How to think differently – in an instant!

Today is different from yesterday.

No doubt, tomorrow will be different from today.

And with the pace and type of change the difference will be significant.

So we need to be able to think differently.

Here is another reason.

We need to think differently about many of the world’s most important challenges:

  • climate change
  • our mental health
  • the lack of trust in our political institutions
  • kids obesity…

Just to name a few.

On a smaller scale, wouldn’t it be amazing if you and your team could think differently about the various situations you are facing at work and at home?

And to be able to do this – instantly?

Well there is a way.

It’s called Switch Thinking. 

As you can see from the image above the Switch Thinking Model consists of a number of elements.

The Situation: As the name implies this is the problem, challenge, issue or gap etc,

The Box is the usual way of thinking or seeing this situation.

The Ball is a different way to think or see the same situation.

Now the challenge becomes how to think differently about a situation?

How to move from the box to a ball mode of thinking?

Here is the answer.

By using any one of the 6 Switches. 

These are:

  • Switch Perspective
  • Switch the Problem
  • Switch the Outcome
  • Switch the Focus
  • Switch the Questions and
  • Switch the Rules.

These are simple switches that enable you to think differently about any situation.

For example you could switch your perspective from say a business perspective to an environmental one.

This instantly opens up your thinking to new possibilities.

Perhaps there is an opportunity to recycle a raw material or output of a process.

A simple switch in perspective can quickly you to think differently about the situation.

What’s interesting about this approach is the situation has not changed but the way you see or think about it has.

And this happens as if by magic.

Think about a tap where you can switch on the hot then the cold.

Any of these 6 Switches act in the same way in your mind.

You can use any of these Switches, in any order.

So rather than wait around for an ‘aha’ moment in the shower for example (although these are important), Switch Thinking provides you with a semi-structured, proactive way for you and your team to think differently.

Check out the 6 Switches Canvas. It’s simple, practical and free.