Mark AlhajriTECH 330-Technology Problem Analysis IHomework101/23/2018 Various characteristics possessed by problem solvers include thecourage to take action, ability to listen, courage in decision-making, abilityto tolerate ambiguity, and the ability to analyse concerns objectively. Out ofthe above, the one that I feel I possess is the ability to listen. I have theability to listen to myself and listen to others, that is, ability to listenexternally and internally. Active listening is very important in every aspectof our daily activities.
In the workplace for instance, managers train theiremployees to be active listeners in order to facilitate effectivecommunication. In my company, I always ensure that I listen to my colleaguesand respond to them appropriately. This has helped in reducing conflicts that mayoccur because of misinterpretation of information. I believe my ability tolisten effectively has contributed to the success of the company I work for (Sternberg,2004). The characteristics that I feel that I need to improve is thecourage to make decisions. Most of the times, I am caught up in procrastinationor analysis paralysis because of fear of failure. Making certain decisions isnormally difficult especially when we are uncertain about the outcome.
Seeking viewsfrom others can lead to confusion because they give different opinions. Thisleads to postponement when making such decisions. I believe that one needs tobe a risk taker to make decisions whether the outcome is certain or uncertain. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People are; be proactive,begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek firstto understand then be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw. Of the sevenhabits, the one that I think would help to make me a better problem solver anda more successful person is being proactive. This entails the circle of concernand the concept of influence. It encourages people to work from the centre oftheir influence and work constantly to expand it (Covey & Media, 2015).
The reason for choosing this habit is that it discourages peoplefrom waiting for a problem to occur before taking action. Taking preventivemeasures is advocated for to avoid the consequences associated with problemsthat might occur in a given situation. In the workplace for instance, conflictsmight arise due to lack of adequate information or misinterpretation of a givenmessage. This can arise because of language barrier among employees. Thecompany can prevent such conflicts by ensuring it provides effective trainingto its employees. This habit will help me in becoming a better problem solverbecause I am a good listener and try to understand everyone’s need and respondappropriately before the situation gets worse.
The seven actions for a successful career are enjoy, learn, plan,share, evolve, work hard, and communicate. The one that I believe is the mostimportant is learning. Learning helps to expand and renew skills that anindividual has. I can learn this practice through training, learning frompeers, or asking questions on what they do not know and want to learn. Peoplecan learn how to communicate, do a task, or to accept a given feedback, whetherit is positive or negative. One can never be successive if he/she is notinterested in learning new things that are educative in one way or the other(Bragen, 2004).Learning is important to me because the world is becoming morecompetitive in terms of employment opportunities and I have to be competitive.
Employers seek individuals with various skills and lacking such skills make oneto be incompetent. People’s tastes and preferences also changes with time.Companies need to update their technologies to meet the demand of theirconsumers. Employees need training so that they know how to use the technology.
If one is not ready to learn, he/she will be incompetent and will not becompetent to work for the company. The four adjectives that I can use to describe myself are honest,committed, friendly, and innovative. These adjectives have helped me to be abetter team player in various ways. Being innovative has enabled me to come upwith new ways of solving problems in the company and facilitated my commitmenttowards personal growth. I am always honest about my shortcomings andachievements. In case of bad news, I do embrace the truth so that I come upwith ways of solving it.
I am always committed to achieving my target in theworkplace. At times, I stay for longer hours just to ensure that I achieve mygoal. Lastly, being friendly makes it easier for others to approach me anddiscuss matters pertaining to the performance of the company (Kaul, 2009). Being friendly in the workplace can make others lose respect fortheir supervisor especially when their boss is concerned about his personalrelationship with workers rather than his professional responsibilities. Beinginnovative can lead to unequal participation, as some people will sit back andleave others to do most of the work.
Conflicts might arise in this case, whichcan demoralize employees. Commitment to achieve certain goals what manyemployees aim at. Employers always want to include employees in decision-makingprocess so that their concerns are addressed. This can lead to communicationcomplexity since more communication is necessary to ensure that communicationis consistent across the company. ReferencesBragen, D. A.
(2004). A beginner’s guide to a successful career.Lincoln, Ne: iUniverse.
Covey, S. R., & Media, M. (2015).
The 7 Habits of HighlyEffective People: Interactive Edition.Kaul, A. (2009). Business communication. New Delhi:Prentice-Hall of India.Sternberg, R.
J. (2004). Thinking and problem solving.
SanDiego u.a.: Academic Press.
