Your online learning journey

Designed to sharpen your critical thinking skills.

Frame your problem, think critically and engage with your stakeholders

As a manager or aspiring leader, you know that to rise through the ranks requires strong and creative problem-solving skills. To get to the top, business leaders need to act and react to the priorities set for the organization.

They must exercise their critical thinking capabilities and decide which issues to focus on and when. So, what are the essential elements of effective problem-solving that you can apply to your particular scenario?

The program is structured into five units, covering the following topics:

Program overview

Learn to recognize when a problem requires a systematic approach.
Articulate how the process works and how each part contributes.
Understand why engaging stakeholders is critical throughout the process.

Learn how to develop your Frame sequence and how to frame your problem.
Apply the Holding Hands, Dolly the Sheep and Watson rules to the Frame sequence to make it robust.

Learn how to map out all the possible problem causes using a WHY map.
Identify which causes are at the root of the problem.
Update the Frame sequence to integrate new information.
Learn how to apply MECE thinking.

Identify and organize all the potential solutions using a HOW map and determine which are feasible.
Identify a set of criteria that represents your stakeholders’ views.
Create a decision matrix to rank the attractiveness of the options.

Make aligned decisions that support the solution.
Craft a storyline to defend the line of thinking (bullet proof) which is being empathetic to stakeholders.
See the big picture and plan your next actions.

Themes you will explore

Problem framing

Thinking creatively

Thinking critically

Question mapping

Hypotheses testing

Decision making

Engaging stakeholders

One-on-one coaching

Throughout your online learning, you’ll be accompanied by an experienced IMD executive coach who will challenge you, encourage you, and provide valuable feedback on your weekly assignments. Together, you’ll dive deeper into the program content and make it meaningful to your own professional context. Your interactions will take place via video, in writing, and over the phone.

An online program participant having a coaching session via video

Achieve your goals

Your expert coach helps you:

Define

Define your learning objectives and stay on track.

Review

Review your progress on a weekly basis.

Overcome

Overcome your challenges.

Apply

Apply what you learn to your own context.

Explore FAQs for online programs

Find quick answers to your online program queries in our comprehensive FAQ section.

Get a personal recommendation

Schedule a call with a Program Advisor to discuss your professional development and see if this is the program for you.

Join a free information session

Join online and experience a walkthrough of the Online programs, how they work, what you can expect and how it will impact your career.

Earn an IMD Online Executive Certificate

Reinforce and consolidate your expertise in leadership, strategy, or digital acceleration through an immersive, fully online experience incorporating executive coaching.