Transcript Conceptual Blockbusting for TCC Administrators

Conceptual Blockbusting
for TCC Administrators
(…thinking outside the BLOX)
Scott Langhorst, Ph.D.
Tidewater Community College
Welcome!
--- The Agenda ---
9:00 am – Introductions, warm-up, and
getting started thinking outside the BLOX
 10:30 am -10:40 am – Break
 12:00 Noon – Lunch
 1:00 pm – Resume workshop
 2:30 pm – 2:40 pm – Break
 4:00 pm – Evaluation and conclusion
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Workshop objectives
To stimulate thinking and ideas
 To help improve individual problemsolving skills
 To build individual confidence in being
able to solve problems
 To demonstrate group resourcefulness
 To put in context what “thinking outside
the box” might really mean
 To have some fun!

Workshop materials

Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to
Better Ideas (4th edition) James L. Adams
(…your very own copy for future reference and reading,
compliments of the TCC Administrative Association)

Why Man Creates (1968) Saul Bass
(DVD available through TCC LRC-Chesapeake)
A Whack On the Side of the Head
(1983) Roger von Oech
 Lateral Thinking (1973) Edward de Bono
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Workshop hand-outs and an assortment
of games, puzzles, and brain-teasers
Einstein on imagination
“Imagination is more
important than knowledge.”
(Nobel Laureate - Albert Einstein)
Warm-up exercises
Introductions,
with a twist…
 A brief quiz…
 A movie clip about
the history of
ideas, inventions,
and thinking…

Introductions
Briefly answer the following
(no more than 30 seconds per person):
When was the last time you came up
with a creative idea?
 What was it?
 What motivates you to be creative?
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(Roger von Oech – A Whack On the Side of Your Head)
A little quiz…
How many “9’s” in the series of numbers
from one to one hundred?
 Do the Chinese have a 4th of July?
 There is three errers in this sentence.

(can you find all three?)
If you enter a room with only one match, &
you find a kerosene lamp, a wood stove,
and a fireplace, which do you light first?
 What is the next letter in the series
“O…T…T…F…F…S…S…?”
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Quiz answer key
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Twenty (did you forget about 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95,
96, 97, 98, and 99 ?)
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Yes – (their calendar is the same as ours, they just
don’t celebrate the fourth of July like Americans do)
“is” “errers” and only “two” errors
 First, you must light the match.
 “E” (one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight)
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Multimedia diversion #1
A brief history of ideas, inventions, and
thinking from the stone age to the atomic
age
 Mankind has been very “creative” during
the past few thousand years!
 On the other hand, consider how much
baggage we all carry, i.e., how much of
this collective memory gets in the way?

A history of ideas
“The difficulty lies not so much
in developing new ideas
as in escaping from old ones.”
(British economist - John Maynard Keynes)
Today’s topics?
Ideas
 Thinking
 Creativity
 Imagination
 Problem-solving
 Genius, whacks on the side of the head,
lateral thinking, conceptual blocks, etc.
 All a part of “…thinking outside the box”

Thinking like a genius (Michael Michalko)
Eight strategies to think “productively,”
rather than “reproductively”
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Look at problems in different ways
Visualize!
Produce!
Force relationships
(make connections between dissimilar subjects)
Think in opposites
Think metaphorically
Prepare yourself for chance
A whack on the side of the head
10 “mental locks” by Roger von Oech Certain attitudes (to avoid) which lock
our thinking into the status quo:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The right answer
That’s not logical
Follow the rules
Be practical
Avoid ambiguity
To err is wrong
7. Play is frivolous
8. That’s not my area
9. Don’t be foolish
10. I’m not creative
6.
Lateral thinking (Edward de Bono)
“ The most basic principle of lateral
thinking is that any particular way of
looking at things is only one from among
many other possible ways.”
 “Lateral thinking is concerned with
exploring these other ways by
restructuring and rearranging the
information that is available.”
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Conceptual blocks (John L. Adams)
“Mental walls that block the problem-solver
from correctly perceiving a problem or
conceiving its solution.”
 Perceptual blocks
 Emotional blocks
 Cultural blocks
 Environmental blocks
 Intellectual and expressive blocks
Problems with problem definition
What is the problem?
 Oftentimes, how you state the problem will
determine the outcome.
 What is “given”? What is the “goal”?
 How can you get from the givens to the
goal? What operations, actions, processes
will transform the givens into the goal?
 Take time to clearly state and understand a
problem, before you try to solve it.
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Restating the question or goal
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How you ask the question can make a
difference in terms of which solutions are
even considered by problem solvers:
 “Design a better door.” or
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“Design a better way to get through a wall.”
“Opens up” many more potential solutions
 A conscious process of restructuring and
rearranging the information that is available
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A morbid example of “what question”
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How you ask the question can make a
difference in terms of which solutions are
even considered by problem solvers:
“What should we do in the event we bury
someone who is alive?” or
 “How can we make sure everyone we bury
is dead?”
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Also, an example that there’s usually more
than one right answer!
(Roger von Oech – A Whack On the Side of Your Head)
Average speed hill
Up at 30 MPH
Down at ??? MPH
= 60 MPH for the whole trip?
Problem definition tools
Re-statement of givens and/or goals
 What is information, what is data?
 Is there enough information? Why not?
 Can I change the “labels” on information?
 What is not given? Why not?
 Can the goal be stated more broadly?
 Do I need the givens to solve the problem?
 Can I use a different thinking process?
 Play with the information!!!
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e.g., apples and oranges
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Three boxes of fruit are all mis-labeled.
One box has a sign on the front “apples,”
one box has a sign “oranges,” and one
box has a sign “apples and oranges.”
What is the minimum number of moves
to correctly label all the boxes? i.e., look
in the box, move the sign (What are the moves?)
Apples
Oranges
Apples &
Oranges
Looking at things in different ways
Look at the givens in
a different way
 Look at the goal(s) in
a different way
 Look at the
operations, actions,
processes in a
different way
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Looking at things in different ways
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Interpret the following into a common
word or phrase:
Le
vel
ECNALG
R/E/A/D/I/N/G
Wear
Long
Dice
Dice
0
Ph.D.
M.A.
B.A.
He’s / himself
M.D. M.D.
knee
light
Looking at things in different ways
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Advanced interpretations:
18 = H on a G C
32 = D F at which W F
5 = D in a Z C
3 = B M (SHTR)
Looking at things in different ways
“Discovery consists of looking at
the same thing as everyone else
and thinking something different.”
(Nobel laureate – Albert Szent-Gyorgyi)
Multimedia diversion #2
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Fooling around…
Lateral versus vertical thinking
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Lateral thinking is
generative
Lateral thinking moves
to generate a direction
Lateral thinking is
provocative
With lateral thinking,
one welcomes chance
intrusions
(e.g., creative thinking)
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Vertical thinking is
selective
Vertical thinking moves
only if there is a direction
Vertical thinking is
analytical
With vertical thinking,
one concentrates and
excludes what is irrelevant
(e.g., logical thinking)
(Edward DeBono)
Lateral versus vertical thinking
“Lateral thinking and vertical thinking are
complementary.” (…you need to use both)
 “Lateral thinking is like the reverse gear in
a car. One would never try to drive along
in reverse gear the whole time. On the
other hand one needs to have it and to
know how to use it for maneuverability
and to get out of a blind alley.”
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(Edward DeBono)
Lateral versus vertical thinking
“Nothing is more dangerous
than an idea when it is
the only one you have.”
(French philosopher - Emile Chartier)
Lateral versus vertical thinking
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Are you digging the
same hole deeper
and deeper, or
should you be
trying to dig (more)
holes in some
different places?
Lateral versus vertical thinking
“Insanity: doing the same thing
over and over again
and expecting different results.”
(Nobel Laureate – Albert Einstein)
Some group problems to discuss
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Break into four groups (group #1 should be composed
of folks who have not yet seen the “roses and petals” problem)
Talk about the problem --- “what is the
problem?” how would you re-state? can
you look at it in a different way? etc., etc.
 Be prepared for a group spokesperson to
share your group’s thought process
 Don’t worry about so much about
the ANSWER (but it’s okay if you happen to get one)
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Roses and petals
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How many “roses” and
how many “petals” do you see?
#1
?
#2
?
#3
?
Three prisoners
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A prison warden invites three prisoners
to his office to explain that one prisoner
will soon go free. All they need to do is
solve a puzzle. The warden shows them
5 hats (3
hats and 2 red hats). “I’m
going to blindfold your eyes and place a
hat on each of your heads. If you can tell
me what color hat you have on, I will set
you free.” (…the hats are too small for a
prisoner to see his own hat)
Three prisoners
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The three prisoners agree to the
challenge, but one man indicates that he
is blind. (He really is.) The blind man says:
“I’ll also participate, if you let me go last.”
The warden and other prisoners agree.
The warden blindfolds them, mixes up the
hats, and places one hat each on their
heads (and discards the remaining 2 hats
out of view). He then removes their
blindfolds…
Three prisoners
First prisoner: (looking at the others)
“I can’t tell what color hat I have on.”
 Second prisoner: (looking around)
“I can’t tell what color hat I have on.”
 Blind prisoner: (immediately shouts)
“I have a white hat on my head!”
 And he was correct, and could explain
how he knew for sure (How did he know?)
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Truthers, liars, and alternators
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You enter a country that has only three
kinds of people: people who always tell
the truth (truthers), people who always lie
(liars), and people who alternate telling
the truth and then lying (alternators). As
you enter the country, you meet a person.
What two questions would you ask to
correctly determine what kind of person
you have just encountered?
Camping trip
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On a camping trip, you are given a 9 oz.
cup and a 4 oz. cup and asked to go to
the lake and come back with exactly 6 oz.
of water. Both cups are unmarked. No
guessing or estimating. How do you do it?
9 oz.
4 oz.
Multimedia diversion #3
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The process…
Conceptual blocks: perceptual
Detecting what you expect (stereotyping)
 Difficulty in isolating the problem
 Tendency to delimit the problem area
poorly
 Inability to see the problem from various
viewpoints
 Saturation
 Failure to utilize all sensory inputs
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What do you see (3 seconds)?
Rabbit in the
the hat
Paris in the
the Spring
Singing in the
the rain
Are you sure?
What do you think you saw?
 Is there a group consensus?
 Are you sure?
 Really?
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Want to look again?
Rabbit in the
the hat
Paris in the
the Spring
Singing in the
the rain
Overcoming perceptual blocks
All of your senses can be deceived !!
 Re-state the givens and/or goals
 Narrow the focus / expand the scope
 What boundaries are you imposing?
 Change the labels
 What do I expect to see? What is there?
 Do you have too much data--“easy” data?
 “Touch” the problem, “taste” the problem,
“smell” the problem, “hear” the problem…
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Overcoming perceptual blocks
Spelling bee
 Match problems
 Three cups
 Camels
 Two pencils
 Telephone dial
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Conceptual blocks: emotional
Fear of feeling like an idiot
 Fear of taking a risk
 Feelings of inadequacy
 To err is wrong
 Avoiding ambiguity and chaos
 Feeling like you can’t ask for help from
others (i.e., “it’s your problem…”)
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Overcoming emotional blocks
Barnyard exercise
 All of Von Oech’s “attitudes” (Whack em!)
 Know that emotions can (really) interfere
 Try anyway --- “…just do it!”
 I’m okay, you’re okay, and we both may
not have a clue (…but that’s okay)
 Ask for help! Involve others!
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Multimedia diversion #4
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The judgment…
Conceptual blocks: cultural
(i.e., American, Caucasian, middle-class, ethos)
Problem solving is serious!
 One right answer (for everything)
 Intuition and insight are bad
(= logic and rational thinking are good)
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= any problem can be solved by scientific
thinking
Taboos
 “Follow the rules”
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Einstein on education
“It is a miracle that curiosity
survives formal education.”
(Nobel Laureate - Albert Einstein)
Overcoming cultural blocks
Look for more than one right answer!
 It’s okay to have fun--don’t be so serious
 Not all problems can be solved with
reason and logic
 Some things we just don’t “think” or talk
about (at least in polite company)
 If you are following all the rules, there is
a good chance that they will “box” you in
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Conceptual blocks: environmental
Not enough time
 Distractions
 Lack of cooperation or trust in others
 “That’s not my area”
 “Be practical” or “Don’t be foolish”
 Judging is easier than generating ideas

(the “sitting back” and “kibitzing” strategy often
used as a form of organizational survival)
Overcoming environmental blocks
Create an environment that is supportive
 Engage significant others (those you trust)
 Accept that we are all in this, together
 Learn to accept and incorporate criticism
 It is okay to be impractical (and foolish),
occasionally
 Be a “contributor” and not just a “kibitzer”
(generate ideas first, judge later)
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Multimedia diversion #5
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A parable…
Conceptual blocks: intellectual & expressive
Solving the problem using an incorrect
language
 Inflexible or inadequate use of
intellectual problem-solving strategies
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(e.g., exclusive use of vertical or lateral thinking)
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Lack of, or incorrect, information
(e.g., missing info because of a perceptual block)
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Inadequate language skill to express and
record ideas
The penitent monk
Up
one
day
6:00 am
6:00 pm
Uneven
rate of
travel
Narrow, steep,
winding,
rocky path
Down
next
day
Overcoming intellectual & expressive blocks
Practice other styles of problem-solving
that you are not comfortable with (e.g.,
verbal, visual, mathematical, logical, etc.)
 Remember that there is usually more
than one way to solve a problem
 Try to insure that “blocks” do not obscure
real and necessary information
 Effective communication (of ideas) cannot
be taken for granted
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Fromm on creativity
“Creativity requires the courage
to let go of certainties.”
(Psychotherapist and author – Erich Fromm)
Multimedia diversion #6
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A digression…
Problem-solving in groups
Inadequate knowledge of the creative
process and use of group creativity
techniques
 Poor understanding of the roles of
affiliation and ego needs
 Poor leadership
 Inadequate or unbalanced group
membership
 Lack of proper support
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Sharing exercise (“The Rules”)
Rule #1 – NO TALKING or communicating
of any kind (gestures, signals, winks, etc.)
among team members
 Rule #2 – NO TAKING pieces from
someone else on the team, i.e., you can
only “give” a piece(s) to someone else
 GOAL = completed square in front of each
team member (all, same size and shape)
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Lessons from sharing exercise?
You’ve got to work together to solve it
 Everyone has a piece of the solution
 No one person starts with the whole
answer – no one person can do it all
 The group is “smarter” than any individual
 The importance of interpersonal
communications in group problem-solving
 Other lessons?
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Group problem-solving tools
Brainstorming (formal process)
 Everyone wants to be “accepted” and will
sacrifice much creativity to group identity
 Leadership style is important for group
process
 Subscribe to “The Wisdom of Teams”
 Don’t underestimate the importance of
communication within the group/team
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Problem-solving in organizations
Organizational culture
 Organizational size, growth, & maturity
 Control versus creativity
 Tradition and past success
 Reward system and support
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Psychological rewards
 Support for creativity
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Bennis of leadership
“Leaders must encourage their
organizations to dance to
forms of music yet to be heard.”
(USC Professor and Leadership author – Warren Bennis)
Organizational problem-solving tools
As academic leaders in the TCC community:
 Contribute to a creative problem-solving
culture (be open, flexible, and help others)
 Think and act “young” & “hungry”
(unburdened by institutional inertia, organizational complexity, the
lessons of experience, and illusions of post-secondary grandeur…)
Balance control with creativity
 Remember the ephemeral nature of
“success,” e.g., trains, planes, and IBM
 Be sensitive to rewards and recognition
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Cleese on creative workers
“If you want creative workers,
give them enough time to play”
(Monty Python comedian and
management consultant – John Cleese)
“Thinking outside the b(L)ox” (defined)
Being creative with, and open to, new
ideas (informal definition)
 Avoiding being “boxed in” by old habits,
false perceptions, & easy answers (informal)
 To approach a problem-solving situation
without imposing unnecessary or
subliminal limitations (“conceptual blocks”)
on problem definition, problem-solving
processes, and/or problem solutions
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(semi- formal definition)
A practical exercise (and application)
Question: is TCC a
good “problem-solving”
environment?
 Problem: what would
it take to make
TCC more “problemsolving friendly”?
 Think: how can you
improve the situation?
(…be creative!!!)
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Workshop evaluation
Please complete the workshop evaluation
and return it to Kay Williams at the end of
the session
 (If you feel that others might benefit from
a similar “Thinking Outside the Blox”
workshop experience, I would be happy
to do another one)
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Thanks!
Go forth and be creative problemsolvers
 Look at things in different ways
 Watch out for those conceptual blocks
 Next time your hear:
“…think outside the box”
you’ll know how to respond
 Lighten up !!
Have some fun with this stuff!!!
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