Thinking about Thinking, Creativity, Innovation and Design
Everyone loves the idea with a creative idea. But, there is a big but, this is not the same as embracing an idea. Or testing the idea, or even considering the interesting and positive aspects with the idea. Probably the biggest obstacle to innovative initiatives is a negative response. Or lack of response. The dreaded …
Continue reading "Loving the Idea of a Creative Idea, but. . ."
Our thinking habits are often based on simple cause-effect relations as can be seen in Newton's mechanics, engineering and economics. However, with the coming of quantum-mechanics, interconnected computers and global interrelated economies maybe our standard cause – effect need to be replaced by systems thinking. Systems thinking is the process of understanding how things, regarded as …
Negative thinking is often confused with a negative attitude to ideas and solutions. A search for negative aspects is NOT the same as a negative approach. Looking for risks and dangers can save your life and ensure that your project or idea is save to carry out. Edward de Bono’s approach to thinking encourages habits …
Thinking Patterns Not all thinking pattern are beneficial such as distorted or negative patterns. But what about Wishful thinking? What we believe is true and what we wish were true can be very different. But how do we separate between belief and desires? And can wishful thinking be useful? A common assumption is that we …
How can we use knowledge and understanding about depression to enhance our thinking skills? Depression is linked to negative views of yourself and the world. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles and disappointments. But depression is much more than just sadness; some people describe depression as “living in a black hole”. Yet psychiatrist …
How does black-and-white background influence our thinking? Thinking is never neutral. Focusing our attention on different aspect is often more difficult than we imagine. Many “little” things can affect our thinking. A recent study suggests that if we see something on a black-white background it is harder for us to consider grey areas when we …
Learning from history is difficult and often the same mistakes are repeated over and over again. And history has repeatedly shown that it is dangerous to say that some things are impossible. To find a solution to any problem you have to believe that there is an answer. If you have lost your mobile phone …
Continue reading "World Thinkers’ Ideas – Degrees of Impossibilites"
Fashion changes quickly. Admittedly, ideas about thinking may not change quite as rapidly, but you can nevertheless detect changes. Today, working together in teams is popular. The lone thinker is out of fashion. More brains mean more ideas. Working together in a group, highlights the social nature of a project. Everyone will feel that …
Any objections? Throw away that option immediately! As you probably have noticed - at home, work or at a party – when a proposal is made, an idea presented or a solution for a problem suggested, it is often met by an objection. That is not bad as such since an idea is seldom perfect. …
Ultra-Solutions, first coined by Paul Watzlawick, are solutions that in a previous situation worked brilliantly or at least to your satisfaction. Then you try the solution in another context and it turns into the opposite. The solution is worse than the disease. It is a way to fail most successfully. Rocket silos NASA built silos …
Today’s world is characterised by quick and dramatic changes. This means that there is a constant search for new ideas. Yet, there is a difference between innovation and ideas. Most of us have ideas, some of them good, other not so good. Miguel de Icaza, the founder of the GNOME and Mono projects …
Challenging Negativity You are thinking negatively when you fear the future, or expect failure. Negative thinking damages confidence, and harms performance. A major problem is that negative thoughts tend to inhabit our minds and influence our thinking. Challenging your own as well as an organisation’s negative thinking is important. The more you fire neurons …
Is it Feasible? Determining if your idea can work in practice is a vital. Often adjustments need to be made to the original idea. An idea is rarely a finished product and seldom practical. Additional thinking is needed to perfect an initial idea. Searching for ways to carry out the project can be made …
Groupthink Consequences Groupthink is described historically by the myth of the Cassandra syndrome. This myth describes a prediction or warning that goes unheeded with serious consequences. The term comes from the story about Cassandra, who was raped by the senior adviser to her father at court. To defend against accusations, she was personally discredited. So Cassandra's special …
Find the Truth Someone once asked me "How can we increase people's willingness to accept criticism and enhance their ability to find the truth?" Personally, I do not believe that human nature can be changed. For example, the idea that another banking crisis can be prevented by people calling for less greed, does not make …
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