Problem Solving & Creative Thinking

Introduction

• What is “creative thinking”
• When is it appropriate
• What are the typical problems faced in a work environment
• Defining the problem fully
• Problem definition tools
• Applying “5 Whys”
• The value of the process
• Using data effectively
• Example business issues
• Exercise: What are the problems?

Creativity: what it is, how to get it

• Defining Creativity & Innovationand problem solving skills
• Enabling development of creative thinking ability and the time to do so
• Using as an example “ Disney Creative Strategy”
• Using as an example the Toyota approach
• Exercise: Team creativity – the process: taking an actual problem from definition to solution

Identifying multiple solutions

• Often there is always more than one way
• Evaluation of multiple approaches
• Solution tools
• Exercise: Which solution – and why?

Innovative Problem-Solving in practice

• Don’t try and solve problems that are irrelevant or immaterial
• Some things can’t be “fixed” but they can always be improved
• Connecting to the big picture
• Gaining buy-in to your ideas
• Always use “even better if”
• Putting your ideas across
• Defining the benefits
• Exercise: “Here’s an idea…”

The way ahead

• Recognise when “mission accomplished” has been achieved
• Keep an open mind
• Identifying further development areas
• Immediate goals
• Exercise – My action plan

Course Conclusion

A highly successful, long and varied “fast track” career in Lloyds Bank led him to very senior management at an early age. He was then “head hunted” to join a merchant bank at the main board director level. He now has over 40 years of experience in the UK banking and financial services sector.

Our trainer has been a freelance soft skills training consultant since retiring and is currently an external Master Trainer at both HSBC and Bank of China where he has delivered soft skills training on a wide range of topics, including problem solving training. At HSBC he helped screen and assess both prospective and existing trainers for soft skills capabilities and has delivered train-the-trainer programmes. At the Bank of China, he has designed and successfully delivered a comprehensive presentation skills programme. Mark has created and delivered soft skills training to a vast range of clients, from global giants to small firms and partnerships.

To ensure delegates make the time to think critically, creatively, and above all, remember to use common sense and sound judgement when empowered to do so and when it is applicable. This highly interactive problem solving training is suitable for professionals working in both finance and other industries where issues need to be overcome productively and creatively.

Through our creative thinking course, you will learn the following:

• Learn the essential skills to facilitate effective problem-solving and thinking.
• Learn how to think creatively yet stay within the firm’s guidelines.
• Build and expand decision-making & creative problem-solving skills.
• Use traditional and creative tools for identifying causes & generating creative problem solutions.
• Employ creativity and techniques of lateral thinking as business tools.
• Analyse and solve actual work problems.
• Apply logical and creative approaches.
• Integrate into strategic approaches and the overall business objectives.

• Problem solving courses do not always incorporate real-life examples. We focus on real work problems and how to approach them.
• The toolbox approach – so you can adapt the content to your situation.
• Many creative thinking courses only cover the basics. Ours combines the application of the basic techniques ensuring everything is covered, with more advanced techniques to get things done.

This problem solving course will help you to recognise and develop your creative skills, gain confidence in using them, and will show you how to recognise your capacity to develop them further. You will apply a structured process to identifying problems and generating wide-ranging ideas for solutions before selecting and developing one (or more) for communication and implementation. The workshop will be highly interactive, and you will be encouraged, through individual and collaborative work, to apply and manage a selection of evidence-based creative approaches.