How Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills Overcome Career Challenges
Ever wondered how top professionals tackle complex challenges with innovative solutions? In this Q&A, hear from a Founder and a Product Marketing Manager as they share their experiences. Discover how seven expert overcame challenges with creativity in legal outsourcing, while another crafted a viral blog post. This article presents 7 unique insights from industry leaders.
- Overcoming Challenges with Creativity in Legal Outsourcing
- Transforming a Neglected Backyard
- Transitioning to Higher Education Consulting
- Founding Meta's Internal Comms Video Team
- Developing a Workplace Wellness Program
- Gamifying an Email Marketing Campaign
- Writing a Viral Blog Post
Overcoming Challenges with Creativity in Legal Outsourcing
Overcoming Challenges with Creativity in Legal Outsourcing
As the founder of a legal process outsourcing company, I've had to rely on creativity and problem-solving skills to overcome challenges, especially when dealing with complex client requirements.
One such instance occurred when we were tasked with managing a large-scale litigation document review for a client, but the volume of documents was far greater than we had anticipated, and our existing systems were stretched thin. Rather than simply pushing through more hours or adding additional resources, I took a step back and reimagined our approach.
I introduced a tiered system where we categorized documents based on complexity and urgency, allowing us to prioritize key files and delegate routine ones to a specialized team for quicker processing. We also integrated machine learning tools to assist in document tagging and sorting, speeding up the process without compromising quality.
This creative solution not only helped us meet the tight deadline but also impressed our client, leading to a long-term partnership. It was a real turning point, showing me that creative thinking-combined with technology-can turn a potential setback into a major success.
Transforming a Neglected Backyard
One example that stands out was when a client approached me to transform their neglected backyard into a vibrant, functional space for both entertaining and growing their own vegetables. The challenge was the state of the garden; it was overrun with weeds, the soil was compacted and depleted, and there were drainage issues causing water to pool in several areas. They wanted the space to look beautiful but also be practical, which required careful planning and a creative approach to maximize the limited space available.
Drawing on my 15 years of experience and horticultural qualifications, I started by addressing the drainage problem. I designed a subtle slope and installed French drains to redirect water away from problem areas, ensuring the soil would not stay waterlogged. Next, I enriched the soil with organic compost and natural fertilizers to restore its health. For the vegetable garden, I used raised garden beds, which not only improved drainage but also allowed us to create a visually appealing layout. To enhance the space's functionality, I incorporated a small, paved entertainment area surrounded by flowering shrubs and climbing plants, creating a lush, welcoming ambiance. The final touch was a custom trellis system I designed to support both decorative plants and vertical vegetable gardening. The result was a stunning transformation that exceeded the client's expectations, and it highlighted how my training and practical experience allowed me to bring a challenging project to life.
Transitioning to Higher Education Consulting
Early in my career, I faced a significant challenge when I felt my professional growth plateauing in tech sales. I wanted to transition into higher education consulting, but every application I submitted was met with the same feedback: I had the skills but lacked industry-specific experience.
Instead of seeing this feedback as a rejection, I used it as a roadmap. I pivoted my focus to finding an entry point in higher education and landed a role at a nonprofit in the sector. Over the next two years, I gained hands-on experience, built a network within the field, and deepened my understanding of the industry. When I reapplied to the consulting organization, I not only met their qualifications but exceeded expectations, earning the role I had been pursuing.
Creativity often means reframing challenges as opportunities. By seeking alternative entry points and strategically building experience, you can turn career roadblocks into stepping stones.
Founding Meta's Internal Comms Video Team
When I worked at Meta, they were talking a big game about the power of video for users on the Facebook platform, but when I looked at our internal comms efforts around video, they were effectively non-existent. So, I saw it as an opportunity to lean into something that I knew was valuable and effective, while also offering me a chance to do something I loved and could excel at. Which led me to founding and leading the first ever Internal Comms Video team at Meta, where I also hosted the popular monthly news & interview series called "The Blast". It accelerated my career by putting me in a visible leadership position, creating transformative work that was fun, and it put me in the room with the brightest minds at the company like Sheryl Sandberg, Nick Clegg and Adam Mosseri.
My lesson was that the role you want may not exist yet, so you will have to create it yourself. By drawing on the things you love and giving them shape through your own creative lens, you can actually create the career you want.
Developing a Workplace Wellness Program
One rewarding examples of problem solving in my career was during my time as director at Collins Place Physio, prior to founding The Alignment Studio. A corporate client approached us with a significant challenge: their employees were experiencing a spike in musculoskeletal issues due to poor workstation ergonomics and sedentary habits. This was impacting productivity and leading to higher absenteeism. Recognizing that traditional physiotherapy alone wouldn't address the root cause, I developed a comprehensive workplace wellness program tailored to their needs. Drawing on my 30 years of experience, I combined physiotherapy knowledge with insights from postural health, ergonomic assessment, and preventative care strategies.
The program involved conducting on-site ergonomic assessments, providing tailored exercise programs, and hosting interactive workshops to educate employees on posture, movement, and self-care techniques. By integrating a multidisciplinary approach, we not only reduced injury rates but also empowered staff to take ownership of their physical well-being. Within six months, the company reported a significant drop in workplace injuries and saw a noticeable improvement in staff morale and productivity. This experience solidified my belief in the power of holistic care, and it inspired the integrated approach we now champion at The Alignment Studio.
Gamifying an Email Marketing Campaign
In one role, I faced the challenge of improving engagement for a stagnant email marketing campaign. Instead of sticking with conventional approaches, I proposed creating a gamified email series where users unlocked discounts by completing interactive quizzes.
I designed the campaign to align with the brand's tone and used analytics to track user behavior. The result was a 40% increase in click-through rates and a noticeable boost in sales. The key was thinking outside the box and leveraging audience interests to re-ignite engagement.
Writing a Viral Blog Post
As a marketer, many of my career goals revolve around virality and hitting high numbers. When I worked in a content marketing role, I had a goal of writing a really viral blog post. The post I wrote used a structure no one at the company had ever tried before. I structured the post in a way to get all sections to be optimized for rich snippets, so it would get organic traffic via multiple rich snippets instead of just one for the main keyword. In the end, the article ended up bringing in over 1 million views a month. Being experimental and trying things no one has ever done before can allow you to skyrocket really fast.
