Strategic A3 Thinking for Leaders

The Strategic A3 Thinking for Leaders Workshop builds leadership capacity through applying the A3 problem-solving framework through different lenses: self/individual, team, and organization. Participants will hone their critical thinking skills to support problem solving, collaboration, communication, and strategic alignment to achieve results and build relationships. The A3 framework promotes data-driven decision making, stakeholder engagement, and translational communication – all essential for navigating the organizational complexities, resource constraints and quality imperatives of our industries.   

Why Join This Program?

Leading in today's complex health care environment requires more than just managing daily operations - it demands strategic vision, collaborative problem-solving, and the ability to drive meaningful change at all levels. This three-session workshop offers middle managers and directors hands-on experience applying the A3 problem-solving framework, a powerful tool for translating strategic thinking into meaningful actionable results.

Whether you're navigating your own professional development path forward, managing with resource constraints, improving team performance, or aligning your work with organizational priorities, this workshop series will strengthen your capacity to lead with intention, clarity, confidence, and impact. You'll move beyond reactive management to become a strategic leader who drives meaningful improvements at every level. 
 

What You'll Gain

By completing this program, you will:

• Build practical skills using A3 Framework: Apply a structured, data-driven approach to problem-solving that promotes stakeholder engagement and clear communication 
• Build Strategic Leadership Skills: Strengthen core competencies in problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and strategic alignment 
• Start Creating Tangible Outcomes: Develop the pieces of one actionable A3 plan – a) for your professional development, b) your team's performance, and c) an organizational priority 
• Expand Your Leadership Capacity: Learn to achieve results, build relationships, and shape your organization's future through systems thinking and cross-functional collaboration 
• Connect with Peers: Join a cohort of fellow leaders facing similar challenges, building a network of support and shared learning 
   

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Articulate professional development goals and design measurable countermeasures using the A3 framework

• Conduct root cause analyses that identify contributing factors at individual, team, and organizational levels

• Foster psychological safety to facilitate honest conversations about team challenges and performance

• Apply systems thinking to map upstream and downstream impacts of organizational priorities

• Develop stakeholder engagement and communication plans involving cross-functional partners

• Identify key performance/behavioral indicators (KPIs/KBIs) and monitoring plans to track progress and evaluate impact

• Translate strategic goals into actionable plans with clear timelines, roles, and responsibilities 

Who Should Register?

This program is designed for middle managers to director-level leaders who:

• Want to strengthen their strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities
• Are ready to apply new frameworks immediately to real challenges in their work
• Seek to lead change at the individual, team, and organizational levels
• Currently manage people and teams
• Have basic familiarity with LEAN philosophy and continuous improvement principles

Program Structure  
 

Program Expectations  

Participants are expected to:   

• Attend all three 90-minute sessions (live on Zoom)
• Complete pre-work before each session (approximately 30 minutes per session)
• Practice the A3 framework between sessions on real work challenges

Active Participation

• Engage in small group discussions and peer learning to contribute to a collaborative learning environment
• Share your A3 work-in-progress for feedback and refinement
• Bring a professional development goal, team challenge, and organizational priority to work on
• Attend with an open mind and willingness to think strategically about challenges you face

Application & Implementation

• Develop one A3 plan throughout the workshop 
• Implement countermeasures with defined timelines (30-day, 60-day, and 90-day action plans)
• Track progress using established metrics and KPIs

What You'll Leave With

• One actionable A3 plan 
• A strategic problem-solving framework you can use throughout your career
• A network of peer leaders and ongoing support for your leadership journey

Accreditation Statement and Continuing Education

UCSF Leadership Institute is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Participants will be awarded 4.5 Contact Hour(s) for participation in the course.

Provider approval by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider # CEP 12980, for 4.5 Contact Hour(s).  

Cost: 

• Regular registration: $300
• UCSF employees & students: $210
• Group discount (5+ participants): $270
• UCSF alumni of a graduate degree program: $270

Registration Deadline: March 24, 2026

Register Here

Please contact the UCSF Leadership Institute at [email protected] if you would like to register a group so that we can apply the group discount.

For general inquiries regarding the UCSF Leadership Institute, please contact [email protected].

For inquiries relating to our global partnerships, please contact Michelle Teng at [email protected].
If you are interested in partnering with the UCSF Leadership Institute, please contact Ramu Nagappan at [email protected].