Problem solving at work

Problem solving at work provides a systematic method for thinking about problems and transforming them into effective solutions.

Whether you're a manager or a team leader, a business owner or a volunteer, your work will involve solving problems. It's not always easy. Problems come in many different forms. They keep coming, and we sometimes have no time to solve one problem before the next arrives. The result? A never-ending cycle of 'firefighting', which makes it hard to find any real solutions.

Take time out to reflect on your problem-solving skills and develop them. What does it mean to have a problem? What does it mean to take ownership of a problem? How can we make sense of the problems we face? How can we look at them in different ways?  And how can we transform a problem into a workable solution?

Discover the answers to these questions on this enjoyable, stimulating course.

What you'll learn

What does it mean to have a problem? You'll understand that real-life problems, unlike problems in text books or examinations, can be solved only by doing something. Taking the right action to escape the stuckness of a problem means understanding the problem and reviewing the actions available to you. You'll discover the skills that help you to understand solve problems as well as the different ways in which you can take ownership of a problem. You'll learn ways of defining a problem - and, crucially, transforming your perception of it so that you can find new and creative ways of solving it. You'll learn a wide range of tools and techniques that you can use alone or with your team. And you'll discover a fully worked out method for implementing your solution with your stakeholders.

Course resources

Problem solving at work gives you a range of resources to help you develop your skills, including:

• a self-assessment questionnaire that you can use for yourself and with your team

• a downloadable course workbook featuring exercises, examples, summaries of the key points in each lecture and background information about the concepts and ideas behind the course

• links to useful articles and other online sources to help you develop your skills further

  
  

Is this the right course for you?

Problem solving at work has been designed for anyone who wants to improve their skills quickly. It focuses on problems at work but is also useful to develop problem-solving as a life skill.