What Spies and Business Leaders Have in Common: Creative Problem Solving

The CIA at SXSW talking about creative problem-solving? That caught my attention. Not because I need to track double agents (at least, not yet), but because their approach to tackling high-stakes, complex challenges is the same kind of thinking we bring into change management, AI adoption, and business transformation.

Their session, “Mission Possible: The Spies’ Guide to Creative Problem Solving,” highlights something critical: creativity isn’t just for artists or innovators—it’s a structured way of thinking that helps organizations solve problems in ways they wouldn’t have considered before.

This is the same approach I use in Creative Envisioning Sessions with clients exploring how AI and technology can reshape their business. Often, the biggest barrier to adoption isn’t the technology itself—it’s the way people think about the problem they’re trying to solve.

Creative Problem Solving (CPS): More Than Just Brainstorming

What the CIA is really talking about is a structured problem-solving process—and this is exactly where Creative Problem Solving (CPS) comes into play.

CPS isn’t about random ideas or wishful thinking. It’s a framework that helps people break past assumptions, uncover fresh insights, and build real, testable solutions. It’s why some organizations struggle with change, while others turn disruption into a competitive advantage.

Here’s why it works:

• Step 1: Define the real challenge. Often, what people think is the problem is just a symptom. Digging deeper reveals the core issue.

• Step 2: Expand possibilities. Instead of jumping to the first solution, CPS forces a broader look—exploring options that may not be obvious but could be transformative.

• Step 3: Test and refine. Not every idea will work. The key is to quickly validate, adjust, and optimize before full implementation.

• Step 4: Engage the right people. When people are part of the solution process, they’re more likely to embrace change rather than resist it.

When companies roll out AI tools like Copilot for M365, Gemini for Google Workspace, or Azure OpenAI, the technology isn’t the challenge—it’s adoption. CPS provides a structured way to explore how AI can actually help teams instead of just dropping a tool into their workflow and hoping they figure it out.

Why Change Management Needs Creative Problem Solving

Most change management strategies focus on communication, training, and leadership alignment. All important—but if you’re not using a creative problem-solving approach to surface barriers and unexpected challenges, you’re missing half the picture.

For example, when I run Creative Envisioning Sessions, I don’t just ask people, “How would you use AI?”—because most will just repeat what they’ve already seen. Instead, we push beyond what they know and explore:

• What workarounds or inefficiencies exist today?

• Where do people struggle to find information or make decisions?

• What “impossible” tasks would AI make possible if it worked perfectly?

• What fears or concerns might stop people from using AI fully?

This kind of thinking moves AI adoption beyond automation and into true transformation.

Rethinking “Impossible” in Business and Technology

The CIA framed their SXSW session around “Mission Possible,” because creativity turns what seems impossible into something achievable. That applies to intelligence work, sure—but also to AI adoption, business transformation, and cultural change.

Every organization has challenges that feel unsolvable. “We’ve always done it this way.” “That wouldn’t work here.”“We don’t have the time/resources/budget.” Sound familiar?

These are not actual barriers—they’re framing problems. And CPS is designed to help reframe those problems in ways that lead to breakthroughs.

So, What’s Your “Impossible” Mission?

Every organization has big, complex challenges they’re trying to solve. Maybe it’s how to introduce AI responsiblywithout overwhelming employees. Maybe it’s how to break down silos between teams and unlock collaboration. Or maybe it’s how to change company culture without resistance.

These are exactly the kinds of problems that Creative Problem Solving and Change Management are built to tackle.

The question is: Are you approaching them with fresh thinking, or just repeating old strategies?