SKILL #3: PROBLEM SOLVING Problem Solving is a critical skill for success in business —in fact it’s often what you’re hired and paid to do. Humor can help in each of the steps , not only by boosting creativity but also increasing the enjoyment of work. If a problem is “a state of desire for reaching a definite goal from a present condition,”1 problem solving is “the management of a problem in a way 2 that successfully meets the goals established for treating it.” Successfully solving a problem doesn’t necessarily mean it has completely gone away, it just means you’ve achieved your goal with regard to the issue. Said differently, solving a problem is an opportunity to move from your current state to a more ideal state. As Henry J. Kaiser said, “Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.” 1 See Problem solving. 2 See Introduction to Problem Solving. 107