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Why Attend

Managers are constantly confronted with solving complex problems and making critical decisions. If
not handled properly, these problems can have severe negative eﬀects on operations and
profitability. This course equips managers with the right tools and techniques to ensure they will find
proper and permanent solutions to problems and make optimum decisions. Participants will learn
how to develop the right mindset for solving problems, and enable them to understand, analyze and
appreciate the diﬀerent types of problems, conduct in-depth root cause analysis and make the right
decisions for permanent solutions.

Participants will also discover that some problems cannot be
solved using rational problem solving methods but need diﬀerent, more creative approaches. In this
course, we will enhance the participants’ idea-generating proficiency and we will enable them to lead
a creative team. Finally, and after a solution is formulated and a decision is made, participants will
learn how to ‘sell’ their solutions to stakeholders and get the buy in. On this course, participants will
also discover how to influence others and get support for what has been decided.

Event Date: 04/03/2024 – 07/03/2024

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Overview
Course Outline

Course Methodology
This highly practical and interactive course uses models, practical exercises, case studies,
presentations and group discussions to develop managerial problem solving and decision making
capabilities.
Participants in a group will be challenging other groups’ findings and results and will be defending
theirs. The use of participants’ real work situations adds practicality and facilitates transfer of
learning. Participants will safely practice learned techniques which will then be easily applicable at
the workplace

Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
 Explain the structured model for systematically addressing problems and decisions
 Practice the use of key tools and techniques for analyzing and solving problems
 Conduct a comprehensive root cause analysis of any problem
 Demonstrate the use of several disciplines in decision making
 Identify various creative idea generating tools which can be practically applied at the workplace
 Apply influencing techniques to enable better decision making and implementation

Target Audience
Team leaders, department managers and supervisors who are involved in leading and participating
in solving their teams’ problems, as well as making and implementing decisions.

Target Competencies
 Problem solving
 Decision making
 Creativity
 Situational analysis
 Influencing
 Leadership

Course Outline

 Structured problem solving
 Definitions, principles and overview
 Direct relationship between problem solving and decision making
 Types of problem solving
 Problem solving mindsets and attitudes
 Developing the questioning mindset with team members
 Problem ownership
 Drilling down complex problems into progressively smaller parts
 The 6 step problem solving method
 Classifying and prioritizing problems

 Understanding and analyzing problems
 Techniques for recognizing problems
 Appreciating the magnitude of problems facing us
 Isolating causes from symptoms
 Data collection and analysis
 Pareto analysis
 SWOT analysis

 Root cause analysis
 When is it necessary to undergo a wide scale root cause analysis
 Root cause analysis: the interrelation
 Root cause analysis: the process
 Cause and effect analysis: key points of the process
 Three types of corrective actions

 Decision making
 Everyday decision making techniques
 Principles of decision making
 Components of optimum decision making
 Using critical thinking as an aid to decisions
 Different tools for decision making
 Subjective versus objective decision making
 The uncertainty problem

 Creativity and problem solving
 Intelligence versus creativity
 The role of creativity in problem solving
 Mental blockers of creativity
 Brainstorming: different techniques
 Opposite thinking and ‘what if’
 Mind mapping

 Problem solving and people
 Leading the problem solving effort
 Solving people related problems
 Removing the ‘groupthink’ effect from the team
 Team problem solving: ensuring participation, agreement, and implementation of the solution
 Behaviors that influence or block problem solving
 Convincing stakeholders with your solutions