Program Overview

Strategic Decision Making Program

About the Program

Every day as a manager, you're asked to make choices. Some bigger and more public than others, but they all add up. Over time it is your decision-making track record that establishes your reputation and impacts the future of your organization.

Is decision making an art or a science? The truth is, it's both. This program will demonstrate how to blend intuition and analysis in order to select the best next move.

You'll leave with a practical framework, designed to help you avoid common biases to arrive at and implement decisions that are both effective and ethical.

Program Objectives

• Utilize different prescriptions for positive decision-making practices in the future based on learnings from other successful managers and business leaders' decision making
• Discuss and build a framework for both strategic and tactical problem-solving – an asset for any managers faced with making important decisions about their businesses
• Understand the impact of your decisions across the organization

Program Format

The program is available via live, in-person delivery at SmithToronto, located at 200 Front Street West, in the heart of Toronto's downtown financial district.

Target Audience

This program is designed for business professionals and managers from all functional areas who are involved in decision-making for their team, unit, or organization.

Discounts and Grants

• Canada-Ontario Job Grant: Offset your training fees with the Canada-Ontario Job Grant.
• Volume Discounts: Queen's Executive Education offers a 15% discount for organizations that pre-pay for five or more seats on any of their programs within a 12-month period.
• Registered Charities: Queen's Executive Education offers a limited number of discounted seats in every program to employees of Canadian registered charities.

Program Benefits

Personal Benefits

• Avoid common biases to arrive at and implement decisions that are both effective and ethical
• Blend the art and science of decision-making into a practical process
• Increased responsiveness to internal and external customer needs
• Avoid decision-making traps and resolve decision-making bottlenecks

Organizational Benefits

• Make effective decisions in uncertain and risky environments
• Ensure that decisions are made at the right level in the organization
• Improved productivity through better teamwork, communication, and coordination
• Better use and allocation of limited resources

Program Content

Throughout the program, you will examine strategic decision making, as well as study managerial and organizational decision processes in the context of breakthrough research from business management, behavioural economics, and cognitive science.

• Learn how to analyze uncertain and complex industry and business environments, and discuss the risks of under- and over-analysis
• Study the role of intuition and judgment in strategic decision making, as well as look at inherent biases and traps in such approaches
• Through case study discussion, analyze decision-making situations, and evaluate feasible alternatives and criteria
• Learn how to blend the art and science of decision-making into a practical framework for solving strategic problems
• Consider barriers and bottlenecks that can bog down decision processes, and discuss approaches for improving the efficiency and quality of organizational decision-making

Session Leaders

Session leaders include senior professors from Smith School of Business and knowledgeable experts from industry. These outstanding teachers are constantly in touch with today's business world through real-world business experience, Board memberships, and their own consulting practices.

Program Details

• Program duration: 2 days
• Program fees: $3,700 CAD (plus applicable taxes)
• What's included:
  • Continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks each day
  • All programming materials
  • Post-program support

Digital Badge Credential

Participants who complete the program earn the Strategic Decision Making digital badge credential.