Business life is rife with problems to solve and decisions to make. You have a preferred style for solving problems, evaluating information and reaching decisions. The results, good or bad, may live with you forever. Whether working alone or as a group exercise, it is the quality and nature of the questions you ask and the process of evaluation that determines the overall success of what you seek to create. It is important to manage your personal style, harness the wisdom of the team, appropriately consider ethical issues, understand and appreciate the influence of political/organisational pressures, and recognise other factors that may create tensions so you may avoid making poor decisions. This Short Course examines approaches to solving problems and provides a practical framework for decision-making that may be adopted by an individual or applied across an organisation. By understanding the mechanics and dynamics of the problem solving and decision-making processes it is possible to improve quality and consistency of your results.

By taking this course you will be able to:

• understand the problem solving and decision-making processes
• identify factors that influence the quality a decision
• recognise your personal style and that of others, and work more effectively with them to create optimum results
• analyse problems, assess situations, and develop winning strategies
• avoid common decision-making pitfalls and traps
• identify and work through ethical issues
• establish an organisational decision-making framework and create consistency in achieving quality decisions
• influence decision-makers by recognising and satisfying their often unstated decision-making requirements

Anyone involved in solving problems or making decisions, most especially in an organisational setting. This course is highly applicable to CEOs, CFOs, project managers, Directors on boards and anyone else who develops solutions for decision-makers or receives proposals to make decisions.

Problem Solving

General Process

• Problem solving process
• Developing and strengthening problem solving
• Alternatives identification
• Presenting problem information in a balanced and effective manner

Personal Styles and Approaches

• Different styles people use
• Needs that must be satisfied in approaching problems
• Roles played in problem solving
• Harnessing strengths and weaknesses of each style
• Working through conflict to create well formed and considered solutions

Techniques and Tools

• Problem solving and analysis techniques, including
• Force field analysis
• The 5 Why’s
• Pareto Analysis
• Ishikawa (“Fishbone”) diagram
• Mind mapping.

Decision-making

Traps to Avoid

• Case studies based on famous debacles
• Failure enhancers to avoid
• Success approaches to pursue

Deciding with Ethics

• Ethics in decision-making
• Ethics concepts
• Ethical issues to consider
• Process for working through ethical dilemma

Models and Approaches

• Dealing with certainty, risk and uncertainty
• Processes used by individuals and organisations in reaching decisions
• Differences between advocacy and inquiry
• Basis for knowledge-based decision-making
• Requirements for establishing an organisational decision-making framework

Working with Decision-makers

• Different decision-making styles
• Their communications and information needs
• Strategies for satisfying them

None specified

2 days