Thinking is an Undervalued Activity
October 20, 2015
Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
How often do you hear an executive talk about thinking? For example, do you recall the last time a leader said to you “Take some time to think” or “Let’s really think about xxx before committing”? If you are your organization’s leader do you regularly request that your colleagues provide thoughtful advice? Have you created a culture that allows for time to question, to ponder? To bring life to my company’s tag line “Genuine Ideas...Uncommon Sense”, I am embarking on a series of posts on a subject near and dear to me – thinking.
I have always asked questions, it is the foundation of my approach and success. Primarily I ask “why”, a lot. Oh, I also ask what, when, who but I always come back to my favorite -- WHY. I want to understand or to consider or explore the response. I love to engage in dialogue, to learn a different way, or to deliberate on a new approach. What it comes down to is I love to think, to discover ideas beyond the norm, to find a different path to solving an old problem, to ponder a strategy that moves beyond the expected. I love the challenge of analyzing to distinguish a pattern not readily seen. It is not an academic exercise as my love of thinking is what makes me a successful professional. It is not a hobby or a way to relax; rather for me thinking is my job as a professional, a consultant and a leader.
So I am an odd duck in a world that values “doers” over “thinkers”. The short-term nature of returns and expectations from Wall Street to Main Street has organizations of every ilk structured to support immediate action while downplaying activity that in any way delays movement. Yet, I find too often executives rush to find a solution before they confirm they are addressing the real problem. It seems old fashioned but one of the best ways to ensure you and your organization thinks is to establish time for thinking. Most professionals have little time to actually think, to plan, to review.
In my recent report for HSMAI “The Evolution of Sales”, I suggested a simple procedure for advancing one’s thinking abilities which I encourage you to consider:
Schedule three 20-minute thinking sessions per week on your calendar.
At the time of your thinking session, put a note on your door that reads “disturb only in an emergency”, shut your door, turn off every device (do not answer the phone or read an email or text message), set a timer for 20 minutes, and then begin to think about an issue.
Select one issue or problem confronting you or your team. Focus only on that. Ask yourself -- what do you know for certain, is the concern adequately defined, is it the correct issue, what information is missing, are the proper people involved in addressing the concern?
Do not attempt to solve the issue; rather think about one aspect of the problem you identified giving it your full attention. At the end of the 20 minutes determine if the issue requires further consideration. Keep track of what you discovered and where you should begin in your next thinking session (this should not take more than five minutes).
At first you may be overwhelmed about where to start, or a bit anxious trying to figure out what to do but if you keep at it, if you do not accept interruptions, you will begin to effectively use the time. Just like physical exercise you must discipline your brain. After three weeks, you will look forward to the activity and be able to more effectively utilize the time. Ultimately you will make better decisions, you will be more fully prepared to think creatively about “old” issues, developing innovative ideas that add value to the organization. You will be able to focus your thinking in group settings demonstrating greater clarity and offering more thoughtful advice and direction.
Dr. Lalia Rach is founder and partner of Rach Enterprises, a consulting firm that takes an uncommon sense approach and delivers genuine ideas that challenge traditional thinking. Blending professionalism, intelligence and enthusiasm, Lalia stimulates new thinking on leadership, risk-taking, strategy and innovation for clients who are seeking to escape the status quo. Lalia is a trusted adviser to senior level executives at many leading organizations due to her straightforward approach to business concerns and creative solutions that are results driven.