Hands-on Workshop & Practical Seminar
Brainstorming, Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Workshop
Applying Harvard University Global System™

•   Register Now (Public Seminars)
•   In-house Seminars Delivered in Your Organization
    in the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, China and Japan

• Workshop Objectives
• Detailed Outline
• Workshop Leaders
• Location & Tuition Fees
• How to Register

Making sound and timely decisions is an essential and universal skill regardless of your profession or hierarchical level in the organization. Yet, flawed decisions abound because every aspect of a serious decision is fraught with subtle pitfalls that can result in irreversible harm and resource waste. Recent research proved that intensive training and deliberate practice tip the balance in favor of high-quality decisions that save valuable resources. Small investments in learning about brainstorming, decision-making and problem-solving processes can help making better choices with profound positive effect on outcomes.

This practical workshop provides you with proven skills and tools to brainstorm, make high-quality decisions and improve your problem-solving performance. You will hone your skills and practice, in a safe and supportive milieu, with situations ranging from urgent decisions on inelastic deadline to complex and extreme events requiring elaborate diagnosis, brainstorming and tough consultations. The focus is on brainstorming, critical thinking and objective judgment applied on relevant exercises and case studies from the real world. You will build a unique expertise to objectively address the avalanche of requests for action and attention. You will increase your ability and confidence to craft and present decisions to management, clients and others.

Dr. André Potworowski
Dr. Potworowski is an authority on creativity and problem solving. He is Associate Director, R&D, Biopharmaceuticals and Biotechnology Research Centre, Adjunct professor in University of Ottawa’s Executive MBA program and PDI Managing Partner, Science and Technology. He was Vice-President of a software development firm and a science writer for the CBC and has written numerous articles and reports on science and technology and R&D strategy. Recent clients include the NRC, Eurocom Corp., Pharmaceuticals (ASTRA, Sanofi-Pasteur), Fisheries and Oceans, Health Canada, Environment Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Current projects include R&D strategies, innovation, health policy, drug development and regulations. André holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a Ph.D. In Physical Chemistry and Computer Science from Toronto.For further information on Dr. André Potworowski, click here.

Alain Paul Martin
An international expert on exemplary leadership and principled negotiation and the Chief Architect of Harvard University Global System™, Alain Paul Martin is a member of the 2014 Ship of Excellence Faculty which includes Nobel laureates and other remarkable leaders. He is a Harvard University's Fellow in Advanced Leadership (2012), an alumnus of Harvard Business School (1997-99), with training in negotiation and mediation at Harvard Law School.

Alain delivered leadership seminars at the Ivy-League Summit held at Harvard University and led presentations on strategic thinking and risk management to graduate students and fellows, both at Harvard and MIT. He led principled negotiation and project management seminars in Europe, the Americas and Asia for companies including Boeing, Bombardier, Desjardins Financial Group, PEMEX, EON Renewables, Teck Metals, Textron Bell Helicopters and governments.

A bar-certified trainer, Alain continues to conduct ethical negotiation workshops for lawyers, judges, legislators and policy makers. An innovator and patent holder with advanced technology and operations-research background, Alain advises boards and executives of financial, biotech firms and government agencies. He led international projects in several countries in engineering, infrastructure, software development, finance, corporate turnaround and R&D.

He was an Executive Member of Canada’s Prime-Minister Committee on Government Reform. In collaboration with Dr. Brian Morrissey, Alain drafted recommendations that ultimately led to the creation the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Together, they subsequently studied the policy lessons learned in the United Kingdom about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and the new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Alain advised the Director General of the UNESCO to undertake a major overhaul to strengthen the essence of the organization in Paris and throughout the world with a greater focus on vital priorities, principle-based leadership and strategic issues.

Alain Martin was a member of the Graduate Management Faculty of the University of Quebec where he taught management of change and ethical negotiation skills to graduate students, both English and French. He also led, for several years, advanced risk-management workshops for executives, team leaders and engineers assigned to nuclear-power projects. He is a member of the French Society of Mathematics (SMF) and the author of Harnessing the Power of Intelligence, Counterintelligence & Surprise Events. He was honored by the Presidents of Harvard University and Harvard Alumni Association for his “Leadership, Vision and Service to our Community” during the ten-year period between 2001 and 2011. For further information on Alain Martin, click here.

• Duration: 3 days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Value in Continuing Education Units: 2.25 CEU
  
• Locations:
  • Canada: PDI Conference Center in Ottawa-Gatineau National Capital area. Free parking. Directions available at www.executive.org/directions
  • Call us for U.S. locations in Cambridge (MA) and New York (NY).
• Tuition Fees:
  • Fees include books, hand-outs, road maps and other course materials of exceptional value (see above), a daily continental breakfast, a light luncheon plus hot and soft drinks twice a day.
  • Regular fees: $1395; Government: $1345. Add taxes for non tax-exempted participants
  • Group fees for 3 or more persons: $1295 per participant. Add taxes for non tax-exempted participants

For overnight accommodation, several hotels are located within 10 to 20-minute drive including Novotel, Hilton, Ramada Inn, Westin, Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Marriott, Sheraton, Delta, Holiday Inn, Days Inn, Best Western, Cartier Place Suite Hotel, Lord Elgin Hotel, and Minto Place Suite Hotel. Click here for detailed information about hotels.

How to Register: Please register by phone or fax and pay in advance by cheque or credit card.
Send your cheque payable to: The Professional Development Institute PDI Inc.
Fees include books, hand-outs, road maps and other course materials of exceptional value (see above), and a daily continental breakfast, light luncheon plus hot and soft drinks during the morning and afternoon pauses, but exclude hotel accommodation (if required).

Cancellation Policy: Participants registering as a group must send substitutes in lieu of cancelling.
For other clients, cancellations are accepted if made at least 10 working days prior to the course, and are subject to a $100 service charge per person. Full fees are payable by anyone who fails to attend or cancels less than 10 working days prior to the session. One substitution or transfer to a later course of the same duration is accepted.

The dress code is business casual at your discretion. Trust your judgment. When unsure, err on the side of caution. If overdressed, you can remove a tie or a jacket and roll up your sleeves. Members of the Canadian Forces and the U.S. defense community can, at their discretion, either dress casually or keep the uniform.

You will be reminded the first day to dress the way you feel most comfortable for a photo session the next morning.

Although every effort will be made to ensure a pleasant learning environment including a suitable temperature, we recommend you bring a sweater or a jacket to the classroom as individual comfort zones differ and sudden variations in the weather can temporarily affect air conditioning.

Also please kindly refrain from using strong fragrances during the session in order to accommodate your fellow participants who suffer from allergies.