Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

This article discusses the importance of critical thinking and problem solving skills in the professional world. It provides a step-by-step guide on how to define, analyze, generate options, evaluate options, make decisions, and implement and reflect on solutions. The article also emphasizes the need for personal development and self-improvement in order to succeed in the sales and marketing profession.

Running head: CRITICAL THINKING
Critical thinking and problem solving
Name of the Student:
Name of the Professor:
Date:

2CRITICAL THINKING
I have finally stepped into my professional life after completing the academics. When I
was in my final semester years I have been told by many people that life is never a bed of roses.
There will always be many ups and downs in life. This saying has become very relevant for me
after I have stepped into the professional world. I am facing many issues and I often do not know
how to properly deal with them. I am currently facing a lot of issues after joining my new job. I
feel that I am suffering from a kind of tension and depression. I am constantly captured in a kind
of internal battle (Selman et al., 2017). I think that I am suffering from a kind of unethical way of
achieving sales from my co-worker. I have also noticed that this unethical way of achieving sales
is having a negative impact on my career (Zurriaga et al., 2018). I will have to find out some of
the other means that will help me to deal with these problems. I have decided to proceed on a
step by step manner in order to find out the actual ways of dealing with this negative feeling.
Step One: Define the problem
The problem of growing unethical way of achieving sales in the workplace scenario
has to be properly dealt with in order to survive. I have started working in one of the well-
known companies after finishing up my education. There is a login and logout system in my
office while entering or leaving. This marks the duration for which an employee is staying within
an office. The management is able to track the amount of time for which an employee stays
within the office. It is based on this time that the employee is expected to work and give in the
best possible effort to maximize the production (Young, Mathiassen & Davidson, 2016). I have
been noticing that whenever I am logging in or logging out from the office, one particular
employee is always there present within the office. I realized that he reaches office much earlier
and also leaves office late.

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I did not have much problem with this unless I saw that his performance is much better than me.
When the employee performance was declared I saw that he got the best referrals and had a
brilliant performance. I could not really put up with this (Karabulut, 2016). I was really very
upset to see that my performance was so poor and his performance was much better than mine. I
had this feeling within me that he was staying within the office for a long time and trying to
impress the management and flatter the boss (Alvarez, Taylor & Rauseo, 2015). This was
perhaps helping him to get the better client referrals. I felt that there must be some solutions that
will help me to deal with these issues. Thus, I decided to make an in-depth analysis of these
problems and take some time in order to find out the actual reasons behind this scenario.
Step Two: Analyze the problem
I need to somehow deal with this problem and make sure that I am being able to
analyze and solve the problem. I thought that I have to somehow deal with the issue so that I
am able to secure my position in this tough and competitive world. I realized that being jealous
of the success of any of my co-worker will not be able to fetch any strong or useful results. In
order to survive in the long run, I will have to make sure that I am being able to find out some
solutions that will help me to work over my sales skills. In other words, I have realized this from
my analysis that being jealous of the success of others will never help me to improve my work.
However, I have to work over my skills so that I can actually improve in my work. This will help
me in making sure that I am staying in the good books of the management.
I also got this result from my analysis that I have to emphasize more over my own
working skills rather than being jealous over the good performance of others. I will have to work
over my sales skills. I realized that as I am working in a post of a sales representative, I have to

4CRITICAL THINKING
devote much more time in self-grooming and self-development rather than being jealous over the
achievements of others. I thought that there must be some drawbacks in the sales strategies that I
am using for my works.
Step Three: Generate options
The following can be one of the important solution measures
Increasing my customer convincing skills
I have to find out suitable options for dealing with these problems in the present
scenario and also in the future. I realized that I am new to this profession of marketing and
sales. There is a high chance of making mistakes in the work (Wang & Sung, 2016). I have to
overcome those errors in order to survive in this profession. Some of the best possible options
that I can use to survive in this profession are
 I have to work over my skills so that I can improve in my work and make sure that I am
being able to attain success (Eaves & Leathers, 2017). I realized that rather than being
jealous of the good achievements of others, I have to work hard in order to develop my
sales abilities. I thought that making a personal development analysis will be much
helpful in order to make sure that I am improving in my career. I realized that I am of a
very introvert nature. It is for this reason that I am not able to speak properly with the
clients.
It is perhaps for this reason that my performance was being strongly affected. I have
decided that I need to be much open and transparent while I speak. As per the opinion of Arnold
et al., (2015), the sales executives must be working over the proper development of their
communication skills. In other words, I will never be offended while I am speaking with the

5CRITICAL THINKING
clients (Bianchi & Andrews, 2015). I will make it a point to communicate properly with each and
every client and also with my co-worker. I have realized that there is no point in being jealous or
suspicious over the success of others. I have to prove my abilities through my work. In order to
do this, I have to put forward a joint and collaborative effort.
Another solution measure that I can use is working over my temper level
I have realized that I often lose temper when under stress. It is for this reason that I have
to work over my mood and my temper while I am speaking (Scheunemann et al., 2018). I will
have to be disciplined while carrying out the client dealing. I will have to make sure that I am
being able to solve all the complaints and all the queries of the customers. I will have to make
sure that I am working over my domain knowledge so that I can answer all the questions and the
queries of the customers.
Increasing my knowledge about a certain product
Increasing the intricate details about a product is of it utmost importance for improving
performance in the sales and marketing profession. While convincing any customer to purchase
a certain product, I will have to do an in-depth study in order to know about each and every
detail about a product. For an instance, if it is a beauty product, I will have to talk about all the
pros and cons of using the same. I will be very open and transparent while trying to sell any
particular product.
Step Four: Evaluate options
Evaluation of Increasing my customer convincing skills

6CRITICAL THINKING
I will have to ensure that I am properly evaluating the options and trying to utilize
them properly. I will have to take some time out in order to make sure that I am being able to
find out how the two options will be helpful for my career. I will have to make sure that I am
making very good and positive usage of the selected options. As I have seen that my
performance was not that good previously, I will have to work over the same in order to give it a
boost. I will also try to work over my convincing skills so that I can attract a number of
customers. As I am in the marketing and sales profession I will have to make sure that I am
having a proper convincing quality. In other words, I will have to persuade and convince the
clients in order to make sure that they are not going to suffer through any losses if they are
investing in any of the products of this company
Evaluation of increasing my knowledge of any particular product
Solution Measures:
 Working over my domain skill will be very helpful in order to work over my skills.
This will help me in order to make sure that I am being able to attract more number of
clients. The customers will naturally be happy if they get to hear all the details about the
new product. This will naturally help me to gather a number of customers.
Step Five: Make your decision
I have to take a final decision in order to deal with this particular scenario. I have
decided to take the following steps-
 I will concentrate on my personal development rather than being jealous of the success of
others. I will be taking care of the fact that I am trying to develop myself as a good sales
representative. In order to do this, I will be focusing on my qualities rather than thinking

7CRITICAL THINKING
that the success of my co-workers is due to the flattering attitude that is present with
them.
 I will rather try to take some good and useful tips from my seniors and also from my
fellow co-workers. This will help me to work over my drawbacks and make sure that I
am taking the right steps towards attaining success.
Step Six: Implement and reflect
I will make sure to implement these options in my day to day practice. I will make it
a point to take the necessary steps for overcoming my drawbacks. I will pay less attention to
facts like the success of my colleagues. I will rather try to take the good advice from my seniors
and also from my co-workers to make sure that I can use the same for my personal improvement.
I have to make sure that I am working over my behavior and the kind of attitude that I am
exhibiting while working. I will have to make sure that the customers or the clients are not
getting offend due to any of my body language or even my attitude. I will have to keep proper
control over my temper.
I will work over my communication skills so that Incan talk with my clients in a manner
that is polite, precise and easy to understand (Moore et al., 2018). I will also try to make sure that
I am being able to maintain a cool, organized and calm behavior in order to deal with all the
different kinds of complaints that might be raised by the clients Moore, P. M., Rivera, S., Bravo‐
Soto, G. A., Olivares, C., & Lawrie, T. A. (2018). I will try to get rid of my suspicious and
doubtful nature. I will try to prove my worth through my work. In order to do this, I will also
undertake some meditation classes so that I can improve in my confidence skills. I will thus try
work over these areas of weakness and make sure that I am utilizing all the positive and good
things that are coming in my way.

8CRITICAL THINKING
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that I must be thinking about overcoming my areas of
weakness rather than being jealous of the success of my colleagues. It is because of this
suspicious nature that I have often not been able to pay attention to improving myself. However,
from now onwards, I will be trying to work over my personal development by overcoming my
areas of weakness. I will try to put in all my efforts in order to develop myself as a good sales
representative.

9CRITICAL THINKING
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