Developing a work approach that is adequate to the challenges ahead
a world moving toward new and different futureS

Teach Yourself to Think (by Edward de Bono)

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• Contents:
  • Why … Because … What about feelings and values
    • Why
    • Because
    • What about feelings and values?
  • Foreword
    • This book offers a simple approach
    • Who will read this book?
    • Non interested in improving thinking
  • Introduction
    • This section is only for a few readers
    • A frame for the rest of the book
      • Perception provides the ingredients for thinking
      • Over-reliance on logic
      • Foresight and hindsight
      • The Gang of Three
        • Socrates
        • Plato
        • Aristotle
        • Limitations of the traditional thinking system
        • What about the progress in science and technology?
        • Argument vs. Parallel Thinking
      • Inadequacies of the traditional thinking system summary (new thinking about thinking)
      • Illustrations
  • The Five Stages of Thinking
    • TO symbol
    • LO symbol
    • PO symbol
    • SO symbol
    • GO symbol
    • The symbols used in conjunction with the words
    • Later sections in the book
    • Thinking situations differ greatly
  • Some Basic Processes in Thinking
    • Broad/Specific, General/Detail
    • Projection
    • Attention Directing
    • Recognition and Fit
    • Movement and Alternatives
  • Frameworks
    • The Six Thinking Hats
      • The White Hat
      • The Red Hat
      • The Black Hat
      • The Yellow Hat
      • The Green Hat
      • The Blue Hat
      • Use Of The Hats
        • Single or occasional usage
        • Sequential usage
    • The CoRT Thinking Programme
      • CoRT 1
      • The tools are used explicitly and directly
  • TO Where Do I Want to Go To?
    • Thinking Action
      • Define
      • Redefine
      • Alternative Definitions
      • Smaller Definition
      • Larger Definition
      • Breaking It Down
      • Change
      • The 'right' definition
        • The Concept Fan
        • Working Forwards
        • The Dog-leg Approach
        • Constraints and Qualifiers
    • Problems
    • Different Thinking Situations
      • Problem
      • Task
      • Achieve A Dream
      • Invention
      • Design
      • Improve In A Defined Direction
      • Negotiation
      • Get This Information
      • Carry Out A Task
      • Plan
      • Organize
      • Choice
      • Decision
      • Judge
      • Communicate
      • Explore
      • General Improvement
      • Opportunity
      • Change (think about it)
      • Peace, Excitement Or Happiness
      • Cope With Change
      • Formulate A Dream
      • Initiative
      • Outcome, Review And Summary
      • Neutral-area Focus
      • Blank-sheet Creativity
      • Explanation
      • Looking Into The Future
      • Crisis
      • Strategy
      • Creative Thinking
    • General Summary
      • Area Focus
      • Purpose Focus
    • Summary of the TO Stage
  • LO The Information Stage (see also Six Frames For Thinking about Information)
    • Is Information Enough?
    • Sources of Information
    • Questions
      • Fishing Questions
      • Shooting Questions
    • Quality of Information
    • Perception
    • Feelings
    • Analysis
    • The Search for Information
    • Making the Most of the Information
    • Information Is Not Enough
    • Summary of the LO Stage
  • PO What are the Possibilities?
    • PO and Possibility
    • Three Levels of Possibility
    • Making the Connection
    • The Four Basic Approaches
      • 1. The Search for the Routine
        • Analysis
        • Similarity
        • Transform the Problem
        • Three Thinking Situations
          • Situation A The Car Park
          • Situation B The New Restaurant
          • Situation C The Graffiti Problem
      • 2. The 'General' Approach
        • Working Backwards
          • Three thinking situations
        • The Concept Fan
          • Three thinking situations
        • The 'Something' Approach -- Magic Words
          • Three thinking situations
            • Situation A The Car Park Problem
            • Situation B The new restaurant
            • Situation C The Graffiti Problem
        • Summary of the General Approach
      • 3. The Creative Approach
        • The Challenge Process
          • There are three basic questions
          • Outer World
          • Inner World
          • The Use of 'Challenge'
          • The three thinking situations
        • Provocation
          • Movement
          • Setting Up Provocations
          • The three thinking situations
        • Random-entry Provocation
          • Three thinking situations
            • Situation A Car Park Problem
            • Situation B The New Restaurant
            • Situation C The Graffiti Problem
        • Summary of the Creative Approach
      • 4. The Design and Assembly Approach
        • List The Needs
        • Lead With Priorities
        • Concept First
        • Parallel Input
        • Everyday Design
        • Three thinking situations
          • Situation A The Car Park Problem
          • Situation B The New Restaurant
          • Situation C The Graffiti Problem
    • Summary of the PO Stage
  • SO What Is the Outcome?
    • Sequence
    • Development of Possibilities
      • Shaping Ideas
      • Tailoring
      • Strengthen The Idea
      • Fault Correction
      • Practicality
      • Acceptance
      • Cost
      • Simpler
      • Take The Concept
    • Evaluation and Assessment
      • Values And Benefits (also see Six Value Medals)
      • Difficulties And Dangers
      • Feasibility
    • Choice
      • Stronger And Weaker
      • In And Out
      • Priorities
      • Direct Comparison
      • Greed, Fear And Laziness
      • Final Evaluation
    • Decision
      • Decision Frame
      • Decision Need
      • Decision Pressure
      • Scenario
      • Risk
      • Outcome
    • Looking Back: the Reasons
    • Summary of the SO Stage
  • GO Putting the Thinking to Work
    • Operacy
    • Simple Output
    • Routine Channels
    • The Design of Action (also see The Six Action Shoes
      • Stages
      • Objectives And Sub-objectives
      • Flexibility And Routine
      • Checks And Monitoring
      • Fall-back Positions
    • People
      • Acceptance
      • Motivation
      • Obstacles
      • Incentives And Expectations
      • Effectiveness
      • Task Forces And Groups
      • Experts
    • Energy
      • Amplification
    • Planning
    • Summary of the GO Stage of Thinking
  • Situation Coding
    • The Coding
    • Should Be
    • Summary
  • Summary
    • The Five Stages of Thinking
      • TO 'Where am I going to?
      • LO 'Lo and behold.'
      • PO 'Let's generate some possibilities.'
      • SO 'So what Is the outcome?'
      • GO 'Go to It!'
    • Simpler
    • Backwards and Forwards
    • Enjoy Your Thinking Skill