Chapter 6 Mental Blocks

8/9/2019 Chapter 6 Mental Blocks

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Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 102/04/1

!he "ive #$il%ing #loc&s of the 'e$ristic





Common Ca$ses of Mental #loc&s

•Defining the problemtoo narrowly.

• Assuming there is only

one right answer.





•Being distracted by irrelevantinformation, called mentalda!!le".

• #etting frustrated by lac$ ofsuccess.

• Being too an%ious to finish.

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• #etting hoo&e%- on the first solutionthat comes to mind.

• #etting hoo&e%- on a solution thatalmost wor$s 'but really doesn(t).

• Defining the problem too narrowly.

• Assuming there is only one rightanswer.

• Being distracted by irrelevantinformation, called mental da!!le".

• #etting frustrated by lac$ of success.

• Being too an%ious to finish.

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•#etting hoo&e%- on the first solution thatcomes to mind.

• #etting hoo&e%- on a solution that almostwor$s 'but really doesn(t).

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.ecogniing Mental #loc&s

A%ams ( !ypes of Concept$al #loc&s

A ercept$al #loc&s

• Limiting the problem unnecessarily ' Dots)

• Stereotyping '-lashlight in Desert)• Saturation or information overload

'Air raffic /ontrollers)





# Emotional #loc&s

• Fear of risk taking 'umber one nhibitor)• Lack of appetite for chaos 'ust learn to live

with confusion)

• Judging rather than generating ideas '4ildideas)

• Inability to incubate





C C$lt$ral #loc&s 'aboos)

D Environmental #loc&s 'Distractions)





E 3ntellect$al #loc&s 'Don(t havebac$ground $nowledge)

" Epressive #loc&s '/an(t communicateeasily with others)



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*omans #loc&b$sters#loc& #loc&b$ster

1 5egative Attit$%e-ocusing attention on negative aspects of the

problem or possible unsatisfactory outcomeshampers creativity.

1 Attit$%e A%6$stment7ist the positive outcomes and aspects of the

problem. 8eali!e that with every problem there isnot only danger of failure but an opportunity forsuccess.

2 "ear of "ail$re9ne of the greatest inhibitors to creativity is the fearof failure and the inability to ta$e a ris$.

2 .is& !a&ing9utline what the ris$ is, why it is important, what isthe worst possible outcome and, what your optionsare with the worst possible outcome and how you

would deal with this failure.7 "ollo)ing the .$les:ome rules are necessary, such as stopping at ared light, while others hinder innovation.

7 #rea&ing the .$les;ractice trying new things. a$e a different route towor$, try a new food, go somewhere you(ve nevergone.

4 8ver9reliance on :ogic A need to proceed in a step<by<step fashion may

unfortunately relegate imagination to thebac$ground

4 3nternal Creative Climateurn the situation over to your imagination, your

feelings, your sense of humor. ;lay with insightsand possibilities.

;o$ Arent CreativeBelieving that you are not creative is a serioushindrance to generating creative solutions.Believing that you can(t do something is a self<fulfilling prophesy.

Creative #eliefs=ncourage your creativity, by as$ing what<if">uestions? daydream, ma$e up metaphors andanalogies. ry different ways of e%pressing yourcreativity.



Creative !hin&ing

Creative !hin&ing

!he process )e $se to %evelop i%eas that are $ni<$e,$sef$l an% )orthy of f$rther elaboration

'o) can yo$ become more creative=



3mproving ;o$r Creative Abilities

>eep trac& of yo$r i%eas at all times any times ideas come at une%pected times. fan idea is not written down within 2& hours it willusually be forgotten.

ose ne) <$estions to yo$rself every %ay An in>uiring mind is a creatively active one thatenlarges its area of awareness.

>eep abreast of yo$r fiel% 8ead the maga!ines, trade @ournals, and otherliterature in your field to ma$e sure you are notusing yesterdays technology to solve toadysproblems.


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Engage in creative hobbies obbies can also help you rela%. An active mindis necessary for creative growth.

'ave Co$rage an% +elf9confi%ence Be a paradigm pioneer. Assume that you canand will indeed solve the problem. ;ersist andhave the tenacity to overcome obstacles thatbloc$ the solution pathway.

:earn to &no) an% $n%erstan% yo$rself Deepen your self<$nowledge by learning yourstrengths, s$ills, wea$nesses, disli$e, biases,

e%pectations, fears and pre@udices.



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:earn abo$t things o$tsi%e yo$r specialty Cse cross<fertili!ation to bring ideas andconcepts from one field or specialty to another .

Avoi% rigi%, set patterns of %oing things

9vercome biases and preconceived notions byloo$ing at the problem from a fresh view point,always developing at least two or morealternative solutions to your problem.

#e open an% receptive to i%eas ?yo$rs an%others@ ew ideas are fragile? $eep them from brea$ingby sei!ing on the tentative, half formed concepts

and possibilities and developing them .


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#e alert in yo$r observations

7oo$ for similarities, differences, as well asuni>ue and distinguishing characteristics insituations and problems.

>eep yo$r sense of h$mor

ou are more creative when you are rela%ed.umor aids in putting your problems 'andyourself) in perspective. any times it relievestension and ma$es you feel more rela%ed.

A%opt a ris& ta&ing attit$%e-ear of failure is the ma@or impediment togenerating solutions which are ris$y 'i.e. smallchance of succeeding) but would have a ma@or

impact if they are successful.




A%opt a ris& ta&ing attit$%e-ear of failure is the ma@or impediment togenerating solutions which are ris$y 'i.e. smallchance of succeeding) but would have a ma@or

impact if they are successful.




8is$s are actions with little chance of succeeding

that re>uire significant effort, resources, andEor time.

owever, if they are successful, they will have asignificant impact.

ruly innovative solutions that ma$e a significantdifference in your life, organi!ation, andEorcommunity are almost never found without someris$ ta$ing.

Any time you ta$e a ris$, there will most li$ely besomeone out there to critici!e it.Don(t be too sensitive to criticism.

.is& !a&ing




.is& !a&ing 9 ero

n 1* Fero% completed the first prototype copier

and initiated wor$ to go into mass production.

hey found that producing high >uality machineswas going to re>uire a great deal of investment.

/onse>uently they hired Arthur D. 7ittle to carryout a mar$eting and financial analysis.

he analysis concluded that no more than *66units would sell, which may not @ustify such a largecapital investment.

he pro@ect loo$ed li$e it would end before itbegan.




.is& !a&ing 9 ero

en years later Fero% passed the billion dollar

'G1,666,666,666.66) mar$ as a result of theirrevolutionary office copiers.

:mith, Douglas H. and 8obert /. Ale%ander, Fumbling the

Future, 4illiam orrow and /ompany, nc., ew or$I155.

-ortunately, management went ahead with

the ris$ and too$ on the pro@ect.




.is& !a&ing B ero Alto

n 103, a company developed the Alto +ystem

which included theI

•-irst ;ersonal /omputer

•-irst and<eld ouse

•-irst 4ord ;rocessing :ystem -or on<e%perts



.is& !a&ing B ero Alto

A survey showed there was not a

mar$et for personal computers ';/s).

n 10 they decided not to ta$e theris$ and as a result did not mar$et the

Alto.


Epilog$eFero% was the first to develop the ;/, yet it still remains

a copy company to many people, while revenues from Apple and B measured in the billions of dollars by151..

Smith, Douglas K. and Robert C. Alexander, Fumbling the Future, William Morrow andCompany, In., !ew "or#$ %&''.



"ail$re


in

INDONESIA

A ma@or mar$eting campaign was initiated tointroduce /oca</ola into ndonesia.



"ail$re Coca Cola in 3n%onesia

A ma@or mar$eting campaign was begun tointroduce /oca</ola to ndonesia.

ndonesians tried /oca /ola and did not li$eit. :ales dropped off rapidly.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 2&02/04/1

time

sales

/oca</ola "A3:EDJJJ But did they U3!KK



#$t %i% they <$it=

ndonesians were used to tea, coffee, and

tropical soft drin$s and were unaccustomed tocarbonated drin$s.

/oca</ola phased in carbonation by introducingit into strawberry, pineapple, and banana

flavored soft drin$s.

he sale of /oca</ola now surpasses the saleof local tropical drin$s.

attimore, Bryan 4. L inspiration, Amacom, C:AI 1&. p. 2.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 2*02/04/1



"ail$re

C. of ichigan Business :choolI Failure 101 ourse

:tudent ;ro@ects

• ar$et 8eversible Diapers

• 9pen a aternity 4ard in a 8etirement /enter

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"ail$re


• !om

• arren

• Don




"ail$re


• Domino(sM ;i!!a

• Avis 8ental /ar

• 3 ;ost<itM otes




"ail$re-•Nohn #risham, two publishers turned down his first novel.

•enry -ord went ban$rupt five times

•Oincent Oan #ogh sold only one painting in his lifetime•ichael Nordon failed to ma$e his high school varsity team inhis sophomore year.

•he Nonas Brothers were dropped by their recording companyafter first /D failed.



"ail$re-•9prah failed as a news reporter

•4inston /hurchill failed the entrance e%am for the

8oyal ilitary /ollege at :andhurst three times beforefinally passing and being allowed to attend.

•9rville 4right of the 4right brothers was e%pelled fromschool.



"ail$re-•enry -ord went ban$rupt five times•Oincent Oan #ogh sold only one painting in his lifetime

•ichael Nordon failed to ma$e his high school varsityteam in his sophomore year.•4inston /hurchill failed the entrance e%am for the 8oyalilitary /ollege at :andhurst three times before finallypassing and being allowed to attend.

•he Nonas Brothers were dropped by their recordingcompany after first /D failed.



"ail$re-•N.H. 8owling 'arry ;otter) hit roc$ bottom and wasvirtually penniless, divorced, single mother, and @obless

seven years after graduation.

It is impossible to live !ithout failure at something

unless you live so cautiously that it is impossible to fail"

in !hich case you failed by default.<N.H. 8owling

Embrace "ail$reF




• -ear of failure is the greatest inhibitor to ris$ ta$ing.• f ma@or brea$throughs are to be made,

ris$s will have to be ta$en.• -ailures resulting from these ris$s will occur,

but are only events on the learning curve

success

time

deal 7earning /urve

success

time

*

&3

21

Actual 7earning /urve

;oints 1, 2, 3, &, and * are not failures, but rather events. he $nowledgegained from these events should be used constructively so that thechances of success will be greater on the ne%t try.

"ail$re

" il



"ail$re

here is no such thing as failureunless

you do not learn from an event 'Pfailure") on

the learning curveJJ

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 3&02/04/1

" il



"ail$re

C. of ichigan -ailure 161 /ourse

DominosG ia

Avis .ental Car

7M ost9itG 5otes

he #reatest nhibition o 8is$ a$ingQ

is fear of fail$re

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 3*02/04/1

8 i th " f " il



8vercoming the "ear of "ail$re

• #utline I 4hat he 8is$ s

4hy he 8is$ s mportant

• $escribe I he 4orst ;ossible 9utcome

• $escribe I 4hat Are our 9ptions #iven he 4orst

;ossible 9utcome

• $escribe I 4hat ou /ould 7earn o :tart Again #iven

he 4orst ;ossible 9utcome

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! &i .i &




!a&ing .is&s

:ome simple things you can dothat will ma$e you become morecomfortable with ris$<ta$ingI

.i & ! &i




.is& !a&ing

+imple things yo$ can %o to ma&e yo$ a

more comfortable ris&9ta&er

•/hallenge established patterns of doing businesswithin your organi!ation•ry a new sport 'e.g. s$ydiving)

•Noin a thespian group•Oolunteer to be the organi!er of a group activity•Oolunteer to spea$ at a conference or meeting•Buy an e%pensive item that can only be used

once you attain a goal 'i.e. a dress one si!e toosmall, a heavier weight set)•:ing at a Harao$e bar

.i & ! &i




.is& !a&ing

+$mmary

•o ma$e a brea$through you have got to be willing to ma$emista$es

•a$e as many mista$es as you need to learn

•-ailure" is a strengthening process

.i & ! &i



Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor &602/04/1

.is& !a&ing

+$mmary

•:uccess is going from -ailure to -ailure" with greatenthusiasm

•a$e -ailure 8espectable

•here is no sure thing as failure," a bad result is only anevent on the learning curve < C7=:: you do not learn fromthe event

enlo ndustries :ign on the 4allI %ake %istakes Faster

.i & ! &i



.is& !a&ing

+$mmary

•o ma$e a brea$through you have to be willing to ma$e mista$es

•a$e as many mista$es as you need to learn

•-ailure" is a strengthening process•:uccess is going from -ailure to -ailure" with greatenthusiasm

•a$e -ailure 8espectable

•here is no sure thing as failure," it is only an event on thelearning curve < C7=:: you do not learn from the event

•;ractice some form of ris$ ta$ing everyday

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Chapter 6 Mental Blocks