“Sur/petition: creating value monopolies when everyone else is merely competing” Edward de Bono
Competition is based on the idea of different individuals or companies striving to win a part of the same thing. Dr Edward de Bono suggests an alternative: sur/petition, when we strive to win something else. We run a race that is separate to the one that others are running. We don’t need to share the prize and we don’t risk losing. This leads to the creation of what de Bono calls a separate value monopoly.
Harness imagination to find the value monopoly
Einstein noted that ‘Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere else.’ Logic is useful when trying to find new iterations of the same product or service – ie, running the same competitive race we have always run. We need to harness imagination to find the value monopoly.
Imagination, though, tends not to work on demand, and ‘let’s think of how to add value in surprising ways!’ probably isn’t going to be much use as a prompt for unexpected ideas.
Step away from the competition and add value
Fortunately, de Bono’s tools for creative and parallel thinking can help us to step away from the competition and add value.
De Bono’s techniques and frameworks
The Lateral Thinking tools are designed to help the logical human brain to come up with new and innovative ideas in a structured, productive way. And the Six Thinking Hats® parallel thinking approach can take those ideas and form, shape and refine them in a way that will allow us to win the race to add value.
Example of Sur/petition: A mail order company having 100% recyclable packaging or a carbon neutral supply chain – they aren’t competing in the sense that they aren’t making changes to the item they are supplying, but have won a different ‘competitive’ race, of being as environmentally aware as possible.
Learning to think differently
Lateral Thinking will empower your people to challenge current thinking, solve problems and generate new, creative and different ideas. Find out more about:
- Public workshops – online VILT (virtual instructor-led training) and face-to-face classroom. More…
- In-house workshops – for groups and teams delivered online VILT (virtual instructor-led training) and face-to-face classroom at a time and place to suit you. More…
For the complete creativity workshop you can combine Lateral Thinking with Six Thinking Hats® which helps you to assess and select the right idea, whilst reducing conflict and increasing collaboration.
- Public workshops – online VILT (virtual instructor-led training) and face-to-face classroom. More…
- In-house workshops – for groups and teams delivered online VILT (virtual instructor-led training) and face-to-face classroom at a time and place to suit you. More…
About Stephanie Butland
Stephanie Butland specialises in creativity, thinking skills, team development and communication.
Having worked with Indigo since 2004, Stephanie is a Master Trainer in Dr de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats®, Lateral Thinking and Focus On Facilitation™ techniques. She also delivers workshops in Think on Your Feet®, Writing Dynamics™ and The Skilled Presenter™ and is a Belbin accredited and CIPD qualified trainer.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52087002
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/make-your-own-face-mask-with-these-simple-step-by-step-guides-032620
https://www.skyzone.com/virtual-birthday-party
