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Webinar - From Problem Solvers to Problem Hunters: Building Teams That Drive Innovation

​Watermark recently hosted another compelling session in our 2025 Masterclass Series. The webinar, titled “From Problem Solvers to Problem Hunters,” featured leadership expert and author Craig Calder, whose new book Problem Hunter is already sparking conversations across executive circles.

Senior Partner, Caroline McAuliffe, opened the session by highlighting insights from Watermark’s 2025 Interim Executive Survey. Notably, 38% of leaders ranked problem solving as the second most critical leadership skill, just behind stakeholder engagement. Also featured in the Top 10 future leadership skills: a growth mindset, the commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.

These findings set the perfect tone for Craig’s message: that the future belongs to leaders who don’t just solve problems, they hunt for them.

Craig began by sharing the inspiration behind Problem Hunter, explaining how traditional problem solving often starts too late, after the issue has already surfaced. In contrast, problem hunting is proactive, strategic, and deeply tied to innovation.

He introduced three types of innovation:

  • Problem-Led Innovation: Starts with identifying the right problem.

  • Idea-Led Innovation: Begins with a creative spark.

  • Solution-Led Innovation: Focuses on refining existing answers.

Craig emphasised that empowering leadership, not control-based management, is the fastest and most reliable way to foster innovation.

Craig then offered three actionable strategies for embedding a culture of innovation:

  1. Build psychological safety to manage fears of criticism, loss of control and career risk.

  2. Encourage curiosity and experimentation, rewarding those who explore new ideas.

  3. Simplify problem hunting with frameworks and communities of learning.

Craig brought his ideas to life with a rich array of real-world stories, illustrating how leaders can shift from reactive problem solving to proactive problem hunting.

Please watch the full recording of the session below:

If you would like more information on our webinar series, please contact one of the team today.