Mind over matter: Exploring managers' utilization of habits of mind during creative problem-solving

In the rapidly evolving landscape of global business, managers in agricultural industries are increasingly confronted with complex challenges that demand innovative solutions. This paper explores utilizing the 16 Habits of Mind as a framework for enhancing creative problem solving among managers. Through an exploratory qualitative study involving semi structured interviews with participating managers across various functional areas in the South African agricultural industry, we investigate the relevance of these habits to managerial problem-solving and identify which of them are deemed most critical in this context. Our findings reveal a nuanced prioritization of these habits, with persisting, learning continuously, and listening with understanding and empathy emerging as top-ranked for navigating business complexities. This study contributes to the theoretical discourse on managerial competencies and effective problem solving and offers practical implications for managerial training and development in this and other emerging markets. The insights garnered underscore the importance of fostering diverse thinking skills among managers to cultivate resilience, adaptability, and innovation in addressing contemporary business challenges.