See the wider situation
Use big-picture thinking to connect a decision with its wider effects, then focus attention on the issue that matters most.
Personal growth
How Successful People Think
Examine a business problem from different angles before choosing your next step.
By John C. Maxwell
What this programme helps you work on.
When the same problem keeps returning, another quick answer may leave the underlying issue untouched. This programme explores how to pause, define the decision and examine it through different thinking approaches. It suits owners and managers who need to consider alternatives, question assumptions and turn discussion into a practical next step.
Original curriculum reference: How Successful People Think — Maxwell Leadership. Workplace applications on this page describe local facilitation.
Who it suits
Business owners and managers working through decisions and recurring problems.
The focus
Big-picture, creative, strategic and reflective thinking.
Inside the programme
What you’ll explore.
These themes guide the learning. The depth and selection depend on the format and the needs you bring.
Generate and challenge options
Explore creative possibilities, question accepted assumptions and invite other people’s perspectives before settling on an answer.
Test an idea against reality
Consider the facts, constraints and people affected. Use strategic thinking to work out a sequence of actions and define a useful result.
Learn from the decision
Reflect on what happened, what you missed and what deserves another attempt. Make time for thinking as part of your working routine.
From ideas to action
Put it into practice.
Bring one business decision, compare possible approaches and choose an action to test.
An example to work through
Imagine that customer enquiries are increasing but few become orders. Before choosing another promotion, map where enquiries stall, consider explanations with your team and compare possible responses. Choose one small change to test, decide what you will measure and set a review date.
This is an example of local application. We adapt the discussion to your situation and agreed scope.
Your practical takeaways
What you’ll work towards.
- A clearer statement of a business problem you want to solve.
- Alternative responses examined against evidence, constraints and the people affected.
- One action to test, a measure to watch and a date to review the result.
The learning experience
How it works.
Facilitated learning combines explanation, discussion and reflection on participants’ own situations. Where the agreed format allows, you practise an application and decide what to try at work. Scope, duration and any follow-up are agreed around the group’s needs.
A focused Lunch & Learn
The USD 8 per person fee plus 8% SST (USD 8.64 total) covers the session only; lunch is not included. The session introduces a selected idea and its practical application. It is an introduction to the topic; the wider themes above describe the broader learning available. All sessions are hybrid. Starting in 2027, Lunch & Learn runs on selected Mondays, 12pm–2pm Malaysia Time. Exact dates will be confirmed before enrolment. No preparation is required. Sessions are conducted in English, in Malaysia Time (MYT, UTC+8). We use ClassIn for hybrid sessions. Online and in-person members participate fully in the same class: ask questions, contribute to discussions and work through member cases together. The joining link and learning management system (LMS) access will be provided five days before each session.
Based on John C. Maxwell’s published thinking principles, with locally facilitated discussion and business application. This listing does not offer the JM Academy course or its materials.