Anyone who is interested in thinking, regardless of ability or preference, is welcome in the SOT. Some of the different types of thinkers are listed to indicate the plurality of SOT membership:
– The logician
– The analyst
– The information compiler
– The idea generator
– The lateral thinker
– The detective
– The researcher
– The synthesiser
– The evaluator
– The critic
– The describer
– The clarifier
– The explainer
– The communicator
– The sales person
– The diplomat
– The leader
– The doer
– The observer
– The problem solver
– The problem finder
– The designer
– The explorer
– The organiser
– The system designer
– The group organiser
There is an obvious difference between the researcher who likes to ferret out information in a defined area and the diplomat who is sensitive to changes in people and situations.
There is an obvious difference between the critic who looks at what is and the lateral thinker who looks at what might be.
There is an obvious difference between the problem solver and the problem finder.
It is not just a matter of being better at one type than another–it is a matter of enjoyment.
Which types of thinking do you enjoy most?
DFQ #08:
Choose three from this list and post your thoughts.
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Open-Mindedness. Sometimes one of the hardest things to do is believe in yourself. When it comes down to it you are what is left to believe in. Where or what you came from, call it what you will. Belief in ourselves always gets us through. The power of positive thinking. And it all starts with a thought. I often wonder how I think of things and then they turn up, think of people and they turn up. Have a vision to share about a project and it happens. Anything is possible. I’ve done it, and I am doing it. Open mindedness. cvs2bvsx10
The last few years have been the hardest in my life. My mother died after a long illness. My grandson was ill with whooping cough…. the stress and lack of sleep caused my daughter to have a nervous breakdown. She was unable to care for her two children.
My son-in-law was called up and went to Iraq. While he was gone for a year, I cared for my two grandchildren….5 years and 2 years old…. I couldn’t work much….
Love and persistence kept me going….. and now….
I really miss my beloved mother….. but, my grandson is a healthy, strong wonderful guy (3 yrs)……. My daughter is recovering…. My Son-in-law is back from Iraq safe and sound….. And I’m working again…
Persistance, Persistance, Persistance is my attitude to everything.
I have been through marraige breakup caused by an unfaithfull wife, bankruptcy in the recession we had to have thanks to an idiot we voted to prime minister, but i am still in there, and remarried and back in the workforce making a contribution.
A few years ago I worked for a small but energetic recruitment company. Over the years we as senior managers built the company and it became a multinational corporate entity. Slowly but surely all the senior managers left, as rules and regulations, and a one-size fits all style replaced creativity in the business. Perhaps it was necessary? That was the time I created my own business
Whilst travelling to a recent job interview in the country, my persistence led me astray. Knowing that bI was on the right road but having failed to see the turn off, I doggedly continued on despite my common sense telling me that I had gone too far! 45 minutes late!Persistence is not always a good thing!
My father was a great person.He was an university professor.He passed away two years ago. Even by being his only son,and being strong in empathy as one of my strong straits of my character; I couldnot establish a kind of right wave length to communicate with him. These days I reflect on my failure and try to understand why I had behaved that way. Now, I regret much about missing my beloved father who never knew how much I had loved him. And I wish I could say to him – I love you dad.
Appreciation of Beauty
I am a scenic artist and a set designer, which leads me to a story of injustice turned into a certain commemorative appreciation of beauty. I designed a set for a theatrical show and did the painting as well. In a moment of spite, the organization I was working for decided to withhold the credit for the painting of the set. This was extremely hurtful and difficult to personally deal with. At a later date I discovered that the building crew had liked one piece of the painted set so much that they had mounted it on the shop wall for all the admire and to form a permanent reminder that I did in fact paint that set.
INTERGRITY:SOMETIMES WE ARE NOT AWARE OF THE POWER OF OUR THOUGHTS AND THE ACTIONS THAT STEM FROM THEM.I HAD BEEN WORKING WITH A COUPLE OF GUYS SOME YEARS BACK.THESE GUYS WERE POLITICAL AND I WAS A TECHNOCRAT RESPONSIBLE NATURAL RESOURCE POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION.NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ISSUES ARE LIKE A MINEFIELD AND TOO MANY TIMES POLITICIANS GET COMPROMISED AND ARE LOOKING FOR SCAPEGOATS.SO THERE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR LEGISLATION THAT NEEDED ENACTMENT AND ON WHICH ANY FUTURE ACTION WOULD HINGE.THEN THESE POLITICOS STARTED MAKING IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENTS ON HOW I WANTED TO BRING THEIR ADMNISTRATION BY ADVISING AND PURSUING THOSE POLICIES.THEY HAD REALISED IF THE GOVERNMENT LOST ON THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION THEIR JOBS WERE ON THE LINE SO THEY WERE LOOKING TO PLAY THE BLAME GAME.SO I JUST WALKED TO THEM SAID “GENTLEMEN-YOU ARE MY POLITICAL BOSSES AND I HAVE A REPUTATION-IF THIS LEGISLATION DOES NOT GO THROUGH I WOULD RESIGN MY JOB-I WOULD TAKE THE FLACK AND SAY I MISADVISED YOU”THIS IS SOMETHING UNHEARD OF IN MY COUNTRY AND MOST PARTS OF AFRICA WHERE POLITICS IS EITHER OF THE BELLY OR OF ALLEGIANCE-NOT OF THE RATIONAL-LOGIC TYPE.SO THERE GOES INTERGRITY.THE LEGISLATION DID PASS ANYWAY BUT IT REQUIRED HARDWORK
Two dogs lost in the deep dark forest. Hunting for them for three days (persistence). Five a.m. – calling and hearing the echoes. Then a pitiful howl. Homing in on the howl and finding one dog out playing guard on the track – and the other, with sore paws, in under cover. Wouldn’t leave his mate until he knew the cavalry had arrived. (59)
This is about positive outlook. I had a senior colleague with extremely good academic credentials but with strong cynical attitude. He would criticise each and every idea but would never contribute with any alternative of his own. All his office time he would be hypercritical on individual, society, media, professional, his countrymen, other natives, about environment, police, politicians, about culture, civilizations whether old or current. He would try to find fault with food, film, furniture, flowers, family, festivals – everyone and everything. And then he would paint a gloom picture – a sordid state of hopelessness. Its a pain to be with him -even for few minutes. He would suck you up instantly. He was negativity incarnated or personified.
Once I told him that I got an interview call from UN. He could not believe me – saying one would never get a call from the UN. And then how bad is UN and all these International agencies – WB, ADB, etc and switching to US, UK, the West, the Middle East. Knowing well, I did not try to change him – only thanked him when after few days, I left – saying “Sir, I learnt a lot from you – specially from your wonderful pessimism”.
I could not however make out from his sheepish grin whether he took this as a curse or a compliment.