Got a problem and having trouble finding a solution? Not long ago I was invited to work with a local youth group on leadership skills.  But though I was the “teacher,” the students managed to remind me of something very important about leadership and problem solving. Today we’ll look at three ways you can approach […]

The post How to Find Creative Solutions: The Case of the Falling Egg appeared first on RapidStart Leadership.

In the heat of a crisis, as leaders we tend to want to jump in and start making decisions.  The situation calls for boldness, decisiveness; now is our chance to rise to the occasion.  To fail to act immediately may be interpreted as weakness.  But if we act hastily we risk making bad decisions and making things worse […]

The post Snake Bit! A Case Study in Making Haste Slowly appeared first on RapidStart Leadership.

No one likes to deliver bad news to the boss.  But how you present a problem to them will have a lot to do with how they react to it.  It’s more than just “managing the boss” – it’s seeing things from their perspective. Here is a way you can break the news, help to […]

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As a leader you will have to respond to crisis.  The plan will get off track, a key person will not show up, the weather will change, key assumptions will be proven wrong.  It’s inevitable.  How you respond will determine whether you overcome the crisis, or become a victim of it. Today we’ll talk about four […]

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In the 2011 Grand Prix Formula One race in Monaco, Lewis Hamilton’s car collided with another racer.  There was damage to the rear wing end plate of his car.  Under any other circumstances, his racing day would have been over.  Changing tires during a pit stop is one thing, but repairing something more complicated like […]

The post Book Notes: The Slow Fix appeared first on RapidStart Leadership.

You’ve implemented your solution.  Are you done? Not yet. This video takes a look at step 5 of the Problem Solving process:  Evaluate and Assess.  When a group of friends discover they have to clear the driveway from several feet of snow, their unusual solution seems to solve the problem, but they learn a thing […]

The post Problem Solving 5: That’s Not What I Was Expecting… appeared first on RapidStart Leadership.

How do you transform an idea into a plan? This video takes a look at Step 4 of the Decision Making Process: Implementing the Decision. It focuses on the Six “Ts” of planning – Task, Time, Talent, Team, Treasure, and Tiller, and explores how each can be developed as part of an overall plan. Along […]

The post Problem Solving 4: How to Come Up With a Plan appeared first on RapidStart Leadership.

Deciding how to decide is an important decision. We take on the complexities of making a difficult decision by asking ourselves, “How we gonna get some pizza?” This look at step 3 of the Decision-Making Process explores the ideas of Screening and Evaluation Criteria and how to build a decision matrix to help you decide […]

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How do you develop possible solutions? This video focuses on the second step of the problem solving process – how to develop alternative solutions. We start with a fun look at how two seemingly crazy ideas actually solved difficult problems.  Then we watch a brainstorming session, and break down how you can lead one to […]

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This video explores the first step of the problem solving process – how to identify the problem. It opens with an example involving human-powered flight, takes a look at three common pitfalls when problem solving, provides two methods for focusing your efforts on the right things, and ends with examples of how to structure a […]

The post Problem Solving 1: The Problem is the Problem appeared first on RapidStart Leadership.