Do Thought Patterns Have Any Real Connection to Innovation?
Not everyone perceives the world in exactly the same way. Since we often view things from different angles, it stands to reason that the creation of innovative ideas is directly affected by how we view the world.
The Legacy of Hideo Suzuki
Prior to his death in 2011, Hideo Suzuki provided insights well beyond his chosen field of geography. His work involved the impact that environment has on civilization, especially in terms of climate. One of his major contributions is found in his book, "Shinrin no Shiko, Sabaku no Shiko".
Translated into English, the title means "Forest Thinking, Desert Thinking". While affirming that people do differ in the way they view the world, he felt that it was possible to categorize those views into two types. Exploring those two approaches to thinking will go a long way in understanding how ones framework for thinking makes a difference.
The Mindset of Desert-Like Thinking
This approach is related to the environmental conditions that reign in the desert. Within that setting, there is little room for stepping away from what is perceived as the only right way to proceed. Anyone lost in a desert knows that making a mistake in terms of finding water and shelter will lead to death. The right option must be chosen every time. There is no room for alternatives, since the focus is on continuing to live. This approach to the thought process leads to seeing the world in terms of absolutes. Everything is either all white or all black. There is no room for gray.
Viewing the World with a Forest-Like Approach
Suzuki also identified an alternative way of viewing the world that he termed a forest-like approach. Within this approach, there are ways to adapt to the situation and still uncover two or more ways to achieve the desired outcome. Continuing the analogy of being lost, a person who has lost his or her way in a forest can look for more than one source of food, water, and shelter. Several different options can produce the desired result. In this setting, there is more than one possible solution, and the situation is not viewed with an either/or mindset.
How Does This Relate to Innovation?
These two different approaches to the world have a direct effect on the evaluation of new ideas. When the desert-like mentality is present, the idea at hand will be quickly assessed and either declared good or bad. There is no room for error, and no point in wasting time on something that is bad.
A forest-like worldview would dig deeper into the hows and whys of the idea. It would be viewed as worthy of exploring in more detail. There is even the chance of possibly adapting or enhancing the idea in some way, making it even more innovative.
Both Have a Place
There are situations in which both of these mindsets can serve you well. The key is knowing which one to apply. Understanding which approach to innovation that you lean toward will make it easier to know when to take action, or when it would be helpful to have input from someone who views the world a little differently.
Because both of these thinking patterns are necessary depending on the situation, one needs to understand them as a model. For you, which of these thought patterns are you more strongly inclined towards? We all must deepen our awareness of our own thought patterns, so that we can switch thinking patterns depending on the situation!
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