Creative Problem Solving
Frequently, interim managers are appointed to situations where there is a problem that no-one has been able to solve, and the hope is that someone from outside will achieve what has been unsuccessful using internal resources. You are far more likely to be successful if you can unlock the creativity of all the team you are working with.
Organisations are often faced by various local, national, regional and global challenges. These might include changes in technology, new competitors, changing customer needs, mergers and acquisitions, etc. The changing environment means organisations continually need to develop appropriate responses to new challenges. This leads to an expectation that staff can take creative initiatives and requires managers who can work in an environment where they have far less control than in traditional companies. This course looks at how creativity can help you employ the best people to achieve your objectives, use resources efficiently, stay ahead of the competition and make cost savings.
Course content
The course will introduce you to different ways of looking at problems or challenging issues in your client’s work setting, developing an ability to apply a different outlook, philosophy or mental framework about the nature of the problem-solving process. Based on the underlying principles of creative thinking, you will learn a number of practical techniques to use with colleagues to enable effective problem solving.
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- understand the factors that help and hinder creativity
- appreciate the value of creative approaches to business problems
- reflect on having experienced and evaluated selected creative problem solving techniques
- develop the skills required to facilitate a group creative problem solving session.
There are activities that you can use to help you relate your learning to the organisation and your role within it.
At the departmental level you will be able to provide a broad range of methods to assist imaginative and effective thinking. At the organisational level you will explore a range of approaches designed to help develop a creative climate, share knowledge and manage innovation and change in organisations.
A number of key techniques and competencies for creative problem solving will be identified and developed in an integrated work-based activity to produce a report on a real ‘problem’ that takes place in the organisation and using what you have learned on the course to plan and implement it.
Purchase Information
This is an on-line only course, which delegates are free to undertake to suit their personal time and circumstances.
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Other Courses to consider...
- Managing performance through people
- Applying strategic thinking
- Advancing your personal leadership
- Leading organisational change
- Consulting and communicating inside organisations
- Working across cultures
- Managing organisational politics
- Ethics at work
- Managing complex projects
- Innovation for business results
The API is the professional membership body representing experienced and new career Interim Managers.
