Effective Decision Making through Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, using information to solve problems in employee teams and organisations. It is an essential business skill that allows decision makers to think outside the box, spot consequences and inconsistencies, construct and evaluate arguments, identify relevant ideas and systematically solve problems.

This seminar enables participants to apply the skills of critical thinking and problem solving in business doing so that they can deal with change quickly and effectively and make smart and correct decisions. They will return to their organisations able to analyse information from diverse sources to solve problems.

This program is specifically designed to give emphasis on areas that companies and their staff in Cyprus urgently need:

1. Strategies for applying critical thinking in teams and organisations
2. Solving problems using the range of techniques available
3. Practical applications of critical thinking and problem solving tools in the workplace
4. Developing critical thinking and problem solving skills within teams leaders and business units.

Upon completion of the course attendees will be able to:

• List appropriate problem solving and decision-making processes and methods.
• Identify common challenges/biases to effective problem solving and decision making.
• Explain in detail the rational approach to problem solving (Kepner & Tregoe)
• Recognize when to use critical thinking in business situations and in different scenarios and contexts.
• Develop a mind-set of continuous learning and development and looking at problems as a chance for intellectual stimulation.
• Create a corporate critical thinking process blueprint, which will be based on the stages of reflection, analysis, acquisition of information, creativity, structuring arguments, decision making, commitment, and debate.
• Adopt the exploitation of Convergent and Divergent thinking as a common process in the company.

Course Modules

Module 1: Why is Creative Problem Solving needed?

Module 2: What is a Problem?  

Module 3: Block Busting Problems (James Adams)  

Module 4: Creative Problem solving and Decision Making – The Process  

Creativity and problem solving – The employee mindset

Module 5: Critical Thinking  

Module 6: Convergent & Divergent Thinking  

Module 7: Techniques for Problem Solving  

Module 8: Implementing the Decisions  

Module 9: Decision making supplementary tools