Today’s lesson is the last in this advanced series of lessons on applied lateral thinking — skills for using the PFC for reappraisal and creating value.
Logical thinking is vertical thinking, digging the same hole deeper in order to get a more correct hole. The right hole. The search for perfection. We need vertical thinking and we are already very good at it. Most of Western education is based on logical, step-by-step, vertical thinking. It is useful but it is not enough.
Lateral thinking is escaping from the hole in order to dig a hole somewhere else, perhaps sideways. The search for more alternatives, for reappraisal, for new possibilities and extra choices. We need much more lateral thinking because lateral thinking creates value.
Flashback to 1979
In 1980 I completed the world’s first PhD in Lateral Thinking conducting an idea-generation experiment I designed with 26 hospitals in New York. My project included a 30-day campaign in which 40,000+ hospital employees generated 33,000+ bvs ideas to the immediate value of over USD$10 million (1979 dollars). Employees were taught how to think up BAD ideas, ideas that could save the hospitals a Buck-A-Day (BAD). It was the first time in history that 26 NYC hospitals had ever co-operated in any enterprise. The x10 results were astounding and became national news – New York Times, Wall Street Journal and network news.
‘Alternatives’ with Edward de Bono
My PhD supervisor was Dr Edward de Bono, the Cambridge Professor of Investigative Medicine, who originally coined the term ‘lateral thinking’.
For today’s lesson we’ll go back in history to 1982 when Edward recorded a BBC series on lateral thinking and here is his lesson on “Alternatives”. The total lesson is 24 minutes divided into three clips: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. I think you’ll enjoy Edward’s excellent presentation:
• Part 1 of 3
• Part 2 of 3
• Part 3 of 3
DFQ #10: In around 25 words, what was the most important idea you have taken away from this last lesson?
When you have two choices, always choose the third option. There are always other alternatives, possibilities and choices to situations and problems.
That if you ask 41,000 employees for ideas you will likely get 33,000 BVS ideas – the ideas are out there!
First answer is not necessarily the best answer. There are always alternative courses of actions, explanations, designs and way of looking into things.
Don’t accept the first idea that seems to tick all the boxes
Explore your options, explore your options, explore your options
Thinking alternatives and look beyond the obvious options.
Take the time to consider different options and points of view as the outcomes may be surprising.
Always look beyond the obvious alternatives but recognise that the absolutely best idea can never be achieved.
Don’t stop at the first solution. Possibilities are endless and limited only by imagination.
Anything is possible, some things are improbable.