{"id":850,"date":"2020-06-15T08:50:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-15T12:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/garthnichols\/?p=850"},"modified":"2020-06-15T08:50:30","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T12:50:30","slug":"book-review-edward-de-bonos-thinking-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/garthnichols\/21st-century-skills\/book-review-edward-de-bonos-thinking-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: Edward De Bono’s Thinking Course"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I am walking throughout my neighbourhood more than I ever have. It allows me to think, to pause, and I often stop to smell the flowers \u2013 literally \u2013 and to see what books my neighbours have put out on the lawn. There have been some real gems! I\u2019ve added to my Seth Godin library with three books recently, and we\u2019ve grabbed some great fiction. Last week, when I saw this book, I took it on a whim. I was intrigued by the title \u2013 that this was a \u201ccourse'\u201d.\u00a0 And it is \u2013 a beautiful combination of learning, practice and reflection. It is NOT a manual, but rather it is an exercise on thinking.<\/p>\n

Thinking about \u2018what thinking means\u2019, and then practicing different ways of thinking, and then reflecting on how this practice might influence one\u2019s thinking habits, reactions and paradigms has been\u2026 well\u2026 hard, difficult, challenging. But also hopeful, with humour and humility.<\/p>\n

You\u2019d be interested in this book if you:<\/strong>
\n1) Want to shift your (and your students) self-perception to \u201cI am a thinker\u201d (this is the main hope of De Bono!)
\n2) Want tools and strategies to practice thinking differently
\nAND
\n3) Are interested to know why it is important to do so
\n4) Want to consider what is the role of \u201cThinking\u201d in education<\/p>\n

\n

Reframing Thinking:<\/h4>\n

Famous for his 6 Hats, which I honestly don\u2019t know too much about, I had heard of \"\"<\/a>De Bono\u2019s work before, and was surprised as I read to see how much of it has been integrated into Design Thinking and education in general. Protocols like \u201cPlus Minus Interesting\u201d, and PISCO, as well as \u201cGrowth Mindset\u201d (though he doesn\u2019t use that term) are ways of thinking that I am used to. However, what I really enjoyed about this book were the ways that \u201cthinking\u201d and the power of thinking are framed.<\/p>\n

Lateral thinking can be precisely defined as pattern-switching with a \"\"<\/a>patterning system. To explain the nature of a pattering system takes quite a long time. So in ordinary terms we can describe it as the ability to look at things in different ways\u2026Intelligent people often tend to be conformists. They learn the rules of the game and make use of them to have a comfortable life. At school they learn the rules of the game\u2026The paradox is that if we treat creativity(in the form of lateral thinking) as a perfectly sober part of information processing then we may get the strange effect of the conformists being the more creative than the rebels \u2013 because the conformists are also better at playing the rules of creativity. If creativity is no longer a risk then non-risk takers may decide to be more creative. (Pg. 55)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He advocates for thinking to be a discreet course taught in schools \u2013 and what an impact this would have \u2013 as he describes above! How might we reduce\/eliminate the risk of lateral thinking and thus increase creative thinking in our schools?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Role of Humour:<\/h4>\n

I have been told in the past that my humour is \u201cpun-ishing\u201d \ud83d\ude42 De Bono advocates for the use of humour \u2013 in particular the pun \u2013 as a way of thinking. \u201cHumour involves the escape from one pattern and the switching into another\u201d (pg. 53) This is true. To find humour in discussions, strategic planning, interviews, what have you, requires lateral thinking. For example, \u201cDonald Trump had a bad Birthday. He was only given three golf clubs. And of the three, only one of them had a pool.\u201d See how we have to switch our thinking as the joke reaches the conclusion.<\/p>\n

So, find the humour as an excercise.<\/p>\n

The Role of Emotions in Thinking:<\/h4>\n

I have written before about the role and importance of emotions in thinking and continuous learning. Emotions and feelings are vital for us to understand and to use to help us navigate the world. What De Bono brings into clear focus is the role of emotions.<\/p>\n

We need to place emotions, feelings and values in their proper perspective. In the end they are the most important part of thinking \u2013 but only if they are used in the end rather than at the beginning. (pg. 136)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I love this sentiment as a strategy. And he has many strategies to support how to think in different ways before reacting to emotional provocations. This comes down to self-regulation and it is one of the most important pieces to humanity getting along.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Role of Values in Thinking:<\/h4>\n

Given the current \u2018double pandemic\u2019 we are facing with Covid-19 and anti-black racism, slowing down our thinking has never been more important. Knowing where we stand, what we stand for, who we will stand up for, and who we will stand against, and where we will stand our ground, required thinking. But a thinking that is steeped in values.<\/p>\n

Values are the link between events and our basic emotions. They are converters which convert events into matters about which we can feel strongly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Our language is so important when we enter into a discussion, because we can tend to use value-laden words. Thus, if we lay on the rhetoric thick with our values, then we don\u2019t have to hear the other side. Words can have an intrinsic negative value and positive value. We have to leave room for a values-based discussion. This is not a simple task.<\/p>\n

Thinking should be confident. Any skill is better if it is done with confidence \u2013 be it skiing or playing tennis. There is, however, a big difference between being confident and being arrogant\u2026A confident thinker does not have to prove himself right and the other person wrong. He or she sees the thining as an operating skills, not as ego-achievement. A confident thinker is willing to listen to others. He is willing to improve his thinking by acquiring a new idea or a new way of looking at things. (pg. 123)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I would place this next to his concept of \u2018Negative Thinking\u2019<\/strong> as both are blockers to truly thinking in a way that leads to continuous improvement. Negative thinking is \u201c\u2026the refuge both of the mediocre mind and also \u2013 alas \u2013 of the brilliant mind. The mediocre mind is incapable of doing anything else find criticism easy since it is on of the cheapest forms of thinking. By that I mean that you can criticise anything at all by just choosing a frame different from what you see.<\/em>\u201d (pg. 79)<\/p>\n

We avoid arrogance and negative thinking by being intentional about our thinking, about our dialogue with others, and about how we see ourselves as a learner.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a>In these times, thinking differently, and being open to the thinking of others is needed more than ever. I am proud to say that I believe that both Cohort 21 and CAIS Strategic Change Accelerator function to do just this: hold the space for others, not jump to conclusions, and not to jump to negative criticism. How might we bring this thinking to our work, to our students and to our society \u2013 the way we engage with others. It\u2019s time\u2026 time to take our time, and we must give ourselves this time.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am walking throughout my neighbourhood more than I ever have. It allows me to think, to pause, and I often stop to smell the flowers \u2013 literally \u2013 and to see what books my neighbours have put out on the lawn. There have been some real gems! I\u2019ve added to my Seth Godin library…
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