We are obsessed with problem solving. In North America all thinking is termed ‘problem solving’. The result of this is disastrous. What is not perceived as a ‘problem’ does not get thinking attention and does not get examined. So we get a high degree of complacency with things that are seen to be working tolerably well. Nowhere does this apply more strongly than to ‘thinking’ itself. We are very satisfied with a crude and primitive sort of thinking. It does not occur to most people that our thinking habits can be vastly improved. Meeting times can be reduced to a quarter and even one tenth by more efficient thinking software. Most organisations – even the best – are operating at well below potential because of limited thinking skills even at the highest levels. In almost all cases the idiom is: ‘maintenance and problem solving’. To this might sometimes be added ‘me-too or merger’. For the last millennium our thinking has been concerned with ‘what is’. This means the search for recognisable situations or categories because once we have identified them we can apply the standard response. The three R’s of education are: Recognise, Respond, Routinely. The next millennium is going to have to be concerned with ‘what can be’ thinking. That is design, creativity and the delivery of value. All else (information, competence, technology) will be a commodity. You can analyse the past but you have to design the future.

Edward de Bono, 26th July 1999

  About the Author: Dr Edward de Bono is a world leading authority on thinking skills.  Creator of the famous Six Thinking Hats ®, Lateral Thinking and many other workshops, he has authored over 80 books published in 35 languages. Holst is Dr Edward de Bono’s partner in Europe. Click here for more information about Dr de Bono and his tools. Learn to change how people think. Add Dr Edward de Bono’s tools to your portfolio & become a certified de Bono trainer. [traininglist slug=”lateral-thinking”] [traininglist slug=”six-thinking-hats-accreditation-3-days”] [traininglist slug=”six-thinking-hats”] [traininglist slug=”lateral-thinking-2-days”] [traininglist slug=”power-of-perception”] [traininglist slug=”power-of-perception-2-days”] [traininglist slug=”focus-on-facilitation”]  ]]>