This problem-solving class is designed exclusively for women eager to amplify their voices and increase their impact in the workplace. In this interactive, project-based workshop, we’ll explore Carnegie Mellon University’s human-centric approach to innovation and problem-solving. This transformative course designed to harness the competitive advantages of women’s leadership in manufacturing. Participants will explore how diverse perspectives, inclusive leadership, and unique problem-solving approaches can enhance creativity and innovation, bringing fresh ideas to the table. The course emphasizes the value of collaboration and consensus-building to create inclusive teams that attract and retain top talent. By promoting women into leadership roles, companies benefit from improved financial performance, a stronger brand reputation, and a deeper understanding of market needs. This program will equip you with the skills to lead change, cultivate a dynamic environment, and help your organization thrive in a rapidly evolving industry. Participants will actively apply the acquired concepts to their real-world workplace scenarios, culminating in the development of an individual leadership project. Expect an estimated four hours of homework per week between each monthly class session to reinforce learning and facilitate practical implementation.
Having women in manufacturing lead change offers several competitive advantages:
- Diverse Perspectives: Women’s unique insights and problem-solving approaches enhance creativity and innovation by bringing fresh ideas to the table.
- Inclusive Leadership: Women leaders often emphasize collaboration and consensus-building, creating more inclusive teams where diverse viewpoints are valued.
- Talent Attraction and Retention: Companies that promote women into leadership roles signal inclusivity and equality, attracting top talent and improving employee retention.
- Improved Financial Performance: Research consistently shows that organizations with diverse leadership tend to have better financial performance and greater market growth.
- Enhanced Brand Reputation: Companies that champion women in leadership gain recognition for their commitment to diversity, boosting their brand image and customer loyalty.
- Broader Market Understanding: Women leaders can offer deeper insights into customer needs, particularly for markets and products that serve diverse populations.
Problem-Solving Workshop for Women – Course Outline
Workshop 1: Pioneering Innovation
This engaging 4-hour workshop is designed exclusively for women, where we delve into harnessing innate communication and collaboration skills as catalysts for innovation and continuous improvement. Through a dynamic, interactive session, participants will discover a three-step human-centric process that effectively transforms conflicts into actionable solutions. Through a mock workplace scenario, attendees will collaborate to: (1) Clearly define a problem, (2) Measure and analyze its impact, (3) Ideate innovative solutions, (4) Determine solution viability, (5) Build a prototype or test plan for implementation. Homework assignments and future steps will be clearly outlined to ensure continued progress and application of newfound insights. A 30-minute virtual 1:1 skill reinforcement session will be individually scheduled with you.
Workshop 2: Impactful Insights
In this dynamic workshop, participants will actively engage by sharing their real-world challenges, observations, and impact analyses. Facilitated in a safe and supportive environment exclusively for women, attendees will explore the various collaboration tools employed to discern the key elements relevant to their stakeholders. Together, they will evaluate current successes, areas for improvement, necessary adjustments, and emerging themes. Homework assignments and future steps will be clearly outlined to ensure continued progress and application of newfound insights. A 30-minute virtual 1:1 skill reinforcement session will be individually scheduled with you.
Workshop 3: Leading Together
In this workshop, participants will exchange insights on the collaboration tools they utilized to delve deeper into comprehending the impacts of their chosen scenarios for improvement. They will explore stakeholder analysis, contributing factors, strategic positioning, and pathways to success. The session will include discussions on conducting impact analyses and refining statement starter questions to guide further exploration and action. Homework assignments and future steps will be clearly outlined to ensure continued progress and application of newfound insights. A 30-minute virtual 1:1 skill reinforcement session will be individually scheduled with you.
Workshop 4: Catalyst for Change
This workshop will explore collaborative solution ideation strategies, reflecting on successful ideas and areas for improvement. Participants will exchange their analyses of solution viability, including their implementation difficulty matrix and evaluations of cost savings. The session will culminate in outlining a timeline for solution implementation and discussing next steps for prototype development or test runs. A 30-minute virtual 1:1 skill reinforcement session will be individually scheduled with you.
The Benefits
• Four group in person workshops
• Five 1:1 Skill Reinforcement Sessions
• Harness the competitive advantages of women’s leadership in manufacturing
• Discover effective strategies for transforming conflicts into avenues for improvement
• Forge team consensus to boost change management success rates
• Strengthen employee relationships and foster trust
Target Audience: Women in Manufacturing – front line, entry and mid-level management
Delivery: In-person workshops and virtual skill reinforcement sessions.
Duration: Four 4-hour in-person workshops that will meet once a month; Five 30-minute 1:1 Virtual Skill Reinforcement Sessions (individually scheduled) in between each class session
Cost: $1,000
Contact Us
For more information on Problem-Solving Workshop for Women, contact Kristen Goodell at 412.295.9838 or kgoodell@catalystconnection.org.