Stories as Inhibitors of Change, Innovation
Posted on11 Mar 2013
Tagsadaptability, change, change management, dissent, facts, history, ideas, Influence, innovation, Northwestern University, opinions, question, rationale, storytelling, The New Yorker, thinking process, think outside the box, George Packer, Dan McAdams
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Stories galvanize people, helping them to learn, to coalesce around ideas. If we look at this galvanization as solidification, we can also... Read More
Predictability as Hell: A Problem-solving Perspective
Posted on10 Jan 2013
Tagsproblem solving, hell, heaven, The Twilight Zone, Walter Kirn, predictability, Predictability as Hell Analogy, The Atlantic, standardization, perspective, Influence, emotions, control, assessments
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Businesses strive for predictability. Standardization helps them achieve that. Still, many employees like their jobs for their variability, “It’s something different every... Read More
Ferrari Analogy: Fast Service vs. Good Service
Posted on09 Jul 2012
Tagsspeed, service, relationships, quality service, quality, Ferrari Analogy, entertainment, customer service, assumptions
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Often we assume fast service is good service; however, we need to challenge constantly this assumption. As I wrote previously, customer service... Read More
Why More Information And Education Don’t Solve Problems
More information and education often don’t solve problems alone. Yet, people often think they do. It’s common. It shows up whenever one... Read More
Arguing The Opposing Viewpoint As Problem-Solving Method
Posted on14 Jun 2012
TagsBefore You Make That Big Decision, Clay Johnson, Daniel Klein, decisions, Information Diet, management, military, PBS NewsHour, problem solving, The Atlantic
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While on the debate and student congress team in high school, practice included arguing the opposing viewpoint. This helped us find arguments... Read More
Problem-solving Technique: Integrated Assumption
Even though writing down the problem can help us solve it, it’s also a form of defining the problem. Thus, we will... Read More
Aggressiveness as Defect
Posted on16 Jan 2012
TagsBattle of Cannae, aggressive, American Civil War, Battle of Gettysburg, Hannibal, hubris, Laszlo Garamszegi, Personality, perspective, screen pass, The Economist, trap, University of Antwerp
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Confederate Attacks (Red) on the Union (Blue) at the 3-Day’s Battle of Gettysburg In business, people often see aggressiveness as a virtue;... Read More
Problem Solving Technique: Alter Process
Posted on10 Nov 2011
TagsAram Donigian, Techniques, process management, process, problem solving, objective, negotiation, Jonathan Huges, Jeff Weiss, Harvard Business Review, group, document
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In the November 2010 issue of the Harvard Business Review Jeff Weiss, Aram Donigian, Jonathan Huges discuss in their article “Extreme Negotiations”... Read More
Bridges, Muscles and Crises
Posted on17 Oct 2011
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In problem solving, seeing the connection among disparate things helps. Recently, I drove home on a road that runs along a creek.... Read More
Downside of Focus and Rise of Situational Awareness
Posted on06 Oct 2011
Tagsdecisions, anchoring, aptitude, Before You Make That Big Decision, business, business planning, conditionality, context, focus, Influence, market research, optimism, pigeonholing, planning, situational awareness, skills, Talent
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Classical business literature emphasizes focus: set goals, plan, and then focus on execution. However, it’s relatively void of focus’ downside: obliviousness to... Read More