Creative Problem Solving Training for the Workplace
Who is the course for?
This course is for leaders who directly or indirectly make decisions that impact their teams and their organizations and want to be efficient, productive, and effective while overcoming obstacles and challenges with creativity.
Skill Level
Foundational
Time Commitment
Weekly Time Committment
60 Minutes/Week
Duration
3 Weeks
Leader Behaviors
This course strengthens your skills in the following leader behaviors:
- Diagnose Needs
- Inspires
- Solves Problems
Course Overview
Creative problem solving identifies opportunities for solving problems where conventional thinking has failed. Leaders are encouraged to find new perspectives and create innovative solutions to problems that inevitably arise.
In this course, we will learn the difference between creativity and innovation and how leaders can foster an environment of innovation, which allows for creative problem solving.
Completing this course will help you:
- Define and distinguish the difference between creativity and innovation and explore how external and internal factors affect perception.
- Explore how the workplace environment may encourage or inhibit the creativity and innovation of employees, including two new concepts in creative problem solving, known as the Fifteen Percent Rule and the Idea Sponsor.
- Examine the tools required for creative problem-solving.
Learning Path
Session 1 - Difference between Creativity and Innovation
In this session, we will define and understand the difference between creativity and innovation, while challenging our thinking and perceptions. We will also understand how different internal and external factors impact our perception and how our perception affects creativity.
Virtual Session (30 minutes) + Online Journal (15 minutes) + Activity (15 minutes)
Session 2 - Creating an Environment of Innovation
In this session, we will explore how the workplace environment may encourage or inhibit the creativity and innovation of employees. We will also define the “Fifteen Percent Rule” and how it impacts employees, as well as explore the importance of having an “Idea Sponsor” and the process of capturing ideas.
Virtual Session (30 minutes) + Online Journal (15 minutes) + Activity (15 minutes)
Session 3 - Tools for Creative Problem Solving
In this session, we will introduce various tools leaders can use for creative problem solving including Mind Maps, Analogies, Fish Bone Diagram, Affinity Diagram, SCAMPER, Sticky Notes, Brainstorming, and more. We will learn how to apply these tools to situations that arise in the workplace.
Virtual Session (30 minutes) + Online Journal (15 minutes) + Activity (15 minutes)
Leader Behaviors
This course strengthens your skills in the following leader behaviors:
- Diagnose Needs
- Inspires
- Solves Problems
Why people choose LEL for Leadership Development
The insights from this course have changed how I approach leadership. I now feel equipped to handle challenges more effectively and inspire my team every day.
An invaluable experience! The practical strategies and hands-on exercises helped me build strong leadership skills that I apply daily in my role.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between creativity and innovation?
Creativity is generating new ideas, innovation is putting them to work. The course separates the two and shows how leaders create the conditions for both.
What problem solving tools does the course teach?
Practical tools including mind maps, analogies, fishbone diagrams, affinity diagrams, SCAMPER, sticky-note methods, and brainstorming, with guidance on when to use each.
What are the Fifteen Percent Rule and an Idea Sponsor?
They are two concepts the course uses for building an innovative environment: giving people a slice of time to explore ideas, and assigning someone to champion and capture those ideas so they are not lost.
Is this course useful for front-line staff as well as leaders?
Yes. It equips everyone from team members to managers with structured problem-solving and idea-generation skills.
How long is the course?
Three weekly live sessions of about an hour each, facilitator-led, with practice applying the tools to real workplace problems.
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100% of program profits support March of Dimes.