You found our list of the best books for solving problems.
Problem solving books are guides that improve critical thinking skills and the ability to solve problems in the workplace. these works cover topics such as biases and logical fallacies, problem prevention, and prioritization. the purpose of these books is to help workers stay calm under pressure and find solutions more quickly.
You are reading: Books on problem solving
These guides are similar to decision-making books, negotiation books, and conflict resolution books. to improve proficiency in this area, problem solving games can also be played.
this list includes:
- problem solving books for adults
- creative problem solving books
- business problem solving books
- solving books of problems for programmers
here we go!
list of troubleshooting books
here is a list of books to improve problem solving skills in the workplace.
1. fixed: how to perfect the fine art of problem solving by amy and herman
fixed is one of the most useful new troubleshooting books. The book calls on problem solvers to look beyond the obvious, instinctive responses and provides a framework for more creative thinking. While most people think of problem solving in terms of logic, reason, and disciplines like math and science, this book shows the role that art and imagination play in the process. Amy Herman consulted on leadership training with Silicon Valley companies and military organizations and brings this experience to the text to train readers on how to take a more innovative critical thinking approach.
Notable Quote: “Problem solving is critical to productivity, profit, and peace. our problem-solving skills, however, have been truncated by our complicated and technology-dependent world.”
read corrected.
2. You Cracked It!: How to Solve Big Problems and Sell Solutions Like the Best Strategy Consultants by Bernard Garrette, Corey Phelps, and Olivier Sibony
You figured it out! is one of the best creative problem solving books. Inspired by the tactics of consultants, this guide is a practical playbook for tackling business problems. The authors describe a “4s” approach: state, build, resolve, sell, to address obstacles and gain stakeholder support. While many problem-solving books simply focus on how to think about problems, this guide also demonstrates how to get ideas approved and involve others in solving. The book explains how to best use these techniques and features case studies showing the theories in action. I broke it! is a useful reference for any professional who faces difficult challenges on a regular basis.
notable quote: “if you want to know how a lion hunts, don’t go to a zoo. go to the jungle.”
reading figured it out!
3. upstream: the quest to solve problems before they happen by dan heath
upstream takes a proactive approach to problem resolution. The book urges readers not only to respond to problems, but also to try to prevent obstacles from arising. The guide begins with an exploration of “problem blindness” and the psychological factors that make people unaware of problems, along with a reminder that many problems are more controllable and avoidable than previously assumed. A beginning. The pages that follow outline a series of questions leaders can ask to fine-tune the system and avoid major headaches, such as “how will you get the right people together?” and “how will you avoid doing harm?” upstream is full of real-world examples of how minor tweaks achieved major results and enabled organizations to sidestep serious delays.
Notable quote: “The autopsy of a problem can be the preamble to a solution.”
read upstream.
4. problem solving 101: a simple book for smart people by ken watanabe
Problem Solving 101 is one of the funniest problem solving books for adults. Written by legendary samurai actor Ken Watanabe, the guide draws on Japanese philosophy as well as the author’s experience as a consultant at McKinsey to help readers understand and address issues productively. The pages provide blueprints for problem-solving methods, such as logic trees and matrices, and include scenarios and illustrations that help readers visualize the process more clearly. Problem Solving 101 breaks down the problem solving procedure into its most basic parts and presents step-by-step instructions for choosing the best course of action in any situation.
Notable Quote: “When you take action, every result is an opportunity to reflect and learn valuable lessons. even if what you get out of your evaluation seems to be of little importance, all these small improvements together make a big difference in the long run.”
See Also: How To Make Money Selling Books
read troubleshooting 101.
5. what’s your problem?: to solve your hardest problems, change the problems you solve to thomas wedell-wedelsborg
what’s your problem? insists that the most important step in the problem-solving process is to start by focusing on the right problem. The root of much frustration and wasted effort is that professionals often choose the wrong points to focus on. This book teaches readers how to reframe and approach problems from a different perspective. The guide outlines a repeatable three-step “frame, reframe, and move” process to ensure workers effectively prioritize and stay on track to achieve desired results. what is your problem? teaches professionals at all levels how to be less rigid and more focused on results and take a more agile approach to problem solving.
Notable quote: “The problems we are trained on in school are often quite different from the ones we encounter in real life.”
read what is your problem?
6. sprint: how to solve big problems and test new ideas in just five days by jake knapp, john zeratsky, and others
sprint is one of the best troubleshooting books for programmers. The authors are the creators of the five-day process at Google. This guide outlines best practices for running sprints and resolving issues under tight deadlines. The book provides a day-by-day breakdown of tasks for each day of the work week, and the final steps are designing a prototype and planning for implementation. Although this idea originated in the world of technology and is more widely used in the software industry, this approach to problem solving and product design can be useful for any position that needs to find solutions at a critical time.
Featured Quote: “We discovered that magic happens when we use large whiteboards to solve problems. As humans, our short-term memory isn’t that great, but our spatial memory is amazing. A racing room, full of notes, diagrams , impressions and more, take advantage of that spatial memory. The room itself becomes a kind of shared brain for the team.”
read sprint and check out this guide to virtual hackathons and this list of product design books.
7. think like a rocket scientist: simple strategies you can use to take giant leaps in work and life by ozan varol
Thinking Like a Rocket Scientist presents formulas and instructions for thinking more strategically. The guide reveals common problem-solving approaches used by space scientists as they explore the unknown and test new technologies. The book is divided into three sections: Launch, Acceleration, and Achievement, with deep dives into concepts like crazy thinking and overcoming failure. the anecdotes revolve around space exploration and space science, but the methods can also be applied to more common and less complex problems. thinking like a rocket scientist demonstrates that you don’t have to be a genius to be a genius problem solver and allows readers to learn the tricks of one of the most complex professions on the planet.
starred quote: “critical thinking and creativity do not come naturally to us. we hesitate to think big, are reluctant to dance with uncertainty, and are afraid of failure. these were necessary during the paleolithic period, keeping us safe of poisonous and predatory foods, but here, in the information age, they are mistakes.”
read think like a rocket scientist.
8. bulletproof problem solving: the one skill that changes everything by charles conn and robert mclean
Bulletproof Problem Solving is one of the best business problem solving books. This workbook-style guide breaks down a “bulletproof” method of problem solving favored by McKinsey consultants. The authors distill the process into seven simple steps: Define the Problem, Disaggregate, Prioritize, Work Plan, Analyze, Synthesize, and Communicate, and provide numerous examples of how to follow this cycle with different dilemmas. the chapters explore each stage in depth and describe the importance and finer points of each phase. The book also provides practical tools for readers to build skills, including an appendix with worksheets.
starred quote: “Problem solving does not stop at the point of reaching conclusions from individual analyses. Findings must be assembled into a logical structure to test validity, and then synthesized in a way that convinces others of that has a good solution. Large team processes are also important at this stage.”
read bulletproof troubleshooting.
9. Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving by v. anton spraul
Think Like a Programmer is one of the best problem-solving books for programmers. the guide lays out methods for finding and fixing bugs and creating clean, workable code. the text emphasizes that programming is not simply a matter of being proficient in the language, but also knowing how to solve problems and respond to unexpected events. Chapters present sample problems and puzzles and discuss answers to help strengthen professional skills. The book provides an introductory crash course and a set of practical tools for beginning coders, with a focus on C++. however, since the text describes the general theory and approach, the book is also useful for dealing with other programming languages or solving problems in non-tech industries. the goal of the text is to provide the right mindset and attitude to react to these developments, and the book can be of benefit to people in any field.
notable quote: “don’t get frustrated the final technique is not so much a technique as it is a maxim: don’t get frustrated. when you are frustrated, you won’t think as clearly, you won’t work as efficiently, and everything will take longer and seem More difficult. What’s worse, frustration tends to feed on itself, so that what starts out as mild irritation ends up as outright rage.”
read think like a programmer.
10. founder’s dilemmas: anticipating and avoiding the pitfalls that can sink a startup by noam wasserman
See Also: Robert Crais – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
Founder’s Dilemmas exposes the most common problems entrepreneurs face and offers advice on how to avoid or solve them. The book addresses topics such as relationship management, hiring, and rewarding or correcting employees. The chapters describe mistakes inexperienced leaders often make and offer strategies for handling these difficult situations with more intelligence and skill. By reading this book, founders can learn from their predecessors and avoid making obvious and avoidable errors in judgment. Founder’s Dilemmas is a problem-solving resource for startup leaders and team members who lack a more traditional orientation.
Notable quote: “Ideas are cheap; execution is expensive.”
Read founder’s dilemmas and check out more books on entrepreneurs.
11. the scout mentality: why some people see things clearly and others don’t by julia galef
The exploratory mindset challenges readers to go beyond gut reactions and preconceptions and rethink problems. The book offers instructions for overcoming biases and core beliefs to collect more objective data. Julia Galef encourages readers to act more like explorers than soldiers and gather information without judgment to make more informed decisions. The text describes common reasons people jump to conclusions and offers advice on how to avoid incorrect assumptions and conduct sound analysis. the explorer mindset is a call to action for objectivity and an instruction manual for breaking unhelpful mental patterns that can lead to poor decisions.
Notable quote: “Finding out you were wrong is an upgrade, not a failure, and your worldview is a living document meant to be revised.”
read the explorer mindset.
12. super thinking: the big book of mental models by gabriel weinberg and lauren mccann
super thinking is a comprehensive resource that explains various mental models for problem solving. The book identifies logical fallacies and shows readers how to avoid these pitfalls. The pages also present appropriate strategies, tools, and techniques to use in different situations, such as matrices, prompt questions, and philosophies. the goal of the guide is to teach readers how to evaluate information and make quick but accurate judgments. the guide helps readers decide the best approach to use for each circumstance. Although packed with information, the pages also contain images and humor that keep the material from becoming too dry. super thinking is the ultimate cheat sheet for thinking rationally and acting with intent.
Notable Quote: “Unfortunately, people often make the mistake of doing too much work before testing assumptions in the real world.”
read super thought.
final thoughts
Problem solving is one of the most essential skills for modern industry. With the dizzying pace at which the business world is changing today, there is no shortage of new developments that professionals must contend with on a daily basis. operating the same way for years is impossible, and workers at all levels are almost guaranteed to have problems to solve at some point in their careers.
problem solving books help professionals predict, prevent and overcome problems and find more viable and sustainable solutions. These guides not only provide skills, but also methods to survive in a highly competitive business landscape. these texts show workers that they are more capable than they seem and that sometimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome with a combination of creativity, teamwork and proper process.
For more ways to beat the odds, check out this list of books on innovation and this list of books on business strategy.
We also have a list of the best communication books.
faq: troubleshooting books
here are answers to common questions about troubleshooting books.
what are problem solving books?
Problem Solving Books are guides that teach critical thinking skills and problem solving strategies. the purpose of these jobs is to help professionals be more creative and strategic in problem-solving approaches.
what are some good problem solving books for work?
Some good problem-solving books for work include Sprint by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, et al, Upstream by Dan Heath, and Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Varol.
Press “ctrl + d” or “command + d” to mark this page for updates.
You can follow us on linkedin for team building tips!
share this article:
See Also: Tulsa Race Massacre: 15 books to check out as centennial approaches