall performance.

Objectivity

Self-evaluations can help reduce the subjective bias that can sometimes occur during performance evaluations solely by managers. This can lead to a more objective and fair assessment of an employee's performance.

Development Planning

Self-evaluations can help employees identify areas where they need to improve and then work with their managers to develop a plan to address those areas.

Increased Trust

Employees who feel their contributions and efforts are recognised and valued are more likely to trust their managers and the organisation. This can increase engagement and commitment to the company's goals and objectives.

What is typically covered in a self-evaluation?

Self-evaluations typically cover a range of topics that assess an employee's performance, contributions, and development over a given period. Some common topics that are covered in self-evaluations include:

Accomplishments

This includes reviewing significant projects, tasks, and achievements the employee has accomplished over the review period.

Goals and Objectives

This includes an assessment of the employee's progress towards their individual goals and objectives and any changes or updates to their goals for the upcoming period.

Contributions to the Team and Organisation

This includes evaluating the employee's contributions to the team and organisation, such as collaboration, communication, and leadership.

Skills and Competencies

This includes a self-assessment of the employee's current skills and competencies and any areas where they need further development.

Professional Development

This includes an evaluation of the employee's efforts to further their professional development and growth, such as taking on new responsibilities, seeking additional training and development opportunities, and seeking feedback from others.

These are some of the most common topics covered in self-evaluations, but the exact content can vary depending on the organisation and the individual employee's role and responsibilities.

Leadership examples

Positive comments.

"I am proud of my ability to lead by example and consistently demonstrate a positive attitude and strong work ethic. I have inspired my team to work towards common goals, increasing productivity and morale."
"I have successfully led multiple projects this year, ensuring they were completed on time and within budget. My strong organisational skills and attention to detail have allowed me to manage complex projects and delegate tasks effectively to my team."
"I have made a conscious effort to foster a positive and inclusive work environment by promoting open communication and encouraging collaboration. This has resulted in a more cohesive and motivated team better equipped to meet our organisational goals."

Areas for improvement

"I must improve my public speaking skills and become more confident in presenting to large groups. I plan to attend a public speaking course and seek opportunities to practice my skills."
"I have sometimes struggled with delegating tasks effectively, leading to feelings of burnout and overwork for myself and my team. I plan to improve my delegation skills by setting clear expectations, providing ongoing support, and allowing team members to take ownership of their responsibilities."
"I recognise that I can be too focused on the big picture and neglect to provide regular feedback and recognition to my team. I plan to make a more conscious effort to provide regular feedback, both positive and constructive, and to recognise the contributions and achievements of my team members."

Collaboration and teamwork examples

"I have demonstrated strong teamwork skills by actively seeking out opportunities to collaborate with others and build positive relationships with my colleagues. I have consistently been able to find common ground and work towards shared goals, resulting in more efficient and effective work processes."
"I have effectively supported my team members by sharing my knowledge and expertise and providing guidance and mentorship. This has resulted in a more cohesive and supportive work environment and has allowed my team to achieve better outcomes."
"I have shown strong conflict resolution skills by navigating and resolving disagreements and challenges professionally and respectfully. This has helped to maintain positive and productive relationships within my team and across departments."
"I recognise that I can sometimes be too focused on my own goals and tasks, neglecting to consider the needs and perspectives of others fully. I plan to be a more active listener and seek input and feedback from my colleagues to ensure everyone's needs and priorities are considered."
"I have sometimes struggled to effectively communicate and coordinate with team members, leading to misunderstandings and delays. I plan to improve my communication skills by being clearer and more concise in my messaging and by making a greater effort to involve all team members in decision-making processes."
"I recognise that I need to improve my time management skills, as this can impact my ability to collaborate with others effectively. I plan to prioritise my tasks, set clear deadlines, and seek support from my team when needed to ensure that all collaborative projects are completed on time and to the best of my ability."

Communication examples

"I have consistently demonstrated strong communication skills in person and in writing. I have effectively conveyed my ideas and messages to many audiences and received positive feedback on my clear and concise writing style."
"I have made a concerted effort to be an active listener, seeking out the perspectives and opinions of others and providing empathy and understanding. This has helped to build positive relationships with my colleagues and has allowed me to understand and respond to their needs more effectively."
"I have effectively used various communication tools and platforms to reach and engage with my audience, including email, video conferencing, and social media. This has allowed me to reach a wider audience and to more effectively convey important information and updates."
"I sometimes struggle to articulate my ideas and thoughts clearly, especially in high-pressure situations. I plan to improve my public speaking skills by attending workshops and seeking opportunities to practice my skills."
"I have sometimes struggled to effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, leading to misunderstandings and miscommunications. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to improve my cultural competency and better understand and communicate with people from diverse backgrounds."
"I recognise that I can sometimes be too direct or blunt in my communication style, leading to negative perceptions and misinterpretations. I plan to improve my interpersonal skills by being more mindful of the tone and delivery of my messages and by seeking feedback from others on my communication style."

Job Knowledge examples

"I have demonstrated a strong understanding of my role and responsibilities and a deep knowledge of industry best practices and emerging trends. This has allowed me to perform my job effectively and to make informed decisions that benefit my team and the organisation."
"I have shown a commitment to continuous learning and professional development, regularly seeking opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills. This has kept me at the forefront of my field and has allowed me to bring new and innovative ideas to my role."
"I have effectively applied my job knowledge to solve complex problems and to complete challenging projects. My strong analytical skills and attention to detail have allowed me to identify and resolve issues quickly and effectively, improving my work's overall efficiency and quality."
"I recognise that I need to improve my technical skills in a specific area, as this will enhance my ability to perform my job and to provide value to the organisation. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area."
"I have sometimes struggled to keep up with new developments and changes in my field, leading to a lack of awareness of best practices and emerging trends. I plan to make a more conscious effort to stay informed and seek new learning opportunities regularly."
"I recognise that I need to improve my project management skills, as this will enhance my ability to plan and execute projects effectively. I plan to seek out training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area and to apply my newfound knowledge to my current role."

Job performance examples

"I have consistently exceeded expectations in the performance of my job duties, consistently meeting or exceeding project deadlines and delivering high-quality work."
"I have taken the initiative to identify and address areas of improvement in my work and the work of my team, leading to increased efficiency and improved outcomes."
"I have effectively collaborated with my colleagues and cross-functional teams, demonstrating strong teamwork skills and a positive attitude towards achieving common goals."
"I must improve my time management skills to be more efficient and better prioritise my workload. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area."
"I have sometimes struggled to manage my workload effectively and to balance competing priorities, leading to stress and burnout. I plan to work on better prioritising my tasks and to seek out additional support when needed."

"I recognise that I need to improve my delegation skills to manage my workload effectively and to empower my team members. I plan to seek out training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area and to apply my newfound knowledge to my current role."

Time management examples

"I have consistently demonstrated strong time management skills, effectively balancing my workload and meeting deadlines on time."
"I have effectively prioritised my tasks and responsibilities, ensuring that high-priority items receive the attention they deserve."
"I have implemented various time management techniques and tools, such as creating to-do lists and scheduling regular review sessions, which have greatly improved my efficiency and productivity."

"I recognise that I sometimes struggle with distractions and procrastination, leading to decreased efficiency and longer completion times for tasks. I plan to work on maintaining focus and reducing distractions to improve my time management skills."

Problem-solving examples

"I have consistently demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, effectively identifying and addressing issues in a timely and efficient manner."
"I have a curious and analytical mindset, which allows me to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions to complex problems."

"I recognise that I need to improve my decision-making skills, as this will enhance my ability to solve problems and make informed decisions effectively. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area."

"I have sometimes struggled to manage my emotions and biases effectively when solving problems, leading to suboptimal solutions. I plan to develop emotional intelligence and objectivity when approaching problems."

"I recognise that I need to improve my research and data analysis skills, as this will enhance my ability to gather and interpret information needed to solve problems. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area."

Company values examples

"I have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to the company's values, aligning my actions and decisions with the company's mission and goals."
"I have been a role model for the company's values, inspiring my colleagues and team members to embody them in their work."
"I have sought out opportunities to promote and reinforce the company's values, both within my work and interactions with others."
"I must improve my understanding of the company's values and how they align with its mission and goals. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my knowledge in this area."
"I have sometimes struggled to balance my workload and personal values effectively with the company's values, leading to conflicts. I plan to align my actions and decisions better with the company's values."
"I recognise that I need to improve my communication skills. This will enhance my ability to effectively convey the company's values to others and promote a culture of values-driven decision-making. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area."

Productivity examples

"I have consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and a commitment to productivity, consistently delivering high-quality work on time and exceeding expectations."
"I have implemented various productivity techniques and tools, such as time tracking and task management software, which have greatly improved my efficiency and productivity."
"I recognise that I sometimes struggle with distractions and procrastination, leading to decreased efficiency and longer completion times for tasks. I plan to work on maintaining focus and reducing distractions to improve my productivity."
"I recognise that I need to improve my time management skills, as this will enhance my ability to balance my workload effectively and to meet deadlines. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area."

Customer experience examples

"I have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to providing excellent customer service, always going above and beyond to meet the needs of our customers."
"I have effectively communicated with customers, building strong relationships and gaining their trust and loyalty."
"I deeply understand our customers' needs and preferences and have effectively used this knowledge to enhance the customer experience."
"I sometimes struggle managing customer complaints and conflicts, leading to dissatisfaction and negative experiences. I plan to develop my conflict resolution skills and seek additional training in this area."
"I have sometimes struggled to effectively manage my workload and balance competing priorities, leading to longer response times and reduced customer availability. I plan to work on better prioritising my tasks and to seek out additional support when needed."
"I recognise that I need to improve my empathy and emotional intelligence skills, as this will enhance my ability to understand and respond to the needs of our customers effectively. I plan to seek training and development opportunities to build my skills in this area."

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How to improve your problem solving skills and build effective problem solving strategies

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What is a problem solving process?

What are the problem solving steps I need to follow?

Problem solving strategies

What skills do i need to be an effective problem solver, how can i improve my problem solving skills.

Solving problems is like baking a cake. You can go straight into the kitchen without a recipe or the right ingredients and do your best, but the end result is unlikely to be very tasty!

Using a process to bake a cake allows you to use the best ingredients without waste, collect the right tools, account for allergies, decide whether it is a birthday or wedding cake, and then bake efficiently and on time. The result is a better cake that is fit for purpose, tastes better and has created less mess in the kitchen. Also, it should have chocolate sprinkles. Having a step by step process to solve organizational problems allows you to go through each stage methodically and ensure you are trying to solve the right problems and select the most appropriate, effective solutions.

What are the problem solving steps I need to follow?

All problem solving processes go through a number of steps in order to move from identifying a problem to resolving it.

Depending on your problem solving model and who you ask, there can be anything between four and nine problem solving steps you should follow in order to find the right solution. Whatever framework you and your group use, there are some key items that should be addressed in order to have an effective process.

We’ve looked at problem solving processes from sources such as the American Society for Quality and their four step approach , and Mediate ‘s six step process. By reflecting on those and our own problem solving processes, we’ve come up with a sequence of seven problem solving steps we feel best covers everything you need in order to effectively solve problems.

1. Problem identification

The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem or problems you might want to solve. Effective problem solving strategies always begin by allowing a group scope to articulate what they believe the problem to be and then coming to some consensus over which problem they approach first. Problem solving activities used at this stage often have a focus on creating frank, open discussion so that potential problems can be brought to the surface.

2. Problem analysis

Though this step is not a million miles from problem identification, problem analysis deserves to be considered separately. It can often be an overlooked part of the process and is instrumental when it comes to developing effective solutions.

The process of problem analysis means ensuring that the problem you are seeking to solve is the right problem . As part of this stage, you may look deeper and try to find the root cause of a specific problem at a team or organizational level.

Remember that problem solving strategies should not only be focused on putting out fires in the short term but developing long term solutions that deal with the root cause of organizational challenges.

Whatever your approach, analyzing a problem is crucial in being able to select an appropriate solution and the problem solving skills deployed in this stage are beneficial for the rest of the process and ensuring the solutions you create are fit for purpose.

3. Solution generation

Once your group has nailed down the particulars of the problem you wish to solve, you want to encourage a free flow of ideas connecting to solving that problem. This can take the form of problem solving games that encourage creative thinking or problem solving activities designed to produce working prototypes of possible solutions.

The key to ensuring the success of this stage of the problem solving process is to encourage quick, creative thinking and create an open space where all ideas are considered. The best solutions can come from unlikely places and by using problem solving techniques that celebrate invention, you might come up with solution gold.

4. Solution development

No solution is likely to be perfect right out of the gate. It’s important to discuss and develop the solutions your group has come up with over the course of following the previous problem solving steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Problem solving games used in this stage involve lots of critical thinking, measuring potential effort and impact, and looking at possible solutions analytically.

During this stage, you will often ask your team to iterate and improve upon your frontrunning solutions and develop them further. Remember that problem solving strategies always benefit from a multitude of voices and opinions, and not to let ego get involved when it comes to choosing which solutions to develop and take further.

Finding the best solution is the goal of all problem solving workshops and here is the place to ensure that your solution is well thought out, sufficiently robust and fit for purpose.

5. Decision making

Nearly there! Once your group has reached consensus and selected a solution that applies to the problem at hand you have some decisions to make. You will want to work on allocating ownership of the project, figure out who will do what, how the success of the solution will be measured and decide the next course of action.

The decision making stage is a part of the problem solving process that can get missed or taken as for granted. Fail to properly allocate roles and plan out how a solution will actually be implemented and it less likely to be successful in solving the problem.

Have clear accountabilities, actions, timeframes, and follow-ups. Make these decisions and set clear next-steps in the problem solving workshop so that everyone is aligned and you can move forward effectively as a group.

Ensuring that you plan for the roll-out of a solution is one of the most important problem solving steps. Without adequate planning or oversight, it can prove impossible to measure success or iterate further if the problem was not solved.

6. Solution implementation

This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving strategies have the end goal of implementing a solution and solving a problem in mind.

Remember that in order for any solution to be successful, you need to help your group through all of the previous problem solving steps thoughtfully. Only then can you ensure that you are solving the right problem but also that you have developed the correct solution and can then successfully implement and measure the impact of that solution.

Project management and communication skills are key here – your solution may need to adjust when out in the wild or you might discover new challenges along the way.

7. Solution evaluation

So you and your team developed a great solution to a problem and have a gut feeling its been solved. Work done, right? Wrong. All problem solving strategies benefit from evaluation, consideration, and feedback. You might find that the solution does not work for everyone, might create new problems, or is potentially so successful that you will want to roll it out to larger teams or as part of other initiatives.

None of that is possible without taking the time to evaluate the success of the solution you developed in your problem solving model and adjust if necessary.

Remember that the problem solving process is often iterative and it can be common to not solve complex issues on the first try. Even when this is the case, you and your team will have generated learning that will be important for future problem solving workshops or in other parts of the organization.

It’s worth underlining how important record keeping is throughout the problem solving process. If a solution didn’t work, you need to have the data and records to see why that was the case. If you go back to the drawing board, notes from the previous workshop can help save time. Data and insight is invaluable at every stage of the problem solving process and this one is no different.

Problem solving workshops made easy

Problem solving strategies are methods of approaching and facilitating the process of problem-solving with a set of techniques , actions, and processes. Different strategies are more effective if you are trying to solve broad problems such as achieving higher growth versus more focused problems like, how do we improve our customer onboarding process?

Broadly, the problem solving steps outlined above should be included in any problem solving strategy though choosing where to focus your time and what approaches should be taken is where they begin to differ. You might find that some strategies ask for the problem identification to be done prior to the session or that everything happens in the course of a one day workshop.

The key similarity is that all good problem solving strategies are structured and designed. Four hours of open discussion is never going to be as productive as a four-hour workshop designed to lead a group through a problem solving process.

Good problem solving strategies are tailored to the team, organization and problem you will be attempting to solve. Here are some example problem solving strategies you can learn from or use to get started.

Use a workshop to lead a team through a group process

Often, the first step to solving problems or organizational challenges is bringing a group together effectively. Most teams have the tools, knowledge, and expertise necessary to solve their challenges – they just need some guidance in how to use leverage those skills and a structure and format that allows people to focus their energies.

Facilitated workshops are one of the most effective ways of solving problems of any scale. By designing and planning your workshop carefully, you can tailor the approach and scope to best fit the needs of your team and organization.

Problem solving workshop

Creating a bespoke, tailored process
Tackling problems of any size
Building in-house workshop ability and encouraging their use

Workshops are an effective strategy for solving problems. By using tried and test facilitation techniques and methods, you can design and deliver a workshop that is perfectly suited to the unique variables of your organization. You may only have the capacity for a half-day workshop and so need a problem solving process to match.

By using our session planner tool and importing methods from our library of 700+ facilitation techniques, you can create the right problem solving workshop for your team. It might be that you want to encourage creative thinking or look at things from a new angle to unblock your groups approach to problem solving. By tailoring your workshop design to the purpose, you can help ensure great results.

One of the main benefits of a workshop is the structured approach to problem solving. Not only does this mean that the workshop itself will be successful, but many of the methods and techniques will help your team improve their working processes outside of the workshop.

We believe that workshops are one of the best tools you can use to improve the way your team works together. Start with a problem solving workshop and then see what team building, culture or design workshops can do for your organization!

Run a design sprint

Great for:

aligning large, multi-discipline teams
quickly designing and testing solutions
tackling large, complex organizational challenges and breaking them down into smaller tasks

By using design thinking principles and methods, a design sprint is a great way of identifying, prioritizing and prototyping solutions to long term challenges that can help solve major organizational problems with quick action and measurable results.

Some familiarity with design thinking is useful, though not integral, and this strategy can really help a team align if there is some discussion around which problems should be approached first.

The stage-based structure of the design sprint is also very useful for teams new to design thinking. The inspiration phase, where you look to competitors that have solved your problem, and the rapid prototyping and testing phases are great for introducing new concepts that will benefit a team in all their future work.

It can be common for teams to look inward for solutions and so looking to the market for solutions you can iterate on can be very productive. Instilling an agile prototyping and testing mindset can also be great when helping teams move forwards – generating and testing solutions quickly can help save time in the long run and is also pretty exciting!

Break problems down into smaller issues

Organizational challenges and problems are often complicated and large scale in nature. Sometimes, trying to resolve such an issue in one swoop is simply unachievable or overwhelming. Try breaking down such problems into smaller issues that you can work on step by step. You may not be able to solve the problem of churning customers off the bat, but you can work with your team to identify smaller effort but high impact elements and work on those first.

This problem solving strategy can help a team generate momentum, prioritize and get some easy wins. It’s also a great strategy to employ with teams who are just beginning to learn how to approach the problem solving process. If you want some insight into a way to employ this strategy, we recommend looking at our design sprint template below!

Use guiding frameworks or try new methodologies

Some problems are best solved by introducing a major shift in perspective or by using new methodologies that encourage your team to think differently.

Props and tools such as Methodkit , which uses a card-based toolkit for facilitation, or Lego Serious Play can be great ways to engage your team and find an inclusive, democratic problem solving strategy. Remember that play and creativity are great tools for achieving change and whatever the challenge, engaging your participants can be very effective where other strategies may have failed.

LEGO Serious Play

Improving core problem solving skills
Thinking outside of the box
Encouraging creative solutions

LEGO Serious Play is a problem solving methodology designed to get participants thinking differently by using 3D models and kinesthetic learning styles. By physically building LEGO models based on questions and exercises, participants are encouraged to think outside of the box and create their own responses.

Collaborate LEGO Serious Play exercises are also used to encourage communication and build problem solving skills in a group. By using this problem solving process, you can often help different kinds of learners and personality types contribute and unblock organizational problems with creative thinking.

Problem solving strategies like LEGO Serious Play are super effective at helping a team solve more skills-based problems such as communication between teams or a lack of creative thinking. Some problems are not suited to LEGO Serious Play and require a different problem solving strategy.

Card Decks and Method Kits

New facilitators or non-facilitators
Approaching difficult subjects with a simple, creative framework
Engaging those with varied learning styles

Card decks and method kids are great tools for those new to facilitation or for whom facilitation is not the primary role. Card decks such as the emotional culture deck can be used for complete workshops and in many cases, can be used right out of the box. Methodkit has a variety of kits designed for scenarios ranging from personal development through to personas and global challenges so you can find the right deck for your particular needs.

Having an easy to use framework that encourages creativity or a new approach can take some of the friction or planning difficulties out of the workshop process and energize a team in any setting. Simplicity is the key with these methods. By ensuring everyone on your team can get involved and engage with the process as quickly as possible can really contribute to the success of your problem solving strategy.

Source external advice

Looking to peers, experts and external facilitators can be a great way of approaching the problem solving process. Your team may not have the necessary expertise, insights of experience to tackle some issues, or you might simply benefit from a fresh perspective. Some problems may require bringing together an entire team, and coaching managers or team members individually might be the right approach. Remember that not all problems are best resolved in the same manner.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur, peer groups, coaches and mentors can also be invaluable at not only solving specific business problems, but in providing a support network for resolving future challenges. One great approach is to join a Mastermind Group and link up with like-minded individuals and all grow together. Remember that however you approach the sourcing of external advice, do so thoughtfully, respectfully and honestly. Reciprocate where you can and prepare to be surprised by just how kind and helpful your peers can be!

Mastermind Group

Solo entrepreneurs or small teams with low capacity
Peer learning and gaining outside expertise
Getting multiple external points of view quickly

Problem solving in large organizations with lots of skilled team members is one thing, but how about if you work for yourself or in a very small team without the capacity to get the most from a design sprint or LEGO Serious Play session?

A mastermind group – sometimes known as a peer advisory board – is where a group of people come together to support one another in their own goals, challenges, and businesses. Each participant comes to the group with their own purpose and the other members of the group will help them create solutions, brainstorm ideas, and support one another.

Mastermind groups are very effective in creating an energized, supportive atmosphere that can deliver meaningful results. Learning from peers from outside of your organization or industry can really help unlock new ways of thinking and drive growth. Access to the experience and skills of your peers can be invaluable in helping fill the gaps in your own ability, particularly in young companies.

A mastermind group is a great solution for solo entrepreneurs, small teams, or for organizations that feel that external expertise or fresh perspectives will be beneficial for them. It is worth noting that Mastermind groups are often only as good as the participants and what they can bring to the group. Participants need to be committed, engaged and understand how to work in this context.

Coaching and mentoring

Focused learning and development
Filling skills gaps
Working on a range of challenges over time

Receiving advice from a business coach or building a mentor/mentee relationship can be an effective way of resolving certain challenges. The one-to-one format of most coaching and mentor relationships can really help solve the challenges those individuals are having and benefit the organization as a result.

A great mentor can be invaluable when it comes to spotting potential problems before they arise and coming to understand a mentee very well has a host of other business benefits. You might run an internal mentorship program to help develop your team’s problem solving skills and strategies or as part of a large learning and development program. External coaches can also be an important part of your problem solving strategy, filling skills gaps for your management team or helping with specific business issues.

Now we’ve explored the problem solving process and the steps you will want to go through in order to have an effective session, let’s look at the skills you and your team need to be more effective problem solvers.

Problem solving skills are highly sought after, whatever industry or team you work in. Organizations are keen to employ people who are able to approach problems thoughtfully and find strong, realistic solutions. Whether you are a facilitator , a team leader or a developer, being an effective problem solver is a skill you’ll want to develop.

Problem solving skills form a whole suite of techniques and approaches that an individual uses to not only identify problems but to discuss them productively before then developing appropriate solutions.

Here are some of the most important problem solving skills everyone from executives to junior staff members should learn. We’ve also included an activity or exercise from the SessionLab library that can help you and your team develop that skill.

If you’re running a workshop or training session to try and improve problem solving skills in your team, try using these methods to supercharge your process!

Active listening

Active listening is one of the most important skills anyone who works with people can possess. In short, active listening is a technique used to not only better understand what is being said by an individual, but also to be more aware of the underlying message the speaker is trying to convey. When it comes to problem solving, active listening is integral for understanding the position of every participant and to clarify the challenges, ideas and solutions they bring to the table.

Some active listening skills include:

Paying complete attention to the speaker.
Removing distractions.
Avoid interruption.
Taking the time to fully understand before preparing a rebuttal.
Responding respectfully and appropriately.
Demonstrate attentiveness and positivity with an open posture, making eye contact with the speaker, smiling and nodding if appropriate. Show that you are listening and encourage them to continue.
Be aware of and respectful of feelings. Judge the situation and respond appropriately. You can disagree without being disrespectful.
Observe body language.
Paraphrase what was said in your own words, either mentally or verbally.
Remain neutral.
Reflect and take a moment before responding.
Ask deeper questions based on what is said and clarify points where necessary.

Active Listening #hyperisland #skills #active listening #remote-friendly This activity supports participants to reflect on a question and generate their own solutions using simple principles of active listening and peer coaching. It’s an excellent introduction to active listening but can also be used with groups that are already familiar with it. Participants work in groups of three and take turns being: “the subject”, the listener, and the observer.

Analytical skills

All problem solving models require strong analytical skills, particularly during the beginning of the process and when it comes to analyzing how solutions have performed.

Analytical skills are primarily focused on performing an effective analysis by collecting, studying and parsing data related to a problem or opportunity.

It often involves spotting patterns, being able to see things from different perspectives and using observable facts and data to make suggestions or produce insight.

Analytical skills are also important at every stage of the problem solving process and by having these skills, you can ensure that any ideas or solutions you create or backed up analytically and have been sufficiently thought out.

Nine Whys #innovation #issue analysis #liberating structures With breathtaking simplicity, you can rapidly clarify for individuals and a group what is essentially important in their work. You can quickly reveal when a compelling purpose is missing in a gathering and avoid moving forward without clarity. When a group discovers an unambiguous shared purpose, more freedom and more responsibility are unleashed. You have laid the foundation for spreading and scaling innovations with fidelity.

Collaboration

Trying to solve problems on your own is difficult. Being able to collaborate effectively, with a free exchange of ideas, to delegate and be a productive member of a team is hugely important to all problem solving strategies.

Remember that whatever your role, collaboration is integral, and in a problem solving process, you are all working together to find the best solution for everyone.

Marshmallow challenge with debriefing #teamwork #team #leadership #collaboration In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Visit the Marshmallow Challenge website for more information. This version has an extra debriefing question added with sample questions focusing on roles within the team.

Communication

Being an effective communicator means being empathetic, clear and succinct, asking the right questions, and demonstrating active listening skills throughout any discussion or meeting.

In a problem solving setting, you need to communicate well in order to progress through each stage of the process effectively. As a team leader, it may also fall to you to facilitate communication between parties who may not see eye to eye. Effective communication also means helping others to express themselves and be heard in a group.

Bus Trip #feedback #communication #appreciation #closing #thiagi #team This is one of my favourite feedback games. I use Bus Trip at the end of a training session or a meeting, and I use it all the time. The game creates a massive amount of energy with lots of smiles, laughs, and sometimes even a teardrop or two.

Creative problem solving skills can be some of the best tools in your arsenal. Thinking creatively, being able to generate lots of ideas and come up with out of the box solutions is useful at every step of the process.

The kinds of problems you will likely discuss in a problem solving workshop are often difficult to solve, and by approaching things in a fresh, creative manner, you can often create more innovative solutions.

Having practical creative skills is also a boon when it comes to problem solving. If you can help create quality design sketches and prototypes in record time, it can help bring a team to alignment more quickly or provide a base for further iteration.

The paper clip method #sharing #creativity #warm up #idea generation #brainstorming The power of brainstorming. A training for project leaders, creativity training, and to catalyse getting new solutions.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is one of the fundamental problem solving skills you’ll want to develop when working on developing solutions. Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, rationalize and evaluate while being aware of personal bias, outlying factors and remaining open-minded.

Defining and analyzing problems without deploying critical thinking skills can mean you and your team go down the wrong path. Developing solutions to complex issues requires critical thinking too – ensuring your team considers all possibilities and rationally evaluating them.

Agreement-Certainty Matrix #issue analysis #liberating structures #problem solving You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic . A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate. It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably. A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail. Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward. A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Data analysis

Though it shares lots of space with general analytical skills, data analysis skills are something you want to cultivate in their own right in order to be an effective problem solver.

Being good at data analysis doesn’t just mean being able to find insights from data, but also selecting the appropriate data for a given issue, interpreting it effectively and knowing how to model and present that data. Depending on the problem at hand, it might also include a working knowledge of specific data analysis tools and procedures.

Having a solid grasp of data analysis techniques is useful if you’re leading a problem solving workshop but if you’re not an expert, don’t worry. Bring people into the group who has this skill set and help your team be more effective as a result.

Decision making

All problems need a solution and all solutions require that someone make the decision to implement them. Without strong decision making skills, teams can become bogged down in discussion and less effective as a result.

Making decisions is a key part of the problem solving process. It’s important to remember that decision making is not restricted to the leadership team. Every staff member makes decisions every day and developing these skills ensures that your team is able to solve problems at any scale. Remember that making decisions does not mean leaping to the first solution but weighing up the options and coming to an informed, well thought out solution to any given problem that works for the whole team.

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ) #action #decision making #problem solving #issue analysis #innovation #design #remote-friendly The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

Dependability

Most complex organizational problems require multiple people to be involved in delivering the solution. Ensuring that the team and organization can depend on you to take the necessary actions and communicate where necessary is key to ensuring problems are solved effectively.

Being dependable also means working to deadlines and to brief. It is often a matter of creating trust in a team so that everyone can depend on one another to complete the agreed actions in the agreed time frame so that the team can move forward together. Being undependable can create problems of friction and can limit the effectiveness of your solutions so be sure to bear this in mind throughout a project.

Team Purpose & Culture #team #hyperisland #culture #remote-friendly This is an essential process designed to help teams define their purpose (why they exist) and their culture (how they work together to achieve that purpose). Defining these two things will help any team to be more focused and aligned. With support of tangible examples from other companies, the team members work as individuals and a group to codify the way they work together. The goal is a visual manifestation of both the purpose and culture that can be put up in the team’s work space.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is an important skill for any successful team member, whether communicating internally or with clients or users. In the problem solving process, emotional intelligence means being attuned to how people are feeling and thinking, communicating effectively and being self-aware of what you bring to a room.

There are often differences of opinion when working through problem solving processes, and it can be easy to let things become impassioned or combative. Developing your emotional intelligence means being empathetic to your colleagues and managing your own emotions throughout the problem and solution process. Be kind, be thoughtful and put your points across care and attention.

Being emotionally intelligent is a skill for life and by deploying it at work, you can not only work efficiently but empathetically. Check out the emotional culture workshop template for more!

Facilitation

As we’ve clarified in our facilitation skills post, facilitation is the art of leading people through processes towards agreed-upon objectives in a manner that encourages participation, ownership, and creativity by all those involved. While facilitation is a set of interrelated skills in itself, the broad definition of facilitation can be invaluable when it comes to problem solving. Leading a team through a problem solving process is made more effective if you improve and utilize facilitation skills – whether you’re a manager, team leader or external stakeholder.

The Six Thinking Hats #creative thinking #meeting facilitation #problem solving #issue resolution #idea generation #conflict resolution The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Flexibility

Being flexible is a vital skill when it comes to problem solving. This does not mean immediately bowing to pressure or changing your opinion quickly: instead, being flexible is all about seeing things from new perspectives, receiving new information and factoring it into your thought process.

Flexibility is also important when it comes to rolling out solutions. It might be that other organizational projects have greater priority or require the same resources as your chosen solution. Being flexible means understanding needs and challenges across the team and being open to shifting or arranging your own schedule as necessary. Again, this does not mean immediately making way for other projects. It’s about articulating your own needs, understanding the needs of others and being able to come to a meaningful compromise.

The Creativity Dice #creativity #problem solving #thiagi #issue analysis Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Working in any group can lead to unconscious elements of groupthink or situations in which you may not wish to be entirely honest. Disagreeing with the opinions of the executive team or wishing to save the feelings of a coworker can be tricky to navigate, but being honest is absolutely vital when to comes to developing effective solutions and ensuring your voice is heard.

Remember that being honest does not mean being brutally candid. You can deliver your honest feedback and opinions thoughtfully and without creating friction by using other skills such as emotional intelligence.

Explore your Values #hyperisland #skills #values #remote-friendly Your Values is an exercise for participants to explore what their most important values are. It’s done in an intuitive and rapid way to encourage participants to follow their intuitive feeling rather than over-thinking and finding the “correct” values. It is a good exercise to use to initiate reflection and dialogue around personal values.

Initiative

The problem solving process is multi-faceted and requires different approaches at certain points of the process. Taking initiative to bring problems to the attention of the team, collect data or lead the solution creating process is always valuable. You might even roadtest your own small scale solutions or brainstorm before a session. Taking initiative is particularly effective if you have good deal of knowledge in that area or have ownership of a particular project and want to get things kickstarted.

That said, be sure to remember to honor the process and work in service of the team. If you are asked to own one part of the problem solving process and you don’t complete that task because your initiative leads you to work on something else, that’s not an effective method of solving business challenges.

15% Solutions #action #liberating structures #remote-friendly You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference. 15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change. With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Impartiality

A particularly useful problem solving skill for product owners or managers is the ability to remain impartial throughout much of the process. In practice, this means treating all points of view and ideas brought forward in a meeting equally and ensuring that your own areas of interest or ownership are not favored over others.

There may be a stage in the process where a decision maker has to weigh the cost and ROI of possible solutions against the company roadmap though even then, ensuring that the decision made is based on merit and not personal opinion.

Empathy map #frame insights #create #design #issue analysis An empathy map is a tool to help a design team to empathize with the people they are designing for. You can make an empathy map for a group of people or for a persona. To be used after doing personas when more insights are needed.

Being a good leader means getting a team aligned, energized and focused around a common goal. In the problem solving process, strong leadership helps ensure that the process is efficient, that any conflicts are resolved and that a team is managed in the direction of success.

It’s common for managers or executives to assume this role in a problem solving workshop, though it’s important that the leader maintains impartiality and does not bulldoze the group in a particular direction. Remember that good leadership means working in service of the purpose and team and ensuring the workshop is a safe space for employees of any level to contribute. Take a look at our leadership games and activities post for more exercises and methods to help improve leadership in your organization.

Leadership Pizza #leadership #team #remote-friendly This leadership development activity offers a self-assessment framework for people to first identify what skills, attributes and attitudes they find important for effective leadership, and then assess their own development and initiate goal setting.

In the context of problem solving, mediation is important in keeping a team engaged, happy and free of conflict. When leading or facilitating a problem solving workshop, you are likely to run into differences of opinion. Depending on the nature of the problem, certain issues may be brought up that are emotive in nature.

Being an effective mediator means helping those people on either side of such a divide are heard, listen to one another and encouraged to find common ground and a resolution. Mediating skills are useful for leaders and managers in many situations and the problem solving process is no different.

Conflict Responses #hyperisland #team #issue resolution A workshop for a team to reflect on past conflicts, and use them to generate guidelines for effective conflict handling. The workshop uses the Thomas-Killman model of conflict responses to frame a reflective discussion. Use it to open up a discussion around conflict with a team.

Planning

Solving organizational problems is much more effective when following a process or problem solving model. Planning skills are vital in order to structure, deliver and follow-through on a problem solving workshop and ensure your solutions are intelligently deployed.

Planning skills include the ability to organize tasks and a team, plan and design the process and take into account any potential challenges. Taking the time to plan carefully can save time and frustration later in the process and is valuable for ensuring a team is positioned for success.

3 Action Steps #hyperisland #action #remote-friendly This is a small-scale strategic planning session that helps groups and individuals to take action toward a desired change. It is often used at the end of a workshop or programme. The group discusses and agrees on a vision, then creates some action steps that will lead them towards that vision. The scope of the challenge is also defined, through discussion of the helpful and harmful factors influencing the group.

Prioritization

As organisations grow, the scale and variation of problems they face multiplies. Your team or is likely to face numerous challenges in different areas and so having the skills to analyze and prioritize becomes very important, particularly for those in leadership roles.

A thorough problem solving process is likely to deliver multiple solutions and you may have several different problems you wish to solve simultaneously. Prioritization is the ability to measure the importance, value, and effectiveness of those possible solutions and choose which to enact and in what order. The process of prioritization is integral in ensuring the biggest challenges are addressed with the most impactful solutions.

Impact and Effort Matrix #gamestorming #decision making #action #remote-friendly In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

Project management

Some problem solving skills are utilized in a workshop or ideation phases, while others come in useful when it comes to decision making. Overseeing an entire problem solving process and ensuring its success requires strong project management skills.

While project management incorporates many of the other skills listed here, it is important to note the distinction of considering all of the factors of a project and managing them successfully. Being able to negotiate with stakeholders, manage tasks, time and people, consider costs and ROI, and tie everything together is massively helpful when going through the problem solving process.

Record keeping

Working out meaningful solutions to organizational challenges is only one part of the process. Thoughtfully documenting and keeping records of each problem solving step for future consultation is important in ensuring efficiency and meaningful change.

For example, some problems may be lower priority than others but can be revisited in the future. If the team has ideated on solutions and found some are not up to the task, record those so you can rule them out and avoiding repeating work. Keeping records of the process also helps you improve and refine your problem solving model next time around!

Personal Kanban #gamestorming #action #agile #project planning Personal Kanban is a tool for organizing your work to be more efficient and productive. It is based on agile methods and principles.

Research skills

Conducting research to support both the identification of problems and the development of appropriate solutions is important for an effective process. Knowing where to go to collect research, how to conduct research efficiently, and identifying pieces of research are relevant are all things a good researcher can do well.

In larger groups, not everyone has to demonstrate this ability in order for a problem solving workshop to be effective. That said, having people with research skills involved in the process, particularly if they have existing area knowledge, can help ensure the solutions that are developed with data that supports their intention. Remember that being able to deliver the results of research efficiently and in a way the team can easily understand is also important. The best data in the world is only as effective as how it is delivered and interpreted.

Customer experience map #ideation #concepts #research #design #issue analysis #remote-friendly Customer experience mapping is a method of documenting and visualizing the experience a customer has as they use the product or service. It also maps out their responses to their experiences. To be used when there is a solution (even in a conceptual stage) that can be analyzed.

Risk management

Managing risk is an often overlooked part of the problem solving process. Solutions are often developed with the intention of reducing exposure to risk or solving issues that create risk but sometimes, great solutions are more experimental in nature and as such, deploying them needs to be carefully considered.

Managing risk means acknowledging that there may be risks associated with more out of the box solutions or trying new things, but that this must be measured against the possible benefits and other organizational factors.

Be informed, get the right data and stakeholders in the room and you can appropriately factor risk into your decision making process.

Decisions, Decisions… #communication #decision making #thiagi #action #issue analysis When it comes to decision-making, why are some of us more prone to take risks while others are risk-averse? One explanation might be the way the decision and options were presented. This exercise, based on Kahneman and Tversky’s classic study , illustrates how the framing effect influences our judgement and our ability to make decisions . The participants are divided into two groups. Both groups are presented with the same problem and two alternative programs for solving them. The two programs both have the same consequences but are presented differently. The debriefing discussion examines how the framing of the program impacted the participant’s decision.

Team-building

No single person is as good at problem solving as a team. Building an effective team and helping them come together around a common purpose is one of the most important problem solving skills, doubly so for leaders. By bringing a team together and helping them work efficiently, you pave the way for team ownership of a problem and the development of effective solutions.

In a problem solving workshop, it can be tempting to jump right into the deep end, though taking the time to break the ice, energize the team and align them with a game or exercise will pay off over the course of the day.

Remember that you will likely go through the problem solving process multiple times over an organization’s lifespan and building a strong team culture will make future problem solving more effective. It’s also great to work with people you know, trust and have fun with. Working on team building in and out of the problem solving process is a hallmark of successful teams that can work together to solve business problems.

9 Dimensions Team Building Activity #ice breaker #teambuilding #team #remote-friendly 9 Dimensions is a powerful activity designed to build relationships and trust among team members. There are 2 variations of this icebreaker. The first version is for teams who want to get to know each other better. The second version is for teams who want to explore how they are working together as a team.

Time management

The problem solving process is designed to lead a team from identifying a problem through to delivering a solution and evaluating its effectiveness. Without effective time management skills or timeboxing of tasks, it can be easy for a team to get bogged down or be inefficient.

By using a problem solving model and carefully designing your workshop, you can allocate time efficiently and trust that the process will deliver the results you need in a good timeframe.

Time management also comes into play when it comes to rolling out solutions, particularly those that are experimental in nature. Having a clear timeframe for implementing and evaluating solutions is vital for ensuring their success and being able to pivot if necessary.

Improving your skills at problem solving is often a career-long pursuit though there are methods you can use to make the learning process more efficient and to supercharge your problem solving skillset.

Remember that the skills you need to be a great problem solver have a large overlap with those skills you need to be effective in any role. Investing time and effort to develop your active listening or critical thinking skills is valuable in any context. Here are 7 ways to improve your problem solving skills.

Share best practices

Remember that your team is an excellent source of skills, wisdom, and techniques and that you should all take advantage of one another where possible. Best practices that one team has for solving problems, conducting research or making decisions should be shared across the organization. If you have in-house staff that have done active listening training or are data analysis pros, have them lead a training session.

Your team is one of your best resources. Create space and internal processes for the sharing of skills so that you can all grow together.

Ask for help and attend training

Once you’ve figured out you have a skills gap, the next step is to take action to fill that skills gap. That might be by asking your superior for training or coaching, or liaising with team members with that skill set. You might even attend specialized training for certain skills – active listening or critical thinking, for example, are business-critical skills that are regularly offered as part of a training scheme.

Whatever method you choose, remember that taking action of some description is necessary for growth. Whether that means practicing, getting help, attending training or doing some background reading, taking active steps to improve your skills is the way to go.

Learn a process

Problem solving can be complicated, particularly when attempting to solve large problems for the first time. Using a problem solving process helps give structure to your problem solving efforts and focus on creating outcomes, rather than worrying about the format.

Tools such as the seven-step problem solving process above are effective because not only do they feature steps that will help a team solve problems, they also develop skills along the way. Each step asks for people to engage with the process using different skills and in doing so, helps the team learn and grow together. Group processes of varying complexity and purpose can also be found in the SessionLab library of facilitation techniques . Using a tried and tested process and really help ease the learning curve for both those leading such a process, as well as those undergoing the purpose.

Effective teams make decisions about where they should and shouldn’t expend additional effort. By using a problem solving process, you can focus on the things that matter, rather than stumbling towards a solution haphazardly.

Create a feedback loop

Some skills gaps are more obvious than others. It’s possible that your perception of your active listening skills differs from those of your colleagues.

It’s valuable to create a system where team members can provide feedback in an ordered and friendly manner so they can all learn from one another. Only by identifying areas of improvement can you then work to improve them.

Remember that feedback systems require oversight and consideration so that they don’t turn into a place to complain about colleagues. Design the system intelligently so that you encourage the creation of learning opportunities, rather than encouraging people to list their pet peeves.

While practice might not make perfect, it does make the problem solving process easier. If you are having trouble with critical thinking, don’t shy away from doing it. Get involved where you can and stretch those muscles as regularly as possible.

Problem solving skills come more naturally to some than to others and that’s okay. Take opportunities to get involved and see where you can practice your skills in situations outside of a workshop context. Try collaborating in other circumstances at work or conduct data analysis on your own projects. You can often develop those skills you need for problem solving simply by doing them. Get involved!

Use expert exercises and methods

Learn from the best. Our library of 700+ facilitation techniques is full of activities and methods that help develop the skills you need to be an effective problem solver. Check out our templates to see how to approach problem solving and other organizational challenges in a structured and intelligent manner.

There is no single approach to improving problem solving skills, but by using the techniques employed by others you can learn from their example and develop processes that have seen proven results.

Try new ways of thinking and change your mindset

Using tried and tested exercises that you know well can help deliver results, but you do run the risk of missing out on the learning opportunities offered by new approaches. As with the problem solving process, changing your mindset can remove blockages and be used to develop your problem solving skills.

Most teams have members with mixed skill sets and specialties. Mix people from different teams and share skills and different points of view. Teach your customer support team how to use design thinking methods or help your developers with conflict resolution techniques. Try switching perspectives with facilitation techniques like Flip It! or by using new problem solving methodologies or models. Give design thinking, liberating structures or lego serious play a try if you want to try a new approach. You will find that framing problems in new ways and using existing skills in new contexts can be hugely useful for personal development and improving your skillset. It’s also a lot of fun to try new things. Give it a go!

Encountering business challenges and needing to find appropriate solutions is not unique to your organization. Lots of very smart people have developed methods, theories and approaches to help develop problem solving skills and create effective solutions. Learn from them!

Books like The Art of Thinking Clearly , Think Smarter, or Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow are great places to start, though it’s also worth looking at blogs related to organizations facing similar problems to yours, or browsing for success stories. Seeing how Dropbox massively increased growth and working backward can help you see the skills or approach you might be lacking to solve that same problem. Learning from others by reading their stories or approaches can be time-consuming but ultimately rewarding.

A tired, distracted mind is not in the best position to learn new skills. It can be tempted to burn the candle at both ends and develop problem solving skills outside of work. Absolutely use your time effectively and take opportunities for self-improvement, though remember that rest is hugely important and that without letting your brain rest, you cannot be at your most effective.

Creating distance between yourself and the problem you might be facing can also be useful. By letting an idea sit, you can find that a better one presents itself or you can develop it further. Take regular breaks when working and create a space for downtime. Remember that working smarter is preferable to working harder and that self-care is important for any effective learning or improvement process.

Want to design better group processes?

Over to you

Now we’ve explored some of the key problem solving skills and the problem solving steps necessary for an effective process, you’re ready to begin developing more effective solutions and leading problem solving workshops.

Need more inspiration? Check out our post on problem solving activities you can use when guiding a group towards a great solution in your next workshop or meeting. Have questions? Did you have a great problem solving technique you use with your team? Get in touch in the comments below. We’d love to chat!

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Are You Good at Problem-Solving? [Self-Assessment]

Being good at problem-solving means being able to effectively identify and solve problems.

This typically involves the ability to:

Clearly define the problem

This involves understanding what the problem is, what is causing it, and what the consequences are if it is not solved.

Generate potential solutions

This involves coming up with a range of potential solutions to the problem and evaluating the pros and cons of each.

Choose the best solution

This involves selecting the solution that best meets the needs and objectives of the situation, and that is feasible to implement.

Implement the solution

This involves putting the chosen solution into action and making any necessary adjustments as the problem is being solved.

Evaluate the results

This involves analyzing the outcomes of the solution and determining whether it was effective in solving the problem.

Being good at problem-solving also involves being able to approach problems in a logical and systematic way, and being able to think creatively and critically to come up with novel solutions. It also involves being able to communicate effectively, both to explain the problem and to present potential solutions to others.

Problem-Solving Self-Assessment

To conduct the self-assessment, simply answer all questions, and click the calculate results button at the end.

I am able to identify the root cause of a problem, rather than just addressing symptoms. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to generate multiple potential solutions to a problem and evaluate the pros and cons of each. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to choose the best solution based on the needs and objectives of the situation. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to implement a solution effectively and make any necessary adjustments as the problem is being solved. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to think creatively and come up with novel solutions to problems. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to think critically and analyze information to make informed decisions. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to approach problems in a logical and systematic way. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to communicate effectively to explain the problem and present potential solutions. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks or problems at once. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to adapt to changing situations and modify my approach as needed. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to learn from my mistakes and apply that knowledge to future problem-solving situations. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to seek out additional information and resources when needed to solve a problem. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to collaborate with others to solve problems and come up with effective solutions. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to work independently to solve problems and make decisions. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree I am able to persevere and persist in finding a solution, even when faced with challenges or setbacks. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree

Interpreting Your Results

0 - 20 points.

It’s great that you took the time to assess your problem-solving skills. Identifying areas for improvement is the first step toward making progress.

Everyone has areas they can improve in, and problem-solving is something that can be learned and developed over time.

21 - 40 Points

While you may not have scored as highly as you would like on the assessment, it’s important to remember that problem-solving is a skill that can be developed over time. There are many resources and strategies you can use to improve your problem-solving skills.

41 - 60 Points

Congratulations on scoring very high on the assessment! It’s clear that you have strong problem-solving skills, and that you are able to approach problems in a logical and systematic way.

Remember to also celebrate your achievements and successes, and to share your problem-solving strategies with others who may be looking to improve their skills. You have a lot to offer and your strengths are an asset to any team or project.

5 Quick Tips To Improve Problem-Solving Skills

Practice regularly.

Problem-solving is a skill that can be developed and improved with practice. Try working on puzzles, brainteasers, or other challenges on a regular basis to help build your problem-solving muscles.

Stay calm and focused

When faced with a problem, it’s important to remain calm and focused. Take a deep breath and try to clear your mind of distractions. This will help you approach the problem with a clear head.

Break the problem down

Complex problems can seem overwhelming at first. To make them more manageable, try breaking them down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This can help you identify the root cause of the problem and come up with potential solutions more easily.

Seek out new perspectives

It can be helpful to seek out the perspectives of others when solving a problem. This can help you see the problem from different angles and come up with more creative solutions.

Stay open to new ideas

When solving a problem, it’s important to be open to new ideas and approaches . Don’t be afraid to try something unconventional or think outside the box. This can help you come up with innovative solutions that may not have been considered otherwise.

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Mastering Problem-Solving: The Key Through Coaching Assessment

Coaching assessment tools.

Assessing the needs and capabilities of individuals is a fundamental aspect of coaching, especially when it comes to problem-solving. Coaching assessment plays a crucial role in understanding the unique challenges and strengths of clients, enabling coaches to tailor their approach and provide effective guidance. In this section, we will explore the importance of coaching assessment in problem-solving and provide an overview of different coaching assessment tools.

The Importance of Coaching Assessment in Problem-Solving

Coaching assessment is essential in problem-solving because it helps coaches gain a comprehensive understanding of their clients’ needs, goals, and areas of improvement. By conducting assessments, coaches can identify specific challenges and develop personalized strategies to address them. This targeted approach enhances the effectiveness of coaching by focusing on the areas that require attention.

Moreover, coaching assessment allows coaches to track the progress of their clients throughout the problem-solving journey. By periodically reassessing their clients, coaches can measure growth, identify areas of success, and make necessary adjustments to the coaching process. This ongoing evaluation ensures that the coaching relationship remains dynamic and supportive.

Overview of Different Coaching Assessment Tools

Coaching assessment tools come in various forms, each designed to capture specific aspects of an individual’s needs and abilities. These tools provide coaches with valuable insights that inform their coaching strategies. Here are some commonly used coaching assessment tools:

By utilizing these coaching assessment tools, coaches can gain valuable insights into their clients’ needs, preferences, and progress. This information serves as a foundation for effective problem-solving and facilitates the development of tailored coaching strategies.

Problem-Solving Assessment

A problem-solving assessment is a valuable tool that coaches and mental health professionals use to help individuals navigate challenges and develop effective problem-solving skills. This assessment aims to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and specific strategies that can enhance problem-solving abilities. Let’s explore the purpose and benefits of problem-solving assessment, as well as some common assessment techniques used in this context.

Purpose and Benefits of Problem-Solving Assessment

The primary purpose of a problem-solving assessment is to evaluate an individual’s problem-solving skills and provide insights into their approach to tackling challenges. By assessing problem-solving abilities, coaches can gain a comprehensive understanding of their clients’ strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require further development.

Some of the key benefits of problem-solving assessment include:

Identification of strengths : Assessments allow coaches to identify the problem-solving techniques and strategies that individuals excel at. These strengths can be leveraged to improve overall problem-solving skills.
Identification of areas for improvement : Assessments also highlight areas where individuals may struggle in problem-solving. This information helps coaches tailor their coaching approach to address specific challenges and provide targeted guidance.
Enhanced self-awareness : Problem-solving assessments can increase self-awareness by providing individuals with insights into their problem-solving style, preferences, and potential biases. This awareness enables individuals to make informed decisions and adapt their problem-solving strategies when faced with new challenges.
Development of tailored strategies : The insights gained from problem-solving assessments allow coaches to develop tailored strategies and interventions that align with the individual’s unique needs and goals. This personalized approach maximizes the effectiveness of coaching sessions.

Common Problem-Solving Assessment Techniques

There are various techniques and tools available for conducting problem-solving assessments. Here are some commonly used assessment techniques:

Problem-solving questionnaires : These questionnaires consist of multiple-choice or open-ended questions that assess an individual’s problem-solving skills, decision-making abilities, and critical thinking. The responses provide valuable information about an individual’s problem-solving approach.
Case studies : Case studies present individuals with realistic scenarios or problems and require them to analyze the situation, identify potential solutions, and make decisions accordingly. Case studies allow coaches to observe an individual’s problem-solving process firsthand.
Behavioral observations : Coaches can assess problem-solving skills by observing individuals in real-life situations or during coaching sessions. This technique provides valuable insights into an individual’s problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and ability to think on their feet.
Self-assessment exercises : Self-assessment exercises involve individuals reflecting on their problem-solving skills, identifying areas for improvement, and setting goals for personal development. These exercises promote self-reflection and active engagement in the problem-solving process.

By utilizing these problem-solving assessment techniques, coaches can gather information about an individual’s problem-solving skills, thought processes, and decision-making abilities. This information serves as a foundation for developing targeted coaching strategies and interventions to enhance problem-solving capabilities.

In the next sections, we will explore other assessment domains, including cognitive assessment and emotional assessment , to provide a comprehensive understanding of assessment tools in the context of coaching.

Cognitive Assessment

To effectively address problem-solving in coaching, cognitive assessment plays a significant role in understanding an individual’s thinking processes, decision-making abilities, and problem-solving strategies. By assessing cognitive abilities, coaches can identify areas for improvement and tailor their coaching approach accordingly.

Understanding Cognitive Assessment in Problem-Solving

Cognitive assessment focuses on evaluating an individual’s cognitive functioning, such as their attention, memory, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. It provides valuable insights into how individuals process information, analyze situations, and arrive at solutions. By understanding an individual’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses, coaches can guide them towards enhancing their problem-solving abilities.

Cognitive assessment typically involves a combination of tests, questionnaires, and interviews. These assessments help coaches gain a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s cognitive abilities and identify areas that may require further development. By analyzing the results, coaches can create targeted coaching strategies to improve problem-solving skills.

Key Cognitive Assessment Tools for Coaches

Several cognitive assessment tools are available to coaches, providing valuable insights into an individual’s problem-solving abilities. Here are a few key cognitive assessment tools commonly used in coaching:

By utilizing these cognitive assessment tools, coaches can gain a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s cognitive abilities and tailor their coaching strategies accordingly. It allows coaches to identify specific areas for improvement and provide targeted guidance to enhance problem-solving skills.

Integrating cognitive assessment into coaching practice is essential for coaches seeking to optimize problem-solving outcomes. By understanding an individual’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses, coaches can develop personalized coaching plans that address specific areas for improvement. This integrated approach enhances problem-solving abilities and promotes personal growth and development.

Emotional Assessment

Emotional assessment plays a vital role in the process of problem-solving through coaching. By understanding and addressing the emotional factors that influence problem-solving, coaches can help individuals develop effective strategies to overcome challenges. Emotional assessment tools provide valuable insights into an individual’s emotions, enabling coaches to tailor their approach and support their clients more effectively.

Role of Emotional Assessment in Problem-Solving

Emotions have a significant impact on problem-solving. They can either hinder or enhance an individual’s ability to think critically, make decisions, and find creative solutions. Emotional assessment helps coaches identify the emotional factors that may be affecting an individual’s problem-solving skills.

By assessing emotions, coaches can:

Understand their clients’ emotional states and how they may be influencing problem-solving abilities.
Identify any emotional barriers or biases that may be hindering effective decision-making.
Tailor coaching strategies and interventions to address specific emotional needs and promote more effective problem-solving.

Emotional assessment provides a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s emotional landscape, allowing coaches to create a supportive and empathetic coaching environment.

Prominent Emotional Assessment Tools for Coaches

Several emotional assessment tools are available to coaches, providing valuable insights into their clients’ emotional well-being and problem-solving abilities. Here are a few prominent tools commonly used in coaching:

These emotional assessment tools provide coaches with valuable information about their clients’ emotional states and how they may be influencing problem-solving. By using these tools, coaches can tailor their coaching approach, interventions, and strategies to support their clients’ emotional well-being and enhance their problem-solving capabilities.

Emotional assessment is just one aspect of a comprehensive coaching assessment. By integrating emotional assessment with other assessment tools, coaches can gain a holistic understanding of their clients’ needs and provide targeted support to enhance their problem-solving skills.

Behavioral Assessment

Significance of behavioral assessment in problem-solving.

Behavioral assessment plays a crucial role in the process of problem-solving coaching. By examining an individual’s behaviors, coaches can gain valuable insights into their clients’ patterns, tendencies, and habits. This assessment helps coaches identify the behavioral factors that may contribute to the challenges faced by their clients and develop effective strategies to address them.

Understanding the behaviors that influence problem-solving abilities allows coaches to tailor their coaching approach to the specific needs of their clients. By recognizing and addressing problematic behaviors, coaches can help individuals develop new habits, overcome obstacles, and enhance their problem-solving skills.

Noteworthy Behavioral Assessment Tools for Coaches

There are various behavioral assessment tools available to coaches that can aid in evaluating and understanding their clients’ behaviors. These tools provide objective data that can guide the coaching process. Here are a few noteworthy behavioral assessment tools commonly used by coaches:

Behavioral Interviews : Coaches can conduct structured interviews to gather information about their clients’ past behaviors and experiences. This helps identify recurring patterns or behaviors that may impact problem-solving abilities.
Self-Assessment Questionnaires : Self-assessment questionnaires allow clients to reflect on their own behaviors and provide insights into their problem-solving approaches. These questionnaires can cover a range of behavioral aspects, including communication style, decision-making preferences, and problem-solving strategies.
Observation and Feedback : Coaches can observe their clients’ behaviors in various contexts, such as during coaching sessions or real-life situations. Providing constructive feedback based on these observations helps clients become aware of their behaviors and their impact on problem-solving.
360-Degree Feedback : This assessment involves gathering feedback from multiple sources, including the client, peers, supervisors, and subordinates. The comprehensive feedback paints a holistic picture of the client’s behaviors, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement in problem-solving.

By utilizing these behavioral assessment tools, coaches can gain a deeper understanding of their clients’ behaviors and tailor their coaching interventions accordingly. The insights gained from these assessments enable coaches to guide their clients towards more effective problem-solving strategies.

In the next section, we will explore the integration of assessment into coaching practice, including how to incorporate assessment tools into coaching sessions and leverage assessment results to enhance problem-solving capabilities.

Integrating Assessment into Coaching Practice

To maximize the effectiveness of coaching in problem-solving, it is essential to incorporate assessment tools into coaching sessions. Assessments provide valuable insights into the client’s needs, challenges, and areas for growth. By leveraging assessment results, coaches can tailor their approach and guide clients towards effective problem-solving strategies.

Incorporating Assessment into Coaching Sessions

Integrating assessment into coaching sessions allows coaches to gather comprehensive information about their clients, enabling a more focused and personalized approach. Here are a few ways to incorporate assessment into coaching practice:

Initial Assessment : Begin with an initial assessment to understand the client’s current state, including their strengths, weaknesses, and specific problem-solving challenges. This assessment can involve coaching self-assessment tools , questionnaires, or structured interviews. Check out our article on coaching self-assessment for more information.
Ongoing Assessment : Continuously assess the client’s progress throughout the coaching journey. Regular assessments can provide valuable feedback on the effectiveness of strategies implemented and help identify areas for improvement. Assessment methods can include coaching evaluation tools, performance assessments, or competency assessments. Learn more about coaching evaluation tools in our article on coaching evaluation tools .
Specific Assessments : Tailor assessments to address specific problem-solving areas. For example, if a client is struggling with decision-making, cognitive assessments can provide insights into their thinking patterns and cognitive biases. Similarly, emotional assessments can help identify emotional triggers and reactions that may impact problem-solving. Explore our articles on cognitive assessment and emotional assessment for more information.
Use of Assessment Instruments : Utilize assessment instruments and tools that are relevant to the client’s needs. These can include various assessment models, techniques, and questionnaires that are specific to problem-solving, motivation, self-confidence, self-awareness, and other relevant areas. Refer to our articles on coaching assessment instruments and coaching assessment techniques for a comprehensive understanding.

Leveraging Assessment Results for Effective Problem-Solving

Once assessment results are obtained, coaches can leverage the information to facilitate effective problem-solving. Here are some key steps to consider:

Identify Patterns and Areas for Growth : Analyze the assessment results to identify patterns, strengths, and areas for improvement. This analysis can help coaches develop a targeted approach to address specific problem-solving challenges.
Set Realistic Goals : Collaborate with the client to set realistic and measurable goals based on the assessment findings. These goals should align with the client’s problem-solving needs and aspirations.
Tailor Coaching Strategies : Design coaching strategies that align with the client’s assessment results. For example, if the client struggles with self-discipline , the coach can incorporate accountability measures and techniques specific to improving self-control. Check out our article on coaching assessment for self-discipline for additional insights.
Monitor Progress : Continuously monitor the client’s progress using assessments and other evaluation tools. Adjust coaching strategies as needed to address emerging challenges or capitalize on new strengths.

By integrating assessments into coaching practice and leveraging assessment results, coaches can enhance their ability to guide clients through effective problem-solving journeys. These assessments provide valuable insights that inform personalized coaching strategies, ensuring a tailored approach that meets the unique needs of each client.

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Self Evaluation Comments for Problem Solving (30 Examples)
Self-evaluation is an essential aspect of professional development. It helps you to identify areas of improvement and measure your progress towards achieving your goals. By evaluating your problem-solving skills, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and take steps to improve your performance. Problem Solving Self-Evaluation Comments Examples I was able to identify the root...
Problem Solving Self-Appraisal Comments Examples
The problem solving self-appraisal comments examples can help you to sum up performance review in your current job position. Self-evaluation phrases for problem solving highlighting your areas of improvement and give you opportunity to pave the way for future growth. All employees can assess their strengths and weaknesses, evaluate themselves ...
31 examples of problem solving performance review phrases
Use these practical examples of phrases, sample comments, and templates for your performance review, 360-degree feedback survey, or manager appraisal.. The following examples not only relate to problem-solving but also conflict management, effective solutions, selecting the best alternatives, decision making, problem identification, analyzing effectively, and generally becoming an effective ...
Problem Solving: 40 Useful Performance Feedback Phrases
Problem Solving: Meets Expectations Phrases. Is always open-minded and readily accepts what others have to contribute. Has an inquisitive nature and tries to analyze all that is happening around. Always asks the right questions and raises any relevant issue when necessary. Keeps things calm even when required to make quick decisions under high ...
Self-Assessments: Examples and Guide for Managers and Employees
A self-assessment can act as a mirror or reflection point. At BetterUp, we use a Whole Person Model to help our Members accurately gain self-awareness and self-reflect. According to our Whole Person Model, we see a 172% increase in self-awareness for those who start out low as a result of coaching.
How Good Is Your Problem Solving?
This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only. Below, we outline the tools and strategies you can use for each stage of the problem-solving process. Enjoy exploring these stages! Step 1: Find the Problem (Questions 7, 12) Some problems are very obvious, however others are not so easily identified.
60+ Self-Evaluation Examples That Can Make You Shine
Self-evaluation Examples for Tasks You Must Stop. Example 1: "I recognize that I need to stop procrastinating on certain tasks and start addressing them promptly to improve productivity.". Example 2: "I should stop engaging in non-essential tasks during work hours and stay focused on my core responsibilities.".
Employee Self-evaluation Sample Answers for Key Soft Skills
We have previously explored the art of writing a self-assessment review and how to structure it, providing some useful examples for various industries and areas of work. In this article, ... "I strongly feel problem-solving skills are one of my strongest characteristics. I usually manage to solve complex problems effectively by taking into ...
The best self-evaluation examples for performance reviews
For example: "I increased my own sales by 10% as part of the department's general sales strategy." 4. Record your achievements in real-time. Make notes throughout the year in preparation for the self-evaluation. Record them regularly, or even at the time, instead of having to remember everything at the eleventh hour.
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Flexibility also Problem-solving ... difficult to conduct a meaningful performance review. ... performance review or self-assessment. For example, might you weren't prepared to take on an task because you weren't coach. Proposing enrolling in a course to help you step up your career development and take on more responsibilities. Create ...
How to assess problem-solving skills
Depending on the job profile, below are examples of pre-employment problem-solving assessment tests: Personality tests: The rise of personality testing in the 20th century was an endeavor to maximize employee potential. Personality tests help to identify workplace patterns, relevant characteristics, and traits, and to assess how people may ...
How To Perform a Self-Assessment (Definition and Example)
Self-assessment example Use the following example to help you craft a valuable and memorable self-assessment: Strengths: I'm a quick learner who has gained knowledge and experience using our company's content management system and have effectively trained others on how to use it, as well. I have strong problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities and have used them to brainstorm new ...
How Self-Assessment Tools Boost Your Problem-Solving Skills
Understanding how to approach problem-solving is key, and self-assessment tools can be a great way to improve your skills. For example, the MBTI is a personality test that assigns you one of 16 ...
5 Tips for Writing Your Self-Assessment / Problem Solving: 40 Useful
Problem Solving Self-Evaluation Comments Browse MYSELF been able to identify the root... For total. Self-assessments can this portion of a performance review that offers employees an chancengleichheit to self-reflect and consider what their strengths furthermore vulnerabilities have. They are important not simply for professional growth but ...
Self-evaluation examples: 60 of the best sample answers for employees
This includes a self-assessment of the employee's current skills and competencies and any areas where they need further development. Professional Development. ... Problem-solving examples Positive comments "I have consistently demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, effectively identifying and addressing issues in a timely and efficient ...
How to improve your problem solving skills and strategies
6. Solution implementation. This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving strategies have the end goal of implementing a solution and solving a problem in mind. Remember that in order for any solution to be successful, you need to help your group through all of the previous problem solving steps thoughtfully.
7 Steps to Self-Assess Your Problem-Solving Skills as an ...
Self-assessment of problem-solving abilities is a crucial aspect of professional growth for instructional designers. By following this comprehensive guide, you can gain valuable insights into your ...
Are You Good at Problem-Solving? [Self-Assessment]
Evaluate the results. This involves analyzing the outcomes of the solution and determining whether it was effective in solving the problem. Being good at problem-solving also involves being able to approach problems in a logical and systematic way, and being able to think creatively and critically to come up with novel solutions.
Mastering Problem-Solving: The Key Through Coaching Assessment
A problem-solving assessment is a valuable tool that coaches and mental health professionals use to help individuals navigate challenges and develop effective problem-solving skills. This assessment aims to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and specific strategies that can enhance problem-solving abilities. ... Enhanced self-awareness ...
PDF STUDENTS' SELF-ASSESSMENTS ON THEIR PROBLEM-SOLVING ...
The number of studies on student self-assessment and how it affects problem-solving skills are similar. This study intends to help Math teachers understand how high school students solve problems.
(PDF) Students' Self-Assessments on their Problem-solving Skills in
Effort, confidence, tenacity, and self -knowledge are. vital to the problem -solving process and skills (Kirkley, 2003). Students mentioned patience and resilience in pr oblem-solving, paying ...
Self-Assessment in the Development of Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills
The study has been conducted by cross-checking tutors' assessment and students' self-assessment to problem solving activities using an ACE. The assessments are given through a rubric with 5 indicators, referred to the Polya's framework of problem solving, adding the use of technologies. They are the following: comprehension of the ...
PDF Self-Assessment of MTSS Implementation(SAM)
Given the importance of data-based problem-solving within an MTSS model, the need for a data and evaluation system is clear. In order to do data-based problem-solving, school staff need to understand and have access to data sources that align with the purposes of assessment.