The Opposable Mind - Moving Beyond Either-Or Thinking

How much time do you actually spend thinking about thinking?

Author Roger L. Martin introduces the reader to the concept of integrative thinking in his book, The Opposable Mind. He offers this definition:

The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.

Based on that definition, Martin takes us down a path of thinking about how we think. He has done extensive research with successful CEO's, Fortune 100 companies, and leadership experts to formulate a working model of how integrative thinking works.

He begins by articulating the process that people go through in thinking and deciding. He describes this process through a four-step model:

We'll arrive at our choice by considering a set of features we deem salient (what we see as important); creating a mental model of causal relationships among those features (making sense of what we see); arranging those causal relationships into an architecture intended to produce a specific outcome (putting tasks in a certain order); thereby reaching a resolution of the problem at hand (this lets one know the decision is made).

It's important to realize that integrative thinking is not for the faint of heart. In order to hold opposing viewpoints in mind, one must be willing to enter into the messiness - the chaos - that will be present. There is a level of complexity that makes it harder for a person to be an integrative thinker versus a conventional thinker (one who simply chooses the best bad option).

Throughout the book, Martin continually promotes the role of integrative thinking as the most positive of all decision making processes. He offers six common features of an integrative thinker's outlook (or stance):

1. They believe that whatever models exist at the present moment do not represent reality; they are simply the best or only constructions yet made.
2. They believe that conflicting models, styles, and approaches to problems are to be leveraged, not feared.
3. They believe that better models exist that are not yet seen.
4. They believe that not only does a better model exist, but that they are capable of bringing that better model from abstract hypothesis to concrete reality.
5. They are comfortable wading into complexity to ferret out a new and better model, confident they will emerge on the other side with the resolution they seek.
6. They give themselves the time to create a better model.

As I read The Opposable Mind, I felt incredibly optimistic about the potential that each person has to make better decisions by taking the time to reflect and think more deeply. I was easily able to recognize the times when I had cheated the probability of making a better decision because I had settled on an either-or decision.

Some will recognize hints of Stephen Covey's quest for Win-Win as they read through Martin's declaration to search for a solution that combines the best of all options into a solution that doesn't yet exist on the table. There is an incredible amount of confidence that is placed on the intelligence of the individuals involved to think their way into a better resolution.

This book is clearly aimed at leaders who are involved in making serious and consequential business decisions. Most of the illustrative stories involved high stake decisions by corporate leaders who have found themselves in a situation where the current options simply won't suffice. I would be interested to see how Martin's models and encouragement toward integrative thinking would play out in other fields such as ethics, religion, and education. Those areas are full of individuals who find a comfortable place in their own thinking and then become closed to any further information or thinking that would contradict or compromise their current sense of reality.

This book made me think about my thinking. In the end, I was left with a choice: Either my thinking would simply accept the world as it is or my thinking could shape the world into something it could be.

I like the idea of discovering something that does not yet exist.
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Tim Milburn spends a lot of his time thinking about how to develop students into student leaders. He makes his home in Eagle, Idaho where he works on a University campus. He is currently developing a 30 lesson curriculum that integrates five core leadership capacities of student leaders with the seasons of the student leader year. You can view his writing and work at studentlinc.net.

Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

Tim, this adds to a Eastern thought approach that I have been finding developing in a few place (one here).

That is more in the yin/yang world, exploring the grey between instead of living in the black/white either/or Western world.

Thanks, another book for the "to read" list!

[David Zinger]

Tim,

You have given us something to think about. It made me think of two quotations:

Yogi Berra: When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

and

Walt Whitman: Do I contradict myself, very well, I contradict myself. I am large I contain multitudes.

Way to get us thinking on a March Monday.

David

[Joanna Young]

Fascinating stuff Tim! Thank you for sharing it with us here. I'm most intrigued by the concepts and where this kind of thinking could take us, but before I add it to my list I was just wondering how accessible the book is to a non-business readership?

Joanna

[Karen Wallace]

Hi Tim, this is fascinating - I had a picture in my mind as I read your review that you were talking about not choosing black, nor white, but looking deeply for just the right shade of grey, blue, mauve or orange...?

Can I second Joanna's question - how accessible and understandable is the book to a non-business person?

[tim]

@Steve - this is definitely not your typical Western thinking approach to decision making. The idea that decisions can be made in the chaos of multiple options is one that has really intrigued me.

@David - Glad I got you thinking...Yogi Berra also said "You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours."

@Joanna & Karen - I'm going to answer the question you both ask here. Yes, this book is definitely understandable for someone outside of the business world. It's just that Martin uses business examples to help illustrate his model. The model itself can easily stand alone. I found it fascinating to think of other contexts where I could see his ideas working (like I mentioned in the review - ethics, religion, and education). So don't let the business book category scare you away from reflecting on his ideas.

[dave]

I struggle deeply with this opposable mind stuff Tim. Looks like I could use this book. Joanna's and Karen's question brings to mind a neat opportunity. Enter into this book with the mindset that it will be of help to you...whether you are into "business" or not. I bet it will.

I just recently reviewed Kevin's book Remarkable Leadership. One doesn't have to be a leader to really benefit from the book.

Joanna and Karen - I would love to hear your comments about this book. I do believe this kind of learning can be sooooo powerful!

[Reg]

Tim, metacognition is a topic I really gotten into recently. I'll be amazoning for this book.