Once you’ve made your mind up… changing it can be really difficult… or can it?

In business, changing your mind can be seen as a weakness and that you have a lack of clarity or direction. People who change their minds can be considered unreliable or indifferent. Changing your mind in business, known as pivoting, … Continue reading

How Lateral Thinking enriches team creativity and collaboration

Virtually every business in the world promotes ‘teamwork’. Teams play a crucial role in generating profit, gaining market share, enhancing customer service, increasing engagement and securing a competitive edge—all contributing to organisational success. Teams are the social ‘bond’ that blend … Continue reading

Allowing people’s creativity to flow when writing for business

Richard Morris, Accredited Trainer Creativity in business enhances success. It fosters engagement, teamwork, innovative ideas, product and service enhancements. Breaking old thinking habits and work patterns. But how often do businesses actually promote creativity in their business writing? In creative … Continue reading

Creative leadership

As the saying goes, ‘In calm water, every ship has a good captain’. It’s only in turbulent times that leaders need to show what they are made of. With financial storms looming, what can leaders do to keep their organisations … Continue reading

Agile decision-making

Although the Agile model was developed with software design in mind, two of its principles have been widely adopted by businesses in all sectors: Valuing individuals and interactions over processes. Responding to change over following a plan. These are appealing, … Continue reading

Design thinking

The business world has been abuzz with the concept of Design Thinking over the last few years – and with good reason. This non-linear, iterative process is a great way to avoid the trap of rushing in to solve a … Continue reading

Sur/petition – focus on value creation

“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: … Continue reading

Make a real difference to your organisation’s creativity

‘Necessity is the mother of invention’, as the saying goes – and we’re certainly seeing that now. The Coronavirus pandemic has led to a proliferation of new ideas everywhere. The Mercedes Formula 1 Team have worked with medics to develop … Continue reading

Robust and clear ideas to take forward

Now that Covid-19 has challenged us to work and think, more creatively, it would be a shame to lose this new ability of approaching life with an innovative mindset. Dr Edward de Bono’s ‘Lateral Thinking’ gives the tools to come … Continue reading

Creativity throughout an organisation

We all know that change is happening more often and faster than ever before! Organisations have to be innovative, whether they’re responding to change or driving it. They’ll need to innovate at all levels and in all functions to be … Continue reading

Create a culture of dynamic meetings

Most meetings don’t work hard enough. Don’t take our word for it: A 2016 study estimates that inefficient meetings cost the UK economy £582m per week, with one in three people reporting that many of their meetings are unnecessary. 95% … Continue reading

Creativity for graduates

I’m Olivia, you may have read my other blog ‘The graduate: a day in the life’. I was lucky enough to attend two of Edward de Bono’s most popular techniques Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats® and Lateral Thinking™. This … Continue reading

The Graduate: A day in the life

Being a graduate is scary. This year’s cohort of freshly graduated newbies to the workplace are the second year group to leave university lumbered with higher debt than ever, with more pressure than ever to perform and succeed. I am … Continue reading

Ideas on-demand: fresh ideas, fast = competitive advantage

Our article ‘Is innovation a part of your culture?’ looks at how many organisations want to be innovative or creative, yet the people at the top of the organisation cannot often elaborate on how or if this happens. In this article we … Continue reading

Is innovation a part of your culture?

Many organisations have mission or vision statements that suggest they are an innovative or creative organisation, yet the people at the top of the organisation can often not elaborate on how, or if this happens. Often just putting people in … Continue reading

A typical day?

By Stephanie Butland – Master Trainer, Six Thinking Hats® You arrive on time at your first meeting, to find that there is a clear focus and an agenda. There are no lengthy anecdotes, no arguments, and none of the jostling … 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

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