When a problem requires a quick solution, how do you respond?
When it comes to complex problem solving, the decisions do not always arrive quickly. It takes practice, experience, and confidence to learn what sorts of decisions yield the best results. Problems that require you to act quickly can be knowing where the fire extinguisher is and grabbing it fast enough to put out a small grease fire in the company kitchen or being asked to take on a new responsibility and only given five minutes to decide if you are prepared to take it on.
Going with your gut is a skill, and the more you learn to trust your intuition, the easier it becomes to make these decisions. Demonstrate that you are confident and can react swiftly when the need arises.
"When an urgent problem arises at work, I always try to respond calmly. I am a natural leader, so my team often looks to me for answers. For example, last week, we had an administrative employee no-show on a busy day. I quickly recalled what resources were available, then called a temp agency, and they had the position filled in just one hour."
"I react swiftly in emergencies. Perhaps my skills come from my years as a parent, having to think fast and put out fires! If a quick solution is required, I will do a quick mental overview of the facts and decide based on risk factors."
