Strategic Decision Making and Problem Solving (1-Day Course)

Audience:

This class is ideal for supervisors and business decision makers.

Prerequisites:

None

Description:

We make decisions and solve problems continually. We start making decisions before we even get out of bed (shall I get up now or not?). Sometimes, we will have made as many as 50 decisions by the time we leave for work. Despite all the natural decision making that goes on and the problem solving we do, some people are very uncomfortable with having to make decisions. You may know someone who has a hard time making decisions about what to eat, never mind the internal wrestling they go through in order to take on major decisions at work.

Course Objectives:

This workshop will teach participants to:

• Apply problem solving steps and tools
• Analyze information to clearly describe problems
• Identify appropriate solutions
• Think creatively and be a contributing member of a problem solving team
• Select the best approach for making decisions
• Create a plan for implementing, evaluating, and following up on decisions
• Avoid common decision-making mistakes

Outline:

LESSON 1: COURSE OVERVIEW 

You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives. 

Lesson 2: Definitions 

• Defining Problem Solving & Decision Making 
• Problem Identification
• Eight Essentials to Defining a Problem
• Problem Solving in Action
• Debrief  

Lesson 3: Getting Real 

• Pre-Assignment Review
• Debrief 

Lesson 4: The Problem-solving model 

• Model Overview 
• Real Problems 
• Debrief
• Phase One 
• Phase Two 
• Phase Three 

Lesson 5: The Problem-Solving Toolkit 

• The Basic Tools
• The Fishbone 
• Degrees of Support 
• Creative Thinking Methods 
• More Methods

Lesson 6: Lost at SEA 

• Decision Information 
• Survival Actions Steps 
• Debrief 
• Lost at Sea Survival Scores 

Lesson 7: Swotting Up 

• SWOT Analysis 
• Individual Analysis 

Lesson 8: making good group decisions 

• Working Toward the Decision
• Avoiding Fatal Mistakes 

Lesson 9: Analyzing and selecting solutions 

• Selecting Criteria 

Lesson 10: Planning and Organizing 

• Introduction
• Follow-Up Analysis 
• Evaluate 
• Adapt, Close, and Celebrate 

Workshop Wrap-up