Creating Great Choices

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Creating Great Choices Page 20

by Jennifer Riel


  livability and efficiency, 159–162

  logic, understanding for possibilities, 176, 186–189, 194

  Lord, Phil, 7–8

  Manitoba Hydro, 157–162

  March, James, 19, 32

  Marshall, Bill, 108

  Martin, Roger L., ix–xiii, xvi, 8, 139, 144, 175

  Martin Prosperity Institute, 41

  McCarthy, Jenny, 76

  McEnroe, John, 147

  McKee, Robert, 179

  measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, 76

  mental models, 17–34

  articulating, 65–70, 75–105

  assumptions in, 71

  awareness of and working around, 39–40

  of cause and effect, 28–30

  definition of, 19

  denial of failure in, 29–30

  examining, 65–66, 70–71

  as filters, 18–19

  flaws in, 19

  generalizability of, 30–34

  implicitness of, 19, 20–22

  making observations fit into, 20–22

  manipulation of, 23–26

  mapping, 22, 23

  in organizational decision making, 34–40

  overconfidence in, 30

  oversimplification in, 28–30

  as reality, 19–20

  stickiness of, 26–27

  visualization and, 180–181

  See also models

  metacognition, 12, 43–48, 131–132

  definition of, 43

  explaining possibilities and, 178

  practicing, 44

  tools for, 46–47

  value of, 216

  methodology, 11–13, 63–74

  translating anecdotes into, 63–65

  Miller, Christopher, 7–8

  Miller, George, 109

  mind maps, 22, 23

  mindset, 11–13, 15

  fixed versus growth, 206–207

  in tennis development models, 145–147

  for testing and experimentation, 190–191

  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (Dweck), 206–207

  minimum viable product concept, 184

  mirror neurons, 49

  models

  acting on, 215

  articulating, 65–70

  assumptions in, 127–128

  building enthusiasm for each, 100

  business, 108–117

  causal, 115–116, 128–129

  defining how they work, 94–101

  emotion from opposing, 85–86

  examining, 65–66, 70–71, 107–135

  examining in decision making, 13–14

  explaining, 177–178

  exploratory questions for, 70–71

  falling in love with, 167–168

  holding in tension, 120–124

  identifying extreme opposing, 84–89

  implications of thinking based on, 93–94

  improving with opposing views, 212–213

  key players in, 96–97

  leverage points between, 117–118

  materials for making, 184

  physical, communicating ideas with, 183–184, 185

  sketching, 90–94, 102

  stepping back from problem solving with, 129–132

  understanding the logic for, 176, 186–189, 194

  value of each, 120–124

  See also tension between ideas

  motor neurons, 49

  mutualization, 140

  National Tennis Center, Montreal, 146–147

  negatives, focus on, 94–95

  Nemeth, Charlan, 80

  Nestlé, 201

  Nestor, Daniel, 143

  neurons, 48–49

  Newton, Isaac, 214

  Nudge (Thaler and Sustein), xiv

  Nyhan, Brendan, 26–27

  Oatley, Keith, 51

  observation, 50

  The Opposable Mind (Martin), ix–xiii, 8, 205

  opposing possibilities

  articulating, 75–105

  building enthusiasm for each, 100

  confirmation bias and, 79–80

  contradictory, 156–165

  curiosity and openness to, 213–214

  defining how they work, 94–101

  explaining and understanding, 67–68

  exploring, 38–40, 67–69

  exploring and integrating, 71–73

  holding in tension, 120–124

  identifying two extreme, 84–89

  improving models with, 212–213

  improving thinking with, 80

  leverage points between, 117–118

  list of common, 87

  premature problem solving and, 86, 129–132

  sketching the models for, 90–94

  as stupid or evil, 33–34, 78–82

  surfacing and exploring, 79–82

  for Tennis Canada, 144–148

  third, 88

  understanding, 76–78, 79–80

  value of engaging with, 216

  optimization, 9

  Originals (Grant), 80

  oversimplification, 28–30

  Palme d’Or, 109, 117

  Paradis, Vanessa, 109

  patience, 218

  PCL Constructors Inc., 158

  People’s Choice Award, 118

  perceptions

  expectations in shaping, 23–26

  fitting into mental models, 20–22

  See also mental models

  perspective, 98–99, 205–211. See also empathy

  physical modeling, 183–184, 185

  physics, laws of, 214

  Pixar Animation Studios, 189–190

  Playing to Win (Lafley and Martin), 175

  police force training, 156–157

  politics, opposition in, 78–79

  Polman, Paul, 15, 201–205, 212, 217

  Popova, Maria, 55

  Popper, Karl, 189

  Port Sunlight, 199–205

  positives, focus on, 94–96

  possibilities, generating, 137–171

  decomposition pathway for, 156–165, 171

  double down pathway for, 150, 152–156, 170

  hidden gem pathway for, 143–151, 169

  pathways for, 142–143

  See also opposing possibilities

  Predictably Irrational (Ariely), xiv, 23–24

  Princeton University, 20–21

  problem solving

  avoiding premature, 86, 129–132

  defining questions for, 55

  defining the problem in, 66–67, 81, 82–83

  examining models for, 13–14

  exploring possible answers in, ix–xiii, 38–40, 67–69

  generating new possibilities in, 14

  identifying extreme opposing models in, 84–89

  integrative thinking for, ix–xiii

  reframing the problem in, xii–xiii

  sketching the models for, 90–94

  understanding the problem for, 13

  pro/con lists, 10, 94–96

  Procter & Gamble, xi, 74, 84, 215

  key players at, 96–97

  storytelling at, 179–180

  projection bias, 33

  pro/pro lists, 94–96, 97–100

  for Canada Post, 214

  determining value of each model with, 120–124

  templates for, 104–105

  “Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk” (Kahneman and Tversky), xiv–xv

  prototypes, ix–xiii, 14–15, 173–197

  assessing, 65, 66, 73–74

  creativity enabled with, 56

  defining possibilities and, 176–185

  testing, 176, 189–191

  understanding the logic for, 176, 186–189, 194

  proxy experiences, 51

  questions

  defining clear, 55

  in double down pathway, 153

  for examining the models, 119

  exploratory, examining models with, 70–71

  for exploring possibiliti
es, 72–73

  in integrative thinking, 131–132

  Raonic, Milos, 147, 191

  rationality, xiv–xv, 30

  reasoning

  empathy disrupted by, 49

  metacognition about, 44–46

  reciprocity, shared, 52

  Red Hat, 84

  reframing, xii–xiii

  assumptions, 126

  of closure, 212

  creativity and, 54

  in defining the problem, 81, 82–83

  the problem, 130–131

  Reifler, Jason, 26–27

  Reservoir Dogs, 108

  Riel, Jennifer, 75–76, 80–81, 156–157

  Ries, Eric, 184

  risk and risk management, 173–174

  Rizzolatti, Giacomo, 49

  Roam, Dan, 181

  Roger & Me, 108

  Rosen, Sharron, 184

  Rotman School of Management, xiii, 75–78

  sales force structure, 85

  Scholes, Myron, 31

  Schram, Stefanie, 176

  The Sciences of the Artificial (Simon), xv

  self, understanding of, 215–216

  self-awareness, 44

  self-control, 44

  self-efficacy, 54

  sensory neurons, 49

  shared reciprocity norm, 52

  shareholders versus customers tension, 139–140

  Sharp, Isadore, ix, 84

  Simon, Herb, xv

  simplification, excessive, 28–30

  single-loop learning, 207–208

  Sloan, Alfred P., 39, 85–86

  Smith Carter Architects and Engineers, 158

  social exclusion experiment, 24–25

  solitary geniuses, 53

  Southwest Airlines, 181

  stakeholders, 96–97, 113–114, 139–140, 186

  stance, 205–211

  about your role in the world, 215–218

  about your world, 211–215

  effects of on action, 206–207

  modes of learning and, 207–211

  Star Wars, 107

  Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, 107–108

  status quo, 174–175

  Sterman, John, 19, 28–30

  storyboards, 183, 185

  storytelling, 178–180, 185

  strategy, 175–176

  stupidity, assumption of, 33–34, 78–82

  Sunstein, Cass, xiv

  sustainability

  Toronto Film Festival and, 115–119

  at Unilever, 201–205

  Sutherland, Donald, 110

  sympathy, empathy versus, 48

  synthesis, x

  systems thinking, 115

  Tata, Ratan, 28–29

  Tata Motors, 28–29

  Tata Nano, 28–29

  Taylor, David, 74

  teams

  momentum in problem solving in, 85–86

  pro/pro charts with, 100

  selecting, 34, 36

  templates

  for causal relationships, 135

  decomposition pathway, 171

  for defining possibilities, 193

  double down pathway, 170

  hidden gem, 169

  ladder of inference, 58–59

  on model assumptions, 134

  on model similarities, differences, and value, 133

  on model tensions, 134

  pro/pro chart, 104–105

  for sketching models, 102

  for testing, 195–197

  for understanding the logic, 194

  for visualization, 103

  Tennis Canada, 15, 143–148, 184–185, 187, 188

  Performance Standard Fund, 147

  testing and experimentation at, 190–191

  tension between ideas, ix–xiii

  creative resolution of, ix–xiii

  decomposition pathway for, 156–165, 171

  double down pathway for, 150, 152–156, 170

  examining models and, 13–14

  generating possibilities through, 137–171

  in hidden gem pathway, 148–149

  hidden gem pathway for resolving, 143–151, 169

  holding, 120–124

  identifying extreme models for, 84–87

  at LEGO, 7–9

  pathways to resolving, 142–143

  premature problem solving and, 86, 129–132

  questioning your thinking with, 124–126

  template for, 134

  Toronto Film Festival and, 112–113

  See also dissent

  testing, 14–15, 176, 189–191

  prototypes, 73–74

  templates for, 195–197

  Thaler, Richard, xiv

  Tharp, Twyla, 53

  Thinking, Fast and Slow (Kahneman), xiv

  Thorndike, Doran, Paine, and Lewis, 138

  time, 56

  Toronto International Film Festival, 13–14, 107–119, 142, 152

  business model for, 108–109

  trade-offs, x

  customer experience versus efficiency, 90–92, 97–99

  identifying two extremes in, 84–89

  at LEGO, 5–11

  optimizing and integrating, 9

  at Unilever, 201–205

  transparency, 204

  Transsolar KlimaEngineering, 158, 160

  Truffaut, François, 108

  Tversky, Amos, xiv

  Unilever, 15, 199–205

  United States Tennis Association, 144–147

  University of Toronto, xiii

  vaccines, 75–78, 80

  value, determining for each model, 120–124, 148–150

  Van der Kolk, Henk, 108

  The Vanguard Group, 14, 137–142, 152

  vision, sharing effectively, 177–178

  visual alphabet, 181–182

  visualization

  communication using, 180–183, 185

  of decomposition, 163–165

  of double down pathway, 153–155

  of hidden gem pathway, 150–151

  of models, 122

  template for, 103

  Wakefield, Andrew, 76

  Wall-E, 190

  Warner Bros., 6–8

  Welch, Jack, 213

  Wellington Management Company, 138–139

  Winnipeg Hydro, 157–162

  Young, Bob, ix–xiii, 84

  Zhong, Chen-Bo, 24–25

  Acknowledgments

  This book emerged from a long collaboration between friends. It has been a pleasure to do this work together, as we challenged, encouraged, and occasionally annoyed one another along the way. But it is by no means a two-person production. We are deeply indebted to the mentors, colleagues, and friends who have shaped our thinking.

  First, this book would not have been possible without the efforts of individuals who sparked our ideas and helped develop the theory of integrative thinking. Most especially, we would like to thank Chris Argyris (Roger’s late mentor and the grandfather of integrative thinking), Marcel Desautels (whose transformative gift to create the Desautels Centre for Integrative Thinking at Rotman gave us room to explore these ideas), the late, wonderful Joe Rotman (without whom we would not have had the chance to work together; his grace and his intellect continue to inspire us both), and Hilary Austen (our most crucial thinking partner and a beloved friend). We are also indebted to the folks who meaningfully pushed forward the practice of integrative thinking: Nouman Ashraf, Ellie Avishai, Melanie Carr, Josie Fung, Darren Karn, and Nogah Kornberg. Each of you has contributed in innumerable ways to what we do and how we do it. Thank you, too, to the teachers and practitioners (some of whom we were able to highlight in this book) who share new and remarkable applications with us virtually every day.

  We would also like to thank our current and former colleagues at the Rotman School, who supported and encouraged us. There are too many to name, but we would like to single out Quinn Davidson, Jamison Steeve, and the team at the Martin Prosperity Institute; Mihnea Moldoveanu and Brendan Cal
der in the Desautels Centre for Integrative Thinking; Steve Arenburg, Ken McGuffin, Karen Christensen, and Jennifer Hildebrandt from the broader events and media team; Michele Milan, Jim Fisher, and Brian Golden, who were crucial advocates for putting integrative thinking into the executive education curriculum; and Suzanne Spragge, Gerry Mabin, and Dave Samuel, three very important influencers from Roger’s advisory board during his tenure as dean.

  We are also indebted to the folks we write about in the book (as with movie credits, in order of appearance), including Isadore Sharp, Bob Young, Victoria Hale, A.G. Lafley, Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, Kelli, Beth Grosso, Tim Brown, David Taylor, Piers Handling, Jack Bogle, Michael Downey, Bruce Kuwabara, Claudia Kotchka, Laura Frew, Sharron Rosen, Paul Polman, Jack Welch, Rahim Essebhai, and all of our students, especially Adam, Collin, Gautem, Haley, Lauren, and Jabril.

  The team at Harvard Business Review Press has been wonderful, as always. Thanks to Jeff Kehoe, Jennifer Waring, Kenzie Travers, Stephani Finks, and everyone at the Press who has helped shape and promote the book. Thank you, too, to Michelle Hopgood at MPI, who created all of the visuals you see in the book.

  Finally, thanks to our families—especially our parents. You helped build the foundation for who we are today.

  About the Authors

  Jennifer Riel is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, where she teaches integrative thinking and innovation to undergraduate, MBA, and executive audiences. In this capacity, Jennifer has created and led custom workshops for organizations around the world. She also serves as a strategy and innovation adviser to senior leaders at several Fortune 500 companies.

  Jennifer has served as an editor and collaborator on several books, including The Opposable Mind: How Successful Leaders Win Through Integrative Thinking; The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking Is the Next Competitive Advantage; and Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works. She has also written for the Globe and Mail, Businessweek, Strategy, Rotman Management, Huffington Post, and Fortune.com. Jennifer received her MBA from the Rotman School of Management in 2006.

  Roger Martin is an acclaimed author, consultant, and professor. He is Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto (where he also served as dean from 1998 to 2013). Prior to Rotman, he spent thirteen years as a director of Monitor Company, a global strategy consulting firm. He served as cohead of the firm for two years.

  Roger is an adviser to CEOs on strategy, design, and integrative thinking. He has written widely on these subjects and has published eleven books, including The Opposable Mind, The Design of Business, Fixing the Game, Playing to Win (with A.G. Lafley), and Getting Beyond Better (with Sally Osberg).

  In 2013 Roger placed third on the Thinkers50 list, a biennial ranking of the most influential global business thinkers. In 2007 he was named a Businessweek “B-School All-Star” for being one of the ten most influential business professors in the world. Businessweek also named him one of seven “Innovation Gurus” in 2005. A Canadian from Wallenstein, Ontario, Roger received his AB from Harvard College, with a concentration in economics, in 1979 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981.

 

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