Problem Solving Training

Problem Solving and Creative Thinking Course - 1 day

About this Problem Solving and Creative Thinking Training

This course is about developing your problem-solving skills. This course is about how to close the gap between the situation you have now, and the situation that you want.

If you can close the gap between the situation that you have; and the one that you want, then you win.
Problem solving is the ultimate skill.
Problem solving relies on five fundamental principles.

1. Preventing problems from happening in the first place
2. Solving problems by logical and analytical thinking
3. Solving problems by creative and imaginative thinking
4. Solving problems by harnessing the power of many minds, working together
5. Profiting from problems: Embedded in the problem are seeds of greater a benefit

This terrific course covers all this, and more.

Problem Solving Training Course Overview

Problem Solving and Creative Thinking Course Content

Problem Solving Training AM

Introductions

Who are you? And what do you want to gain from attending this course?

Definition of terms. What do we mean by the word “Problem”?

A problem is the difference between two conditions: Between “What you HAVE now”; and “What you WANT or NEED”.

Examples:

• You have X amount of money. You need 2X amount. That is a problem
• Your ship is letting in water and you need to save yourself. That is a problem
• You are doing well, but you would like to do even better. That is a problem (challenge)

What is Problem Solving Training?

This course is about developing problem solving skills. This course is about how to close the gap between the situation you have now, and the situation that you want.

Problem solving is the ultimate skill.

There are seven problem solving skills.

First skill: To prevent the problem in the first place

The most impressive skill is to prevent problems from happening in the first place.
This means developing the ability to Prevent Avoidable Errors.
Many problems are the result of people making avoidable errors. Careless mistakes and omissions.
The prevention of avoidable errors is your first line of defence.

Examples of problems caused by avoidable errors.

Protocols and mindfulness in relation to avoiding errors.

Exercises to stimulate your problems solving.

We develop these skills by doing some practical examples.

Second skill: Break problems down into their component parts

Now let us assume you have failed to prevent a problem and now the problem exists.
You must now deal with it.

You start by identifying the exact nature of the problem.

Defining the problem properly is the first step to solving it.
Everything that exists is built from component parts.
So, when you have a problem the assumption to make is that the BIG problems are made up of several smaller units. The first job is to analyse the problem and find out what are its component parts.

Third skill. Map out: Problem – probable causes – possible solutions

We assume the following to be true:
All problems have causes. Most problems have multiple causes. We need to identify the major causes that are creating and sustaining the problem. Each of the causes suggest one or more possible solutions.
We construct a problem cause solution map. Such a map would have this general shape.

Examples and Practice exercises.

You identify a problem and write the problem, cause, solution map.

Creative Thinking Training PM

Fourth skills Map out: Problem – possible implications – pre-emptive countermeasures

We also assume the following to be true.

As well as having causes, all problems have IMPLICATIONS. Meaning, all problems have the potential to create secondary problems. And the secondary problems may lead to a major crisis situation.

For example, a small scratch on the back of your hand, could lead to a large infection and then septicaemia.
For example, A small screw embedded in a car tyre could cause a burst tyre and then a motorway pile up.

Whereas the previous model (Problem cause solution) worked backwards through time to identify causes, this model works FORWARDS in time and tries to predict possible implications of the original problem, and then to figure out countermeasures that need to be initiated, in order to avert a wave of more serious secondary effects.

A problem implication countermeasure map would look like this.

Exercises to stimulate your problem solving.

We develop this skill by doing some practical examples.

Combining the two processes

We assume the following to be true:
Most problems have causes, AND implications. Therefore, it is good to combine both maps and solve the problem and prevent its secondary effects.

Exercises to stimulate your creative problems solving.

We develop these skills by doing some practical examples.

Fifth skill. Think imaginatively and develop creative solutions

Many problems can be solved through logical analysis. But many others cannot be solved through the use of pure logic. They need to be solved imaginatively. Creatively.

For example: Walt Disney created his empire through the use of his creative imagination. It was creative genius that produced The Sleeping Beauty, not hard logic.

Your company logo, strap line and corporate image is a product of creative thinking.

Many business problems are best solved imaginatively and creatively.
How can we stimulate the creative portion of your mind so that you come up with novel, unique, creative, imaginative solutions?

Examples of creative problems solving.

Tips on developing creativity.
Exercises to stimulate your creative problems solving.
We learn by doing a practical exercise.

Sixth skill: Make use of many minds: The Mastermind Principle

You have heard the phrase: “Two minds are better than one”. The same is true of creative thinking.

The most profitable ideas are usually the fruits of more than one brain. The most profitable ideas are usually the result of many minds working in harmony to solve a shared problem. You need to know how to combine ideas, so the result is not from any one individual, but is rather the combined efforts of the team.

Team creativity is best achieved when the members of the team are working in a cooperative and harmonious way.

The Mastemind principle comes from the writing of Napoleon Hill:
“The Mastermind principle consists of an alliance of two or more minds working in PERFECT HARMONY, for the attainment of a common, definite objective.

Tips for creating a Mastermind Alliance

Examples of the Mastermind Alliance.
Who could you ask to form a mastermind alliance with you?

Seventh skill: Profiting from your problems.

Remember that some problems are NOT problems. They are blessings in disguise.

We assume the following to be true:
“Embedded in every problem there is the seed of a greater benefit”.

Many problems, when seen in a different light may actually be a blessing in disguise.

There have been many examples of how a so-called “problematic situation” was transformed into a “profitable enterprise”.

For example: in 1968 Dr. Spencer Silver was trying to invent a super-strong adhesive, but he failed. His glue did not work. It was instead a super-weak glue. Rather than trying to solve the problem he simply called his terrible adhesive a terrific low-tack adhesive that would stick to things but also could be repositioned multiple times. From that, he invented Post-it notes and made a fortune.

His problematic adhesive was a blessing in disguise. BUT ONLY BECAUSE he saw the potential profit embedded in the problem.

Exercise:

How have you profited from a past problem?
How could you profit from a current problem?

Price for open training course

• Full day of quality training
• Tea, coffee and cakes
• Lunch
• Full colour course notes
• Written action plan
• Certificate
• Additional training material by means of monthly updates
• Access to the Post Course Portal

Plus 3 months free telephone coaching

To answer any on-going questions, you will also receive email and telephone support from your trainer after you have attended the course. Whilst you are implementing what you have learned we will be there to help you if you need us for advice, guidance and coaching.

After the course, how can you to keep the training-momentum going?

We understand that it is important to keep the momentum of the training going, in the weeks after the course. The ideas and methods that you learnt during the course need to be implemented, not just for the two weeks after the course, but for all time!

In order to make that happen, we will give you continued, on-going support after the training course has finished. The support comes in the form of the Post Course Portal.

The Post Course Portal is a web page that contains a review of all the course material, plus the following:

• Newsletters containing training blogs and articles, which will provide you with ongoing training and good ideas, whenever you need them.
• Fun questionnaires that are designed to tease out your strengths and weaknesses and then give you ideas as to how you might improve your performance.
• Decision matrices that will allow you to make decisions and prioritise tasks into the correct order.
• Summary diagrams and mind maps from the course.
• Conflict scripts that give you examples of how the conflict method can be used, in real life situations.
• Free eBook the effective leader manager.

Price for in house training course

In House Course: from £1,850 +VAT per day (international training price varies) for up to 20 delegates

Please call us on +44 020 3856 3008 to discuss your requirements for the in house training course.

If you want to know more about any Management Training Course or their suitability for you or a colleague call us on +44 020 3856 3008.