Creativity, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Courses Syllabus

Introduction

Highly successful organisations are renowned for developing internal climates where innovation and creative solutions thrive. This highly creative, yet practical explores what is involved in establishing such a business environment, and will demonstrate to delegates how to develop innovative and creative solutions to real world business problems when they return to their workplace.

The core learning experience centres around a series of practical case study exercises, which will be drawn on to illustrate the key principles involved in critical thinking and innovative problem solving. It will also enable the delegates to test their knowledge and expertise.

objectives

• Assess their own thinking and communicating style preferences through a variety of profiling and benchmarking tools
• Understand how to add value through critical thinking and innovative problem solving
• Appreciate the vital importance that communication and active listening have in building a sustainable environment, where great decisions are consistently taken
• Understand, at a detailed level, how to use a wide variety of problem solving tools effectively
• Develop their ability to think “outside the box&rdquo
• Have obtained the necessary skills to make better business decisions
• Recognise the difference between solving problems and finding solutions
• Takeaway a toolkit of creative techniques to enable them to cope with the challenges which lie ahead

Contents

Day One

Developing critical thinking

• Learning how to learn – a critical evaluation of our preferred style of learning
• Defining the creative environment
• Establishing the right climate
• Creative approaches explored
• Practical examples and exercises
• Overview of principal Tools & Techniques

Day Two

Decision making strategies

• Influencing for success – a critical evaluation of our preferred style of influencing
• Developing a Stakeholder Analysis – Power versus Influence
• Opportunities and Challenges as opposed to problems
• Developing a “meetings strategy” to solve problems and make decisions
• The steps for effective problem solving and decision making – using several different models
• Practical examples and exercises

Day Three

Learning to think creatively

• Thinking outside the box – left/right brain thinking
• Reasons for poor decisions
• Managing the risk
• Decision making applied
• Review of major learning points
• Discussion on any remaining barriers and solutions
• Using problem solving strategies to plan for creative and innovative solutions

Day Four

Discover more effective ways in which to communicate

• Planning the successful Team – a critical evaluation of our preferred style of team working
• The different communication styles and when to use each one
• Appreciating the diversity of others communications preferences
• Perception and communicating with others
• Changing your response to stereotypical perceptions
• Developing a strategy for change – implementing critical thinking and problem solving in the real world

Day Five

Developing the plan into action

• Defining organisational conflict in terms of how this impacts our problem solving culture
• Applying techniques to resolve conflicts
• Developing SMART objectives
• Developing a comprehensive Personal Business Plan for implementation over 3, 6 9 and 12 months from today
• Giving and receiving constructive critical peer feedback