Business Problem Solving

Every successful business endeavour is born of a unique and innovative idea, and that in turn was born from the creative thinking of the people behind it. Then why is it the case that so many executives, founders and managers fail to actively develop and apply their creativity? The Creativity Factor clarifies how creativity is a key ingredient of effective leadership, before highlighting the strategies and approaches through which you can actively develop and cultivate your creative capabilities.

We all wish we had more time to pause and reflect about small decisions and big goals - and everything in between. But since we live and work in a vortex of tasks, meetings, decisions, and serious responsibilities, we rarely get the chance to step back. In this practical guide, best-selling author and Harvard Business School Professor Joseph Badaracco argues that you don't need long periods of solitude and tranquility to reflect well.

Data analytics offer an incredible opportunity to predict the future, engage with new technological advancements, and gain valuable insights about your business. But unless you're staying on top of the cutting edge of analytics, your company is wasting that potential-and your competitors will be gaining speed while you fall behind. These articles by experts and consultants will help you understand today's essential thinking about what data analytics are capable of and how to adopt their use in your organization.

“What would Jeff do?” Since leaving Amazon to advise start-ups and corporations, John Rossman has been asked this question countless times by executives who want to know “the secret” behind Amazon’s historic success. In this step-by-step guide, he provides 50½ answers drawn from his experience as an Amazon executive - and shows today’s business leaders how to think like Amazon, strategize like Bezos, and beat the competition like nobody’s business.

Ori Brafman and management consultant Judah Pollack dramatically demonstrate how even the best and most efficient organizations - from Fortune 500 companies to today's US Army - can become more innovative by allowing a little unstructured space and "contained chaos" into their planning and decision-making. Through their consulting work, they realized that while structure and hierarchy are essential both in large corporations and small groups, too much of either can stifle creativity.

Think of your to-do list at work. Chances are the most important tasks require you to work with others - and the success of those endeavors depends on the effectiveness of your collaboration. According to management expert Leigh Thompson, collaboration that is conscious, planned, and focused on generating new ideas builds excitement and produces what she calls a "creative conspiracy". Teams that conspire to organize themselves, motivate one another, and combine their talents to meet creative challenges are the hallmark of the most successful organizations.

Most people hate and fear uncertainty. It causes such stress and anxiety that we often choose certain surrender over doubt, becoming passive, dependent, addicted—and more anxious than ever. Doubling down on the certainties promised by technology and micro-management only makes things worse, leaving no opportunity for innovation, adaptation or invention. Artists live with uncertainty constantly—but instead of waiting for the future, they run towards making it, with agency and freedom. What can we learn from them, about facing into a future that grows more uncertain daily?

“Ah problems, why must you annoyingly occur in my life? Can’t I just avoid you?” Unless you’re perfect (which, newsflash, nobody is)...problems are inevitable and should be expected. Let that sink in for a few seconds.

If you listen to nothing else on decision-making, listen to this book. We've chosen a new selection of current and classic Harvard Business Review articles that will help you understand all of your options, ask the right questions, and make bold choices that drive real change. This book will inspire you to exercise sound judgment in complex situations; conquer a culture of indecision; know when to gather more data and when to trust your gut; root out bias in your assumptions; improve the decision-making ability of your teams; and stop deliberating and move forward.

Dan Foxx has spent more than 50,000 hours face-to-face with over 4,500 top execs from America’s finest companies, from high-flying high techs to promising start-ups. With pressure from boards of directors and investors to deliver dollars and high-ticket IPOs and with expectations from direct reports to make the savvy decisions, these CEOs bare all behind closed doors when their leadership chops are on the line.

What if you could walk into any room, any meeting, any high-stakes moment—and think with absolute clarity? Think Smarter, Lead Better is your blueprint for doing exactly that. In a world filled with noise, pressure, and uncertainty, this audiobook shows you how to cut through the mental fog, sidestep costly thinking errors, and lead with confidence—even when the heat is on. You’ll discover why smart people still make bad decisions, how your brain tricks you under stress, and most importantly—how to outsmart those traps with practical tools that work in real life.

Market volatility. Sustainability demands. Hybrid working. Opportunities and hazards of fast-changing technology and regulations. Companies and nonprofits face more daunting challenges than ever. How can we collaborate in our organizations—and with outside partners—to solve problems, innovate, and succeed? This indispensable new book lays out a pragmatic action plan blending rich stories, new empirical research, and loads of practical advice to help companies thrive by collaborating more effectively.

Do your dreams always feel just out of reach? Discover the action steps you can take to grab hold of the life you want. Has visualizing success left you with disappointing results? Are your efforts getting you nowhere fast? Entrepreneur and voice actor Rob Actis can relate. A near-death experience gave him the courage to live on his own terms. Now he's here to help you take charge of who you're meant to be. Wishful thinking and endless planning amount to nothing without concrete action.

Authored by renowned leadership, Agile, and project management trainer and coach Phill Akinwale, PMP, this book serves as a seminal guide to mastering the DIGCIV model—a comprehensive framework for decision-making in the modern digital landscape. DIGCIV: A Model for Problem Solving, Critical Thinking & Creativity is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to refine their decision-making processes in a world dominated by information overload.

As the former chief scientist of Express Scripts, a Fortune 25 health-care company dedicated to making the use of prescription medications safer and more affordable, Bob Nease is an expert on applying behavioral sciences to health care. Now, he applies his knowledge to the wider world, providing important practical solutions marketers, human resources professionals, teachers, and even parents can use to improve the behavior of others around them and get the positive results they want.

In The 24-Hour Rule and Other Secrets for Smarter Organizations, business consultant Adrienne Bellehumeur shows how her six steps of documentation can become your and your team’s new superpower.

Learn to troubleshoot and be superior in your trade. This short, easy-to-understand troubleshooting guide focuses on the electrical trade, but the principles are the same for any applicable trades. Learn these fast strategies and get offered the big jobs, the big promotions, and the big bucks. Best of all, you will gain the reputation as "The Closer". When you arrive on site, everyone breathes easier because the situation is now under control. If you're the type of individual that wants to fix technical problems, but don't know where to begin, you're going to love this book.

Manager 3.0 is the first-ever management guide for Millennials. They will master crucial skills such as dealing with difficult people, delivering constructive feedback, and making tough decisions - while gaining insight into the four generations in the workplace and how they can successfully bring out the best in each. Packed with interviews and examples from companies like Zappos, Groupon, Southwest Airlines, and Google, Manager 3.0 will help these new managers enhance their unique talents while developing a leadership style all their own.

Renowned disruption thinker and bestselling author Terence Mauri delivers a compelling set of mindset shifts for today's unique leadership challenges. In the book, you'll find the future-ready insights and tools you need to lead for today and prepare your organization for tomorrow. The author explains why so many of us continually overestimate the risks of bold decisions while underestimating the downsides of standing still for too long in an increasingly complex and volatile world.

Are you a good boss - or a great one? Get more of the management ideas you want, from the authors you trust, with HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing People (Vol. 2). We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles and selected the most important ones to help you master the innumerable challenges of being a manager.