Creativity & Continuous Improvement with Edward de Bono
Posted by webmaster 22 September 2006 
Today Dr Edward de Bono addressed 300+ CIN members at the Victorian Arts Centre in an event hosted by CIN Network Chair, Victorian Chief Commissioner of Police, Christine Nixon.
Dr de Bono described how for the past 2400 years thinking has been trapped by the confines of logic that has come about through with the principles espoused by Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
These principles largley underpin our Governments, Law and Society today. We often use words to express opposing views and by applying this adversarial mindset we hope the truth will appear. There is not often room for constructive and creative discussion.
An example used to demonstrate this were law courts where in reality the defence and prosecution are often aware of facts that would aid the opposition case, but these facts will never be revealed and the subject matter is therefore never fully explored. Is this adversarial approach then, the best way to get to the truth ?
Dr de Bono also described our reliance on analytical thinking, which is an excellent way to think, but it is not enough. He then described a number of different thinking methods designed to fully explore any subject matter by thinking in parallel and ways to generate alternatives, possibilities and ideas through applying lateral thinking using Challenge, Provocation, Random Word and Concept Extraction.
Not only were the thinking methods described, but practical examples were provided of where they have been applied throughout the world.
His examples included some of the tremendous savings and efficiencies that our own Victorian Prison Caterers, (Corrections Victoria) have achieved, and how some jurisdictions in the USA are now training jurors in the Six Thinking Hats, resulting in a fuller case exploration and a marked reduction in deliberation times.
The CIN would like to thank Dr de Bono for his insightful and witty presentation and thank the Melbourne based “de Bono Institute” for their support.
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September 12th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
Thank you for the opportunity of attending today\’s VPSCIN function with DeBono. Personally very challenging.
DeBono\’s intelligence, knowledge and capability to connect thoughts and concepts was powerful.
The four items I found most significant:
1. \”Change perceptions and you change emotions\” – for most of my wroking life I have battled the emotional response of people to change. Focusing on perception to influence emotion was enlightening.
2. \”Chance\” – start at the peripheral, you can see more options than from the centre.
3. IQ – the engine. Information – the fuel. Thinking – the skill of the driver. A simple expression of our limiting capability when not trained to think.
4. \”Can God think?\” – like a number of the encounters today, DeBono has the courage to pose/suggest/incline challenge (even provocation) to thoughts and beliefs that by their very nature are considered untouchable.
Thanks again for the opportunity to attend today\’s function.
Philip Greenwood
People and Culture
September 13th, 2006 at 8:06 am
I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. de Bono\’s presentation particularly on creativity and communication. The practical examples were excellent especially about the taxis. I wish to congratulate the VPSCIN for the good work.
Michael De Sousa
Quality Coordinator
Metropolitan Fire Brigade
September 13th, 2006 at 8:48 am
Was an excellent lecture! Thanks to the VPSCIN for organising it. More please!
September 13th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Many thanks so much for organising Dr DeBono\’s presentation yesterday. It was absolutely fascinating to hear him speak of his lateral thinking ideals and tools that I have read about and admired. His examples highlighted the need to identify the particular problem and reinforced the necessity to explore options to achieve outcomes. I thoroughly enjoyed his laid back and relaxed presentation style, and took away with me the idea that simplicity in lateral thinking and problem solving is the way to go.
September 13th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
Excellent session. The speaker was high calibre and very challenging. A wonderful opportunity to hear a speaker of such renown – a credit to the CIN.
September 13th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
How can I get more people interested in creativity and the Six hats in my organisation ?
September 13th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Fantastic – thought provoking and different !
September 13th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
A great coup to get Edward to come and speak – well done.
September 13th, 2006 at 12:55 pm
Well done to all concerned. It is vitally important to challenge the way things are done in a bureaucratic environment.
September 13th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
This was a great opportunity and enormously stimulating.
September 13th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Very stimulating and an honour to be in the compnay of such a renowned thinker.
September 13th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
It would be good to apply these concepts in the workplace and see how more creative thinking can assist us in coming up with solutions to social issues.
September 13th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
This session has inspired me to talk about it with my team and branch to get people thinking differently. The first step is to inspire by leading by example. I want to learn more and practice the skills of thinking. It was a priviledge to hear from Dr de Bono and and see his thinking in action. What an incredible man – I look forward to improving my ability and challenging the status quo in my area.
September 13th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
These seminars have provoked a lot of thought and change in me and my area.
September 13th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
Brilliant work – I feel awakened !
September 13th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
The best session I have attended in years.
September 13th, 2006 at 1:07 pm
Thanks so much for the opportunity to see the great man himself. The experience was well worth the wait.
September 13th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
The inter-personal and spontaneous delivery was enjoyable as opposed to speaking to presented material.
September 13th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Much needed and wonderful.
September 13th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
An excellent presentation – can he return and lecture on other topics ?
September 13th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
It was wonderful to hear from an internationally known identity and a forerunner in their profession.
September 13th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Thanks CIN for the opportunity to hear Edward deBono speak in person. He was amazing to listen to and every example of the application of his years of work have truly inspired me. I\’m more motivated than ever before to learn more about lateral thinking and the 6 thinking hats!
September 13th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
I feel so privileged to have had this opportunity to hear Edward De Bono speak. Thank you so much VPSCIN, one of the best seminars ever. I got soooooooo much out of the session.
We are running 6 Thinking Hat sessions next week across Justice and are fully booked. 80 people and 30 on the waiting list, this was before we heard his inspiring talk! The examples, his experiences and the motivational tools will be put to good use for our continuous improvement initiatives across Justive.
Once again thanks for a great day, week, month!
September 13th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
What has Al Gore and Edward de Bono have in common?…
They’re both persuasive presenters. On Tuesday I watched Andrew Denton interview Al Gore on Enough Rope, and on the following day I had lunch with Edward de Bono (with 300 close friends) kindly organised by the VPSCIN. Both presentations wer…
September 13th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Thanks a million for such a wonderful seminar. I never dreamt I would get the chance to be in the same room as one of the greatest thinkers of all time, let alone get the chance to ask him a question! A truly inspirational event.
September 13th, 2006 at 4:56 pm
Many thanks to the CIN for providing an opportunity to hear about creative thinking from the master himself. I took along a colleague who is now a keen convert…….attractive blondes in blue hats may well inherit the earth!
February 9th, 2007 at 11:09 am
[...] Following on from our seminar with Edward de Bono last September …. The Public Seminar dates offered by the de Bono Institute for 2007 are attached for those who are interested in igniting their thinking. [...]
January 20th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
[...] Subject matter experts often struggle with this thinking as they often have so much invested in their own training and knowledge. In his address to the CIN network in 2006 Edward de Bono described this condition when he spoke of the intelligence trap. [...]
January 24th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
[...] Harvesting is the first stage of this process to get those ideas implemented by organising the ideas and starting to add value to them. On the importance of harvesting ideas, Edward de Bono has said “You would not think much of a farmer who took a lot of trouble to sow a crop but only bothered to harvest a quarter of that crop. Yet that is what most people do with the output of a creative thinking session”. Three steps to harvesting are: Organising the output – This involves categorising the ideas into some form of matrix or table which identifies the type of ideas and their implementability. (de Bono suggests concepts, specific ideas & beginnings of ideas.) Increasing the yield – looking at the organised output, you then add new ideas and concepts. Examining the changes – stand back and examine the changes that occurred as a result of the creative thinking. Once ideas have been harvested the final steps in adding value to them are treatment and assessment, which we will outline over the coming weeks. For a more comprehensive guide to the harvesting of ideas de Bono’s Serious Creativity is a very good reference. Archived in Tools & Techniques | Trackback | Top Of Page [...]
June 27th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
[...] to develop a broader and more inclusive view of a given topic. Each of the tools, developed by Edward de Bono, carries out a defined function and collectively the tools provide a strategic framework for a wide [...]
August 12th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
[...] CI Tools – AGO [...]
October 8th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
[...] all new CIN members will go into a draw to win one of ten books by CIN presenters and authors Edward de Bono, Tony Buzan, John Silvester, Andrew Jobling and Arthur [...]