Decision making appears at the top of many lists about workplace skills and competencies that employers value. It makes sense. We make decisions and solve problems several times every day.

Making smart decisions  could be the  difference  between business  profitability  or disaster. Resolving problems with the best solution could be the difference between saving loyal customers or not.

The key to smart decision-making rests with our ability to clearly define the problem, identify innovative options, research  them, and then  craft a  workable  solution.  Having a  process  to  work through these steps can take the anxiety out of problem-solving and make decisions easier. This course explores a wide range of techniques to help you puzzle through situations, learn how to solve both simple and complex problems, discover your creativity, and apply  these techniques  to smart decision making.

• Use creative thinking methods and contribute to problem-solving teams
• Categorize your own critical thinking style, including areas of strength and opportunities for improvement
• Decide the best approach to use in a problem-solving situation
• Analyze information to identify the problem
• Create and analyze strong arguments by using the critical thinking process
• Increase important critical thinking skills, including active listening and questioning
• Use analytical thought systems and creative thinking techniques
• Use individual and group techniques to produce creative ideas and make decisions
• Give powerful arguments using the critical thinking skills you learned