COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Learn and apply appropriate problem solving and decision making processes and methods
- Identify common challenges / biases to effective problem solving and decision making
- Assess conceptual blocks and significant situational challenges which lead to bad decisions
- Apply these learnings to enhance leadership development and organizational performance
- Learn different types of thinking – Critical thinking / Divergent thinking / Convergent thinking and use it for effective problem solving
COURSE OUTLINE
Module 1 – Why is Creative Problem Solving needed?
- Changing Business Contexts – The VUCA world
- Creative Problem Solving + Faster Decisions = Better Profits
- Examples of Ideas that disrupted the world
- Is Creative problem solving a Skill?
- Role of a Manager / Leader in Problem Solving
Module 2 – What is a Problem ?
- Defining “The Problem”
- Are all “problems” really a “problem”?
- Is the problem a cause or symptom ?
- Defining “Decision Making”
- Are all “Decisions” really a “decision?”
- Do we “ need “to solve problem?
- Is your decision congruent to the personal / organisational values / ethics?
Module 3 – Block Busting Problems (James Adams)
- The Perceptual Block
- The Emotional Block
- Cultural & Environmental Blocks
- Intellectual and Expressive Blocks
- Stereotyping and Unconscious Biases
- Blockbusting solutions
Module 4 : Creative Problem solving and Decision Making – The Process
- Kepner Tregoe Rational Process
- Situation Appraisal
- Problem Analysis
- Decision Analysis
- Potential Problem / Opportunity Analysis
Module 5: Critical Thinking
- Thinking Fast and slow – Eliminating Unconscious Bias (Daniel Kanhemann’s Book review)
- The 8 Elements of The Critical Thinking Process (Reflection, Analysis, Acquisition of information, Creativity, Structuring arguments, Decision making, Commitment, Debate.
- 6 Stages of Development in Critical thinking (Linda Paul & Richard Elder Model)
- The Unreflective Thinker
- The Challenged Thinker
- The Beginning Thinker
- The Practicing Thinker
- The Advanced Thinker
- The Accomplished Thinker
Module 6 : Convergent & Divergent Thinking
- Characteristics of Convergent and Divergent thinking
- Steps in Convergent Thinking
- Steps in Divergent thinking
- Examples and practice sessions in Convergent and Divergent Thinking
- Using Convergent and Divergent thinking in conjunction
Module 7 : Techniques for Problem Solving
- The Five Why Technique
- Fish Bone Diagram Method
- Brainstorming
- Quality Circles
- The Root Cause Analysis
- Pareto Technique
- Six Thinking Hats
Module 8 – Implementing the Decisions
- Action Plan & Preparing the details
- Ethical & Social Concerns
- Ownership of decisions
- Personal Decision Making
- Organisational Decision Making
- Democratic Decision Making
- Challenges in Decision Making