Module 1:

Thinking Strategically
and Creatively
Day 1

1
2
LEARNING PARTNERS

3
Expectations

4
Terminal Objective

By the end of the two-day module,

participants will be able to develop
strategic and innovative ideas and
solutions to enhance organizational
effectiveness and responsiveness using
a set of thinking tools.

5
Enabling Objectives
1. Expound on the value and applications of
Thinking Strategically and Creatively in
enhancing organizational effectiveness and
responsiveness
2. Apply tools for thinking strategically and
creatively in practice sets and in evaluating the
operating environment (systems, processes,
projects, and decisions)

6
Enabling Objectives

3. Explain and demonstrate the use of a Six-Step

Strategy Development Process
4. Apply the thinking tools and strategy
development process in refining their Action
Learning Project plan

7
Day 1 Agenda

Preliminaries
How the mind
works

7 Thinking
Tools
Day 2 Agenda

1 Thinking Tool
Action Learning
and 2 Creative
Project
“Tools”
Thinking Strategically and
Creatively

• The ability to “see the big picture”, think

Definition

multi-dimensionally, craft innovative

solutions, identify connections between
situations or things that are not obviously
related, and come up with new ideas and
different ways to enhance organizational
effectiveness and responsiveness.

14
Advanced

• Plans, crafts and adapts strategies

Description
Core

for achieving the vision, mission

and objectives of the agency or
organization and secures the
proper implementation of these
strategies.

15
Elements and Behavioural Indicators

16
Advanced Level

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Selected Readings

1. Think Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman

2. Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step,
Edward de Bono
3. Think! Before It’s Too Late, Edward de Bono
4. Mechanism of the Mind, Edward de Bono

18
Selected Readings

5. Developing Army Strategic Thinkers, U.S. Army

Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social
Sciences
6. Strategic Thinking, Eton Lawrence
7. Thinking Ahead – Strategic Foresight, Andrew
Leigh, Harvard University

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Thinking
Strategically and
Creatively

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How the Mind Works

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You often
see what
you are
told to
see.
Noboyuki Kayahara, n.d.
Source: http://www.randominc.net/spinninglady/
You tend
to see
what you
are most
focused
on.

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Joseph Jastrow, 1899
You tend
to see
what you
attend to
or expect
to see.

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The Self-Patterning System

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We were conditioned to
THINK
in a structured manner
most of the time!

30
The Difference?

Linear Intuitive Creative Strategic

Thinking Thinking Thinking Thinking

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Linear Thinking

Structured, process-driven or step by

step approach where a response to a
step must be elicited before another
step is taken
1

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Intuitive Thinking

• Putting together random

experiences to find immediate
or deadline-driven solutions

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Creative Thinking

• Thinking in new ways

• Coming up with new ideas
to solve problems
• Innovating

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Creative Thinking

Breaking out of established

patterns to look at things in a
different way.

Edward de Bono

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Strategic Thinking

• Seeing the “big picture”

• Taking a step back and assessing
how everything fits with everything
else

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 “The Strategic Thinker takes
intentionally different approaches –
every time. ”
James E. Lukaszewski

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Strategic Thinking is
needed if…

Traditional
solutions do not Traditional
work solution is
everybody’s
solution

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Systems Thinking
Involves
projecting how one
decision can impact many
people and set in motion a
situation that can create many
unexpected outcomes for the
organization.

American Management Association

39
“One of the most useful tools for
good strategy analysis is
systems thinking.”
Robert Bradford, CEO of Course and Direction, Inc.

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Strategic and Creative
Thinking Principles

Learnable skills
Improved by constant and
deliberate practice
Employ essential tools

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Strategy
Development
Process

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 Strategy Development Process

Patterns and
Assumptions

Action Plans
Options

Current State Desired State

Evaluation

43
Strategy Development Process

Factors Views

Patterns and
Assumptions
Objectives
Problem
Definition
/Factors Alter- Priorities

Action Plans
Options
natives
Current State Con- Desired State
Assess- sequence
ment
Views

Con-
Evaluation
Priorities sequence
44
Strategy Development Process

Factors Views

Patterns and
Assumptions
Objectives
Problem
Definition
/Factors Alter- Priorities

Action Plans
Options
natives
Current State Con- Desired State
Assess- sequence
ment
Views

Con-
Evaluation
Priorities sequence
45
Developing Strategic
and Creative Thinking

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10 Thinking Tools

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10 Thinking Tools

Random
Objectives Factors Alternatives
Word

Idea Problem
Priorities Assessment
Challenge Definition

Consequence Views

48
Tool #1

PROBLEM
DEFINITION
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PROBLEM DEFINITION Tool
• Ensures clear definition of the problem to facilitate solution

• Remember: A problem may not be what it

appears to be at first!

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Using PROBLEM DEFINITION
Be careful of thinking of symptoms as the real
problem.

Keep digging.

51
Using PROBLEM DEFINITION
1. Think of the problem. Ask: What is the real problem
here?
2. Define issues or real problems. List down the different
definitions.
3. Think of solutions to the defined problems.

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PROBLEM DEFINITION Worksheet

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High turnover of employees

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Unmet Division Targets

62
Strategy Development Process

Patterns and
Assumptions
Problem
Definition

Action Plans
Options

Current State Desired State

Evaluation

63
 What is the current state?
Problem
Definition Define the problem using
Problem definition worksheet

Current State

64
Tool #2

OBJECTIVES

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OBJECTIVES Tool

• Used in picking out and defining

objectives
• Looks at the intentions behind
actions

66
Using OBJECTIVES

1. Think of the objectives in the given situation.

2. What should be accomplished? Make your

list as comprehensive as possible.

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OBJECTIVES Worksheet

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Local tourism

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Tardiness in your office

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OBJECTIVES
Key Points

1. Easier to achieve clear objectives

2. Different people have different objectives looking at the
same situation - seeing their objectives create ‘common
ground’
3. There may be many objectives, but some are more
important than others
4. Useful at the beginning of a thinking session, a tool for
making things happen
Strategy Development Process

Patterns and
Assumptions
Objectives
ProbleS
Problem
olving/
Definition
Factors

Action Plans
Options

Current State Desired State

Evaluation

78
What is the desired state?

Write your desired state using the

Objectives
Objectives tool.

Desired State

79
Tool #3

FACTORS

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FACTORS Tool

• Used to explore all factors in a

situation instead of only the
obvious ones
• Used in planning, design,
preparing recommendations and . .

decision-making.
. .

. .

81
Using FACTORS

1. Think of the factors that should be kept in mind.

Ask what should we bring to mind? What must we
not leave out?
.

2. List down all the things that should be considered.

Be as thorough as possible.
. .

. . .

82
FACTORS Worksheet

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Buying a second hand car

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Contents of a Project Proposal

92
FACTORS
Key Points

1. Consider everything; nothing should be left out

2. Consider all the factors and pick out the ones that matter
most
3. If you left out an important factor, your answer may seem
right but will later turn out to be wrong
4. Use FACTORS to explore a situation before coming up
with an idea; an action, design, decision making, planning,
judgment, and making conclusions
Strategy Development Process

Factors
Patterns and
Assumptions
Objectives
Problem
Definition
/Factors

Action Plans
Options

Current State Desired State

Evaluation

94
 Factors
Patterns and
Assumptions

Problem
Definition
/Factors What are the factors that brought
about the current state?
Current State

Use factors tool.

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Tool # 4

ALTERNATIVES

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ALTERNATIVES Tool

• An action tool used in coming up with

new options and choices, and in thinking
of new possibilities
• Useful in three situations:
1. Explanation and understanding
2. Prediction
3. Action

97
Using ALTERNATIVES

1. Think of the situation. Ask: What are the

alternatives, possibilities or choices for it?
2. List alternatives. Start with the obvious,
simple, known, available and traditional
alternatives.
3. Use creativity to generate further
alternatives.
4. Write down as many choices as you can.

98
ALTERNATIVES Worksheet

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Your neighbor is playing very loud
music late at night. What are your
alternatives?

101
Your office wants to adopt cost
saving measures, what are your
alternatives.

102
ALTERNATIVES
Key Points

• Use ALTERNATIVES to understand

something, to predict, and to design an
action
• There is always an alternative although it
may not be apparent at first
• Generating alternatives may increase
difficulty of making final choices but it is
impossible to be a good thinker if you are
not able to handle positions
ALTERNATIVES
To look for
alternatives when
one is not satisfied
is easy, but to look
for them when one
is satisfied
requires deliberate
effort.
Strategy Development Process

Factors

Patterns and
Assumptions
Problem Objectives
Definition
/Factors
Alter-

Action Plans
Options
natives
Current State Desired State

Evaluation

112
 What are the different options
or actions you can do to take you from
the current state to the desired state?
Alter-
natives
Use Alternatives tool.
Options

113
Tool #5

ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT Tool
• Assessment is used to examine an idea for
good, bad and interesting points
• Involves deliberate examination of an idea
instead of immediate acceptance or rejection
• Helps us consider all sides of a matter before
a decision or commitment is made
• An important evaluation tool
ASSESSMENT Tool
Plus
• The good things about an idea.

Minus
• The bad things about an idea.

Interesting
• What you find interesting about an idea.
• Something that is neither good nor bad but noteworthy. Something that the
idea could lead to.
Using ASSESSMENT
1. Think of the Plus points of the
idea. List down all the good things
about the idea. Exhaust Plus
ideas first before going to Minus.

2. Think of Minus points of the idea.

List down all the bad things about
the idea. Exhaust Minus ideas
first before going to Interesting.
Using ASSESSMENT
3. Think of Interesting points of the
idea. List down points that are
neither good nor bad but are
interesting. Think of new ideas that
could arise from the given idea.

You may use these phrases to help think of

Interesting points:
“It would be interesting to see if…”
“It would be interesting to see whether…”
“What is interesting about this is…”
ASSESSMENT Worksheet
Choosing the sex of baby in advance
Flexi-Place Policy
ASSESSMENT
Key Points
• ASSESSMENT is important because without it you
may reject a valuable idea that seems bad at first
sight.
• Without ASSESSMENT you are very unlikely to see
the disadvantages of an idea that you like very much.
• Assessment can show that ideas are not just good or
bad but can also be interesting if they lead to other
ideas.
ASSESSMENT
Key Points

• Without ASSESSMENT most judgments are based not on

the value of the idea itself but on your emotions at that
time.
• With ASSESSMENT you decide whether or not you like
the idea after you have explored it instead of before.
Strategy Development Process

Factors

Patterns and
Assumptions
Objectives
Problem
Definition
/Factors Alter-

Action Plans
Options
natives
Current State Desired State
Assess-
ment

Evaluation

131
 Review the courses of action
you listed to take you from the
current state to the desired
Options

state, make an assessment of

Assess-
ment
each using the ASSESSMENT
tool.

132
Tool #6

CONSEQUENCE
CONSEQUENCE Tool
• Used in thinking about the effects of a
decision or action
• Focuses attention on the immediate, short
term and long term consequences of a
decision or action
• A prime evaluation tool
Using CONSEQUENCE
• Think of the consequences of an action or decision. Ask,
what would be the effect?
• Unless otherwise given, identify your time frames.

Think of the Think of the short Think of the long

immediate effects term effects or term effects or
or consequences. consequences. consequences.
What would What would What would
immediately happen in the happen in the
happen? near future? distant future?
CONSEQUENCE Worksheet
A No-Sleep pill is manufactured which will make sleep
unnecessary
 4-day
workweek
scheme is
implemented
in all
government
offices
CONSEQUENCE
Key Points

Everything we do and
every change we make
has consequences in the
future.

Even doing nothing has

consequences.
CONSEQUENCE
Key Points
• It is important to know whether the
consequences are reversible or not.
• The immediate consequences and the long term
consequences may be opposite: immediate
consequences may be good and long term
consequences bad, or the other way round.
• You should look at the consequences not only as
they affect you but as they affect other people as
well.
Strategy Development Process

Factors

Patterns and
Assumptions
Objectives
Problem
Definition
/Factors Alter-

Action Plans
Options
natives
Current State Con- Desired State
Assess- sequence
ment

Con-
Evaluation
sequence
147
Review the courses of action
you listed to take you from the
current state to the desired
state, write down the consequences
of implementing the courses of

Action Plans
action.
Con-
sequence
What are the consequences if you
achieve the desired state?

Use Consequence tool. Con-

Evaluation
sequence

148
Tool #7

PRIORITIES
149
PRIORITIES Tool
• Used in choosing which things are more
important
• Helps narrow down long lists to those
that need to be done first

150
Using PRIORITIES
1. Think of all possible answers. List down
all things needed related to the matter.
2. Write as many ideas as you can. Make
sure you have listed down all ideas that
you can think of.
3. From the list, think of which is the most
important and rank. Put number 1 on
the most important thing, 2 on the
second most important and so on.

151
PRIORITIES Worksheet

152
 Your house is burning.
What are your priorities?

158
You’ll be going back to the office after your
C-Pro Training.
Make your to-do list and prioritize.

159
PRIORITIES
Key Points
• Different people may have different priorities in
the same situation.
• The tool covers two dimensions of the word
“priority”:
a. Those things that have to be done first
b. Those things that are most important
• When everything is important, first throw out
what is not so important. Then go back over
what is left and pick out what is most important.

163
PRIORITIES
Key Points
• When you cannot narrow
down priorities, try
combining some of them.
• The ideas not chosen as
priorities must not be
ignored. They too are
considered – but after the
priorities.

164
PRIORITIES
Key Points
• Priorities guide action, choices, decisions, and
designs so priorities are extremely important.
• It is important to be aware of everything but in
the end, not everything is equally important.
Some things matter much more than others.

165
Strategy Development Process

Factors

Patterns and
Assumptions
Objectives
Problem
Definition
/Factors Alter- Priorities

Action Plans
Options
natives
Current State Con- Desired State
Assess- sequence
ment

Con-
Evaluation
Priorities sequence
166
Review the courses of action to take.

Prioritize using Priorities tool.

Priorities

Action Plans
Priorities
Evaluation

167
LEARNING PARTNER REVIEW

168
10 Thinking Tools

Random
Objectives Factors Alternatives
Word

Idea Problem
Priorities Assessment
Challenge Definition

Consequence Views

169
Elements and Behavioural Indicators
Element Behavior Thinking Tools

170
Element Behavior Thinking Tools

171
Thank you

172