Defective Thinking ?

First, a quick quiz.

What do they have in common?

• Typewriter manufacturers
• Film camera manufacturers
• Payphone services
• Blackberry
• Video rental stores
• Rolodex manufacturers
• Fax machine industry

Well, obviously, they are no longer needed.

But ponder this – these businesses were managed by experienced, educated, well paid, and (supposedly) smart people.

What went wrong? Why did they disappear? I suggest that poor quality thinking is at the heart of the decisions they made and neglected to make.

Poor Quality Thinking

Here are ten varieties of poor-quality thinking. Do any of them apply to you?

• Making decisions based on unverified assumptions.
• Seeking information that confirms pre-existing beliefs and ignoring contradictory evidence.
• Focusing solely on short-term goals and neglecting long-term considerations.
• Making decisions based on intuition instead of evidence.
• Blindly following the opinions of others.
• Ignoring ethical issues.
• Failing to consider creative, possibly risky, solutions.
• Failing to adapt to changing conditions and technology.
• Overreliance on past successes.
• Neglecting to consider new competition and market dynamics.

Flipside

Now, flip this around. What defines good thinking?

First, good thinking is not a product of your experience and education. It’s a process of using knowledge and information to form ideas, make decisions, and solve problems. And it’s dynamic – it’s influenced by things such as emotions, biases, beliefs, and social/cultural norms.

Second, it has to “work” in the real world. It has to be pragmatic.

Pragmatic business thinking emphasizes practicality, effectiveness, and results-driven decision-making in the context of business operations and management. It involves a logical and rational approach to problem-solving and decision-making, focusing on what is most feasible and beneficial in a given situation.

And, because it’s a process, you can improve it. You can make it an enduring skill that can be used and improved as conditions change.

What if?

If you’ve been following my writing over the past many years, you know that I’m interested (obsessed?) with thinking as an enduring skill that is often in short supply.

Consequently, I’d like to help business leaders and professionals improve their thinking skills (assuming they want to do so). This applies to all levels of seniority, but especially to the newer professionals and leaders who are stepping into a very wicked world.

My plan is to create an online course focused on pragmatic business thinking.

Here’s a tentative course description. Let me know what you think.

This course will equip you with the essential skills and mindset required for pragmatic business thinking.

Through interactive learning experiences, real-world case studies, and exercises, you will improve your ability to make results-driven decisions in various business scenarios.

The course will cover key concepts, techniques, and strategies for pragmatic thinking, focusing on critical areas such as problem-solving, decision-making, and intercepting the future.

As I said, let me know what you think.

Cheers,

Bill