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04

Problem Solving
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
— Albert Einstein 

Legend:
🟦 [IDEA] – worldview, belief, broad notion

🟩 [CONCEPT] – more defined notion used analytically

🟥 [THEORY] – system of ideas explaining something

🟪 [FRAMEWORK] – structured lens guiding application

🟧 [TOOL] – practical mechanism used in practice

Summary

Problem-Solving is a crucial, multi-layered cognitive and action-oriented outcome that is fundamentally linked to the exercise of leadership and project work. It is the development of the capacity to systematically address complex challenges by moving through a defined, structured process. 


This process begins with one’s ability to clearly define and frame the problem, moving beyond symptoms to understand the underlying issues and constraints. From there, it requires employing creative or methodical strategies to develop a comprehensive repertoire of solutions for analytical, interactive, and design problems (ideation methods, analytical strategies). The Problem-Solving learning outcome demands the ability to translate the chosen solution into concrete action through effective implementation. This skill set, which incorporates formal project management processes, ensures that leaders can engage in, organize, and lead initiatives that achieve desired change.

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Course Connections

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My problem-solving skills were shaped by both structured learning and emergent real-world challenges. Courses like Quantitative Approaches to Problem-Solving (RCLP 1052) provided foundational critical thinking and analytical approaches. Later courses, including Community Problem-Solving & Research Project (LEAD 4028) and Climate and Energy Policy (POLS 4725), shifted my understanding from isolated problem situations to interconnected systems.

 

These frameworks became essential in applied environments, including logistical decision-making and safety planning with Partners for Youth, conflict response and care planning in Capital Family Services, and project coordination during my International Internship (LEAD 3046). Over time, I learned to move from quick solutions toward collaborative, reflective, and context-aware approaches wherein I am prioritizing empowerment and sustainability over efficiency alone.

Indicators of Change

1.    Confidence in navigating uncertainty: When things didn’t go as planned during my time at camp or during my time in Hanoi, I learned to stay grounded and assess rather than react immediately and blindly. Unlearning my overreliance on reflexive action (thoughtful situation assesement) or “gut instinct” as a crutch has cultivated a further understanding that good leadership does not necessarily mean having the answer quickly .


2.    Learning to co-create solutions instead of providing them: In every role I have worked with youths, my role in some way, shape or form becomes guiding clients toward their own problem-solving skills. I will not always be there to resolve issues for them, either as a mentor, counsellor, or program coordinator. This has helped me unlearn the idea that helping means solving; shifting to empowering others in place. 

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"So What?"

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This evolution in my Problem-Solving approach is significant because it marks a deliberate shift from a default, task-oriented style to a more adaptive, relational, and ethically grounded practice. This development was catalyzed by applying specific leadership theories to the complex challenges I have faced in my many roles. 


My initial understanding was shaped by the structured, analytical models in "Quantitative Approaches to Problem-Solving" (RCLP 1052). This provided a crucial foundation in logical reasoning. However, the human complexities in my work at Capital Family Services and Partners for Youth revealed the limitations of a purely technical approach. I found a more relevant framework in the Skills Approach (Northouse, 2019), which we explored in "Leadership Foundations" (RCLP1001). This model, which moves beyond innate traits to learnable competencies like problem-solving skills and social judgment, validated my journey. It emphasizes human skills (the ability to work with and motivate people) and conceptual skills (the ability to work with ideas and create a strategy). This directly supported my shift from "managing behaviour" to "understanding behaviour," treating each problem as unique to its context and people.


Furthermore, my experience in Community Project Leadership (RCLP 2001) and the Canadian Internship (RCLP 2023) pushed me toward a collaborative model. This aligns with the principles of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory, which posits that effective leadership is rooted in the dyadic, trust-based relationships a leader forms with their followers (Northouse, 2019). This was the theoretical foundation for my commitment to "co-create solutions instead of providing them." By consciously working to build high-quality exchanges, I moved beyond a transactional "problem-solver" role to one that empowers others, building their capacity and ownership over solutions. This also connects to Servant Leadership (Northouse, 2019), specifically the characteristic of "Commitment to the growth of people," which ethically justifies prioritizing empowerment and long-term development over short-term efficiency.


This academic and practical progression demonstrates that effective problem-solving is an integrative leadership behaviour, not just an analytical exercise. It requires blending analytical tools with relational intelligence to build trust and the ethical foresight to choose solutions that prioritize empowerment, rather than create and sustain dependency.
 

Moving Forward: 

​I will...

  • Integrate analytical tools with relational awareness when approaching complex challenges.
     

  • Co-create solutions with others rather than supplying answers unilaterally (concept of empowerment, supported by LMX theory).
     

  • Prioritize trust-building and empowerment as central components of effective problem-solving.
     

  • Apply ethical foresight by choosing strategies that support long-term growth over short-term efficiency.

Frameworks & Sources

  • Burr, V. (2003). Social constructionism (2nd ed.). Routledge.
     

  • Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). SAGE Publications.
     

  • Paterson, M., Tobin, P., & VanDeveer, S. D. (2022). Climate governance antagonisms: Policy stability and repoliticization. Global Environmental Politics, 22(2), 1–11. MIT Press.
     

  • Renaissance College Council. (2015). Renaissance College Learning and Leadership Outcomes Guide.
     

  • Richter, D. H. (Ed.) (1998). The critical tradition: Classical texts and contemporary trends (2nd ed.). Bedford Books.
     

  • Trompenaars, A., & Hampden‑Turner, C. (1997). Riding the waves of culture: Understanding cultural diversity in business. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
     

  • Tyson, L. (1999). Critical theory today: A user‑friendly guide. Garland Publishing.

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