PUBLIC WORKSHOPS LIST

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving for Effective Decision-Making (P233)

An Essential Competency in Today’s Workplace

This course will be delivered as a live, instructor-led session online – click here.

Mastering critical thinking and problem-solving skills can help you make better decisions or recommendations – an essential competency in today’s knowledge workplaces. Critical thinking helps you to examine and improve thought processes, ask the right questions, challenge assumptions and consider varying viewpoints. Effective problem-solving helps you to properly identify and systematically work through a problem in a comprehensive manner, ensuring clarity when it comes time to make decisions or recommendations.

This course will demonstrate how critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making work optimally together, and will provide hands-on practice with tools that you can apply to your everyday workday tasks, big or small.

This is a one-day workshop in Ottawa.

Note: This course is available as a stand-alone workshop, or you can enhance your learning by taking the companion workshop, Creativity and Innovation for the Workplace (P232).

Space is still available for all course dates listed, unless otherwise noted.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this seminar, you will be able to:

  • Define critical thinking and identify your critical thinking styles
  • Work through the critical thinking process to build, analyze and evaluate varying viewpoints
  • Improve key critical thinking skills, including active listening and questioning
  • Analyze context and information to clearly understand and identify a problem
  • Apply problem solving steps and tools
  • Identify appropriate solutions using specific approaches
  • Select the best technique for making decisions
  • Avoid common decision-making mistakes


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Workshop Topics

Maximizing the Power of Your Brain

  • Critical thinking and problem-solving: the key to effective decision making
  • The Iceberg Principle and the Understanding-Resolution Ratio

Critical Thinking

  • Definition of a Critical Thinker
  • Critical thinking behaviours: active listening, probing, Empty Your Bucket
  • Identify and evaluate issues and viewpoints
  • The 3 C’s: context, credibility and consistency
  • Critical thinking worksheet – practice it!

Problem Solving

  • The problem-solving process – various models
  • Obstacles and counterproductive approaches
  • Problem-solving techniques for groups and individuals
  • Applying a problem-solving model to a workplace scenario

Decision Making

  • Individual and collective decision making traps
  • How to choose: criteria, goals and vision-based decision-making
  • Individual and group decision-making tools and techniques
  • Decision-making – practical application to a workplace scenario

Who Should Attend This Course?

Anyone who is required to problem solve on the job or make important project, department or organizational decisions or recommendations.

Does This Course Address Your Competency Development Needs?

This training workshop addresses:

• Achievement / Results Oriented
• Adaptability / Flexibility
• Analytical Thinking
• Change Management / Leadership
• Creative Thinking
• Decision Making / Decisiveness
• Engagement and Motivation
• Impact / Influence
• Innovation and Initiative
• Leadership
• Problem Solving
• Self Confidence / Self Esteem
• Strategic Thinking
• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Working with Others