[Book Sip] True Career Is a History of Problem-Solving Experience

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The author has worked as a team leader for nearly ten years at various organizations, including Toss, Sandbox, MyRealTrip, and Musinsa/29CM. He identifies 'problem-solving skills' as the key to growth. For example, how can you apply lotion to your back, which is hard to reach? It's easier if you use the back of your hand instead of your palm. What should you do if you find your work uninteresting? Rather than focusing on results that merely look fun, you should concentrate on problems that are rewarding to solve. In this way, the author recommends that, instead of being impatient for results, people should aim to gain repeatable experiences in problem-solving.

I believe that a career is 'a history of experiences in problem-solving.' However, many people make the mistake of obsessing over numbers in this history of experiences. Focusing solely on a 'long history' or 'many experiences' can result in a monotonous career. This is why careers described with phrases like 'worked in marketing for ten years,' 'worked at various companies,' or 'participated in many projects' are not necessarily attractive. Even if you have worked for ten years and participated in one hundred projects, if you have never sought out and solved difficult problems on your own, those numbers lose their meaning. <page 33>

Even in simple tasks that anyone can do, you can find and solve problems that others do not notice. One team member worked part-time at a gas station before getting a full-time job. The gas station owner asked the employees to sell engine additives along with fuel. However, none of the other part-timers tried to sell the additives. With just a little effort, this team member managed to sell a remarkable number of engine additives. What he did was simple: he simply asked customers if they would like to add an engine additive when they visited the gas station. Just by attempting to solve the problem, he received a generous bonus and succeeded in landing a job with this story. He continues to excel as a high performer at various companies. <page 90>

The people you meet at work can largely be divided into two categories: 'problem solvers,' who address issues, and 'problem avoiders,' who prefer to steer clear of problems. Of course, not everyone fits neatly into one of these two groups. There are also 'problem bystanders' who fall somewhere in between. <page 102>

There are various reasons, but one main reason people fail to demonstrate learning ability is that they focus on the process rather than the outcome. They believe that working 'a lot' or 'very hard' will naturally lead to growth. However, unless you consider how your current work affects the results and what more is needed to have a greater impact, you will not create a virtuous cycle for growth. <page 263>

I believe that what ordinary people need to learn to become problem solvers are systems and frameworks. The reason is simple: anyone can follow them. By utilizing these, anyone can repeatedly achieve consistent results. <page 289>

If you are dissatisfied with something but cannot clearly identify a specific problem or standard, it may be helpful to reconsider. The perfection you desire might not exist at all, just like a 'hot iced Americano' or a 'cold hot chocolate.' It might simply be an excuse because you dislike the current Americano or hot chocolate. <page 382>

When you receive feedback from multiple people, there are moments when anxiety arises?such as, 'Why is that person saying this to me?' or 'Am I being scolded for making a mistake?' I call this feeling an 'intention filter.' Some colleagues seem to deflect feedback like a bulletproof vest, filtering out advice because their intention filter is set too high. Even if you receive uncomfortable feedback, try to regard it as well-intentioned feedback for your growth. Focus on the content rather than the intention, and reflect carefully to see if there is wisdom that can benefit you. <page 304>

In the End, Those Who Break Through Problems Grow | Written by Seo Hyeonjik | Gimmyoungsa | 488 pages | 22,000 KRW

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