strategic problem solving course

Strategic Problem Solving and Paradox Management

• Gain the analytical skills necessary to navigate the ambiguity and complexity of your roles
• Discover the step-by-step process for resolving issues—from analyzing concerns and identifying root causes, to empowering stakeholders and formulating sustainable solutions
• Experience hands-on learning through an “empathy-first” lens with immersive role plays, dynamic discussions, and other experiential activities that simulate real-world challenges

Apply for this course now to hone your problem-solving acumen and master the art of navigating the complexities and paradoxes that come with leadership.

Course Topics

Defining problems and setting criteria for success, analyzing problems’ root causes, generating solutions to test hypotheses, decision-making strategies, decision-making frameworks, managing paradoxes, learning outcomes.

At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

• Articulate and refine problem statements – learn how to effectively scope a problem and define criteria for success
• Analyze complex business problems, and identify root causes using a structured problem-solving process
• Use an “empathy-first” approach to identify competing and complementary needs of all stakeholders
• Formulate solutions using analytical tools and frameworks like fishbone diagram, 5 whys, cost benefit analysis, decision matrices, and more
• Learn to use creative thinking techniques like SCAMPER and Brainwriting
• Evaluate the potential impact of different solutions, and make informed decisions when facing contradictory demands or constraints

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for professionals and managers facing complex roles in their careers. If you’re looking to adopt an analytical framework for systematic problem-solving—at the same time emphasizing empathy and collaboration—this course is for you.

Course Journey

Assessment & Evaluation

Participants will have a 2-day window after their course, to complete the evaluation and assessment. They must complete the evaluation and successfully pass the assessment to be eligible for their course certificate. The course evaluation and assessment will be conducted online.

To be eligible for funding, participants are required to attain a minimum 75% attendance and pass the course assessment. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for more details.

Fees & Funding

Funding available for the individual.

All course fees are subject to prevailing Goods & Services Tax (GST). GST will be applied on nett course fees after 70% baseline grant, before any other applicable subsidies.

Funding available for Singapore-registered Companies

Cohort Intake

• 14 & 15 Aug 2024
• 21 & 22 Oct 2024
• 2 & 3 Dec 2024

Facilitator Bio

Kirpal Singh

Kirpal is a faculty member of the Korn Ferry Academy. He is a seasoned Entrepreneur, Business Consultant, Coach, and Trainer, bringing a diverse skill set to his role. As the founder of Adlerblick, a business coaching and advisory firm, he has demonstrated his expertise in guiding organizations to success. With a career spanning public service, co-founding tech startups, and investing in Biotech and Security ventures, Kirpal's notable achievement includes co-founding a supply chain company that expanded into a 50-person global organization. Through his "High Challenge and High Support" approach, Kirpal consistently pushes his clients to achieve their full potential while providing unwavering guidance. His areas of specialization include talent management, leadership development, and driving business transformations that lead to sustainable growth. He is particularly passionate about the intersection of business and sustainability, recognizing its potential to differentiate companies and seize new growth opportunities. Kirpal is a Senior Advisor with NUS-Biz School for their “Enterprise Leadership Transformation” program and serves as an adjunct faculty member for the NUS MBA capstone program. At INSEAD, he was involved in their capstone program and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp program. As an ICF Certified Coach, he brings a high level of professionalism and expertise to his coaching practice.

Terms & Conditions

View terms & conditions, success stories, don’t just take our word for it, suggested courses.

Cultivating Cross-Team Collaboration and Innovation

Design Thinking for HR Professionals

Mastering Presentation and Storytelling in Business

Great leaders know an opportunity when they see it—and grab it on the spot. There’s no better time than now to start investing in yourself and your people. Speak to a Korn Ferry Academy consultant today.

©2023 Korn Ferry. All rights reserved.

• [email protected]
• +234 809 105 2974

Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving

The Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving course equips students with essential skills for navigating the complex business landscape. Topics covered include critical attributes of strategic thinkers, problem-solving frameworks, analytical tools (such as PESTEL, SWOT, McKinsey 7S, and BCG Matrix), and real-world case studies. Students learn to define problems accurately, gather data, generate solutions, and evaluate actions. They explore marketing mix strategies and the alignment of organizational elements. By course completion, students gain a strong foundation in strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making, enabling them to analyze business situations effectively and make informed strategic choices.

Delivery Mode: Online Self-paced

Course Content

You may like.

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

Registration confirmation will be emailed to you.

Outside USA: +1‑607‑330‑3200

Problem‑Solving Using Evidence and Critical Thinking Cornell Course

Select start date, problem-solving using evidence and critical thinking, course overview.

Have you ever known a very intelligent person who made a very bad decision? If so, you know that having a high IQ does not guarantee that you automatically make critically thoughtful decisions. Critically thoughtful problem-solving is a discipline and a skill—one that allows you to make decisions that are the product of careful thought, and the results of those decisions help your team and organization thrive.

In this course you will practice a disciplined, systematic approach to problem solving that helps ensure that your analysis of a problem is comprehensive, is based on quality, credible evidence, and takes full and fair account of the most probable counterarguments and risks. The result of this technique is a thoroughly defensible assessment of what the problem is, what is causing it, and the most effective plan of action to address it. Finally, you will identify and frame a problem by assessing its context and develop a well-reasoned and implementable solution that addresses the underlying causes.

Key Course Takeaways

• Assess the context of the problem
• Determine the current and desired states and confirm this with decision makers
• Identify and articulate the questions that must be answered to bridge the gap between current state and desired future state
• Determine root causes and distinguish symptoms from problems
• Brainstorm a range of possible solutions to address each significant underlying cause
• Assess each option for the extent to which it bridges the gap between current and future state, whether it is implementable, and if it is ethical

Download a Brochure

How it works, course author.

• Certificates Authored

Risa Mish is professor of practice of management at the Johnson Graduate School of Management. She designed and teaches the MBA Core course in Critical and Strategic Thinking, in addition to teaching courses in leadership and serving as faculty co-director of the Johnson Leadership Fellows program.

She has been the recipient of the MBA Core Faculty Teaching Award, selected by the residential program MBA class to honor the teacher who “best fosters learning through lecture, discussion and course work in the required core curriculum”; the Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, selected by the MBA graduating classes to honor a faculty member who “exemplifies outstanding leadership and enduring educational influence”; the “Best Teacher Award”, selected by the graduating class of the Cornell-Tsinghua dual degree MBA/FMBA program offered by Johnson at Cornell and the PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University; the Stephen Russell Distinguished Teaching Award, selected by the five-year MBA reunion class to honor a faculty member whose “teaching and example have continued to influence graduates five years into their post-MBA careers”; and the Globe Award for Teaching Excellence, selected by the Executive MBA graduating class to honor a faculty member who “demonstrates a command of subject matter and also possesses the creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm essential to meet the unique challenges of an EMBA education.”

Mish serves as a keynote speaker and workshop leader at global, national, and regional conferences for corporations and trade associations in the consumer products, financial services, health care, high tech, media, and manufacturing industries, on a variety of topics, including critical thinking and problem solving, persuasion and influence, and motivating optimal employee performance. Before returning to Cornell, Mish was a partner in the New York City law firm of Collazo Carling & Mish LLP (now Collazo Florentino & Keil LLP), where she represented management clients on a wide range of labor and employment law matters, including defense of employment discrimination claims in federal and state courts and administrative agencies, and in labor arbitrations and negotiations under collective bargaining agreements. Prior to CC&M, Mish was a labor and employment law associate with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York City, where she represented Fortune 500 clients in the financial services, consumer products, and manufacturing industries. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and state and federal courts in New York and Massachusetts.

Mish is a member of the board of directors of SmithBucklin Corporation, the world’s largest trade association management company, headquartered in Chicago and TheraCare Corporation, headquartered in New York City. She formerly served as a Trustee of the Tompkins County Public Library, Vice Chair of the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, and member of the board of directors of the United Way of Tompkins County.

• Omnichannel Leadership Program
• Corporate Communication
• Intrapreneurship
• Management 360
• Critical Thinking
• Performance Leadership
• Executive Leadership
• Change Management

Who Should Enroll

• Leaders in any industry with 2-10+ years experience
• Mid-level professionals looking to improve and expand their influence and move into leadership roles
• Managers who make or request investments in resources, improvements in processes, or changes in priorities
• VP or C-level executives interested in continuing to grow as leaders
• Consultants or analysts who make recommendations
• Engineers and designers leading projects
• Anyone whose work involves devising, proposing, and defending evidence-based solutions to problems

Stack To A Certificate

• Data Visualization in Tableau

Request Information Now by completing the form below.

Enter your information to get access to a virtual open house with the eCornell team to get your questions answered live.

Future Skills Short Course

Strategic Problem Solving

Accelerate your career by elevating your strategic thinking. Learn how to drive success with approaches for effective problem-solving.

$1,600 incl. GST

Level up your skills and qualifications as a digital native

RMIT Online’s  Ready, Set, Upskill  report found 43% of Australian businesses identified their critical thinking and problem solving skills as lacking or outdated. World Economic Forum has even listed critical thinking and problem solving as the top skills employers believe will grow in prominence in the next 5 years. There’s never been a more important time to level up your skill set.

Our Strategic Problem Solving course will help you to build the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will enable you to engage at a strategic level. Over 6 weeks you will practice identifying problems and synthesising issue trees. You will use recognised strategic frameworks to complete analysis and develop solutions. Throughout the course you will build your capabilities in problem definition, communications and strategic analysis, all culminating in a credential from RMIT University when you complete the course.

Our Strategic Problem Solving course is ideal for:

• Aspiring and emerging leaders looking to build strategic capability to access more senior roles.  
• Existing team or functional leaders seeking to expand their problem solving skills in interpreting and executing a strategy to drive better outcomes and enhance their strategic agility.  

Throughout this course, you will: 

• Describe your role within the context of an organisational strategy  
• Appraise an organisation’s strategy against recognised frameworks  
• Develop a problem statement and break it down into a prioritised issues tree for an organisational issue
• Provide recommendations and associated rationale in response to the problem statement

Over 6 weeks you will practice identifying problems and synthesising issue trees. You will use recognised strategic frameworks to analyse and evaluate your organisation's strategy and approaches to solutions. 

At the end of the course, you can choose to complete an assessment to be awarded an RMIT credential, validating your skills and competency in the area. In your final project, you will present and justify your recommendations in response to your problem statement using a recognised strategic framework. 

Career outlook

Job satisfaction.

Industry growth

Salary expectations

Job opportunities

Course overview

Get rmit credentialed.

After completing an RMIT Future Skills course, you will earn an RMIT credential which can be validated, recognised and shared on social media platforms.

Course structure

Module 1: your organisation and you.

• Explore the concept of problem-solving as an organisational priority 
• Investigate an organisation's strategy, mission and identify their differences 

Milestone: Develop a strategy on a page and conduct a SWOT analysis to appraise your organisations approach.

Module 2: Identifying and defining problems

• Explore business problems and how they differ from symptoms 
• Discover steps to define the challenge and unpack the value of problem statements 
• Develop a problem statement aligned with a SMART framework and gather feedback from peers 

Milestone: Review and refine the problem statement you’ve developed based on the feedback you have received

Module 3: Prioritising issues

• Analyse the concept and components of an issue tree as a way of structuring the problem 
• Examine methods for prioritising issues and deciding what is important 
• Review how to develop prioritisation criteria and socialise your issue tree with peers 

Milestone: Create an issues tree that breaks down your problem statement into smaller, more specific issues.  

Module 4: Analysing Issues

• Discover how to prepare and plan for conducting analysis 
• Evaluate a technique to synthesise findings and gather insights
•  Plan your analysis and identity the data, stakeholders, dependencies and risks involved 

Milestone: Summarise your plan to conduct an analysis .

Module 5: Developing next steps

• Unpack methods to develop ideas and creative approaches to developing recommendations 
• Consider ways to use organisational criteria in evaluating and providing rational for ideas 
• Review principles and frameworks for implementing, operationalising and socialising recommendations 

Milestone: Recommend a response to the problem statement, using relevant criteria to justify it (e.g., feasibility, cost-benefit analysis, alignment with the organisation’s strategy) and summarise the next steps.  

Module 6: What's next?

• Gain insights from industry experts on emerging trends in strategic thinking and problem-solving 
• Explore ways to apply your new-found skills in the workplace 
• Review tips for presenting your final project and resources for staying up-to-date

Project: In your final project you will present and justify your recommendations in response to your problem statement using a recognised strategic framework.

Learn with industry experts

Our learner success team are here to help you with 1:1 coaching, tips on how to successfully study online, and any questions or concerns you may have.

Why choose RMIT Online

Get a world-class education and transform your career.

Real world skills

Develop skills that have been validated by industry, while getting credentialed by a world-leading university.

Industry connected

You'll gain knowledge and practical skills from renowned industry partners who are at the forefront of their field.

Flexible delivery

Advance your career while you study. RMIT Online courses let you balance work, study and life commitments.

Supported community

Be guided by a network of industry experts and peers, and supported by our dedicated success team.

Download a brochure

Register your interest to get a free course guide for Strategic Problem Solving.

By clicking Submit, you agree to be contacted via email and SMS about our courses. Local numbers may also be contacted by phone. For information on how RMIT collects, stores and uses your personal information, see our RMIT Privacy Statement .

4.96 rating (54 reviews)

Strategy, Structured Thinking, and Problem Solving Course

In this course, you will work through a real-world strategy consulting case project end-to-end. Not only will you learn closely-guarded strategy skills and frameworks, but you’ll also learn how to apply them in the real world.

Invoices can be provided for company reimbursement

Trusted by thousands of executives, consultants and freelancers

Learn a strategy consulting toolkit that is guaranteed to accelerate your career

Strategy consulting has been called “the most effective generator of top-tier corporate talent in the world.”

Throughout their careers, consultants are taught a super effective skillset that covers strategy, structured thinking, and problem solving.

It’s this skillset that differentiates strategy consultants, defines them as high performers, and gives them access to the best corporate roles.

And now you can learn this skillset too.

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:

Tackle any business problem or task with complete confidence

You'll learn a simple, repeatable methodology that you can use to break down and solve any problem

Impress senior leaders with your strategy and structured thinking skills

You'll have a unique skillset that enables you to think through complex problems like an executive

Separate yourself from colleagues and earn fast-tracked promotions

You'll build a reputation as a clear thinker who can deliver even the most complex projects

Sarah Hambleton

This course is truly outstanding! I was skeptical at first... but the strategic problem solving methodology I learnt in this course is SO useful. I literally think that I could tackle any business problem with complete confidence now. Thank you so much Dan!

Feb 14, 2024

You will learn the simple, repeatable science behind building the perfect slide deck every time

Strategy consultants have turned presentation-building into a science. 

They have created a methodology and refined it through thousands of real client cases.

We teach you the theory

We give you a repeatable methodology

We give you templates

We give you shortcuts and cheatsheets

You'll be able to:

Confidently build slide decks that always hit the mark

Build close relationships with senior executives

Deliver high quality work and get on the career fast track

Learn strategy and structured thinking skills, just like at McKinsey, BCG and Bain

Never again will you look at a problem and think “where do I even start!?”

In this course, you’ll learn the same strategic thinking and problem solving techniques used top-tier strategy consulting firms, such as McKinsey, BCG, and Bain.

You’ll learn a powerful and repeatable methodology that you can use to break down and solve any business problem.

This includes how to:

• Turn an ambiguous request from your manager into a clearly defined problem statement.
• Use issue trees and hypothesis trees to break down any business problem into a comprehensive list of hypotheses.
• Validate your problem breakdown using the MECE Principle.
• Prioritize and test each hypothesis to identify the root cause and/or optimal solution.
• Use the Pyramid Principle to synthesize the output of your analysis and uncover insights.
• Create an SCR/SCQA storyline to communicate your insights to executives in a clear and persuasive manner.

By the end of the course, you will have a repeatable methodology that you can use to break down and solve business and strategy problems. You'll feel confident solving any problem, no matter how complex or ambiguous.

What's covered in the course?

In the course, you’ll get:

• An end-to-end strategy methodology that’s used by top-tier strategy consulting firms, such as McKinsey, BCG, and Bain.
• 30 comprehensive lessons with over 2 hours of content, with lifetime access so you can revisit at any time.
• 4 framework deep-dives , including the issue trees, the MECE Principle, the Pyramid Principle, the SCQA/SCR structure, and more.
• 5 practical assignments with worked solutions to learn how to apply course concepts in the real-world
• 4 additional worked examples of important skills, such as how to deconstruct problem statements with the MECE principle and issue trees

Module 1. Rigorous problem definition and scoping

4 lessons, 10 minutes

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Translate a vague request from a client or manager into a well-defined problem statement
• Scope up a strategy project and align with key stakeholders
• Use a Problem Statement Worksheet as your ‘source of truth’ for your project

Module 2. Structure concepts using the MECE Principle

5 lessons, 27 minutes

• Use the MECE Principle to synthesize complex data into a simple set of concepts
• Use the MECE Principle to break down complex concepts into constituent parts
• Master the 5 ways to guarantee MECE-ness

Module 3. Break down the problem using Issue Trees

4 lessons, 26 minutes

• Break down any problem statement into a list of comprehensive hypotheses
• Ensure that you capture all potential root causes and/or solutions to the problem statement

Module 4. Prioritize hypotheses and run analysis

4 lessons, 19 minutes

• Prioritize a list of hypothesis to identify which are most likely to solve the business problem
• Workplan the analysis to ensure that you can confidently prove or disprove each hypothesis

Module 5. Synthesize insights using the Pyramid Principle

• Understand to apply the Pyramid Principle in your projects
• Use the LGIA method to turn raw analysis into actionable insights

Module 6. Storylining and communciation

6 lessons, 22 minutes

• Craft an SCR / SCQA storyline using the dot-dash structure
• Position your storyline based on the business context
• Reconstruct your storyline in PowerPoint

Look over my shoulder as I explain and solve real examples live on video...

Follow along as I break down and solve each example question live on video. You’ll hear my thought processes, see the mistakes I make, and learn how I overcome those mistakes to arrive at the solution

...and work through an end-to-end case study with real data, assignments and solutions

Not just boring lectures. Yes, we do cover theory. But the course is focused on working through a highly instructive case study that teaches you how to apply the concepts in the real world.

The case study:

We’ll work through a real-world consulting case study end-to-end...

This is the case study that you’ll work through and solve:

“GroceryMart is a regional supermarket chain that has experienced a sudden 6.5% decline in profitability and 3.5% drop in market share.

They have hired you to determine the cause of the profitability decline.”

...and complete assignments with real data and worked solutions

• 6 additional worked examples of important skills, such as how to deconstruct problem statements using the MECE principle and issue trees

PART 1: VIDEO COURSE

The 1.5 hour video course that teaches slide theory (with practical examples).

Yes, this is our online PowerPoint course. But, unlike other courses, we don't focused on the boring theory of slide-building.

Instead, you’ll learn something much more important...

You'll learn the simple, repeatable science behind building the perfect corporate or consulting slide deck. Ready for senior executives.

Not only that -- you'll be taught using examples of real-world consulting presentations and by working through real examples live in video.

By the end of the course, y ou'll have the complete slide-building toolkit, just like strategy consultants at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain.

And, no matter what problem or topic you're given, you'll be able to confidently build killer slide decks that are guaranteed to hit the mark.  You'll never look at a blank slide and think "where do I even start!?"

You will be able to:

• Structure slide decks like a top-tier consultant. Master the universal structure of any slide deck using Minto's "Pyramid Principle".
• Craft a bulletproof storyline and argument. Write a persuasive storyline using inductive logic, deductive logic, and the SCR structure.
• Use blueprints to build slides better and faster. Build slide decks using the "table principle".
• Always choose the best chart or visualization. Effortlessly choose the most compelling chart for your data and present it persuasively.
• Write compelling slide text is sharp and punchy. Avoid common slide text mistakes to ensure that your text supports your visualizations.
• Ensure that your slides have consultant-level flow. Improve flow across slides, so your reader effortlessly follows your thinking.

Course Syllabus

Module 1: Structuring the Slide Deck

Module 2: Crafting the Storyline

Module 3: Building Individual Slides

Module 4: Visualization & Charting

Module 5: Using Text on Slides

Module 6: Slide Deck Flow & Consistency

Module 7: Executive Summaries

The course is unlike anything you've ever studied – see what previous students say...

Isabella Rogers

Absolutely transformative! It's like I worked at McKinsey and learned the problem solving skills without the long hours and hard work!

Apr 28, 2024

Anna Palaszchuk

Honestly this course is so good that I don't want to tell my colleagues about it. Never seen anything like it...

Apr 2, 2024

This course FINALLY gave me a roadmap and methodology for solving business problems. Absolute game changer!

Mar 29, 2024

Sofia Ferrigano

I highly recommend this course to anyone seeking to improve their problem-solving skills. The step-by-step approach is a career cheat code.

Juan Ramirez

As a business professional, I've taken numerous courses, but the Strategy, Structured Thinking & Problem Solving course stands out as one of the best.

Mar 19, 2024

Freya O'Hearn

This course exceeded my expectations! The curriculum covers a wide range of strategic frameworks and approaches that I can use in my daily work.

Mar 5, 2024

Niel Whittaker

I bought the Strategy, Structured Thinking & Problem Solving course to advance my career, and it certainly paid off!

Mar 2, 2024

Many thanks for unearthing hard-to-come-by secrets to solving problems like a consultant. God bless.

Feb 22, 2024

Roger Northcote

I highly recommend the course if you, like me, are interested in strategy and strategic problem solving at an executive level.

Feb 16, 2024

Sarah Kerlow-Jones

As a Director, this course offered invaluable strategic frameworks that have revolutionized how I approach business challenges. Highly recommended!

Feb 1, 2024

This course is impressive! Now that I've seen how McKinsey solves problems, I am super confident to tackle any problem.

Jan 28, 2024

Fraser Stewart

The frameworks are gold. Learning these alone was worth the price of the course!

Jan 27, 2024

Our 100% money-back guarantee

We're confident that you'll get lots of value from the course. However, if you're not happy with your purchase, just email us within the first 7 days and we'll give you a full refund.

The Strategy, Structured Thinking, and Problem Solving Course

Designed to sharpen your critical thinking skills.

Your online learning journey

Frame your problem, think critically and engage with your stakeholders.

As a manager or aspiring leader, you know that to rise through the ranks requires strong and creative problem-solving skills. To get to the top, business leaders need to act and react to the priorities set for the organization.

They must exercise their critical thinking capabilities and decide which issues to focus on and when. So, what are the essential elements of effective problem-solving that you can apply to your particular scenario?

The program is structured into five units, covering the following topics:

• Learn to recognize when a problem requires a systematic approach.
• Articulate how the process works and how each part contributes.
• Understand why engaging stakeholders is critical throughout the process.
• Learn how to develop your Frame sequence and how to frame your problem.
• Apply the Holding Hands, Dolly the Sheep and Watson rules to the Frame sequence to make it robust.
• Learn how to map out all the possible problem causes using a WHY map.
• Identify which causes are at the root of the problem.
• Update the Frame sequence to integrate new information.
• Learn how to apply MECE thinking.
• Identify and organize all the potential solutions using a HOW map and determine which are feasible.
• Identify a set of criteria that represents your stakeholders’ views.
• Create a decision matrix to rank the attractiveness of the options.
• Make aligned decisions that support the solution.
• Craft a storyline to defend the line of thinking (bullet proof) which is being empathetic to stakeholders.
• See the big picture and plan your next actions.

Themes you will explore

Problem framing

Thinking creatively

Thinking critically

Question mapping

Hypotheses testing

Decision making

Engaging stakeholders

You will have a dedicated learning coach, making sure you receive a highly individualized learning experience.

Your professional learning coach accompanies you through your 5-week learning journey on this Complex Problem Solving online course. They provide support and feedback as you apply your learning directly into your workplace, where it has an immediate impact.

Their input helps you translate your learning to your particular context. By spreading this feedback regularly throughout the program, you’ll be sure to embed your ongoing learning directly in your daily work.

Your professional learning coach interacts with you via video, in writing, and over the phone. You have calls, spread across the 5-weeks, at intervals that consolidate your learning.

Your learning coach helps you

Find quick answers to your online program queries in our comprehensive FAQ section.

Schedule a call with a Program Advisor to discuss your professional development and see if this is the program for you.

Join online and experience a walkthrough of the Online programs, how they work, what you can expect and how it will impact your career.

Reinforce and consolidate your expertise in leadership, strategy, or digital acceleration through an immersive, fully online experience incorporating executive coaching.

Explore All Programs

Our full program list includes fast-paced, skilled based learning, perfect for anyone at any stage of career journey. Use the filters below or scroll by alphabetical order.

About Schulich ExecEd

We’re an extension of the Schulich School of Business at York University, Toronto. Explore our history, approach, and network of faculty and partners.

We offer custom programs designed to fit the unique needs of your organization. Adapt an existing program or build your own from the ground up.

Success Stories 1

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

News & Articles

Up-to-date news about Schulich ExecEd events, new programs and thought-provoking commentary from our instructors.

Explore all News Stories

Healthcare Management: Empowering Healthcare Leaders To Adapt, Innovate & Excel

Future-Proof Your Career: The Essential Role of Organization Development in...

Unlocking the Future: Empowering Municipal Leaders in Ottawa Through Strategic...

Mastering the Art of Feedback: Transformative Techniques for Today’s Leaders

By clicking subscribe you aggree to our terms and services, contact form.

For more information on any of our programs, contact us at:

For more information on our program offerings for organisations, contact us at:

• Quick Links:
• Info Sessions
• Tuition & Support
• Schulich School of Business

Solving --> Complex Problems

Sharpen your decision making.

In any business challenge, there’s rarely one right answer—but the decisions you make in complex situations could determine the make-or-break of your organization. In this 2-day program, you’ll gain mastery of a foolproof problem solving methodology with a step-by-step approach to untangle even the most elaborate business problems.

• Solving Complex Problems
• Online Schulich Executive Learning Centre Virtual Classroom (Hybrid option available) Virtual Classroom (Hybrid option available) -->

Tackle Business Dilemmas With Ingenuity

In the face of complex and multilayered business problems, even the most experienced leaders get stuck. 

In this 2-day program, you’ll discover effective ways to “peel the onion” of complex business problems. Get to the heart of dilemmas with structured problem-solving techniques to effectively frame, explore and reframe strategic issues. Gain insight into the main barriers of strategic problem solving by applying and following a structured decision criteria.

Utilize the five-step Dialectical Solutions Method (DSM) to weigh your options, then put these lessons to action by practicing on a current issue. By the end of the program, you’ll navigate around internal roadblocks of effective problem solving and respond with agility to all types of competitive change.

This program is ideal for mid-career and senior leaders such as supervisors, executives, team leads and project managers.

Get Training in Marketable Skills

Organizing teams & resources, critical thinking, decision making, strategic thinking, crisis management, 4 reasons to enrol.

Amazing Education for Busy Professionals

This comprehensive program packs rich, practical techniques and methodologies into 2 days of study, so you can put your new problem solving skills to work right away.

Stand Out from the Crowd

Get unique and sought-after skills in organizational decision making and prove your ability to handle any business dilemmas.

Learn from the Pros

Train with top-rated Schulich instructors that are consistently ranked among the world’s best.

Earn Higher Pay

Schulich ExecEd students gain the confidence, skills and perspective to attain better roles, launch new ventures, and lead their teams to new heights.

Who Will Benefit

Mid-Career Leaders

Solve tough business problems for your team as a manager, supervisor or project manager, and gain the unique decision making skills to advance to more senior positions.

Senior Leaders

Senior leaders and executives will learn to methodically navigate organizational dilemmas and overcome complex roadblocks in a competitive market.

Program Overview

Module 1: understanding the problem solving hierarchy, examine the universe of business problems and review the three basic levels of business challenges: making decisions, solving problems and managing dilemmas., module 2: making effective strategic business decisions.

Manage tough business decisions by understanding the main barriers to strategic problem solving. Create a structured decision process by weighing available options with decision criteria.

Module 3: Structured Problem Solving Techniques for Leaders

Define the severity of problems and identify barriers to solutions. Utilize rational analysis tools and discover the art of creative envisioning to address underlying issues.

Module 4: Managing Dilemmas: When Problems Can’t Be Solved

Establish the difference between personal dilemmas versus organizational dilemmas. Address highly complex challenges with the 5-Step Dialectical Solutions Method (DSM) and test it out on a current issue.

Module 5: Critical Thinking Skills

Tap into your critical thinking skills to effectively frame, explore and reframe strategic issues. Respond effectively to competitive change by implementing, monitoring and adjusting your solutions.

Module 6: Overcoming Organizational Barriers to Success

Get familiar with the eight archetypical dilemmas facing leaders. Apply the Dialectical Solutions Method (DSM) model to your own business and navigate internal roadblocks to great solutions.

Program Schedule

Stephen Friedman, MA Psych

What you get.

After completing Solving Complex Problems, you'll receive an authentic digital badge from the #1 business school in Canada that employers will recognize. As more and more companies look for candidates with specific skills, this badge on your CV will be a credible assurance of your achievements and expertise, allowing the right roles to find you faster.

Advanced Badge

Show that you’re able to apply knowledge at a strategic, organizational level.

Pre-Approved HRPA Hours

14 HRPA-CPD Hours

This program has been approved for CPD hours under Section A of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA). Be sure to note the program ID number on your CPD log. For more information about certification or continuing professional development, visit the HRPA website at www.hrpa.ca/hrdesignations_/Pages/Continuing-Professional-Development.aspx

Suggested Programs Based on Your Interest in Solving Complex Problems

We handpicked the following programs based on time, cost and relevant skills.

Masters Certificate in Organization Development and Change

• Next Session: Sep. 30th, 2024
• Length: 9 Days Of Study Over 2 Months
• Designed for: Mid-Career Leaders and Senior Leaders

Masters Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management and Governance

• Next Session: Oct. 23rd, 2024
• Length: 9 Days Of Study Over 6 Months

Strategic Innovation and Creative Leadership

• Next Session: Oct. 17th, 2024
• Length: 5 Days Of Study
• Designed for: Mid-Career Leaders

Custom Programs for Organizations

Use this program as we designed it, or alter it to fit your company’s needs. Either way, we can help you improve your organization's talent pipeline. Get in touch with our custom programs team today.

Make the Right Choice. Try Our Advisory Services.

The next step of your career matters. A Schulich ExecEd program advisor can help you choose a course that fits your budget and schedule. Get in touch with us today.

Select from the following options:

Enrol to the entire program

Program details.

Download a detailed overview brochure about this program

By clicking submit you agree to our terms and services

• Back to All Programs /

Strategic Leadership

Enhance your ability to creatively problem-solve for the demands of working in ‘the new normal'.

All Start Dates

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET

3 consecutive days

$4,100 Programs fill quickly — free cancellation up to 14 days prior

Registration Deadline

August 18, 2024

December 1, 2024

What You'll Learn

Senior leaders face an unprecedented number of challenges in today’s rapidly-changing business environment, from an evolving workforce to complex strategic issues. To succeed in this dynamic business environment, strategic leadership involves asking better questions, leveraging a diverse workforce, and addressing the complex problems our organizations face in new ways.

During this interactive 3-day program, you will build upon your proven leadership skills with new insights, frameworks and tools to inspire yourself and better lead your team and organization. Reflective exercises, a leadership assessment instrument (Hogan), application activities, and case studies will help you work through modern-day dilemmas and solve problems using both critical and creative thinking. Small and large group discussions will focus on addressing the paradoxes of effective leadership at the executive level.

Program Benefits

• Examine what in organizational leadership is evolving — and what is remaining the same — and develop insight into how to address new and emerging senior leadership challenges
• Understand the multipliers and diminishers of effective leadership, and how to evolve as senior leaders
• Build and sustain greater levels of motivation and trust through more strategic leadership
• Earn a Certificate of Participation from the Harvard Division of Continuing Education

Topics Covered

• Leadership in today’s business world: what’s similar, what’s different, and why the stakes are higher
• Inspiring and motivating a diverse talent team
• Solving complex problems using both critical and creative thinking
• Managing modern-day dilemmas
• Addressing the tradeoffs, tensions, and dilemmas we face as senior leaders
• Future-proofing our organizations and ourselves

Who Should Enroll

This program is intended for senior managers with at least 10 years of management experience and proven leadership skills who want to enhance their capabilities to lead at higher levels in the organization.

Considering this program?

Send yourself the details.

Related Programs

• Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Training Program
• Agile Leadership: Transforming Mindsets and Capabilities in Your Organization
• Executive Leadership Coaching: Mastery Session

August Schedule

• The New World of Work and Leading In the ‘New Normal’
• Strategic Self-Leadership – Part I
• Strategic Self-Leadership – Part II
• Strategic People and Organizational Leadership
• Strategic Problem-Solving
• Strategic Leadership for the Future – Ourselves, Others, Organizations

December Schedule

Margaret andrews, certificates of leadership excellence.

The Certificates of Leadership Excellence (CLE) are designed for leaders with the desire to enhance their business acumen, challenge current thinking, and expand their leadership skills.

This program is one of several CLE qualifying programs. Register today and get started earning your certificate.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

• Business Essentials
• Leadership & Management
• Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Digital Transformation
• Finance & Accounting
• Business in Society
• For Organizations
• Support Portal
• Media Coverage
• Founding Donors
• Leadership Team

• Harvard Business School →
• HBS Online →
• Business Insights →

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

• Career Development
• Communication
• Decision-Making
• Earning Your MBA
• Negotiation
• News & Events
• Productivity
• Staff Spotlight
• Student Profiles
• Work-Life Balance
• AI Essentials for Business
• Alternative Investments
• Business Analytics
• Business Strategy
• Business and Climate Change
• Design Thinking and Innovation
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Disruptive Strategy
• Economics for Managers
• Entrepreneurship Essentials
• Financial Accounting
• Global Business
• Launching Tech Ventures
• Leadership Principles
• Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
• Leading Change and Organizational Renewal
• Leading with Finance
• Management Essentials
• Negotiation Mastery
• Organizational Leadership
• Power and Influence for Positive Impact
• Strategy Execution
• Sustainable Business Strategy
• Sustainable Investing
• Winning with Digital Platforms

4 Ways to Develop Your Strategic Thinking Skills

• 10 Sep 2020

Think back to the last time you participated in a strategic planning meeting for your organization. You were likely presented with a challenge to solve or goal to achieve.

Do you remember your contributions during that meeting? Did you offer compelling ideas and plot a course of action, or find it difficult to think strategically and develop a solution? Did you have a good idea, but struggle to communicate it in a logical way? Were you an active participant in the conversation, or did others helm it?

Strategic thinking skills are among the most highly sought-after management competencies. Why? Because employees capable of thinking critically, logically, and strategically can have a tremendous impact on a business’s trajectory.

If you want to improve your strategic thinking skills, the good news is that, with the right mindset and practice, you can.

Here are four ways to improve your strategy skills , so the next time you’re involved in a strategic planning meeting, you can ensure your contributions are noticed.

Access your free e-book today.

What Are Strategic Thinking Skills?

Strategic thinking skills are any skills that enable you to use critical thinking to solve complex problems and plan for the future. These skills are essential to accomplish business objectives, overcome obstacles, and address challenges—particularly if they’re projected to take weeks, months, or even years to achieve.

Strategic thinking skills include:

• Analytical skills: To ideate a strategy that helps your organization reach its objectives, you must be capable of analyzing a variety of inputs—from financial statements and KPIs , to market conditions, emerging business trends, and internal resource allocation. This initial analysis is crucial to creating a strategy that aligns with the current reality facing your organization.
• Communication skills: Putting a strategy into place for your company, regardless of its size, requires solid communication skills . The ability to communicate complex ideas, collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, build consensus, and ensure everyone is aligned and working toward shared goals are all central to strategic thinking.
• Problem-solving skills: Strategic planning is often used to solve problems or address challenges, such as missed financial targets, inefficient workflows, or an emerging competitor. Implementing a strategy that addresses the central challenge you face requires you to first understand the problem and its potential solutions. From there, you can craft a strategy that solves it.
• Planning and management skills: Strategy isn’t just about thinking of a solution—it involves implementation, too. Once data has been analyzed, the problem is understood, and a solution has been identified, you need strong planning and management skills to bring everything together.

How to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills

1. ask strategic questions.

If you want to improve your strategic thinking skills, one of the simplest things you can do is ask more strategic questions. Doing so allows you to exercise your planning skills, become adept at spotting opportunities, and develop a more strategic mindset you can leverage throughout your career.

According to the Harvard Business School Online course Disruptive Strategy , strategic questions can relate to a challenge, opportunity, or ambiguity you face in your current situation, whether personal or professional. They might, for instance, relate to launching a new business or product, beating a competitor, or structuring your organization for innovation.

It’s also important that your questions apply to your role and responsibilities so you can act on them.

Some examples of strategic questions you might ask include:

• How can we strategically position ourselves to enter a new market?
• What’s the direction for growth for each of our products or services?
• Where will the organization's growth come from in the next five years, and how does it compare with where growth has historically come from?
• How should the organization respond to the threat presented by potentially disruptive competitors ?

2. Observe and Reflect

In addition to asking strategic questions, you need to answer and address them skillfully. One of the most effective ways of accomplishing this is to observe and reflect on your current situation, ensuring any strategy you conceive is grounded in facts.

For example, imagine that the business you work for has begun losing market share for one of its products among its traditional customers. At the same time, it’s gained market share from an entirely new customer base. It’s easy to assume why this might be happening, but doing so can lead you down the wrong path at a critical moment in your organization’s existence.

Instead of blindly following an assumption, gather as much information as possible to use when crafting your strategy. For example, this might include conducting user interviews with new customers to identify the different jobs they hire your product to perform.

Understanding why new customers are attracted to your product can enable you to tailor your marketing strategy and product development to better embrace their needs .

3. Consider Opposing Ideas

Once you’ve landed on a strategy that can help your organization reach its goals, question your assumptions, and put your hypothesis through rigorous testing. By doing so, you can ensure you’re not overlooking another possibility.

Playing devil’s advocate with your ideas can allow you to preemptively identify weaknesses in your argument, and equip you to defend your strategy when others ask questions. It can also help you sharpen the logic skills you need to communicate and execute your strategy.

To develop this skill, get in the habit of questioning yourself any time you’re about to make an assertion. Should you consider a different perspective? Is there another possibility you may have overlooked?

4. Embrace Formal Training

By practicing the methods described above, you can improve your strategic thinking skills at your own pace. However, there are other learning options you can pursue.

If you need to quickly ramp up your strategy skills—to address a pressing need your organization is facing, position yourself for a new role, or finally launch your own business—formal training might be your best option.

For example, by enrolling in the online course Disruptive Strategy , you can discover how to make innovation a reality for your organization. Over six weeks, you’ll learn about the jobs to be done framework and disruptive innovation theory, and build skills to identify and execute high-level strategy.

Cultivating a Strategic Mindset

Whether in the long- or short-term, a strategic mindset can be developed through self-exploration, critical questioning, and formal training.

The advantage of having a strategic mindset is learning how to think rather than what to think. Although you might not always have the right answers, strategic thinking skills can empower you to spot new opportunities, address emerging challenges, and plan for future success.

Are you looking to develop a strategic mindset? Explore our portfolio of online strategy courses and download the free flowchart to determine which is the best fit for you and your goals.

About the Author

Enter Search Criteria

Search all of UW-Eau Claire

Strategic Problem Solving

Problem solving is a sought after skill, yet the concept can be quite nebulous. What does it mean to be a good problem solver? How does one hone this skill? This program will give you a tangible process to improve your problem-solving skills.

Become a better problem solver

Growing a business can present it's share of challenges and problems. Some can be handled can be easily while others can be more complex and cause us stress.   Problem solving and critical thinking are consistently at the top of the list of desired skills that employers believe are lacking for employees. Advance your problem solving skills to rise to the top as you take the next step in your career.   

This training lays out a three-step problem‐solving methodology that you can apply to a diverse array of problems. You will have the opportunity to learn new models, practice them, and access tools that you can take with you to apply to your personal and professional life.. 

You will be asked to bring a current problem you are facing to work on with your workshop colleagues, so you can get a head start on your problem solving path! 

This program will cover: 

• Situational goal analysis 
• Scenario mapping 
• Solution implementation 
• Future problem avoidance 

Who should attend

Anyone interested in improving their strategic problem solving skills

Instructors

Ann Rupnow directs and teaches in the entrepreneur program at the University of Wisconsin‐Eau Claire. She is passionate about the need for innovation and problem solving – within startups and existing organizations. She was a founding organizer of 1 Million Cups Eau Claire, Startup 48, and co‐led the founding of WiSys VentureHome‐Eau Claire. Ann has worked in several industries including supercomputing, electronics manufacturing, managed health care, and higher education. She has developed and led technical training and leadership development programs, led change management and organizational development efforts, and co‐led a campus planning effort around equity, diversity and inclusivity. Ann received her MBA from UW‐Eau Claire in 2009. She is an Advisor of Great North Labs Venture Fund (St. Cloud, MN), is on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Business Center (Eau Claire, WI), and is past president of the Board of Directors of Clear Vision Eau Claire. 

There are currently no upcoming dates for this program. To make sure you are notified when dates are scheduled, please join our mailing list.

Join our mailing list!

Get the latest information on new course offerings and course discounts.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Demonstrate Your Strategic Thinking Skills

• Nina A. Bowman

Don’t be shy about bringing your ideas to the table.

Developing your strategic thinking skills isn’t enough to get you promoted. In order to advance in your career, you need to demonstrate them. Leaders want to know what you think, and they view your worthiness for promotion through the lens of how ready you are to make bigger decisions. Ask yourself: “Do people know where I stand?” If not, what do you need to do to bring your perspective to the table? It’s also important to demonstrate that you can put new ideas into action. Take the initiative on new projects that show how your understanding extends beyond your current function.

We all know that developing strategic thinking skills is important , but many don’t realize how critical it is to your career advancement to show these skills to your boss and other senior leaders. Showing strategic thinking skills tells your bosses that you’re able to think for yourself and make decisions that position the organization for the future. It assures them that you aren’t making decisions in a vacuum but are considering how other departments might be affected or how the outside world will respond.

• NB Nina A. Bowman is a Managing Partner at Paravis Partners, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. Previously, she held various advisory and leadership roles in strategy. She is an executive coach and speaker on issues of strategic leadership, leadership presence, and interpersonal effectiveness. She is also a contributing author to the HBR Guide to Coaching Employees and HBR Guide to Thinking Strategically .

Partner Center

• Find a short course

Strategic Problem Solving

Select enrolment date.

• Recognition
• How does it work ?
• When can I do it ?

Effort 6 weeks

Elevate your strategic thinking and drive success with approaches for effective problem solving while building a deeper understanding of your organisation’s strategy and your role within it.

Our Strategic Problem Solving course will help you to build the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will enable you to engage at a strategic level. Over 6 weeks you will practice identifying problems and synthesizing issue trees. You will use recognised strategic frameworks to complete analysis and develop solutions. Throughout the course you will build your capabilities in problem definition, communications and strategic analysis.

Recognition -

After completing an RMIT Future Skills course, you will earn an RMIT credential which can be validated, recognised and shared on social media platforms.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

• Describe your role within the context of an organisational strategy.

• Appraise an organisation’s strategy against recognised frameworks.

• Develop a problem statement and break it down into a prioritised issues tree for an organisational issue.

• Provide recommendations and associated rationale in response to the problem statement.

How does it work ? -

Real world skills through a tangible project

Gain valuable, current experience evaluating a real world problem in your organisation, identifying critical issues, and articulating your recommendations in a final presentation.

• You'll use the same framework as leading strategic thinkers to develop and justify your approach, so you can be confident in presenting actionable initiatives with key stakeholders.

When can I do it ? -

• Starts: 12 Aug 2024
• Starts: 4 Nov 2024

Effective Problem-Solving Techniques in Business

Problem solving is an increasingly important soft skill for those in business. The Future of Jobs Survey by the World Economic Forum drives this point home. According to this report, complex problem solving is identified as one of the top 15 skills that will be sought by employers in 2025, along with other soft skills such as analytical thinking, creativity and leadership.

Dr. Amy David , clinical associate professor of management for supply chain and operations management, spoke about business problem-solving methods and how the Purdue University Online MBA program prepares students to be business decision-makers.

Why Are Problem-Solving Skills Essential in Leadership Roles?

Every business will face challenges at some point. Those that are successful will have people in place who can identify and solve problems before the damage is done.

“The business world is constantly changing, and companies need to be able to adapt well in order to produce good results and meet the needs of their customers,” David says. “They also need to keep in mind the triple bottom line of ‘people, profit and planet.’ And these priorities are constantly evolving.”

To that end, David says people in management or leadership need to be able to handle new situations, something that may be outside the scope of their everyday work.

“The name of the game these days is change—and the speed of change—and that means solving new problems on a daily basis,” she says.

The pace of information and technology has also empowered the customer in a new way that provides challenges—or opportunities—for businesses to respond.

“Our customers have a lot more information and a lot more power,” she says. “If you think about somebody having an unhappy experience and tweeting about it, that’s very different from maybe 15 years ago. Back then, if you had a bad experience with a product, you might grumble about it to one or two people.”

David says that this reality changes how quickly organizations need to react and respond to their customers. And taking prompt and decisive action requires solid problem-solving skills.

What Are Some of the Most Effective Problem-Solving Methods?

David says there are a few things to consider when encountering a challenge in business.

“When faced with a problem, are we talking about something that is broad and affects a lot of people? Or is it something that affects a select few? Depending on the issue and situation, you’ll need to use different types of problem-solving strategies,” she says.

Using Techniques

There are a number of techniques that businesses use to problem solve. These can include:

• Five Whys : This approach is helpful when the problem at hand is clear but the underlying causes are less so. By asking “Why?” five times, the final answer should get at the potential root of the problem and perhaps yield a solution.
• Gap Analysis : Companies use gap analyses to compare current performance with expected or desired performance, which will help a company determine how to use its resources differently or adjust expectations.
• Gemba Walk : The name, which is derived from a Japanese word meaning “the real place,” refers to a commonly used technique that allows managers to see what works (and what doesn’t) from the ground up. This is an opportunity for managers to focus on the fundamental elements of the process, identify where the value stream is and determine areas that could use improvement.
• Porter’s Five Forces : Developed by Harvard Business School professor Michael E. Porter, applying the Five Forces is a way for companies to identify competitors for their business or services, and determine how the organization can adjust to stay ahead of the game.
• Six Thinking Hats : In his book of the same name, Dr. Edward de Bono details this method that encourages parallel thinking and attempting to solve a problem by trying on different “thinking hats.” Each color hat signifies a different approach that can be utilized in the problem-solving process, ranging from logic to feelings to creativity and beyond. This method allows organizations to view problems from different angles and perspectives.
• SWOT Analysis : This common strategic planning and management tool helps businesses identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT).

“We have a lot of these different tools,” David says. “Which one to use when is going to be dependent on the problem itself, the level of the stakeholders, the number of different stakeholder groups and so on.”

Each of the techniques outlined above uses the same core steps of problem solving:

• Identify and define the problem
• Consider possible solutions
• Evaluate options
• Choose the best solution
• Implement the solution
• Evaluate the outcome

Data drives a lot of daily decisions in business and beyond. Analytics have also been deployed to problem solve.

“We have specific classes around storytelling with data and how you convince your audience to understand what the data is,” David says. “Your audience has to trust the data, and only then can you use it for real decision-making.”

Data can be a powerful tool for identifying larger trends and making informed decisions when it’s clearly understood and communicated. It’s also vital for performance monitoring and optimization.

How Is Problem Solving Prioritized in Purdue’s Online MBA?

The courses in the Purdue Online MBA program teach problem-solving methods to students, keeping them up to date with the latest techniques and allowing them to apply their knowledge to business-related scenarios.

“I can give you a model or a tool, but most of the time, a real-world situation is going to be a lot messier and more valuable than what we’ve seen in a textbook,” David says. “Asking students to take what they know and apply it to a case where there’s not one single correct answer is a big part of the learning experience.”

Make Your Own Decision to Further Your Career

An online MBA from Purdue University can help advance your career by teaching you problem-solving skills, decision-making strategies and more. Reach out today to learn more about earning an online MBA with Purdue University .

If you would like to receive more information about pursuing a business master’s at the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, please fill out the form and a program specialist will be in touch!

Connect With Us

More From Forbes

Stumped five ways to hone your problem-solving skills.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Respect the worth of other people's insights

Problems continuously arise in organizational life, making problem-solving an essential skill for leaders. Leaders who are good at tackling conundrums are likely to be more effective at overcoming obstacles and guiding their teams to achieve their goals. So, what’s the secret to better problem-solving skills?

1. Understand the root cause of the problem

“Too often, people fail because they haven’t correctly defined what the problem is,” says David Ross, an international strategist, founder of consultancy Phoenix Strategic Management and author of Confronting the Storm: Regenerating Leadership and Hope in the Age of Uncertainty .

Ross explains that as teams grapple with “wicked” problems – those where there can be several root causes for why a problem exists – there can often be disagreement on the initial assumptions made. As a result, their chances of successfully solving the problem are low.

“Before commencing the process of solving the problem, it is worthwhile identifying who your key stakeholders are and talking to them about the issue,” Ross recommends. “Who could be affected by the issue? What is the problem – and why? How are people affected?”

He argues that if leaders treat people with dignity, respecting the worth of their insights, they are more likely to successfully solve problems.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, 2. unfocus the mind.

“To solve problems, we need to commit to making time to face a problem in its full complexity, which also requires that we take back control of our thinking,” says Chris Griffiths, an expert on creativity and innovative thinking skills, founder and CEO of software provider OpenGenius, and co-author of The Focus Fix: Finding Clarity, Creativity and Resilience in an Overwhelming World .

To do this, it’s necessary to harness the power of the unfocused mind, according to Griffiths. “It might sound oxymoronic, but just like our devices, our brain needs time to recharge,” he says. “ A plethora of research has shown that daydreaming allows us to make creative connections and see abstract solutions that are not obvious when we’re engaged in direct work.”

To make use of the unfocused mind in problem solving, you must begin by getting to know the problem from all angles. “At this stage, don’t worry about actually solving the problem,” says Griffiths. “You’re simply giving your subconscious mind the information it needs to get creative with when you zone out. From here, pick a monotonous or rhythmic activity that will help you to activate the daydreaming state – that might be a walk, some doodling, or even some chores.”

Do this regularly, argues Griffiths, and you’ll soon find that flashes of inspiration and novel solutions naturally present themselves while you’re ostensibly thinking of other things. He says: “By allowing you to access the fullest creative potential of your own brain, daydreaming acts as a skeleton key for a wide range of problems.”

3. Be comfortable making judgment calls

“Admitting to not knowing the future takes courage,” says Professor Stephen Wyatt, founder and lead consultant at consultancy Corporate Rebirth and author of Antidote to the Crisis of Leadership: Opportunity in Complexity . “Leaders are worried our teams won’t respect us and our boards will lose faith in us, but what doesn’t work is drawing up plans and forecasts and holding yourself or others rigidly to them.”

Wyatt advises leaders to heighten their situational awareness – to look broadly, integrate more perspectives and be able to connect the dots. “We need to be comfortable in making judgment calls as the future is unknown,” he says. “There is no data on it. But equally, very few initiatives cannot be adjusted, refined or reviewed while in motion.”

Leaders need to stay vigilant, according to Wyatt, create the capacity of the enterprise to adapt and maintain the support of stakeholders. “The concept of the infallible leader needs to be updated,” he concludes.

4. Be prepared to fail and learn

“Organisations, and arguably society more widely, are obsessed with problems and the notion of problems,” says Steve Hearsum, founder of organizational change consultancy Edge + Stretch and author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organisational Quick Fix .

Hearsum argues that this tendency is complicated by the myth of fixability, namely the idea that all problems, however complex, have a solution. “Our need for certainty, to minimize and dampen the anxiety of ‘not knowing,’ leads us to oversimplify and ignore or filter out anything that challenges the idea that there is a solution,” he says.

Leaders need to shift their mindset to cultivate their comfort with not knowing and couple that with being OK with being wrong, sometimes, notes Hearsum. He adds: “That means developing reflexivity to understand your own beliefs and judgments, and what influences these, asking questions and experimenting.”

5. Unleash the power of empathy

Leaders must be able to communicate problems in order to find solutions to them. But they should avoid bombarding their teams with complex, technical details since these can overwhelm their people’s cognitive load, says Dr Jessica Barker MBE , author of Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks .

Instead, she recommends that leaders frame their messages in ways that cut through jargon and ensure that their advice is relevant, accessible and actionable. “An essential leadership skill for this is empathy,” Barker explains. “When you’re trying to build a positive culture, it is crucial to understand why people are not practicing the behaviors you want rather than trying to force that behavioral change with fear, uncertainty and doubt.”

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.