What is Divergent Thinking: The Art of Problem Solving.
The Ultimate Problem Solving Skill for Career Success
In today's rapidly evolving and competitive workplace landscape, companies are actively seeking talented individuals who can fuel their innovation and drive success. For any employee especially a job seeker, it is crucial not only to possess problem-solving skills but also to effectively highlight them on your resume, enabling employers to recognize the creative value you bring to the table. Among the various problem-solving approaches, one skill that stands out as a valuable asset is divergent thinking. This raises the question is divergent thinking. What is the difference between convergent and divergent thinking, and what are examples of divergent thinking? Let's explore!
What is Divergent Thinking?
Divergent Thinking
- A dynamic problem-solving approach that revolves around a less structured and linear process, emphasizing creativity, imagination, and the generation of multiple solutions.
The best description of divergent thinking is that it is a mindset that embraces exploration, curiosity, and the ability to think beyond conventional boundaries. Divergent thinkers excel at coming up with diverse and innovative ideas, seeing connections that others may overlook, and developing unique solutions to complex challenges.
What is Convergent Thinking?
Convergent Thinking
- A linear and analytical approach, following established rules and logical processes to arrive at a single solution.
The best example of convergent thinking comes through hard skills like mathematics. There are many different variables in complex math problems. Regardless of how many variables you add to the problem there is still one right answer. The answer converges on one solution.
Convergent vs Divergent Thinking
The next question is we need to answer is what is the difference between convergent and divergent thinking? To grasp the true essence of divergent thinking, it's essential to understand its distinction from convergent and lateral thinking. Lateral thinking, on the other hand, combines elements of both convergent and divergent thinking, blending creativity and analysis to find innovative solutions. Divergent thinking, with its emphasis on expansive and imaginative brainstorming, sets itself apart by generating a multitude of possibilities and exploring various angles before narrowing down options.
The Value of Divergent Thinking in Organizations
In a world where innovation and adaptability are key drivers of success, companies are increasingly recognizing the value of divergent thinkers. While some may perceive divergent thought processes as chaotic or time-consuming, they are, in fact, essential for generating tipping point ideas and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Divergent thinkers have the unique ability to uncover hidden opportunities, challenge existing norms, and bring fresh perspectives to problem-solving scenarios. By embracing unconventional approaches and thinking beyond traditional constraints, they contribute to creating a culture of innovation within organizations, leading to improved efficiency, enhanced creativity, and greater competitive advantage.
Examples of Divergent Thinking
The first step of knowing when to use divergent thinking for your problem solving is to determine if it is a convergent problem or not. Math problems for example are convergent, all the variables lead to one correct answer. Most people probably are not doing math problems their career, and many of the problems people try to solve in their career will involve multiple variables, known variables and unknown variables, dynamic conditions, and multiple answers. This is where divergent thinking comes into play. There may be many solutions to the problem, but the devil is in the details as there is one answer that is going to be way righter than the others. Okay great now you might be asking how I actually think divergently. Let’s practice with an exercise and some examples of divergent thinking.
How to Practice Divergent Thinking
Grab a piece of paper and a writing apparatus. Set a timer on your phone for 120 seconds. Think of a brick. Now write down as many different uses of a brick you can possibly think of. What are the different ways a brick could provide value or be used in life.
How many uses did you write down 5, 10, 15, more. If you wrote down more than 10 you probably applied some divergent thinking. Notice the exercise did not constrain the dimensions of the brick, the material of the brick. The shape of the brick, holes, divots, interlocking. If you wrote less than 10 I bet you can think of more uses if you play with those variables.
Great now that you have seen how to use divergent thinking with a brick, some of you might be asking how you can apply this thought process to your career. Again it all depends on the types of problems you are solving. Even if you are solving constrained problems it can be a good exercise. Try to ignore the constraints and come up with incredible ideas. Need a jump start, ask yourself a few of the following questions.
Product or Service Improvement:
If our customers were to pay us 10x the price what would we change about our product or service so it was worth that price?
If our customers were to pay us 1/10th the price and we still make changes to our product or service making it more valuable what could we do?
How could we still make our customers successful for 1/10th the cost.
Project Management:
If I were to spend 10x the amount of time or funding on this project what improvements would I make to have a better finished project to justify the additional costs?
How could I spend 1/10th the amount of time or money on this project and still improve the end outcome?
Favorite approach:
Take the project improvements you would make if you had 10x the time or funding and try to think of ways where you could achieve 90% of the improvements at no additional cost whether that be time or money. Really stretch your mind and you will come up with something profound.
Showcasing Your Problem Solving Skills
Now that you have had a crash-course on how to practice divergent thinking get to applying it to your career today. Once you feel competent enough in the skill it’s time to add it to your resume. Effectively highlighting your divergent thinking skills on your resume can significantly enhance your chances of standing out to potential employers. Here are some strategic ways to incorporate divergent thinking into different sections of your resume:
A. Summary: Begin by crafting a compelling summary that emphasizes your problem-solving abilities, with a specific focus on your divergent approach. Use concise yet impactful language to showcase your creative problem-solving mindset and highlight the tangible results you have achieved through your unique thinking style.
Example: "Dedicated problem-solver with a divergent thinking approach, adept at swiftly generating a multitude of innovative solutions to complex challenges. Skilled at leveraging collaborative brainstorming exercises to expedite problem resolution and drive transformative outcomes."
B. Skills Section: Dedicate a prominent section of your resume to your skills, where you can explicitly mention your divergent thinking abilities. Consider listing it as a separate skill or breaking it down into key components that highlight different aspects of your thought process, such as brainstorming solutions, questioning preconceptions, imagination and creativity, reframing problems, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
Example:
- Brainstorming Solutions: Proficient in facilitating dynamic brainstorming sessions to explore a wide range of creative solutions.
- Questioning Preconceptions: Expert at challenging conventional thinking and uncovering hidden opportunities through thought-provoking inquiries.
- Imagination and Creativity: Demonstrated ability to think beyond conventional boundaries and generate novel ideas that drive innovation.
- Reframing Problems: Skilled in reframing complex problems from multiple perspectives to identify breakthrough solutions.
- Fostering Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Adept at bridging diverse expertise and facilitating collaborative environments to leverage collective intelligence for problem-solving.
C. Work Experience Section: Your work experience section offers an excellent opportunity to provide concrete examples of how you have applied divergent thinking in real-world scenarios. Rather than simply stating that you possess this skill, demonstrate its impact by describing specific situations where you employed divergent thinking to overcome challenges, achieve goals, or drive positive outcomes. Quantify the results whenever possible to showcase the value of your problem-solving abilities.
Example:
- Led cross-functional brainstorming sessions to identify innovative solutions, resulting in a 25% reduction in production costs and a 15% increase in overall efficiency.
- Applied divergent thinking to reframe customer service challenges, leading to the implementation of a new support system that enhanced customer satisfaction by 30%.
- Collaborated with diverse teams to generate out-of-the-box ideas, which resulted in the development of a groundbreaking product that captured 20% market share within six months.
By thoughtfully incorporating divergent thinking into your resume summary, skills section, and work experience section, you can effectively communicate your unique problem-solving abilities and position yourself as a valuable asset to potential employers. Remember to tailor your resume to each specific opportunity, emphasizing the aspects of divergent thinking that align most closely with the desired qualifications and job requirements.
Conclusion
As organizations continue to seek innovation, divergent thinkers will remain in high demand. By showcasing your divergent thinking skills on your resume, you demonstrate your ability to contribute fresh perspectives, creative solutions, and adaptability to any professional setting. Embrace the power of divergent thinking, unleash your creativity, and pave the way for a successful and fulfilling career journey in the ever-evolving landscape of the modern workplace.
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