The Problem-Solving Leader
A practical look at how leaders can help people think through problems, make decisions, and take action instead of waiting for the next instruction.
Keynotes · Workshops · Leadership events
The problem-solving leader.
Talks for leaders who want their people to think, decide, and act without waiting for permission.
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A working engineer’s perspective
Leadership is how the work gets done.
Dean Houdeshell is the founder of Innovative Coaching Strategies and the creator of Project Horizon, a framework that empowers people and builds leaders at every level of an organization.
He spent 30 years in engineering and operations roles inside growing manufacturers, including a plant startup that grew from zero to $100 million in five years and a turnaround that doubled a company’s revenue in just over four. Dean is a certified John Maxwell trainer and DISC consultant who works with business owners, emerging leaders, and teams across the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City corridor.
His sessions connect leadership ideas to the choices people face at work. A professional balloon artist for more than 20 years and a student of improv, he sometimes uses live, hands-on demonstrations as teaching tools that make an idea easier to remember.
Topics for the room you’re bringing together
Useful ideas. Work people can put in motion.
Human Judgment in the Age of AI
Explore the leadership and decision-making work that still depends on people as organizations adopt new tools and technology.
Horizon Problem-Solving Lab
Bring a real challenge. Put the right people in the room and work toward a clear path forward and practical next steps.
Horizon Innovation Lab
A structured session for leadership teams ready to move one important problem from stuck to actionable.
For the people leading the work
Built for leaders facing real operating complexity.
Dean speaks with engineering, manufacturing, and industrial audiences, along with business associations, chambers, and leadership events. His sessions are grounded in 30 years inside manufacturers and shaped for people responsible for teams, decisions, and results.
Each talk or workshop can be adapted to the event’s audience and format. Get in touch to share your goals, date, and what your people are working through.
Start a speaker inquiryBring a useful conversation to your event
Let’s talk about your audience.
Share a few details about your event and the challenge your audience is facing. We’ll find the right format and topic together.