THE SHOW
Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg is the author of ‘What’s Your Problem?’ which was released by Harvard Business Press. He is also the co-author (with Paddy Miller) of Innovation as Usual, a Harvard Business Review Press book on the art of driving innovation in regular organizations.
Thomas has worked with managers in nearly all parts of the globe, including China, India, Russia, Singapore, Britain, France and his native country, Denmark. His research has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Economist, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, BBC Radio, Bloomberg Businessweek and the Financial Times. His work on innovation led HR Magazine to recognize him as a “Top 20 International Thinker”.
This conversation is a continuation of a string of conversations about work and creating more effective life/work integration. I’m leaning in on this topic because most of us have experienced periods of persistent angst around work, frustration with recurring work problems, and difficulty managing work relationships. This series of episodes delivers practical advice that you can use right away to be more effective and derive more satisfaction from work.
This episode deep dives on problem solving which in my opinion is a universally useful skill to develop. As Thomas points out, most of us aren’t thinking about problems the right way – something he calls framing – which prevents us from being able to effectively talk about and solve problems. This is a winding conversation filled with useful insight on professional and personal problem solving so It’s worth taking notes.
Behind His Brilliance: Curiosity and seeking the odd things
Say hi to Thomas on X/Twitter @thomaswedell
THE GUEST
THOMAS WEDELL-WEDELLSBORG | AUTHOR + RESEARCHER + SPEAKER
Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg is the author of What’s Your Problem? (Harvard Business Press, 2020), a book on how to solve the right problems. He is also the co-author (with Paddy Miller) of Innovation as Usual, a Harvard Business Review Press book on the art of driving innovation in regular organizations.
Thomas has worked with managers in nearly all parts of the globe, including China, India, Russia, Singapore, Britain, France and his native country, Denmark. His research has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Economist, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, BBC Radio, Bloomberg Businessweek and the Financial Times. His work on innovation led HR Magazine to recognize him as a “Top 20 International Thinker”.
As an executive advisor and keynote speaker, Thomas has addressed organizations such as Cisco, Microsoft, Citigroup, Time Warner, AbbVie, Caterpillar, Amgen, Prudential, Union Pacific, Credit Suisse, Deloitte, the Wall Street Journal, and the United Nations.
Thomas holds an MA in Media Science from the University of Copenhagen and an MBA from IESE Business School. Prior to his business career, Thomas served for four years as an officer with the Danish Royal Guards.
TOPICS COVERED
The secret to becoming a better problem solver
The questions to ask when solving work problems
The better way to address personal problems
The role of empathy and reflection in problem solving
How to approach hard conversations
What leaders should know about solving problems in organizations
Creating psychological safety in teams and organizations
Insight on writing and self-employment
And much more!
STUFF MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
What’s Your Problem (Thomas’s book)
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Move Fast and Fix Things by Frances Frei and Anne Morris
Decisive by Chip and Dan Heath (Thomas’s book pick)
The Player of Games by Iain Banks (Thomas’s book pick)
