Problem Solving & Decision Making
Problem Solving & Decision Making
You know that sinking feeling when you're staring at a complex workplace issue and everyone's looking at you for the answer? Or when you've got three different departments all pushing for conflicting solutions and the deadline's tomorrow? We've all been there - that moment when you realise the decision you make could either save the day or create an even bigger mess.
The truth is, most of us were never actually taught how to solve problems systematically or make decisions confidently. We stumble through on gut instinct, past experience, or whatever seems least risky at the time. But here's what I've learned after years of watching smart people make avoidable mistakes: there's actually a proven process for tackling tough decisions and complex problems. And once you know it, work becomes so much less stressful.
This training in Canberra will give you the practical frameworks that successful managers and leaders use every day. You'll learn how to break down overwhelming challenges into manageable pieces, how to gather the right information without getting paralysed by analysis, and how to make confident decisions even when you don't have all the facts. We'll cover real scenarios you'll recognise - like when your team's split on a solution, when senior management wants an answer you don't have yet, or when you need to choose between options that all have significant downsides.
What makes this different from other courses is that we focus on the messy reality of workplace decision-making. You'll practice with actual case studies, not textbook examples. We'll talk about how to handle pressure from stakeholders, how to get buy-in for your decisions, and what to do when your carefully planned solution doesn't work out as expected. You'll also learn how to involve your team collaboration effectively without letting group dynamics derail the process.
What You'll Learn
How to identify the real problem versus just the symptoms that everyone's complaining about. You'd be surprised how often teams spend weeks solving the wrong thing entirely. We'll show you questioning techniques that get to the root cause quickly, plus how to tell when you're dealing with multiple interconnected issues that need separate attention.
A step-by-step decision-making framework that works whether you're choosing between vendors, planning a restructure, or figuring out how to handle a difficult client situation. This isn't some complicated academic model - it's a practical approach you can use immediately. You'll learn how to weight different criteria, involve the right people at the right time, and document your thinking so you can defend your choices later.
Techniques for generating creative solutions when the obvious answers aren't working. Sometimes the best solution isn't the first three options everyone suggests. We'll explore brainstorming methods that actually work, how to look at problems from different angles, and when to bring in outside perspectives. You'll practice these techniques on real workplace scenarios during the session.
How to make quality decisions under pressure and with incomplete information. Let's face it, you rarely have the luxury of perfect data and unlimited time. You'll learn how to quickly assess what information is truly critical, how to make reasonable assumptions, and how to build in safeguards when you're taking calculated risks. We'll also cover how to deal with difficult behaviours from people who resist your de