ABSTRACT
Creative problem solving is a vital skill for successful leadership, requiring that leaders generate novel and high-quality solutions to the complex, dynamic, and ambiguous problems that they encounter. To aid leaders in this process, this chapter presents the underlying individual differences and strategies necessary to engage effectively in the creative problem-solving process. A review of the eight essential creative problem-solving processes is presented, followed by a discussion of key individual differences and their role in creative problem solving. Following, cross-process cognitive strategies, including scanning, constraint identification and management, ideation, forecasting, and sensemaking, which are necessary for the successful execution of creative problem-solving processes, are described. Last, a brief discussion regarding potential organizational and leader-led interventions to improve creative problem solving, including selection, training, and job-focused interventions, is provided.
