decision making and problem solving course

• Open training
• Team training

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving for Effective Decision-Making

Personal effectiveness.

An Essential Competency In Today’s Workplace

Mastering critical thinking and problem-solving skills can help you make better decisions or recommendations- an essential competency in today’s knowledge workplaces. Critical thinking helps you to examine and improve thought processes, ask the right questions, challenge assumptions and consider varying viewpoints. Effective problem-solving helps you to properly identify and systematically work through a problem in a comprehensive manner, ensuring clarity when it comes time to make decisions or recommendations.

This course will demonstrate how critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making work optimally together, and will provide hands-on practice with tools that you can apply to your everyday workday tasks, big or small.

Learning outcomes

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

• Define critical thinking and identify your critical thinking styles
• Work through the critical thinking process to build, analyze and evaluate varying viewpoints
• Improve key critical thinking skills, including active listening and questioning
• Analyze context and information to clearly understand and identify a problem
• Apply problem solving steps and tools
• Identify appropriate solutions using specific approaches
• Select the best technique for making decisions
• Avoid common decision-making mistakes

Workshop topics

Maximizing the Power of Your Brain

• Critical thinking and problem-solving the key to effective decision making
• The Iceberg Principle and the Understanding-Resolution Ration

Critical Thinking

• Definition of a Critical Thinker
• Critical thinking behaviours: active listening, probing, Empty Your Bucket
• Identify and evaluate issues and viewpoints
• The 3 C’s: context, credibility, and consistency
• Critical thinking worksheet- practice it!
• Problem Solving
• The problem-solving process- various models
• Obstacles and counterproductive approaches
• Problem-solving techniques for groups and individuals
• Applying a problem-solving model to a workplace scenario

Decision Making

• Individual and collective decision-making traps
• How to choose: criteria, goals and vision-based decision-making
• Individual and group decision-making tools and techniques
• Decision-making – practical application to a workplace scenario

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course

Who should attend this course?

Anyone who is required to problem solve on the job or make important project, department or organizational decisions or recommendations

Does this course address your competency development needs?

This workshop addresses:

• Achievement and Results Oriented
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Analytical Thinking
• Change Management and Leadership
• Creative Thinking
• Decision Making and Decisiveness
• Engagement and Motivation
• Impact and Influence
• Innovation and Initiative
• Self Confidence and Self Esteem
• Strategic Thinking
• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Working with Others

To learn more about core competencies, click here .

$ 595 plus tax

Choose my session

• Instructor: Barbara Odenwald

The advantages of team sessions

• Learn and grow together as a team
• Location and time of your choice
• Sessions can be customized to fit your objectives
• Surprisingly cost effective

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Participant reviews.

“Awesome course, very happy my supervisor signed me up. I look forward to implementing knowledge gained wherever possible in my current role. It will be beneficial in the future as well, should I move to a different role. Thank you!” –Past participant

“I enjoyed how this course was not a large group of people, so discussions and activities were easier and we can hear from everyone in the group. The instructor provided reasonable break periods throughout the course.” –Past participant

“This course really helps bring your sense of awareness and the way you will look at a situation, and how critical thinking can help you make better decisions.” –Past participant

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Problem Solving & Decision Making

• 7 Courses | 3h 3m 49s
• 21 Books | 17h 55m
• 7 Audiobooks | 36h 49m 42s

COURSES INCLUDED

EARN A DIGITAL BADGE WHEN YOU COMPLETE THESE COURSES

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BOOKS INCLUDED

BOOK SUMMARY

AUDIOBOOKS INCLUDED

AUDIOBOOK SUMMARY

SKILL BENCHMARKS INCLUDED

• Capability Development
• Problem Solving & Decision Making

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Available as:

• In-house class
• Public Class

When faced with problems, decisions, risks, opportunities and concerns, you need the right answers - and fast. For over 60 years, KT's Problem Solving & Decision Making workshops have been helping teams and individuals think clearly to: find the root cause of problems faster, make better decisions, manage risks and opportunities, prioritize & plan the resolution of concerns and ask sharper, more incisive questions. KT's instructors will ensure you're ready to use these skills back on the job to make an impact where you work.

What You Get:

• Led by an expert instructor
• Access to digital tools and resources
• Use skills learned immediately on the job
• Certificate of completion & KT Foundations Badge
• Certification Credits : 2.1 CEUs
• United Kingdom
• Netherlands
• China - Taiwan
• China - Hong Kong

Workshop hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm (PT)

Workshop hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm (ET)

• Oct 22 2024 - Oct 24 2024 Manchester ENG 1,475   GBP

Vierdaagse workshop : Deel 1: 2-3 september Deel 2: 23-24 september

Vierdaagse workshop: Deel 1: 4-5 november Deel 2: 25-26 november

• Nov 19 2024 - Nov 21 2024 München GER 1,995   EUR

SGD 1,900 for 3 or more Workshop Hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm (UTC+8)

MYR 3,400 for 3 or more Workshop Hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm (UTC+8)

CNY 9,200 for 3 or more Workshop Hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm (UTC+8)

TWD 44,000 for 3 or more Workshop Hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm (UTC+8)

HKD 11,500 for 3 or more Workshop Hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm (UTC+8)

1-Day Problem Analysis THB 21,000 for 3 or more Workshop Hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm (UTC+7)

1-Day Decision Analysis THB 17,000 for 3 or more Workshop Hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm (UTC+7)

Workshop hours: 8am - 2pm ET

Workshop hours: Noon - 6pm (ET)

Workshop hours: 8am - 2pm (ET)

Workshop hours: 10am - 6pm (ET)

4-day workshop 5-6 hours per day

3-tägiger Workshop in virtuellem Format

To see the total select country, date and number of participants

To see the total select language, date and number of participants

In this county services are provided by the official KT licensee.

* Before applicable taxes

Class seats guaranteed with payment. Seat reservations held for 72 hours.

Contact us to inquire for more details or have the workshop customized upon your corporate needs.

Employees at all levels, from the boardroom to the shop floor, who are required to solve problems, make decisions, prevent or mitigate risks, promote or leverage opportunities, and prioritize and plan the resolution of concerns will benefit from this workshop.

There are two versions of Problem Solving & Decision Making: PSDM and PSDM xp .

PSDM xp is recommended for technical functions (manufacturing, engineering, operations etc.) For non-technical functions (HR, supply chain, finance etc.), we recommend standard PSDM.

PSDM xp utilizes computer-based simulation as opposed to standard problem solving and decision making case study scenarios.

• Cut through the clutter & complexity to systematically find root cause for tough problems, and make decisions aligned with business priorities
• Discover the power of KT Clear Thinking and walk away with a framework that integrates easily with Lean, Six Sigma, 8D, ITIL, CAPA and other methodologies
• Walk away ready to immediately apply these new skills back on the job

Skills Developed

Skills developed during a Kepner-Tregoe Problem Solving & Decision Making (PSDM) workshop enable you to:

• Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) on complex problems
• Make tough decisions aligned with operational priorities
• Identify and plan for the resolution of high-priority issues
• Understand and proactively manage risks and opportunities
• Ask the right questions to find hidden insight

By attending Problem Solving & Decision Making training and adopting KT processes, organizations have realized immediate, and long-term, return on investment. These include:

• A computer chip manufacturer solved a long-standing defect, saving $2.8 million annually
• A vinyl manufacturer increased annualized production with a significant rise in profits
• A food products manufacturer saved $1.03 million by improving planning and decision making within their teams
• A bank resolved a recurring system failure and restored their international monetary exchange cycle, preserving millions of dollars in interest earnings
• Following a merger, a global company saved $1.3 million on insurance costs the first year and $300,000 in subsequent years using a variety of Clear-Thinking processes

Workshop Details

Duration: 3-4 days

Learning Tools Included: All workshop attendees receive access to online post-workshop learning support tools (coaching videos, tips, tricks, worksheets, and more) with a free My KT membership

Certification Credits: 2.1 CEUs (for 3-day workshop); 2.8 CEUs (for 4-day workshop)

Training Options: Available as a public course or as a group training for your team. In-person and online training options are available.

Testimonials

“The KT processes provided a common approach and helped sift through tons of data, ask penetrating questions, and take the emotion out of decision making.”

— CEO, consumer products company

“I used to be afraid to be assigned a root cause evaluation, but not anymore. I know that I just need to follow a systematic process and get the right people involved.”

— Maintenance Supervisor

Problem Solving & Decision Making

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Showcase your skills.

The KT Badge Program is a visible recognition of your rational process skills. Your Kepner-Tregoe Digital Badges can be shown on your social media profile page, your email signature, and your personal website. And finally the authenticity of your KT badge can be validated on our website portal.

The Foundation Badge is the starting point and highlights that you have attended a KT training program. Once you have begun applying the KT technologies you will progress through the levels of Practitioner, Advanced, and ultimately, achieve recognition as a KT Expert.

Kepner-Tregoe Foundations

If you have successfully participated in this workshop, you are eligible to receive the KT Foundations Badge.

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Effective Problem Solving and Decision Making

Career-critical skills for today's workplace, class summary.

Quality problem solving and decision making is critical to career success no matter what your role in the organization.  With rapid change bombarding us from all sides, the ability to apply logical, critical and creative thinking to a wide range of problems is more important than ever before. In this practical, one-day program you will learn powerful techniques used by top decision makers everywhere.

Anyone who would like to be known for quality problem solving and decision making abilities.

• Accurate problem identification.
• Higher quality decisions.
• Lasting solutions.
• Enhanced personal value to the organization.

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

• Explain the difference between problem solving and decision making.
• Describe common blocks to effective problem solving and decision making.
• Identify your preferred style of decision making.
• Use proven models for identifying problems correctly.
• Outline the standard process for problem solving and decision making.
• Use helpful tools that can be applied to the problem solving and decision making process.
• The differences between problem solving & decision making
• Types of problems
• Experience & knowledge
• Creative thinking
• Stress/anxiety
• Unclear goals or the problem is too big or too vague
• Conflicting values
• Analyze the decision process
• Preferences in problem solving & decision making — MBTI
• General style information — MBTI
• You as a decision maker/problem solver — MBTI
• Snap decisions
• Clarify/identify problems
• Identify potential solutions
• Evaluate options
• Choose the best solution
• Plan/take action
• Evaluate outcomes
• Steps in the problem solving & decision making process
• Flowchart or mapping
• Brainstorming
• Multi-voting
• Decisions from different points of view
• Review and action planning

Upcoming Dates

Bring this training to your site.

Any AGTS class can be customized and brought on-site to your organization.

For more information on this option call 480-967-7544, x3 (800-970-1270, x3 outside the Phoenix Metro area) or email our Custom Training Specialist .

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Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making

We are constantly faced with problems that require us to make decisions that are mostly reached without a complex decision-making process: are we hungry? We decide to eat. But some problems are more complex, such as prioritizing or determining why a process fails and what to do. These issues require a rational approach to resolving them. Sometimes, things get more complicated, or our decisions can significantly affect our lives, jobs, or those around us. Other times the problem is so unusual that it challenges rational and critical thinking; here lies the importance of objectively analyzing to formulate a decision, and here is when creative problem-solving and decision-making become invaluable tools.

This course covers the most important creative problem-solving and decision-making approaches. By understanding the mechanisms of thinking and providing the relevant methods and tools practiced during the sessions, participants will become more confident in solving problems and making decisions at work or in life, from simpler situations to more difficult or complex ones.

Course Methodology

The course uses interactive techniques, such as brief presentations by the consultant and the participants, role plays (rehearsed and impromptu), Video clips with detailed debriefs, and individual and group feedback.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Build and expand decision making, critical thinking, and creative problem solving skills
• Apply rational approaches to solving problems and making decisions
• Utilize traditional and creative techniques for identifying causes and generating solutions
• Practice essential tools for proper decision making
• Employ creativity and lateral thinking as business tools

Target Audience

Managers, supervisors, and administrators who will benefit from better problem-solving and decision-making, and business professionals who want to take their critical thinking to the next level by using their experience and intuition to make the right moves and decisions,

Target Competencies

• Attention to details
• Decision making 
• Creative thinking
• Practical and proactive thinking
• Situation analysis
• Problem-solving ability and anticipating potential problems
• Definition of problem,  problem-solving, and decision-making
• The relationship between creative problem-solving and decision-making
• The helicopter view
• The six-step method in problem-solving
• Team problem solving
• The link between causes and symptoms
• Defining the problem
• Writing a problem statement
• Techniques for recognizing problems
• Six critical questions to clear out
• The rational approach
• Kepner & Tregoe's approach to problem-solving 
• Root cause analysis
• Corrective actions
• The five-why process
• The cause and effect diagram
• Pareto analysis
• Effective decision-making
• The How-How method
• The decision analysis worksheet
• Approaches to team decision-making
• Uses of creativity as a business tool 
• Lateral thinking
• Mental blocks to creative thinking and ways to overcome them
• Brainstorming
• The six thinking hats

2024 Schedule & Fees

Per participant.

Fees + VAT as applicable

(including coffee breaks and a buffet lunch daily)

Location & Date

2025 schedule & fees.

Meirc reserves the right to alter dates, content, venue, trainer, and to offer courses in an integrated virtual learning (IVL) format whereby face to face classroom participants and virtual learners participate simultaneously in the same course in an interactive learning experience.

Tax Registration Number: 100239834300003

This course is also offered in Virtual Learning, click on the course below.

Course Outline

Schedule & fees, virtual learning.

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• INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
• Decision-Making and Problem Solving

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Interpersonal Skills:

• A - Z List of Interpersonal Skills
• Interpersonal Skills Self-Assessment
• Communication Skills
• Emotional Intelligence
• Conflict Resolution and Mediation Skills
• Customer Service Skills
• Team-Working, Groups and Meetings

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

• Effective Decision Making
• Decision-Making Framework
• Introduction to Problem Solving

Identifying and Structuring Problems

Investigating Ideas and Solutions

Implementing a Solution and Feedback

• Creative Problem-Solving

Social Problem-Solving

• Negotiation and Persuasion Skills
• Personal and Romantic Relationship Skills

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The SkillsYouNeed Guide to Interpersonal Skills

Making decisions and solving problems are two key areas in life, whether you are at home or at work. Whatever you’re doing, and wherever you are, you are faced with countless decisions and problems, both small and large, every day.

Many decisions and problems are so small that we may not even notice them. Even small decisions, however, can be overwhelming to some people. They may come to a halt as they consider their dilemma and try to decide what to do.

Small and Large Decisions

In your day-to-day life you're likely to encounter numerous 'small decisions', including, for example:

Tea or coffee?

What shall I have in my sandwich? Or should I have a salad instead today?

What shall I wear today?

Larger decisions may occur less frequently but may include:

Should we repaint the kitchen? If so, what colour?

Should we relocate?

Should I propose to my partner? Do I really want to spend the rest of my life with him/her?

These decisions, and others like them, may take considerable time and effort to make.

The relationship between decision-making and problem-solving is complex. Decision-making is perhaps best thought of as a key part of problem-solving: one part of the overall process.

Our approach at Skills You Need is to set out a framework to help guide you through the decision-making process. You won’t always need to use the whole framework, or even use it at all, but you may find it useful if you are a bit ‘stuck’ and need something to help you make a difficult decision.

Decision Making

Effective Decision-Making

This page provides information about ways of making a decision, including basing it on logic or emotion (‘gut feeling’). It also explains what can stop you making an effective decision, including too much or too little information, and not really caring about the outcome.

A Decision-Making Framework

This page sets out one possible framework for decision-making.

The framework described is quite extensive, and may seem quite formal. But it is also a helpful process to run through in a briefer form, for smaller problems, as it will help you to make sure that you really do have all the information that you need.

Problem Solving

Introduction to Problem-Solving

This page provides a general introduction to the idea of problem-solving. It explores the idea of goals (things that you want to achieve) and barriers (things that may prevent you from achieving your goals), and explains the problem-solving process at a broad level.

The first stage in solving any problem is to identify it, and then break it down into its component parts. Even the biggest, most intractable-seeming problems, can become much more manageable if they are broken down into smaller parts. This page provides some advice about techniques you can use to do so.

Sometimes, the possible options to address your problem are obvious. At other times, you may need to involve others, or think more laterally to find alternatives. This page explains some principles, and some tools and techniques to help you do so.

Having generated solutions, you need to decide which one to take, which is where decision-making meets problem-solving. But once decided, there is another step: to deliver on your decision, and then see if your chosen solution works. This page helps you through this process.

‘Social’ problems are those that we encounter in everyday life, including money trouble, problems with other people, health problems and crime. These problems, like any others, are best solved using a framework to identify the problem, work out the options for addressing it, and then deciding which option to use.

This page provides more information about the key skills needed for practical problem-solving in real life.

Further Reading from Skills You Need

The Skills You Need Guide to Interpersonal Skills eBooks.

Develop your interpersonal skills with our series of eBooks. Learn about and improve your communication skills, tackle conflict resolution, mediate in difficult situations, and develop your emotional intelligence.

Guiding you through the key skills needed in life

As always at Skills You Need, our approach to these key skills is to provide practical ways to manage the process, and to develop your skills.

Neither problem-solving nor decision-making is an intrinsically difficult process and we hope you will find our pages useful in developing your skills.

Start with: Decision Making Problem Solving

See also: Improving Communication Interpersonal Communication Skills Building Confidence

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Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making

This free online course includes:.

• Hours of Learning
• CPD Accreditation
• Final Assessment

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Thanks for your review, in this free course, you will learn how to.

Decision making is inevitable in our day-to-day activities. Everyone has to make decisions, consciously or unconsciously. Along with making choices is also the need to solve problems. Our problem solving and decision making abilities, to a large extent, determines who we are, or who we are going to be. They keep us safe and alive and guard our well-being. More importantly is the fact that it is not enough to just make the decisions, but to decide on choices creatively. This is where this free online problem solving techniques course comes into play and will help you hone your skills to creatively solve problems and make life choices in order to get positive outcomes more often than not. 

You will start learning about the several thinking styles that people make use of when making decisions. This will give you the knowledge to identify your style of thinking to help you deal with other types of thinkers. Also, the problem-solving structure will be discussed, focusing more on the processes involved in creative problem-solving and decision making. In addition to this, each of the elements contained in the problem-solving process will be explained in detail, along with several tools that will help in executing each of them. 

The last section of this decision making course will analyze the benefits realization approach. This technique and its elements will be evaluated in detail, as well as the steps involved in implementing this approach. You will then cover the thinking-out-of-the-box ideology which is another way of addressing problem solving in a creative way. The final part of the course will teach you specific key points in approaching problem solving and decision making that you can implement right away. If you are ready to start making better and informed decisions that will positively impact you and your loved ones as well as your business or the organization you work in no matter your field of work or level of experience, enrolling in this course will unlock a whole new world of tackling those everyday challenges with repeated success.

All Alison courses are free to enrol study and complete. To successfully complete this course and become an Alison Graduate, you need to achieve 80% or higher in each course assessment. Once you have completed this course, you have the option to acquire an official Diploma, which is a great way to share your achievement with the world.

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How to Make Great Decisions, Quickly

• Martin G. Moore

It’s a skill that will set you apart.

As a new leader, learning to make good decisions without hesitation and procrastination is a capability that can set you apart from your peers. While others vacillate on tricky choices, your team could be hitting deadlines and producing the type of results that deliver true value. That’s something that will get you — and them — noticed. Here are a few of a great decision:

• Great decisions are shaped by consideration of many different viewpoints. This doesn’t mean you should seek out everyone’s opinion. The right people with the relevant expertise need to clearly articulate their views to help you broaden your perspective and make the best choice.
• Great decisions are made as close as possible to the action. Remember that the most powerful people at your company are rarely on the ground doing the hands-on work. Seek input and guidance from team members who are closest to the action.
• Great decisions address the root cause, not just the symptoms. Although you may need to urgently address the symptoms, once this is done you should always develop a plan to fix the root cause, or else the problem is likely to repeat itself.
• Great decisions balance short-term and long-term value. Finding the right balance between short-term and long-term risks and considerations is key to unlocking true value.
• Great decisions are timely. If you consider all of the elements listed above, then it’s simply a matter of addressing each one with a heightened sense of urgency.

Like many young leaders, early in my career, I thought a great decision was one that attracted widespread approval. When my colleagues smiled and nodded their collective heads, it reinforced (in my mind, at least) that I was an excellent decision maker.

• MM Martin G. Moore is the founder of Your CEO Mentor and author of No Bullsh!t Leadership and host of the No Bullsh!t Leadership podcast. His purpose is to improve the quality of leaders globally through practical, real world leadership content. For more information, please visit, www.martingmoore.com.

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More From Forbes

Tips and techniques for problem-solving and decision-making.

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Divya Parekh , of The DP Group, covers business growth, storytelling, high-impact performance and authority building.

Are you struggling to find effective solutions to problems you face in your professional or entrepreneurial ventures? Are you often indecisive when faced with complex decisions?

The ability to solve problems and make decisions quickly and effectively can mean the difference between success and failure. There are two main approaches to problem-solving and decision-making: vertical thinking and horizontal thinking. Both approaches have strengths and weaknesses, so understanding the differences between them can help you apply the right method at the right time.

Let's look at a few case studies to understand the very different benefits of these two approaches.

Vertical Thinking For Decision-Making

First, let's take Jane, the CFO of a financial services company. She needs to decide whether to invest in a new company software system.

Jane gathers all the relevant data about the software system and analyzes it thoroughly. She compares the cost of the system to the potential benefits, evaluates the risks involved and consults with subject matter experts. After careful consideration, she decides the benefits outweigh the costs and risks, and the company should invest in the software system.

This is vertical thinking: making a well-informed decision based on a thorough analysis of the data. Vertical thinking is especially useful in situations where there is a clear goal and a need for a precise, data-driven approach. Experts often use it in fields like finance, where decisions depend heavily on facts and figures.

Horizontal Thinking For Problem-Solving

Let's move on to Sophie, the head of marketing for a fashion company. The company has been struggling to attract new customers.

Sophie sets up a brainstorming meeting with different department heads. They come up with a variety of creative solutions based on their diverse perspectives. One idea that stands out is to partner with a popular social media influencer to promote the company's products. The team works together to develop a plan to reach out to the influencer and negotiate a partnership.

This is horizontal thinking: working with a team to generate a variety of ideas and consider different perspectives to find an innovative solution. Horizontal thinking is a great approach for problem-solving when the problem is complex and there may be multiple solutions or approaches. Creative professionals, especially in marketing, advertising and designing, highly value this approach.

How Emotions Affect These Approaches

Over several years of coaching, I've noticed that emotions can play a significant role in problem-solving and decision-making, regardless of the thinking style used.

For instance, when using vertical thinking, emotions such as frustration and impatience can arise when a person or team has been working on a problem for an extended period with no clear solution. Conversely, when a team lands on a solution, there can be a sense of relief and accomplishment.

Similarly, when using horizontal thinking, emotions such as excitement and optimism can arise during a brainstorming session when new and creative ideas are being generated. However, disappointment or frustration can also arise when an idea fails to work.

It's important to recognize and acknowledge these emotions as they can affect team dynamics and ultimately, the success of the problem-solving process. I encourage leaders to create a safe and supportive environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their emotions and concerns.

Make These Thinking Styles Work For You

In my experience, a personalized approach that balances both vertical and horizontal thinking can help manage emotions and any other issues that arise effectively. By using vertical thinking to identify specific problems and solutions, and horizontal thinking to generate creative ideas, you can create a problem-solving process that encourages collaboration, creativity and innovation while minimizing negative emotions.

Are you ready to take your problem-solving and decision-making skills to the next level?

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