| All human behavior is founded in attitudes, which in turn | | | | Impact of Increasing Pace of Environmental Change |
| is formulated from thoughts. It is reasonable therefore | | | | In the past, the business environment changed at such |
| to derive that the style of thinking adopted by an | | | | a pace that the context in which decisions were made |
| organization ultimately leads to its behavior, and its | | | | was very similar from year to year. This also meant |
| outcomes. There are three main thinking styles: | | | | that intuition was more likely to still be valid to apply to |
| | | | current situation. This afforded 'intuition' reasonable |
| 1. Vertical Thinking - an outmoded linear deductive style | | | | status as an acceptable basis upon which to make |
| of thinking that presumes that what is not proven right, | | | | decisions. However, today, the pace of business |
| is wrong, and to be right, everything else must be | | | | change and the complexity of the business |
| proven wrong. | | | | environment means that in almost every situation, the |
| 2. Parallel Thinking - a term introduced by Edward de | | | | context in which the previous pattern was evaluated is |
| Bono, is a more collaborative style of thinking, where | | | | NOT appropriate today. Thus, intuition is not a reliable |
| multiple streams of investigation are carried out in the | | | | basis upon which to base a decision today. |
| same direction, seeking the most acceptable outcome. | | | | Many senior managers and executives who have |
| Agreement between multiple parties is not required, | | | | successfully employed intuitive decision making in the |
| thus it is less adversarial than vertical thinking. The | | | | past are resistant to the suggestion that in most |
| outcome is designed, rather than deduced | | | | situations today, intuition no longer applies.The brain is |
| 3. Lateral Thinking - also introduced by de Bono, is a | | | | not adept at restructuring the original patterns within a |
| more deliberate process, closely related to insight, | | | | new context. This capability varies from person to |
| creativity and humor. It aims to change concepts and | | | | person. Those with a more rigid or controlling |
| perceptions. Thus, multiple streams of exploration do | | | | personality have more difficulty replacing old patterns |
| not need to be in the same direction. Indeed, it implies | | | | with new ones. Creativity also requires letting go of old |
| that continuing a path in the same direction as an old | | | | patterns, thus making room for fresh, new approaches |
| idea will fail to deliver a solution. | | | | to problems and opportunities. |
| Traditionally we have been vertical thinkers; we build | | | | The generation of new ideas requires lateral, rather |
| on old ideas in a sequential process of progress. Each | | | | than vertical thinking. So, start paying more attention to |
| step must be justified in terms of those preceding it. | | | | the process you use to make decisions, and try to |
| This is largely the result of our Socratic style of formal | | | | identify whether your perspectives are stuck in the |
| education. | | | | past, holding onto old patterns and old attitudes that |
| The Struggle of New Ideas | | | | are preventing you from being flexible in your |
| When new ideas are generated, or even when old | | | | approach. This applies in every part of life - |
| ideas are updated, a conflict forms between the new | | | | relationships, personal growth, business, science and |
| information and the old idea. The problem with the | | | | politics. Once you learn to let go of the constraints of |
| sequential reasoning process of vertical thinking is that | | | | old ideas, you will be less likely to make assumptions |
| each new idea must conform sufficiently to fit into the | | | | based on previous experiences with outdated patterns |
| old pattern - thereby extending it. Thus, for a new idea | | | | and jump to illogical conclusions. |
| to be accepted, the old idea must be abandoned. This | | | | You will find that you start using information more |
| can be problematic for many people, who zealously | | | | fluidly, accepting that it may be correct in some |
| guard their ideas as a personal power base. | | | | contexts and incorrect in others. Releasing yourself |
| For new ideas to be accepted and old ideas let go we | | | | from the bounds sequential reasoning, lateral thinking |
| must be capable of objective evaluation. Unfortunately, | | | | will provide you with a more appropriate basis for |
| humans are rarely objective - we all have our biases, | | | | harnessing the power of todays business environment, |
| past experiences, personal intuition and personal | | | | new cultures and new technologies. |
| agendas. It is very difficult for most people to avoid | | | | Blending Thinking Styles For Best Results |
| evaluating a new idea outside the context of the old | | | | Vertical and lateral thinking are complementary - lateral |
| idea. This adds power to old ideas, making them more | | | | thinking is best used for generating ideas and vertical |
| difficult to supplant. The most effective way to | | | | thinking for selecting from within these ideas to reach a |
| overcome this problem is through insightful analysis of | | | | valid conclusion. This is the basis of the process of |
| all information pertaining to the new idea. Insight is the | | | | brainstorming. Business intelligence is designed to |
| only effective way of changing ideas when information | | | | detect patterns from vast volumes of information that |
| cannot be evaluated objectively. | | | | relate to business today. These patterns are purely |
| Why Different People Have Different Points of View | | | | objective and free from human bias and interpretation, |
| The brain acts as a self-organizing information system. | | | | making them a more reliable basis of decision making. |
| As we are exposed to new knowledge our brains | | | | Using analytical and modeling tools we can build |
| create patterns , preparing the knowledge for recall in | | | | scenarios by extending the patterns into various |
| the future. It anchors this pattern in the context in which | | | | contexts to gain insight into the outcome of various |
| it was revealed. Whilst this context assists our recall, it | | | | business interventions. Such tools apply the knowledge |
| also creates a bias to the information, making it harder | | | | of the past to the logic of the present and future. They |
| for us to separate each logical element from both the | | | | filter data for relevance at a speed far beyond that of |
| pattern and the old context. | | | | the human brain. This speed is not so much in terms of |
| Intuition is also related to the patterns formed in the | | | | processing capability - but in terms of handling the |
| brain. It applies an attitudinal layer to our recall based on | | | | complexity of multiple dimensions [considerations] |
| the emotions we experienced at the time of the event. | | | | which must be applied to the information. Humans no |
| This is largely a subconscious, rather than conscious | | | | longer have a workable capability to identify all relevant |
| process. Thus, whilst two people will see the same | | | | information and to analyze it to identify key patterns. |
| event and record the event as it occurred, this | | | | What we do retain, is the selective ability to determine |
| attitudinal layer will act as an interpreter and transfer | | | | action to be taken based on the outcomes of the BI |
| the same emotions to similar patterns we encounter in | | | | tools. |
| the future. Thus our perspectives, or intuition will be | | | | Knowledge is about collecting information - Wisdom is |
| different. This subjective interpretation is the basis of | | | | about applying that information. |
| many poorly formed decisions of today. | | | | |