In a previous post I talked about the concept of the logic box. You might remember them as limiting belief systems that we form to make sense of things. They become a box when our thinking is stalled because we can’t move past the logic we have placed in our minds. Today I want to show you four techniques for breaking out of stale thinking patterns and how to break the logic box.
1. Conjecturing
In a previous post I talked about why Sherlock Holmes is wrong when it comes to real world problems solving. In this article I introduced the art of conjecture. A conjecture is an educated ‘best’ guess that allows me to put on another way of thinking than I might be used to. If you are stuck on a hard problem and you cannot see your way out of it… try guessing something that you haven’t thought of previously. The way to do this is to offer an idea that is a guess that will help you to see things differently. When we conjecture, we immediately think of new solutions we haven’t thought of previously. Our logic box problem might be a lack of finance. Automatically you are locked in to a way of thinking that is very limiting because you will say, “well I need more money”. Hence you are now locked in a box you can’t get out of. To get out conjecture your way. So you don’t have enough money… start guessing at other things that might be causing the lack of money. Why don’t you have enough money? Conjecture a different problem. Take a guess: I am not happy because I don’t have enough money therefore I need to find happiness in lack. This would lead you think about happiness apart from materialism which in essence gets rid of you having to need money to be happy. Try another way of thinking: I recognise that I don’t have enough money therefore I must find ways to add more value to myself through different activities. Yet another example: My way of getting money is inadequate… I need to invent different ways to source finance. And so. This conjecturing process moves you from focusing purely on a unsolvable paradox into thinking about new ways to solve the issue. Conjecturing allows me to put on a new way of thinking so I can shift perspectives and assess the problem from a new light. A new assessment suggests new solutions and leads to new strategies for taking action.
2. Assumption/Perspective Shifting
Think for a moment about the things you believe. You hold some things very deeply in your heart and build assumptions based on these things. For example I believe in God. Now, I have built beliefs on top of these assumptions that I am extremely happy with. I believe in the so-called tenants of the Christian faith. These are my assumptions which are built on the back of what I believe. I am aware of these assumptions and I realise how to navigate them. Whenever I am faced with something external to me (like an opposite opinion) I have to recognise that as somebody else’s assumptions. When faced with a paradox (logic box) I need to change my assumptions in order to move forward to solutions. My hidden assumptions are telling me there’s a problem. I need to learn how to shift these assumptions. One way I have found to do this is become the devil. What do I mean? Look at the situation and ask yourself this question: What if the opposite of what I assume is true? Just the other day two people I work with were in loggerheads over an issue. After an uncomfortable week I thought: ‘I am going to resign’. Just yesterday I learned I was assuming there was a problem when really there wasn’t. The ‘loggerheads’ was an assumption about what somebody else thought I should be doing. When I told them the truth the assumptions changed and the perspective they had shifted. For me at least this makes it more bearable to work. At least for now! Remember, conjecturing is ‘believing first’ and then seeing what solutions arise as a natural flow on. Built into that process is a view of what we think our problem is likely to be and solutions flow out of problem identification. Recognise our ‘perspective’ in the problem is important because it shapes what we think issues are. Quite often you will find that you thinking something in your head that is simply not a problem … you just assume it is.
3. Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a ‘free flow’ of ideas. You can also think of this as the creative process in action. When we look at a problem and begin to come up with new ideas new solutions will emerge. From this process you can shift to lateral ideas that will help you tremendously. Brainstorming really involves the rapid interchange of ideas from different angles in a group or individual setting. I like this process because done properly it can surface hidden assumptions, challenge stale thinking and suggest (quickly) new and innovative things that can be done. It breaks out of defensive reasoning and helps us to learn. Read this to find out more.
4. Thinking about what generates the paradox
Traditionally we might have called this ‘systems thinking‘. This is where we look towards things that ‘generate’ what we see by looking at the higher order process. Remember, you may be the victim of somebody else’s assumption making so carefully think about your situation and begin to recognise what’s happening. Where I work there are things put in place by management that make my job difficult. Paperwork by the mound for example. There is really nothing I can do about this yet it will cause me problems. Yet I have inherited this problem by nature of what I do. This is still something ’systemic’ that is being generated around me. In such a case I need to recognise these things and learn to adapt to them rather than flow against them. To be honest, there are some things you just cannot change. So how does this relate specifically to the logic box? There are bigger picture things that form these things in us a lot of times and sometimes breaking them takes ‘bigger picture’ actions. What we do about these things takes place more on a group level than an organisational one. This is where you need the support of others working with you. That however, takes time, planning effort and an agreement of strategic values which I have discussed before.
Breaking out of harmful thinking patterns is a much bigger topic than this post. I would like to point out that if you are serious about this kind of thing then I would recommend you read a lot more and if needed seek the advice of a professional. I do not wish to oversimplify the issues I have spoken about here by saying that these are ‘generally’ applicable because that’s not true. I can tell you however, that doing these things, especially the fourth point, is extremely important. They have helped me and I hope they help you.
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