What do you do if your problem-solving skills in franchising need a boost from strategic thinking?

1 Assess your current situation

The first step to boost your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills is to assess your current situation. This means taking a realistic and honest look at your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) as a franchisee. You can use a SWOT analysis tool to help you identify these factors and how they affect your performance and growth. A SWOT analysis can also help you compare your situation with other franchisees in your network or industry and see where you stand and where you can improve.

2 Define your goals and vision

The next step is to define your goals and vision as a franchisee. What do you want to achieve in the short and long term? How do you want to grow your business and your brand? What are your values and mission? Having a clear and specific vision and goals can help you focus your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills on what matters most. You can use a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) framework to help you set and track your goals and vision.

3 Explore different scenarios and alternatives

The third step is to explore different scenarios and alternatives for your problem-solving situations. This means thinking creatively and critically about the possible outcomes, risks, benefits, and trade-offs of each option. You can use a scenario planning tool to help you imagine different futures and how they would affect your goals and vision. You can also use a decision matrix tool to help you evaluate and compare the alternatives based on your criteria and preferences.

4 Implement and evaluate your solutions

The final step is to implement and evaluate your solutions. This means taking action and monitoring the results of your problem-solving decisions. You can use a project management tool to help you plan and execute your solutions and communicate with your stakeholders. You can also use a feedback and evaluation tool to help you measure and improve your performance and impact. You should also be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances and learn from your successes and failures.

By following these steps, you can boost your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills in franchising. You can also seek guidance and support from your franchisor, mentors, peers, or coaches to help you develop and apply these skills. Remember, strategic thinking and problem-solving are not innate abilities, but skills that can be learned and improved with practice and experience.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?