Think Bigger: Start Choosing Innovative Solutions NEW
Think Bigger: Start Choosing Innovative Solutions
Overview
Innovation fuels business growth. It is the driving force that propels development and success. Companies that embrace innovation generate market-leading revenue growth. The most innovative companies have consistently outperformed the broader market in generating shareholder returns by an average of 3.3 percentage points per year. Without new ideas, companies fail.
While there has been an explosion of resources in the last few decades — methods, tools, techniques, specialists, and more — to help leaders make their companies better innovators, company failures are happening more often. Eighty-eight percent of the Fortune 500 companies from five decades ago have ceased to exist. Yet, in survey after survey, CEOs, senior executives, and investors consistently report their deep dissatisfaction with the ability of their companies to innovate. How can this be?
Most approaches to innovation don’t leverage how innovation happens in the real world, nor how our brains work when creating great ideas. Worse, those approaches can interfere with our natural abilities to innovate rather than amplify them. Participants in this highly immersive program will discover how to “Think Bigger” by sharpening their innovation skills, learning how to get more out of innovation, and developing innovative solutions to a current real-world business problem they are facing.
“Think Bigger: Start Choosing Innovative Solutions program introduces a unique method for innovation based on recent neuro- and cognitive science. Its six-step methodology helps users avoid the common trap of solving the wrong problem—a mistake 72% of companies often make. This program empowers you to create impactful and novel solutions.”
Program Content
This is a highly immersive program where participants will learn-by-doing through exercises and applying the "Think Bigger" method to a real-world business challenge they face in their organizations. With active coaching support from "Think Bigger" experts, participants will internalize and apply the method to their business challenges.
- "Think Bigger" Method and The Creative Brain: Discover the science and practice of generating big ideas when and where you need them most
- Problem Framing, Breakdown, and Scoring: Learn the first three steps of the "Think Bigger" method – defining the problem and its key elements and assessing your framing and breakdown
- Search for Inspiration: Explore the fourth step of the "Think Bigger" method – how to look in other boxes to inspire outside-the-box, big-idea solutions that will work
- Building Your Choice Map: Dive into the fifth step of the "Think Bigger" method – how to create multiple, big-idea solutions to your problem
- The Third Eye: Get the final step of the "Think Bigger" method – how to present big-idea solutions for constructive feedback and to set the stage for leadership’s buy-in
- Building Your Impact Game Plan: Explore what happens after "Think Bigger," including how to ensure your big-idea solutions gain traction with corporate leadership
- Presenting Your Big-Idea Solution(s) and Game Plan: Practice gaining and giving feedback on big-idea solutions and impact game plans
Impact
Participants emerge from the program with new methods and tools to enhance their skills and insights on how to incorporate innovation into their organizations. This program will enable them to:
- Uncover a breakthrough solution to a real-world business challenge their company faces and leave them with a roadmap for making it stick
- Gain a skill set that empowers participants to generate their best ideas whenever they need to innovate
- Discover how to get more out of brainstorming
- Explore how to improve innovation in key business processes (e.g., strategic planning, new product development) to enhance innovation methods in their organizations
- Discover how to use popular innovation methods such as design thinking
- Build a network of peers from different sectors, cultures, and countries who’ve been trained in how to use the "Think Bigger" method
What is "Think Bigger"?
“"Think Bigger" signifies a new way of thinking about the world—it gives you a method for searching in places you otherwise would not look. The proverbial black box of creativity is no longer a black box—I open it for you. Think Bigger shows you how to come up with the best ideas that stand out in the existing marketplace of ideas.”
Sheena Iyengar
Faculty DirectorWhat Does It Mean to "Think Bigger"?
Participant Profile
Emerging Leaders and High-Potential Executives: Individuals identified within their organization as future C-suite leaders due to their potential, performance, and capability to drive transformative change. This includes but is not limited to:
- Vice Presidents of Strategy
- Directors of Business Development
- Senior Managers with a clear trajectory towards executive leadership roles
Functional Leaders Across Domains: Executives leading critical functional areas who are key to embedding innovation within the fabric of the organization. Their roles influence operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and market competitiveness, including:
- Chief Marketing Officers (CMO)
- Heads of Product Development
- Directors of Customer Experience
- Senior HR leaders focusing on organizational development
- Sales Directors driving innovative sales strategies
- Heads of Manufacturing implementing cutting-edge production techniques
- Chief Innovation Officers (CIOs) or equivalent roles specifically tasked with spearheading innovation initiatives
- Product Developers
- Engineers
Senior-Level Executives Seeking to Enhance Innovation Skills: Upper to senior-level executives who recognize the imperative of leading innovation not just within their teams or departments but as a strategic necessity across the organization. This group is keen on sharpening their skills to better navigate and lead in an ever-evolving business landscape, including:
- General Managers
- Regional Directors with multi-country oversight
- Heads of Operations looking to innovate logistical and operational processes
- Financial Directors aiming to incorporate innovative financial models and strategies
- IT Directors exploring emerging technologies for business transformation
Faculty Director
FAQ
Certification
I’m interested in the Certificate in Business Excellence (CIBE), how do I get started?
At Columbia Business School Executive Education, you’ll be able to customize a unique learning experience by selecting programs that best interest you and are most suited for your needs. Any completed program, regardless of format (live online, in-person, or online), will count towards the Certificate in Business Excellence.
Which programs qualify for the CIBE?
Any completed executive education program, regardless of format (live-online, in-person, or online), will count towards the Certificate in Business Excellence. Partner programs will also count towards the certificate.
What programs are considered partner programs?
Executive education programs developed and administered with our educational partners, bring the best of our combined knowledge, thought leadership, resources, and expertise. Kindly find a list of our partners here on our partnership page.
What are the costs of the certificate?
There’s no set cost associated with the certificate path since you’re able to customize your learning journey with in-person and online programs (price will vary depending on the program type and length).
Are there any tuition assistance or scholarships?
At Columbia Business School Executive Education, we offer non-degree and non-credit-based professional development programs to the global business community. As our programs are non-degree and non-credit, they do not qualify for financial aid.
How are CIBE credits determined?
Credits for a program are determined by the program duration and total learning hours.
Where do I find information on the credit value for a program?
You will find this information on each program page. Credits range from 0.5 credits – 26 credits per program.
How do I get enrolled in the CIBE?
Your certificate journey will start with your first program, and you have 4 years to complete your CIBE. You may register for any of our executive education programs on each program page. You may enroll using the “Enroll Now” button, and the application process should take 5-10 minutes.
How do I receive credits?
You are required to fully attend a program and complete all necessary coursework in order to receive CIBE credits. Credits are only awarded after you complete a program.
How do I check the status of my Certificate completion?
Kindly reach out to a Learning Solutions representative for any questions on the status of your CIBE credit count.
Do CIBE credits expire?
Credits are only valid for four years (Please note: While we are not able to offer in-person programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the duration to complete the programming has been extended to five years.). If you have not completed your CIBE within four years, we will only count non-expired credits towards your CIBE credit total.
Does the Certificate in Business Excellence expire?
Your Certificate in Business Excellence does not expire. Once you become a certificate recipient, you will join the greater alumni community at Columbia Business School.
I’ve reached 18 CIBE credits, what’s next?
Congratulations! You should receive a digital copy of your certificate at the end of your program. If you do not receive a copy from your program manager, kindly contact your Learning Solutions representative or your program manager for next steps.
Will I receive a physical certificate?
Upon completion, you will receive a secure, digital certificate through Accredible. Within the platform you will have the option to print your credential, post it to your LinkedIn feed, or display it on your profile as a certification. Please contact your program manager for the status of your digital certificate.
How do I get access to my alumni benefits?
Once you complete your CIBE, we kindly ask for your patience as we process your alumni credentials. The processing time can take anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks long.
Can I add the Certificate in Business Excellence to LinkedIn?
Yes! We will provide you with instructions on how to add your certificate to your LinkedIn profile after you become a Certificate recipient.
Assignments
Will there be any homework or assignments?
For select programs, there will be some assignments to complete after the end of select program sessions. Assignments will typically consist of readings, self-reflections, and brief assessments. This approach is designed to help you practice your learnings.
How long will assignments take?
We do not expect that homework assignments will take up a large amount of time to complete.
Will there be any examinations or grades?
There will be no examinations or grades for our live online programs.
Preferred Pricing and Tuition Benefits for Alumni
Are there preferred pricing options available for live online programs?
Yes, preferred pricing is available for groups of two or more. To inquire, email execed@gsb.columbia.edu.
As a Columbia Business School alumni am I eligible for tuition benefit?
When you earn a Certificate in Business Excellence you will receive a 25 percent tuition benefit for full-price Executive Education in-person programs lasting three and four days and all full-price online programs. Exclusions apply**Which programs do not qualify for a 25 percent tuition benefit?
- Advanced Management Program
- Executive Development Program
- Developing Black Leaders in Financial Services
- Strategic Wealth Manager
- Global Banking Program: Fintech, Digital, and Analytics
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Venture Capital Private Equity
- Digital Business Leadership Program
- Executive Program in Management
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