In a message dated 1/14/2004 7:28:31 PM Eastern Standard Time,
edryce@yahoo.com writes:
<<However, the missives that came with that subject did not seem to really
address "lateral thinking," but rather much more "sequential thinking." I
continued to read because the subject of questions and decisions also interest me,
but I would be interested in learning why the subject was "lateral thinking.">>
Edryce - Thanks for your perceptive comment.
I think you answered your own question, however. The topic indeed did not
lead to lateral thinking. Everyone expressed her/his views on leadership and on
questions, etc. and that was the end.
I had hoped that we would step away from the traditional, and current, view
of teaching leadership - step outside the box, so to speak, and look at more
practical alternatives. I offered one in the form of an 8-questions model on
which an entire book is available, though not yet published.
The book shows how the model is comprehensive, all inclusive, integrated,
based on the research documented in the literature and, most important of all,
practical because it is actionable. The process it describes seems cumbersome at
first, but when developed into a habit, it proceeds with lightening speed,
the way chessmasters make decisions. The model leads to one or to a limited
number of good decision alternatives.
It is, however, only one possible approach to teaching leadership decisions
without forcing students to draw their own conclusions from the often
conflicting theories. It was my hope that at least some of the learned members of the
list would join a project team to develop and then promote an approach that
would be an improvement on the initial model I offered, or a better model.
Doing that would truly be lateral thinking, I believe - it would step outside
the traditional reliance on explaining theories and teach practical
approaches to leadership the way engineering, finance, marketing education helps
students become effective practitioners.
Erwin (Rausch)
didacticra@aol.com