Problem Solving Leadership in Asia

MANAGE CHANGE AND PRACTICE INNOVATION BY BECOMING A PROBLEM SOLVING LEADER

Learn and practice a leader’s most valuable asset: the ability to think and act creatively.

We believe that leadership is the key to building a healthy organization that can deal effectively with change. We teach that leadership is the ability to create an environment that enables everyone to contribute productively. We focus on process rather than procedure, on personal effectiveness rather than prescriptive strategies.

The Problem Solving Leadership workshop has been growing and changing since 1974 to meet the changing needs of people in the workplace. The fundamental principle, however, remains the same: a leader’s most valuable asset is the ability to think and act clearly, creatively, and congruently. This is what we teach.

Develop your own problem solving style

PSL is built on sound principles of adult learning theory, general systems thinking, group process concepts, creativity and congruent human interaction.

The simulations and other activities are designed to involve you totally in the experience of improving your problem solving effectiveness. You will take away an increased awareness of your own problem solving style and an understanding and appreciation of the styles of others. You will see how valuing differences can enhance innovation and increase, rather than constrain, your problem solving options.

Work on issues of most interest to you... and your organization.

We have designed this workshop to be practical and applicable to the modern workplace. Your problems and concerns provide a frame of reference for all the workshop activities. At the end of the workshop, when you review your original learning objectives, you will discover that you have reframed the original problems and gained insight into the actual issues.

What you will learn

• to be a leader while being a member of a team
• to focus your thinking while in chaos
• to make change a productive, creative event
• to build truly effective teams
• to design projects people really want to work on
• to observe exactly what is happening
• to use tools of effective communication
• to handle conflict in problem solving groups

Your hosts

Esther Derby

I started my career as a programmer, and over the years I’ve worn many hats, including business owner, internal consultant and manager. From all these perspectives, one thing became clear: our level of individual, team and company success was deeply impacted by our work environment and organizational dynamics. As a result, I have spent the last twenty-five years helping companies design their environment, culture, and human dynamics for optimum success.

I’ve written over 100 articles, and co-authored three books - Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great, Behind Closed Doors: Secrets of Great Management and 7 Rules for Positive, Productive Change. I write about management, leadership, collaboration, organizations and change.

I’m an original founder of the Scrum Alliance and the AYE Conference, and I have served two terms on the Board of Directors for the Agile Alliance.

Don Gray

My experience across a variety of industries, from small startups to Fortune 50 organizations, provides a solid platform for assisting clients through their transition to Agile development practices.I incorporate my study of communication, personality types, team styles, systems thinking, and human systems dynamics into my work and writing. You can find a number of my articles published at Better Software magazine and StickyMinds.com.

I frequently speak at local and regional conferences as well as Agile Development Practices and the Agile 201x Conferences.