HOW CAN YOU DO IT BETTER?
HOW IT WORKS
The 4S Method
Research shows numerous pitfalls trip us up when we try to solve difficult business problems and sell the solutions. The 4S method will help you develop and sell better solutions by avoiding these pitfalls.
State the Problem
A narrow framing can lead to a flawed problem definition and irrelevant solutions. Cracked It! provides a disciplined approach to understanding and defining problems.
Structure the Problem
It's easy to fall prey to the solution confirmation trap where we zero in on a solution without testing it and ignoring conflicting evidence. Cracked It! shows you how to structure a problem effectively using hypothesis pyramids, issue trees and solution imperatives.
Solve the Problem
The frameworks we use to analyze and solve problems can blind us to their true nature, leading to ineffective and costly solutions. Cracked It! provides you with the tools to overcome this challenge and arrive at the best solution.
Sell the Solution
When we communicate our recommendations, we often tell the story of how we arrived at the solution instead of why the solution should be adopted, forgetting that our reasoning isn’t obvious to our audience. Cracked It! shows you how to use the pyramid principle to develop a persuasive pitch.
In the media
The Most Important Leadership Skill You Probably Never Learned
Why Your MBA Needs to Incorporate Problem-Solving Skills
The Five Pitfalls of Problem Solving - And How to Solve Them
Ten Not-to-Miss Books for the Summer.
Corey sits down with Cheddar's Alyssa Smith to discuss Cracked It!
Business Schools and the Problem-Solving Skills Gap
Corey discusses Cracked It! with CTV Montreal anchor Mutsumi Takahashi.
IEDP reviews Cracked It!
The Right Way to Solve Complex Business Problems
How To Become a Better Problem Solver - The 4S Method
The Expertise Trap: When Experts Fail At Problem Solving
Complex problem-solving: The most important leadership skill you may have never learned
What experts are saying...
“Too many companies fail because of bad strategic problem solving. This book is full of frameworks and tips to help you avoid that fate.”
“Strategy is problem solving - an important, subtle and pervasive skill for which business practitioners receive little formal training. Cracked It! provides a valuable and practical guide to the art, from framing the problem through to communicating and selling the solution, which should be invaluable to practitioners and consultants”
“Written by a trio of leading experts on strategy who draw on decades of rigorous academic research and consulting experience, Cracked It! offers a crystal clear approach to frame and solve challenging strategic issues. A must-read for executives, consultants, and business school students."
“When dealing with a major business issue, every decision maker faces his own cognitive biases that can trip him up. Cracked it! provides practical, value-creating and proven insight to develop and sell sound solutions by overcoming these biases.”
HOW WE GO WRONG
The pitfalls of problem solving
Intuitive approaches to solving problems can end badly, especially when we rely on assumptions we don’t question (or even acknowledge), and jump to conclusions. Cracked It! explores five real-life cases that illustrate the primary pitfalls of assumption-based problem solving.
About the authors
A trio of experts
Bernard Garrette
Bernard Garrette is Professor of Strategy and Business Policy at HEC Paris. He serves as management consultant and business educator for various organizations, from start-ups to multinational corporations.
Corey Phelps
Corey Phelps is the Dean and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Price College of Business, University of Oklahoma. His research and teaching, which are focused on innovation and strategy, have received several prestigious awards.
Olivier Sibony
Olivier Sibony is Affiliate Professor of Strategy at HEC Paris, where he teaches problem solving and strategic decision making. Previously, he was a Senior Partner of McKinsey & Company, where he spent 25 years...
What Readers Say on Amazon
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© Copyright 2018 by Bernard Garrette, Corey Phelps and Olivier Sibony. All Rights Reserved.