What is a "Master Problem Solver?" and Why You Need To Hire One Immediately

Interview & Dictation by Nicole Sheraton

“Master Problem Solvers are people who have an instinctual ability to identify and solve problems. This is a person that thrives on getting the gold in seemingly impossible situations. This is a person who thrives under pressure and doesn’t break easily but rather welcomes the challenge. This is the person we always recruit for so that our clients have a hiring experience, unlike any other. This person is often times a leader or a leader in-the-making. This skill is also their talent.” - GJD, Founder, Serafina Staffing

I sat down with Founder, Genevieve J. Deneuve, who is in every sense of the word, a Master Problem Solver. She has been this way since she was a small child and it’s one of her most obvious characteristics as a person. Here she explains how being a Master Problem Solver became the foundation of her life, her company and why all Employers need to hire a Master Problem Solver, immediately.

NS: “What does it mean to be a Master Problem Solver?

GJD: For me, personally, I never hear the word “NO.” People say it to me all the time but what I hear is “NOT THIS WAY.” I have a very optimistic view on Learning Curves and Problems. I think everything can be figured out. I find that creativity, persistence and resourcefulness goes a lot further than actual talent sometimes. For some people this becomes their talent. For instance, right after someone tells me “No,” my brain, will automatically map out an alternate path to get to a solvable outcome. I’ve honed the skill to such a degree that it’s instinctual now. I think that anyone who considers themself a Master Problem Solver thinks that everything can be figured out somehow. I never give up and I don’t despair easily. I have an abnormal amount of tolerance for situations and events that will discourage the average person.

NS: Why you need to hire a Master Problem Solver, immediately

GJD: First, it allows for you to spot the weak link in the team because once you hire this person, they often run circles around your other team members. Another factor is, they lighten the team’s load and allow for a more productive flow of activity in the work environment. And if their communication skills match their problem solving and ability to execute and successfully coordinate, you have someone primed for a leadership role which can alleviate overwhelm in the long run.

NS: What advice do you have for Employers seeking Master Problem Solvers?

GJD: Master Problem Solvers are Top Talent. They are people who have an instinctual ability to identify and solve root and key problems. This is a person that thrives on getting the gold in seemingly impossible situations. This is person thrives under pressure and doesn’t break easily but rather welcomes the challenge. This person is often times a leader or a leader in-the-making. This skill is also their talent.

This is the person we always recruit for so that our clients have a hiring experience, unlike any other. That’s a person I want to introduce to our clients. That’s a match that I am excited about making. I would suggest that Employers do a comprehensive review of their team and if you have more problems than solutions coming your way, it’s time to get new talent, it’s time to hire A MASTER PROBLEM SOLVER.

NS: I often hear you encouraging our team to find and recruit for Master Problem Solvers. Would you say this is the most important aspect of staffing?

GJD:  That’s a great question Nicole, you’re really good at this interview today, we should do more of these Q&A. YES, FINDING MASTER PROBLEM SOLVERS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF HIRING COMPETENT PEOPLE FOR A TEAM. Being a Master Problem Solver requires critical thinking, forward thinking, ambition and resilience, those skills make you a great asset to yourself and others around you. Also, people tend to be increasingly more motivated when they’re around people with a can-do attitude, those people are master problem solvers.

NS: How would you say that Serafina Staffing’s internal views of Problem Solving helps our clients directly?

GJD: Clients come to us because they are busy and lack the time so we are asked to solve their staffing problems at various levels and over the years, we have constructed and continually evolved a hiring system that allows Client’s to easily structure and re-structure their teams in a way that feels almost effortless to them while simultaneously proving that new hires can work at peak level from the onset of the placement — WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE WE MATCHED THEM WITH A MASTER PROBLEM SOLVER. That’s the secret to our sauce, it’s one of the reasons why our service is considered extraordinary because new staff members are often efficiency ninjas.

NS: “When did you realize that you were a master problem solver?”

GJD: I was very focused on helping solve problems for others my whole life. From the time I was a small child, I was setting up entrepreneurial shop anywhere with a flat surface. . I probably first took notice my unusual habit for problem solving around the time that I was in college, I was dealing with an abnormal amount of pressure attending college and work full time trying to get into medical school, I was experiencing loss in my personal life, I was hit by a car, I was struggling with my memory during final rounds of testing, but I had a natural inclination to want to figure things out and I also worked twice as hard as other people my age. I never felt defeated by my circumstances. Because of my ability to work hard and problem solve, I became very resourceful in my life and also very confident.

NS: What would you say to someone who doesn’t feel like they are GOOD at solving BIG problems?

GJD: Fear can really drain your confidence. Problems are just life’s way of showing you how smart and strong you are. Everyone deserves to know how smart and strong they are, sometimes we have to prove it to ourselves, other times we don’t have a choice but by doing the solving of the problems, we garner the courage to live a full life. Anyone can become a Master Problem Solver and it’s a skill that no-one can take away from you. Go find a problem and solve it, you’ll feel so much better once it’s done!