The brain is designed to allow incoming information to form itself into routine patterns. Without this life would be impossible. With eleven items of clothing to put on in the morning, it would take seventy six years to go through … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Lateral Thinking
The de Bono Weekly Message – Football
I once suggested a change to the rules of soccer. When there is a draw then extra time is played. If there is still a draw then there is a penalty shoot-out. This introduces an element of luck. In addition … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Positive News Agency
The media, and especially the press, are usually full of negative news: murders, attacks, economic failures etc. It may be that experience has indeed shown that negative matters are of more interest to readers. Even if this is so, I … Continue reading
The Edward de Bono Weekly Message – Economic Crisis
The current economic crisis requires some new thinking. It will not get that. There will be a lot of analysis and references to the 1930 crisis. The methods for influencing the local economy are very limited. There are interest rate … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – EU Thinking: Idea Creativity
I was in Prague on January 7th for the launch of the European Year of Creativity, 2009. The Czech Republic has the presidency of the EU for the first half of 2009. As usual, one of the big problems … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – EU Ambassador for Thinking
The European Union has declared 2009 to be the year of Creativity. On December 5th. I was officially appointed ‘Ambassador for Thinking’ for the European Union. Among other things I shall be issuing a monthly ‘World Thinking Report’. There may be … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Creativity and the Risk Factor
Too often people think of creativity as being concerned with new products, new services and new markets. All of these imply a risk factor. So in difficult times people tend to reduce their creative efforts. It could be argued … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Two Functions of an Organisation
There are at least two key functions in any organisation. The first function is continuity. This means keeping things going as they are going. That includes solving the problems that arise and interfere with the continuity. Most executives see … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Computer Analysis
There is a growing tendency for corporations to feed all available data into a computer. The computer analyses the data and this shapes the strategy of the corporation and makes decisions. This is a dangerous tendency because thinking is locked … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Creativity
As I have mentioned so often the word ‘creativity’ in English is too broad and ranges from creating a mess to painting a masterpiece. The emphasis is on ‘bringing something about’. At the same time repetition does not qualify. … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Property Market
When the property market is falling buyers tend to wait until it falls further. Why buy now when you can get a lower price in a few months’ time? So the market falls further because some people need to sell … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Credit Crunch
You may trust a person’s honesty – but can you trust that person’s intelligence? This may have some relevance to the current credit crunch or banking crisis. We can pick out at least five factors contributing to the problem and … Continue reading
The de Bono Weekly Message – Six Frames For Looking At Information
My most recent book is “Six Frames for looking at information” (Ebury Press, part of Random House). We are surrounded by ever more information. How do we look at information? It is like being thrown into a swimming pool of … Continue reading
De Bono Weekly Message – Thinking through a problem
Because we often consider ‘thinking’ to be problem solving we do not think much about matters which are not problems. If there is a wide open road ahead of us we do not stop to consider the side roads. This … Continue reading
De Bono Weekly Message – Youth Gangs
I have recently had serious meetings both in London and Johannesburg with people concerned with youth crime. There are two things which everyone needs. They are ‘significance’ and ‘achievement’. In today’s world the only way a youngster can get these … Continue reading
De Bono Weekly Message – Information
Many corporations believe that it is enough to collect all data on their computers and then to analyse this data. This sets strategies and makes decisions. The process can be very competent and relieves executives of these complex tasks. But … Continue reading
De Bono Weekly Message – New Combinations
Why do buses have fixed routes? The answer is very obvious. People like to know where they are going. It would also be impossible to design a new route to satisfy all passengers. Perhaps there could be special bus stops … Continue reading
Tough times call for a creative approach…
Globally the financial markets are in freefall. The sub-prime crisis has hit banks now, and is threatening to affect many other industries and sectors over the coming months. I friend of mine working in an investment bank, with the absence … Continue reading
