Course #501

Duration:1 Day, At customers location

foundation for decisions

foundation for decisions

What's unique about our workshop?

This isn't your ordinary "academic" day. It's not just "theory", but pragmatic, proven techniques for solving real world business problems, strategies and challenges.

Customized

We customize the workshop to your business, with real examples and exercises that come from interviews with would be attendees. The attendees learn critical thinking AND see it in action with their own day-to-day issues.

Using concepts from our model we created a simple framework for Critical Thinking

Optional: Post course 1:1 mini coaching sessions available for followup and continued assistance

Mulitple curriculums for varied attendees

We also modify the curriculum for the mix of attendees:
•   Executives and Business Leaders
•   Teams (a Manager and team, or cross
      functional)
•   Supervisors, Managers and Directors
•   Individual Contributors
•   Mixed class of multiple disciplines and
      responsibilities

We contrast your everyday automatic thinking with Critical Thinking.

Risk Model

A 11 point Risk model that helps you evaluate the risk, w/exercises
• Downsides
• Downside Probability
• Upside
• Upside Probability
• Downside Absorption Capability
• Ignoring Statistical Downside
• Controllability
• Necessity of Upside
• Reversibility,
• Mitigation Strategy
• Preeminent Metrics

What's the benefit of Critical Thinking

Attendees learn Pragmatic Critical Thinking Techniques resulting in;
• Faster and higher quality decisions
• Superior solutions to problems, goals, and
   strategies.
• Better understanding of the dynamics
   between different aspects of a business or
   project
•  Innovative ideas and solution
• Higher productivity
• Being better equipped to tackle problems 
   and make decisions on a daily basis

Critical Thinking skills gained can be applied to:

 •  General problem solving and decision making
 •  New product ideas and creation
 • Short and long term business strategies
 •  Improved development processes and
    quality
 •  Improved operational efficiency
 •  Crisis Management
 •  Revenue generation and cost reduction
     strategies
 •  Customer care improvement

Overview   

(Download the Workshop Brochure for more details)

This one day workshop is focused on applying critical thinking to Innovation and builds on skills learned in the “Critical Thinking for Problem Solving and Decision Making” workshop.  In this session we continue within the framework with advanced conclusion tools that raise the confidence of a conclusion and exercises to present and critique those conclusions for support, by-in, enrollment and approval.  We push through the limits of conclusions with Outside-the-box, Abduction and Impossible critical thinking techniques.  We augment the decision tools with a risk tool consisting of 11 components and the concept of fuzzy criteria (i.e. the grey area).   In addition, we practice the necessary skill for leadership; that of being a Thinking Coach, i.e. getting others to think critically.
    The course objectives include:

• Be more practiced in the 3-step Critical Thinking Process
• Be able to identify the “box” that constrains your current thinking
• Learn techniques to think “outside the box”
• Learn to apply critical thinking for breakthrough results using “abductive” and “impossible” thinking
• Creating credible presentations for buy-in, enrollment and approval
• Understand and practice the tools to sustain a critical thinking environment
• Be a Thinking Coach - Help others to use Critical Thinking and make decisions
• Think through 11 risk factors and how they weigh in
• Be able to apply critical thinking to decisions that are not black and white (“fuzzy” decisions)


During the class,  the attendees will be applying Critical Thinking to their own current business problem.  In this way, when they return to their desk, they already know how to proceed.

Topics Covered
• Clarity - Additional tools to ensure Clarity; (What else and Anticipatory Thinking)
•

Conclusions

- Create Solutions and the  
   Conclusion Thinksheet
   -  Credibility and Consistency
   -  Triangular Thinking
   -   Argument  Analysis
   -   Presenting your solutions to influence,
       enroll, and get approval
•

Innovation

- Creating an environment
  and stimulating creativity and innovation
    -   Thinking Outside-the-Box
    -   What if?, What other?
    -   Abductive Thinking
    -   Impossible Thinking
• 

Decisions

- Taking action
    -  Decision Thinksheet
    -  Risk Criteria – A 11 point Risk model
    -  Fuzzy Criteria
• 

Being a Thinking Coach

•  Next Steps - Your plan to implement your
   learning (for yourself and your team)

More time on getting clear and less time and rework needed for decisions

We also modify the curriculum for the mix of attendees:
   •   Executives and Business Leaders
   •   Teams (a Manager and team, or cross functional)
   •   Supervisors, Managers and Directors
   •   Individual Contributors
   •   Mixed class of multiple disciplines and responsibilities

Less time on getting clear and more time and rework needed for decisions

What's the benefit of Critical Thinking

Attendees learn Pragmatic Critical Thinking Techniques resulting in;
  •  Faster and higher quality decisions that are more likely to be the correct ones.
  •  Superior solutions to problems, goals, and strategies.
  •  Better understanding of the dynamics between different aspects of a business or project
  •  Innovative ideas and solution
  •  Higher productivity
  •  Being better equipped to tackle problems and make decisions on a daily basis.

Critical Thinking skills gained can be applied to:

  •  General problem solving and decision making
  •  New product ideas and creation
  •  Short and long term business strategies
  •  Improved development processes and quality
  •  Improved operational efficiency
  •  Crisis Management
  •  Revenue generation and cost reduction strategies
  •  Customer care improvement

This isn't your ordinary "academic" day. It's not just "theory", but pragmatic, proven techniques for solving real world business problems, strategies and challenges.

Customized

We customize the workshop to your business, with real examples and exercises that come from interviews with would be attendees. The attendees learn critical thinking AND see it in action with their own day-to-day issues.

Course #501

Duration:1 Day, At customers location

Overview   

(Download the Workshop Brochure for more details)

This one day workshop is focused on applying critical thinking to Innovation and builds on skills learned in the “Critical Thinking for Problem Solving and Decision Making” workshop.  In this session we continue within the framework with advanced conclusion tools that raise the confidence of a conclusion and exercises to present and critique those conclusions for support, by-in, enrollment and approval.  We push through the limits of conclusions with Outside-the-box, Abduction and Impossible critical thinking techniques.  We augment the decision tools with a risk tool consisting of 11 components and the concept of fuzzy criteria (i.e. the grey area).   In addition, we practice the necessary skill for leadership; that of being a Thinking Coach, i.e. getting others to think critically.
    The course objectives include:

• Be more practiced in the 3-step Critical Thinking Process
• Be able to identify the “box” that constrains your current thinking
• Learn techniques to think “outside the box”
• Learn to apply critical thinking for breakthrough results using “abductive” and “impossible” thinking
• Creating credible presentations for buy-in, enrollment and approval
• Understand and practice the tools to sustain a critical thinking environment
• Be a Thinking Coach - Help others to use Critical Thinking and make decisions
• Think through 11 risk factors and how they weigh in
• Be able to apply critical thinking to decisions that are not black and white (“fuzzy” decisions)


During the class,  the attendees will be applying Critical Thinking to their own current business problem.  In this way, when they return to their desk, they already know how to proceed.

Topics Covered

•    Clarity - Additional tools to ensure Clarity; (What else and Anticipatory Thinking)
•    Conclusions - Create Solutions and the Conclusion Thinksheet
          -  Credibility and Consistency - Increasing the strength of your premise
          -  Triangular Thinking – When you can’t know exactly
          -   Argument  Analysis – Review for and against arguments as elements of conclusions
          -   Presenting your solutions to influence, enroll, and get approval
•     Innovation - Creating an environment and stimulating creativity and innovation
          -   Building a tower
          -   Thinking Outside-the-Box - Challenging the Premise (What if?, What other?)
          -   Abductive Thinking - Thinking beyond your experience
          -   Impossible Thinking -To generate Breakthrough ideas
•     Decisions - Taking action and the Decision Thinksheet
          -   Risk Criteria – A 11 point Risk model that helps you evaluate the risk, w/exercises (Downsides,
              Downside Probability, Upside, Upside Probability, Downside Absorption Capability, Ignoring
              Statistical Downside, Controllability, Necessity of Upside, Reversibility, Mitigation Strategy,
              Preeminent Metrics)
          -   Fuzzy Criteria – Not all the criteria of a decision are black and white.  This topic looks at the
              grey ones
•      Being a Thinking Coach - The rules and role plan
•      Next Steps - Your plan to implement your learning (for yourself and your team)

Contact us for more information or to schedule a Workshop