Orthodoxy

Critical thinking consists of discernment, analysis and evaluation. It allows us to form judgments that reconcile scientific evidence with common sense.

Lateral thinking is about reasoning that is not immediately obvious and ideas that may not be obtainable using traditional logic.

So why are critical and lateral thinking in such short supply? Orthodoxy (adherence to conventional beliefs) may be the great enemy of both. Once we are emotionally vested in a belief we become resistant to changing or letting it go. Orthodoxy therefore requires us to suspend critical examination of that belief. If we are not open to examining our beliefs then we are unable to discern problems which might require lateral solutions.

Orthodoxy, however, does play an important role in the management of our increasingly complex society. Once we have found a solution that works, faithful adherence to that solution allows us to focus our time and resources on other challenges. Problems arise when conditions change that render the original solution obsolete.

Adherents to orthodoxy invariably conclude that lack of fidelity to long standing conventions are the underlying cause of our problems. Heretics on the other hand believe that commitment to outdated solutions are the cause.

My questions is, how can we discern what is real without a thoughtful examination of the orthodox?

Literal or Lateral Leadership?

I have many friends who are very literal in their approach to defining problems and identifying solutions. Can literal thinkers be effective problem solvers? Perhaps, but some thorny problems may require a less literal perspective. . .

Edward de Bono says lateral thinking is the generation of new solutions for unresolved problems.

De Bono identifies four stages of lateral thinking:

(1) recognize dominant ideas that polarize perception of a problem,

(2) search for different ways of looking at things,

(3) relax rigid control of thinking, and

(4) use chance to encourage other ideas. This last stage has to do with the fact that lateral thinking involves low-probability ideas which are unlikely to occur in the normal course of events. So what do you think, are we ready for a leader who thinks laterally?

Thanks Greg Kearsley for your excellent summary of de Bono's important work.

Here of late I have been reflecting on evolutionary science, paleontology, history and how these disciplines may hold clues for our future.

Humanity has pretty much had it's way over the past several millenia. We have wiped out our competition, profoundly altered our environment and our numbers are increasing at an unsustainable rate. Can our successes continue or are we headed toward some currently unforeseen catastrophe? Jared Diamond is one smart guy, I wonder what he thinks?

The Nature of Quality

In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig asserts that quality is undefinable, a position he later recants in Lila. Pirsig is an icon but here's my stab at defining a thing of quality.

1. A thing of quality must have purpose

2. A thing of quality must meet its purpose

3. A thing of quality must be reliable (reduce or eliminate random failure), and

4. A thing of quality must sustain its sense of purpose, effectiveness and reliability.

The Nature of Problems

1. Problems are symptoms of underlying causes

2. Problems are easily seen

3. Causes are difficult to see

4. We fail to solve problems because we allow our values to incorrectly guide us to false underlying causes.

The Nature of Failure

Stages of systems failure

1. Problem exists.

2. We become aware of the problem because we see its effects.

3. We ineffectively treat problem because we don’t understand the cause.

4. Problem becomes a crisis when it becomes so disruptive that large numbers of people notice.

5. Resources are mobilized and actions are taken to resolve the crisis.

6. Ineffective actions fail to resolve crisis and creates new problems

7. Conditions continue to deteriorate

8. Confidence that the problem and crisis can be solved is lost.

9. System Fails.

Heroin Addiction

I am just blown away that a relatively small town like Lancaster, Ohio is struggling with Heroin. But it is. There are a few local docs who are over-prescribing Oxycodone. Unfortunately there are also a number of Opiate naive teens using other people's prescriptions. Once they're hooked on prescription opiates, black tar heroin is available and less expensive.

Here in Lancaster, 1 out of 4 teens report using other people's prescriptions illegally. Nationwide it's 1 in 6. The only silver lining is our new drug court and Syboxone therapy. Let's hope this terrible epidemic subsides. . .

I am a fan. . .

of Ingmar Bergman flicks. A friend and I attended a campus screening of the Seventh Seal in the early seventies and I was hooked by the existential plot. Later that year I had an opportunity to take in The Silence, a rather disturbing tale of two sisters struggling with mortality. Bergman captures the essence of humanity in a way I find strangely re-assuring.