From my free video on 16 Books Every Leader Must Read...
Book #3: I Am Right, You Are Wrong by Edward de Bono.
Edward de Bono (the inventor of lateral thinking) intentionally chose such a provocative title to remind us that life is NOT a zero-sum game.
In essence, it is destructive and exhausting to think in terms of polar opposite viewpoints only. It is particularly relevant for people in leadership positions to understand and appreciate this point. In life, we can all be winners by adopting clearer perception, constructive thinking and more open-minded creativity. Commenting on conflict, de Bono notes in the book that “our habits of conflict are as primitive as ever, even though the weapons we use have benefited from our technical excellence.”
De Bono makes the case that our new thinking habits regarding conflict are to be based on how the human brain works. Specifically, how our brains create perception.
In a nutshell, the more we hold on to a viewpoint the more we strengthen our resolve towards that viewpoint – unless we challenge our own thinking.
"Rethink without over-thinking"
GAICD, M.Comp (Monash)
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