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Key Business Solutions: Essential problem-solving tools and techniques that every manager needs to know
This book explains how to resolve every challenge faced on a day-to-day basis in your business by presenting an unbeatable inventory of proven problem solving tools and techniques to help you tackle your toughest business dilemmas effectively.
You will learn how
Overcome any business challenge with robust logic and structure How to break down problems and make your workload lighter Deliver the ‘killer’ recommendations Discover how to successfully implement change in people and organisations How to keep yourself, your team, and your stakeholders happy How to use an effective hypothesis-driven approach to problem solving Using case studies, a ‘best practice example’ and at least one figurative table or figure, every dilemma is bought to life equipping you with the very best tools to confront any problem your business may face.
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search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either offline through the Bookshelf (available as a free download), available online and also via the iPad and Android apps.
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The eBooks products do not have an expiry date. You will continue to access your digital ebook products whilst you have your Bookshelf installed.
You will learn how
Overcome any business challenge with robust logic and structure How to break down problems and make your workload lighter Deliver the ‘killer’ recommendations Discover how to successfully implement change in people and organisations How to keep yourself, your team, and your stakeholders happy How to use an effective hypothesis-driven approach to problem solving Using case studies, a ‘best practice example’ and at least one figurative table or figure, every dilemma is bought to life equipping you with the very best tools to confront any problem your business may face.
The full text downloaded to your computer
With eBooks you
search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either offline through the Bookshelf (available as a free download), available online and also via the iPad and Android apps.
Upon purchase, you'll gain instant access to this eBook.
Time limit
The eBooks products do not have an expiry date. You will continue to access your digital ebook products whilst you have your Bookshelf installed.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2011
29 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 21, 2018
Who wouldn’t want the tool to solve business problems? The British-Mexican Antonio Weiss has a varied and interesting history. With an academic background as an historian of the state and religion he moved on to become a management consultant doing work for the UK public sector. The author, also a contributing expert to Latin News and a Labor party activist, will soon publish an exploration of the religious beliefs of Margaret Thatcher funded by the Margaret Thatcher foundation.
Weiss’ basic thesis is that business leaders - like most people – often lack a method to solve problems. This book is meant to deliver a proven methodology to guide the reader successfully through the problem solving process. The subtitle is “Essential business-solving tools and techniques that every manager needs to know”. I like what Weiss has written but I also think the book misses its mark with regards to the thesis. It does not deliver problem-solving tools for managers; it delivers project management techniques for management consultants or project managers trying to deliver a recommendation to solve a business problem. Hence, the author delivers a McKinsey-BCG-Bain-type of process answer to a more broad and general topic. With that said the so-called OBTAIN-model is among the better descriptions of this type of process that I’ve read.
There are two parts to the book where the first by one chapter per letter describes the OBTAIN- project management process and the second part lists a number of business tools like the 4P’s of marketing, SWOT-analysis etc. In short the letters in OBTAIN stands for: Outline – frame the problem into a goal that you need to achieve; Break Down – separate the problem into manageable pieces that are easier to solve; Test – relatively early in the process a hypothetical solution should be developed and then this is tested, discarded or refined; Analyze – do the analysis to get to the root of the problem and verify your hypothesis; Imagine – come up with an innovative solution that is developed jointly with key stakeholders; Notify – have the right techniques to communicate the solution. In addition, there are the two steps (and chapters) on managing the stakeholders and managing the project team.
For each process step one or two useful tools (like for example the Hypothesis Tree or the Prioritization Matrix) are presented. I also liked the chapter on how to communicate the solution (not surprisingly with a McKinsey-Barbara Minto type of presentation structure). Part two of the book feels more like an appendix even though some of the tools, like De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, perhaps can be said to be closer to the more generic theme of the subtitle.
When I come in contact with the early-hypothesis driven management consultant model I’m always reminded of a quotation from Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes that has become popular among investors ”The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession” – the point being that if you decide on a solution too early your research process will risk falling victim to confirmatory bias. On the other hand it is obviously equally true that more information has declining marginal utility and if you decide too late a lot of effort will have been a waste of time. The consultant leans towards an earlier decision than the investor with regards to this trade off.
Further, I get the nagging feeling that such a strict process focus as in the OBTAIN-model could come in the way of solutions that really changes the playing field. The focus is to come up with “the right” solution that can be accepted by all stakeholders. This type of solution will probably lead to satisfied paying customers, but I’m not sure it goes further than that.
If you work at a corporate strategy department or are an aspiring management consultant this is a very useful book to read.
Weiss’ basic thesis is that business leaders - like most people – often lack a method to solve problems. This book is meant to deliver a proven methodology to guide the reader successfully through the problem solving process. The subtitle is “Essential business-solving tools and techniques that every manager needs to know”. I like what Weiss has written but I also think the book misses its mark with regards to the thesis. It does not deliver problem-solving tools for managers; it delivers project management techniques for management consultants or project managers trying to deliver a recommendation to solve a business problem. Hence, the author delivers a McKinsey-BCG-Bain-type of process answer to a more broad and general topic. With that said the so-called OBTAIN-model is among the better descriptions of this type of process that I’ve read.
There are two parts to the book where the first by one chapter per letter describes the OBTAIN- project management process and the second part lists a number of business tools like the 4P’s of marketing, SWOT-analysis etc. In short the letters in OBTAIN stands for: Outline – frame the problem into a goal that you need to achieve; Break Down – separate the problem into manageable pieces that are easier to solve; Test – relatively early in the process a hypothetical solution should be developed and then this is tested, discarded or refined; Analyze – do the analysis to get to the root of the problem and verify your hypothesis; Imagine – come up with an innovative solution that is developed jointly with key stakeholders; Notify – have the right techniques to communicate the solution. In addition, there are the two steps (and chapters) on managing the stakeholders and managing the project team.
For each process step one or two useful tools (like for example the Hypothesis Tree or the Prioritization Matrix) are presented. I also liked the chapter on how to communicate the solution (not surprisingly with a McKinsey-Barbara Minto type of presentation structure). Part two of the book feels more like an appendix even though some of the tools, like De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, perhaps can be said to be closer to the more generic theme of the subtitle.
When I come in contact with the early-hypothesis driven management consultant model I’m always reminded of a quotation from Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes that has become popular among investors ”The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession” – the point being that if you decide on a solution too early your research process will risk falling victim to confirmatory bias. On the other hand it is obviously equally true that more information has declining marginal utility and if you decide too late a lot of effort will have been a waste of time. The consultant leans towards an earlier decision than the investor with regards to this trade off.
Further, I get the nagging feeling that such a strict process focus as in the OBTAIN-model could come in the way of solutions that really changes the playing field. The focus is to come up with “the right” solution that can be accepted by all stakeholders. This type of solution will probably lead to satisfied paying customers, but I’m not sure it goes further than that.
If you work at a corporate strategy department or are an aspiring management consultant this is a very useful book to read.
July 28, 2018
Written by a consultant, from a consulting worldview. Lots of pre baked forms and templates to follow, but the case studies of what happened in reality were more helpful. Useful but no one in my opinion will whip this out trying to make decisions. Good read, maybe better as a reference.
March 4, 2023
Actionable and insightful. Perfect for consulting and management folks. You can use this as your personal MBA curriculum.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews