As information proliferates, and the possible interpretations multiply, leaders need to think through, think ahead, and think around any problem. They need a playbook of good problem-solving and decision-making strategies coupled with an understanding of how multiple perspectives can add value.

Creativity is a future skill relevant to every area of business. We need to be able to re-imagine how we do what we do, so as to change up. It’s an essential part of the problem-solving kit.

There are obstacles to the creative mindset – in individuals, groups and institutions. So the first step is to remove these and create conditions where creativity becomes possible – ideas flow, mistakes are recycled into the process, and a growth mindset prevails.

Why this course?

Information arrives thick and fast in the 2020s. And no sooner have we assimilated the new ideas, than even newer ones come along. We need to make rapid assessments and decisions while resisting the urge to just follow what seems to be the trend.

Data is also an increasing part of every job. To capitalise on the insights available with ever larger data sets, we need an awareness of how data should inform our decision-making and what the pitfalls are.

To home in on the truth, and to locate the signal amidst the noise of everyday communication, we need to appreciate the value of two traits: Intellectual Diversity and Intellectual Humility. These allow us to profit from the thinking of others while constructing our own view.

Intellectual Diversity is about having a rich field of sources – about looking for alternative viewpoints. We can do this by looking to other disciplines, to other types of personality and to people of different backgrounds. This simply means that wherever the truth lies, we’re more likely to hear it and spot it.

Mental models are simple but powerful models of the world and the way it works. Every time we use concepts like the scientific method, economy of scale, margin of safety, first principles, diminishing returns – and so on – we use a mental model. This course explores how we can combine and apply these models systematically.

Most people rely on just a few mental models throughout their lives. But these operational beliefs may fail when the context changes. To be agile and effective across any present or future context, we have to assemble a ‘latticework’: interconnected models drawn from a variety of disciplines, including psychology, physics, statistics and even art history.

The leaders of the future will have to navigate complex and uncertain terrains. Transformations in technology, the environment, geo-politics and social attitudes make resilience and a growth mindset vital.

Optimism – acknowledging and dealing with threats while focusing on what can be achieved – is a key part of effective leadership. So too is the ability to grow the people around us into leaders in their own right, so that the leadership teams are supported and replenished by motivated juniors.

Leaders need to be all things to all people and sometimes this creates conflicting and contradictory expectations. They also need to switch between emotional understanding and rational analysis constantly. Sometimes they will pivot from driving results and efficiency to covering risk and inspiring colleagues – all in the same meeting. The ability to navigate through complexity means understanding what complexity is and how to break the whole into manageable parts so each can be addressed.

Volatile, Uncertain, Ambiguous and Complex (VUCA): this characterises the work outlook for a lot people right now – and for the foreseeable future. Uncertainty can be damaging for progress if it’s not correctly understood. This course helps people to deal with high levels of uncertainty by tackling their own relationship with it. In exploring the uncertainty, helpful tactics can be found and headway made, even when not all the information is available.

To enable leaders to see the opportunity in every difficulty and how to stay positive during times of adversity. To demonstrate empathy as well as assertiveness in order to empower their team. Bounded optimism is fundamentally different from positivity, wishful thinking, hope, magical thinking or self-serving bias which can all lead to serious misrepresentations of the situation. Bounded optimism is grounded in reality but also allows for the strength, ability and creativity available to overcome challenges.

We all learn on the job. We know from our own experience – and countless studies back this up – that the most effective learning comes from practice. Reading, studying and being instructed are all vital parts of the picture but need to be underpinned by continuous workplace learning.

To ensure that we are always bringing through a new crop of leaders, knocking on the door for more responsibility, the current leaders need to be creating a workplace conducive to learning. That means they need to know exactly what is required for their junior colleagues to grow.

It’s becoming clear, especially with the recent pandemic, that every individual’s connection to others (i.e. social wellbeing) affects the whole team and wider organisation. It’s essential to build vital relationships, develop new understanding and boost social confidence so that the experience of work and the surrounding culture is enhanced.

Each individual in your organisation makes thousands of decisions every day. The only way to harmonise the collective efforts of those you lead is to instil the right culture: the shared notions of who you all are, what you do, and ‘how things are done around here’. Culture is often invisible and therefore overlooked or misunderstood. We approach culture from the point of view that there are ‘culture carriers’ that set the tone and create the atmosphere. Also, now that culture has to extend out from a premises or a set of buildings, into peoples’ dwellings, homes, teams, remote working space – it needs to be much more explicit, understood and deliberately created.

This courses addresses the adaptation required for successful hybrid working. We explain how to integrate work and home life and show people how to communicate clearly and sensitively to minimise uncertainty and maximise adaptability. This needs to be done openly and actively, including and appreciating everyone, so they feel part of the progress. We offer guidance on how to maintain energy, relationships, engagement and productivity.

Our social lives, interactions and identities are very important to our motivation, our productivity, and our sense of belonging. When we are involved with those around us, the group as a whole can benefit from collective intelligence, collaboration and a sense of community. The need to recognise and leverage these benefits has never been more obvious. This session is specifically designed to harness the power of connection to magnify our own abilities – and each other’s.

Being isolated during the pandemic has affected a lot of people’s confidence. Engagement at work is crucial if an organisation is looking to build a vibrant , supportive, culture. To make this a reality, people need to interact in social situations they may find challenging; from speaking up in meetings, chatting easily with colleagues, having open conversations with all levels in the organisation and conveying ideas in an interesting and compelling way. These are all things that come down to social confidence, allied with strong interpersonal technique.

The proliferation of information in the modern world, means that everyone who works in business must have a fundamental grasp of data and how it can be used. Those who analyse data as a core part of their job need to crystallise their insights and bring them to life for a range of audiences. Those without a technical data role, meanwhile, need the confidence to research, select and critique the data that is available. In the future a data focused skill set will be essential for everyone.

Even if someone doesn’t do statistical analysis as a core part of their role, they can still compile, evaluate and disseminate data in powerful ways. To do that best, they will need to understand they key principles of data-gathering: how reliable, informative conclusions can be drawn from numbers and facts. This course shows how to arrange, understand, and discuss data from a non-technical standpoint.

Data doesn’t speak for itself. The crucial insights have to be found, clarified and conveyed to others. In a fast-moving environment we need to tell the story in the data so that others grasp its meaning and importance. The principles of storytelling are dictated by the fundamentals of human cognition: our brains use stories to organise and retain information. These principles apply just as much to quarterly financial results as they do to entertainment and conversation.

Consultancy is a perfect model for driving collaboration across teams. Anyone in supporting functions like HR, Legal, Marketing or IT needs to communicate effectively and accessibly with other areas of the business and senior stakeholders. Consultants combine the responsive skills of a service ethic with the decisive skills of subject matter experts. In Part 1 this course breaks those skills down and shows the importance of reliable, meaningful data in understanding situations and designing solutions.

In Part 2 we explore all the communication and influencing skills necessary to consult at the highest level. A practical opportunity to communicate learned skills in a safe environment with technical help and expert feedback.