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Forward & Backward

We can think forward and backward.

I like the cute example with an acorn on the field. A kid and mother comes close and the kid asks "Why is there an acorn there?"

In backward-thinking mode the mother now can respond by telling how it got there. Look back and explain. As in:

"Well, maybe a squirrel dropped it there" or "The large tree over there dropped it" or "Maybe a kid or animal played with it and just left it there."

All good responses. And only imagination limits the kind of answers the mother can give.

In forward-thinking mode the response looks into the future. As in:

"It is there to grow and become a large oak tree" or "It is there to become a squirrel dinner" or "It is there to be found by a kid. And the kid will play with it."

Switch between these forward and backward modes when answering questions. Not all why-questions has to be answered based on the past.

And many times it is more interesting what will be or become - than what has been.

There is sometimes also a non-thinking-mode when answering questions. How about if the mother in the above example answered:

"Shut up and keep walking" or "How should I know? I didn't put it there!" or even "Don't you learn anything in school?"

So, Think when you respond. And use both forward and backward thinking. And practice forward-thinking to explore and shape the future!

Path Perspective

When you are at A and you look forward you will see multiple paths. One way leading to B and the other way to another destiny. The future contains multiple choices and opportunities.

But when you are at B and look back you do not see multiple paths. You only see one rather straight path that connects B with A. And maybe you do not even reflect on the selection of path that actually made it possible to get to B.

Look forward and you see lots of opportunities and choices. Lots of decisions to make. Lots of paths! Magic!

Look back and it just seems very natural and obvious that you are where you are. A straight line. And it almost seems inevitable that you ended up where you right now are.

Words matters

Language creates images and patterns and influences our thinking and behaviour.

Here are some simples transformations that could make your life more fun & interesting.

Replace "but" with "and"

Replace "or" with "and"

Replace "is" with "be" and "become"

Replace "no" with "yes"

Try it. If you don't give up immediately there is a great chance that your thinking and problem solving will change. You will most likely start to see new opportunities and get a new perspective on things.

Consider that strange device you have in the garage. Why worry what it IS. Why not think about what it can BECOME.

And how about being rich AND healthy. Why only one of them?

Sheep and lambs and patterns

Took a long walk. And halfway to nowhere I found a large herd of sheep. I sat down and watched...

First I thought it was all chaos. Sheep walking in circles, eating grass, lambs jumping and playing. No order at all. No structure. No patterns.

But after a while I could see patterns. Sheep joined, ate some grass. Lambs played and repeated the "games". Other lambs joined their mothers for a few minutes - and then returned to game.

Not all sheep mixed. There seemed to be three or four groups of adult sheep. But only one group of lambs.

Occasionally a mama-sheep would say "Bah" and her kids would run to her for some food.

I sat down for at least thirty minutes and studied the herd. What first looked like chaos was instead more like multiple organized dances. Not strictly linear order - but creatures moving around with respect for each other and all belonging to the herd. And I was almost (but only almost) able to predict how the individual were moving around.

Next time you see chaos. Sit down and see what patterns you can find. Be patient and give it some time!

Superheroes are bad

Well, Superheroes do solve problems for us. Which seems to be good. But:

• The superhero solves the problem using his superpowers. So, we need that superhero with superpower around. Every time! And what happens when superhero is on vacation?

• Since the superhero solves the problem we (=people) do not learn how to deal with problem using our own capacity and resources. We get dependent on the superhero. We get a meal - but we don't learn how to fish.

• The superhero is fast and efficient and thus not giving anyone else a chance. Having a superhero around will make it harder for others to become heroes.

So, while superheroes first might seem like a good idea they:

- Stops us from learning (to deal with problems)

- Makes us dependent (that hero is around)

- Blocking the path for others (to develop themselves)

Next time a superhero comes around - send him away. You will be better off in the long run without superheroes.

Oh, and another reason to send superhero away is that their presence often attract a lot of bad guys with superpowers too...

[For Swedish readers - Kolla den fantastiska "översättningen" av denna lilla text på http://ifrihet.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/regeringen-ar-dalig/ ]

My name is And - almost

Amazing!

Today I realized that my first name starts with "And" and my last name ends with "and".

Would that explain why I prefer "and" over "or"? Probably not.

But I do prefer and over or. And I am glad that I finally saw that my name is very connected to that super-word (i.e. "and").

Not-so-creative

Once upon a time in a galaxy far away....I had this weird experience about "creativity"

A senior executive heard about me and that I was supposed to be good at coming up with fresh and convincing ways of describing solutions. In this case we needed a way to show to a client how we would deal with a rather complex multi-project setup. There were multiple programs running lots of projects. Many relations and interdependencies. The mess was huge!

The exec asked me to illustrate how we could move forward while yet keeping control over the situation. He made some notes on a paper. This was supposed to be some start for me to work out details and solution from.

I took the note. Spent some time thinking. Talking. Discussing. After a few days I had a solution. I showed my work to the executive. He was not happy.

He made some new notes on a paper. Now with more details. And he was not using my work, but made it on blank paper again.

Once again I thought and discussed. Went back with a new solution to the executive after a day or two. Same procedure - a not happy executive. And now he started to question my creative ability. At least it felt like that.

And for the third time he made notes on a blank paper. Draw some charts, symbols and numbers. And patiently asked me to use all my creativity and skills to come up with a solution.

This time I took another approach. I took the last notes he made - just opened a blank presentation on my computer. Copied the hand-made notes and charts into that presentation. Added a title page. Done!

When I this time returned he was mighty impressed. He studied the electronic version of the notes he made, praised my creativity and was very happy. "I knew you could solve this problem for me!"

All I did was transforming his notes into an electronic version. I did not feel creative at all.

Nowadays I am very careful when taking on assignments like that. Trying to find out what they really want, and what level of freedom I have. Many times they are finished with the creative part and just need someone to put it on paper.

Imagine you get the instruction "Draw me somehing nice. Anything." and you come back with a horse. And gets the response "Well, I had more of a circle in mind - can you do something with a circle?".

Next time you get "Well, I had a blue circle in mind. And slightly smaller. Can you give it a go?"

And so it continues...

To all execs: If you know what you want; Say it. And If you want a person to use his/hers creativity - let them do that.