#594 questions

As our consultant was leaving, he told me how much he enjoys working with my staff.  "They are so comfortable with each other," he said.  "And so they help each other understand the questions."  

His comment and our sessions reminded me of an article* I read this summer about analytical thinking vs. innovative thinking.  Claude Legrand believes for complex problems innovative thinking is required, a strategy that challenges the very definition of the problem itself.

Some examples of the difference between Analytical Thinking and Innovative Thinking:
> Analytical focuses on the right answer -- Innovative focuses on the right question
> Analytical eliminates uncertainties -- Innovative embraces uncertainties
> Analytical believes the boss knows best -- Innovative finds people who have parts of the question and parts of the answer
> Analytical promotes one best way -- Innovative has no presumed best way
> Analytical has a to-do list -- Innovative has a priorities list

What can you do to create an environment where innovative thinking is allowed to flourish?  How can you model the engagement of others and embrace the ambiguity that comes with difficult issues?  The answer may lie in the questions you ask.

While it is tempting to do things in isolation and check things off the list, in the long run it's worth the time to involve others in first determining what question you are trying to answer.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

*Source:  Does our brain operating system need an upgrade? by Claude Legrand at www.staplesinnovation.ca
As quoted in Bright ideas by Ann Pace, T&D journal, April 2013 p. 42+