Overall results (score 45)

According to John's score, creativity in problem-solving is generally among his strengths. His overall attitude and the manner in which he approaches the process are conducive to productive thinking, although he may sometimes impose limitations on himself. Creative problem-solving can prove quite useful in many fields; it isn't limited to jobs related to marketing and the like in which coming up with creative solutions and ideas are commonplace. Creative problem-solving fosters an innovative work environment, which is important to a company's success. Studies have shown that after implementing creative problem- solving training, many businesses have seen a decrease in production costs, and an improvement in employees' abilities to tackle everyday problems. Although some may believe that creativity is an innate ability, the skill of creative problem-solving is one that can certainly be nurtured and improved. Check out the rest of this person's results to find out the areas he may be having difficulties in.

Comfort with Decision-making (score 26)

John's results indicate that the decision-making process isn't something he is generally at ease with. Making a decision appears to be fairly difficult for him, and as a result, he may often need considerable time as well as reassurance when doing so. Whether it's due to a fear of messing up, an inability to narrow down his choices, or a reluctance to go with his instinct, making decisions is not something that he is very comfortable with. Unfortunately, when it comes to problem-solving, indecisiveness can truly hinder the process. Not only does John have to be able to choose the best possible solution, but he also has to be willing to go out on a limb when dealing with a method of resolution that he has never used before. Learning to deal with ambiguity and the potential for failure, and ensuring that he has weighed the pros and cons of each option available to him are just a couple of ways he can improve his comfort with the decision-making process.

Flexibility (score 59)

According to John's responses, he generally approaches the problem-solving process with an open mind. He isn't set in his ways or opposed to trying new things, but there are times when he prefers to follow convention. Overall, he does consider it important to explore new ideas, but also sees the value in employing methods that have been proven to be successful in the past. Depending on the task, he will either take a practical, matter-of-fact approach or a more daring one.

Openness to Creativity (score 63)

John's responses indicate that he is generally not afraid to let his imagination run wild when problem-solving. He seems to realize that, while rules and conventions have their place in the process, they can be restrictive when coming up with innovative solutions. Therefore, although he won't immediately reject solutions that have worked in the past, he would rather not have them be his only option. People who score similarly tend to be "out-of-the-box" thinkers who like to toy with different ideas, pushing beyond the boundaries of standard ways of thinking and doing things. They aren't opposed to taking risks or testing solutions that are "off-the-wall" or that don't have a proven track record. Although there's generally nothing wrong with taking a more practical approach to problems (and in some cases, it may be the best option), using it as the only method does impose some limitations. By taking that step outside his standard way of thinking and expanding his imagination, John will not only be able to increase his options but may also end up uncovering ideas that had never crossed his mind before.

Sense of Self-efficacy (score 34)

It appears as though John has little faith in his ability to deal effectively with problems. This may not only hinder his capacity to make decisions, but could also create a sense of helplessness and distress when he is faced with a difficult challenge. Unfortunately, if he doesn't believe that he will be able to solve a problem, then chances are that he will feel all the more overwhelmed and discouraged when he is confronted with one. A strong sense of self-efficacy not only affects his level of confidence and self-esteem, but research shows that it reduces anxiety when a person is faced with a challenging problem, and motivates him or her to persist despite obstacles. The good news is that by incorporating better problem-solving techniques into his repertoire, John's sense of self-efficacy will likely improve dramatically.