How to think better at work | Chris Thomason | TEDxReigate

Summary

The speaker explores how we can upgrade our brain's 'operating system' by focusing on better ways to think. Through research, they reveal that our best ideas often emerge during undemanding tasks, not traditional brainstorming sessions. The talk contrasts fast, reactive thinking (system one) with slower, more reflective thinking (system two), encouraging the latter for deeper problem-solving. Practical tips include using moments of reflection, like walking or showering, to develop ideas, and allowing time for proactive procrastination before meetings to enhance creativity and decision-making.

Takeaways

• 🧠 We frequently update our devices and software, but rarely take time to upgrade our 'brain operating system' or the way we think.
• 🚿 People tend to do their best thinking during undemanding activities like showering, walking the dog, or driving on quiet roads.
• 🔍 A 2012 study from the University of California showed that engaging in undemanding tasks between creative tasks improved performance significantly compared to taking no break or doing nothing.
• 💡 Brainstorming, despite its popularity, has been shown by decades of research to be less effective than individuals thinking alone and then pooling their ideas.
• ⏳ Daniel Kahneman’s concept of 'system one' and 'system two' thinking emphasizes the value of slow, reflective thinking (system two) for solving complex problems rather than quick, reactive responses (system one).
• 🧛 Vampires are used as a metaphor for people who offer fast answers without reflecting, showing that we often jump to conclusions without deep thought.
• ⏸️ In meetings, introducing a 10-second pause before answering important questions can shift participants from system one to system two thinking, leading to better ideas.
• 🤔 Instead of traditional brainstorming sessions, proactive procrastination can be used: giving participants a question to reflect on in their own time, allowing for deeper thinking.
• 🐕 People can take advantage of their best thinking moments, such as walking or other undemanding activities, to reflect on important work issues.
• 🔄 By adopting these techniques, you can upgrade your thinking patterns to tackle bigger questions and achieve more meaningful, impactful results.

Q & A

What is meant by a 'brain operating system upgrade' in the context of the speech?

A 'brain operating system upgrade' refers to improving one's thinking patterns and approaches, leading to better problem-solving and creative thinking. It is about taking time to reflect on how we think and finding ways to enhance it.

Why do people tend to have their best ideas in places like the shower or while driving?

People often have their best ideas in places like the shower or while driving because these activities are considered undemanding tasks. These types of tasks allow the brain to wander and think creatively without being overwhelmed by the complexity of the environment.

What were the four groups in the University of California study, and what were they asked to do?

The four groups in the study were: one group that took no break between tests, one group that rested for 12 minutes, one group that performed a demanding task (identifying if the preceding number was odd or even), and one group that performed an undemanding task (identifying if the current number was odd or even).

Which group performed the best in the second test of the study, and why?

The group that performed the undemanding task during the break performed the best, with a 40% improvement. This suggests that engaging in undemanding tasks allows the mind to relax while still processing information, leading to better creative thinking.

What is the significance of Alex Osborne's 'brainstorming' technique, and why is it criticized?

Alex Osborne's brainstorming technique was designed to generate creative ideas in groups, but research shows that individuals working alone often generate more ideas than groups. The technique is criticized for being outdated and less effective than individual idea generation.

What is the difference between 'system one' and 'system two' thinking according to Daniel Kahneman?

System one thinking is fast, intuitive, and reactive, useful for quick decisions or quizzes. System two thinking is slower, more reflective, and deliberate, focusing on considering multiple solutions and deeper problem-solving.

How does the speaker relate 'vampire thinking' to system one thinking?

'Vampire thinking' is a metaphor for people who respond too quickly without reflecting, relying on system one thinking. In workplace settings, this behavior hinders deeper, more thoughtful system two thinking.

What technique does the speaker suggest to counter 'vampire thinking' in meetings?

The speaker suggests introducing a 10-second pause of silence before answering an important question in meetings. This allows participants to engage in system two thinking, producing more thoughtful and considered ideas.

What is 'proactive procrastination' and how does it benefit idea generation?

'Proactive procrastination' involves intentionally delaying brainstorming in meetings and encouraging participants to think about the issue on their own time. This allows people to generate ideas in their own conducive environments and return with more thoughtful solutions.

What impact does upgrading one's thinking have on both personal and professional life?

Upgrading one's thinking leads to better problem-solving, creativity, and decision-making. It allows individuals to tackle bigger, more complex issues, resulting in personal growth and improved outcomes in professional settings, positively influencing the world around them.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Upgrading Your Brain's Operating System

This paragraph introduces the concept of upgrading our brain's operating system, similar to how we update software. The speaker encourages the audience to think about when they do their best thinking, emphasizing that it rarely happens during work or brainstorming sessions. It discusses the importance of undemanding tasks, like walking or driving, in facilitating creative thinking. The University of California study is cited, showing that people perform better in creative tasks after undemanding activities rather than no breaks or demanding tasks.

05:01

📚 The Problem with Brainstorming

This paragraph discusses the origins of brainstorming, introduced by Alex Osborne in 1953, and highlights that while brainstorming has persisted, it's not as effective as we think. Research by psychologist Keith Sawyer, including a meta-analysis of several hundred studies, shows that individuals come up with more ideas when they work alone compared to brainstorming in groups. Despite this, brainstorming is still commonly used in workplaces, even though better alternatives might exist.

10:03

🧛 Beware of Vampire Thinking

This paragraph introduces the concept of 'vampire thinking,' comparing quick, reactive responses (system one thinking) to a vampire’s lack of reflection. It suggests that in workplaces, people often rush to answer questions without deep thinking. The speaker proposes a solution: ask for 10 seconds of silence before responding to give participants time to shift from reactive thinking to reflective, thoughtful answers. This technique can improve the quality of ideas by encouraging system two thinking.

⏳ Proactive Procrastination and Better Thinking

This paragraph offers an alternative to brainstorming: proactive procrastination. Instead of brainstorming on the spot during meetings, participants should take time between meetings to think deeply about important issues, preferably during their best thinking times (e.g., walking the dog). By giving people time to reflect and come back with well-developed ideas, meetings become more productive. The speaker encourages individuals to embrace their best thinking moments to address important questions effectively.

🚀 Embrace the Brain Operating System Upgrade

In the final paragraph, the speaker concludes the session by encouraging the audience to embrace the brain operating system upgrade. By adopting techniques like proactive procrastination and avoiding quick, reactive thinking, people can address bigger, bolder questions in a more thoughtful way. The speaker hopes that this 'freaky thinking upgrade' will positively change the way people think and approach challenges, both for themselves and for the world around them.

Keywords

💡Brain Operating System

This concept is used metaphorically to describe how people think and process information. Just as we upgrade software on our phones and computers, the video suggests we should upgrade the way we think. It reflects the central theme of improving our cognitive processes to think more effectively and creatively.

💡Creative Thinking

Creative thinking refers to the process of generating innovative ideas. In the video, it is highlighted as something that often happens during 'undemanding tasks' like walking the dog or taking a shower. The video emphasizes the need for a conducive mental environment to boost creative thought.

💡Undemanding Task

An undemanding task is a simple activity that does not require full mental focus. In the context of the video, undemanding tasks like walking, showering, or driving in low-traffic environments are said to facilitate better thinking, allowing for more creativity and problem-solving.

💡System 1 Thinking

System 1 thinking refers to quick, intuitive, and automatic responses. This type of thinking is fast and efficient but often lacks depth or reflection. The video contrasts this with more thoughtful, slower thinking, suggesting that System 1 thinking is less effective for solving complex problems.

💡System 2 Thinking

System 2 thinking is the more deliberate, reflective, and considered approach to problem-solving. In the video, it is presented as the superior method for tackling important questions, emphasizing the value of taking time to think through multiple solutions rather than jumping to quick conclusions.

💡Brainstorming

Brainstorming is the practice of generating ideas as a group. The video critiques brainstorming, presenting research that shows individuals thinking alone generate more ideas than when in a group. This highlights the need to reconsider traditional brainstorming in favor of other creative thinking methods.

💡Proactive Procrastination

Proactive procrastination refers to intentionally delaying tasks to allow time for better ideas to form. In the video, this is suggested as an alternative to brainstorming, encouraging people to take time to think during their best moments—such as during undemanding tasks—instead of rushing to come up with ideas in a meeting.

💡Vampire Thinking

Vampire thinking is used metaphorically to describe people who respond immediately to complex questions without reflecting. These 'vampires' are likened to System 1 thinkers, who do not take the necessary time to come up with thoughtful, deeper responses. The video suggests combating this by asking for moments of silence in meetings.

💡Alex Osborne

Alex Osborne was an advertising executive who introduced the concept of brainstorming in his 1953 book 'Applied Imagination.' The video references him to explain how brainstorming has been a common but flawed tool for idea generation, pointing out that modern research suggests it is less effective than individual thinking.

💡Thinking Environment

The thinking environment refers to the physical or mental space in which a person generates their best ideas. The video discusses the importance of finding the right environment, often during undemanding tasks, to enhance creative thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Highlights

We frequently update apps, antivirus software, and operating systems, but rarely upgrade our 'brain operating system'.

We think all the time, even when we sleep, and it's crucial to reflect on our thinking habits.

The best ideas often come when performing undemanding tasks, such as showering, walking the dog, or driving.

In a 2012 study by the University of California, participants who engaged in undemanding tasks during a break generated 40% more ideas compared to others.

Brainstorming in groups has been shown to produce fewer ideas than individuals thinking alone, as confirmed by decades of research.

Despite its ineffectiveness, brainstorming remains widely used in workplaces because of its longstanding history, dating back to 1953.

Daniel Kahneman's 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' proposes two types of thinking: System 1 (fast and reactive) and System 2 (slow and reflective).

System 2 thinking is more suited for workplaces, where deep reflection and multiple solutions are required.

The concept of 'vampire thinking' is introduced—people who respond quickly in meetings without reflecting deeply on the question.

A technique to avoid 'vampire thinking' is asking participants to take 10 seconds of silence before responding to important questions.

Proactive procrastination is proposed as an alternative to brainstorming, where issues are presented at the end of one meeting and participants reflect on them individually before the next meeting.

The best thinking occurs in one's personal 'special spaces' rather than in formal brainstorming sessions.

By encouraging personal reflection during undemanding tasks like walking or exercising, participants can bring their best ideas to meetings.

Introducing these thinking methods can lead to more thoughtful and innovative solutions in workplace settings.

Embracing these opportunities for deep thinking will allow individuals to address bigger and bolder questions, leading to more effective outcomes.

The goal is to disrupt normal thinking patterns and enhance creativity, ultimately changing both personal and organizational thinking for the better.

Transcripts

[Music]

we update the apps on our

phone we update the antivirus protection

automatically we upgrade the operating

system but how often do we upgrade our

brain operating system how often do we

spend time thinking about our thinking

because we all think all the time

even when we sleep in our

dreams for the next few minutes I'd like

to offer you a brain operating system

upgrade a freaky thinking

upgrade something that will positively

disrupt the way you think from this

moment

on to start I want you to think where

are you when you do your best thinking

what are you doing

I've asked this question widely across

the UK's largest bank and the answers I

get most often are in the

shower walking the dog exercising at the

gym or driving in the

car rarely does anybody say they get

their best ideas at

work and nobody has yet to say to me

they get the best ideas in a

brainstorming session

while this may seem quite surprising

what is surprising is the truth behind

why this

is in 2012 the University of California

performed some research and they used

some unusual thinking techniques unusual

usage techniques where people have to

come up with ideas for an everyday item

in a two-minute period they've got to

try and find as many unusual uses for

say a toothpick or a rubber band or a

paperclip in 2012 the University of

California run some research with groups

to actually understand the way people

think creatively they used unusual uses

techniques to try and identify the

greatest number of ideas in a two-minute

period that people could for an everyday

item such as a toothpick rubber band or

a paperclip

they run the test for 2 minutes and then

they run the test again for another two

minutes but they split the 145

participants into four

groups one group they didn't give any

break at all between the two tests do

the first test then do the test

again the other three groups they gave a

12 minute break between the two

tests one group was told to to sit there

and relax do nothing for 12

minutes another group was told to watch

a monitor where numbers would flash up

and they had to say whether the

preceding number had been odd or even

that was deemed to be a demanding task

and the final group had to again watch a

monitor where numbers flashed up but

they had to say whether the number

currently on the screen was odd or even

and that was deemed to be an undemanding

task the researchers then compared the

performance between the first and the

second

test well the group that had no gap

between the test fared really badly in

the second test compared to the first

one the group that just sat there and

relaxed they did marginally worse on the

second

test the group that had the demanding

task they did marginally better on the

second test but the group that had the

undemanding task they did over 40%

better on the second test way ahead of

the

others now if you think where you are

when you get your best ideas you do your

best thinking if you're in the shower

that's an undemanding task if you're

walking the dog if you're

exercising and if you're driving the car

if you're driving down a nearly empty

Motorway or you're cruising along a

winding Country Road that's probably

quite conducive to good

thinking but be in the center of a city

where you've got bus lanes and no entry

signs and traffic lights and pedestrians

and cyclists and other cars it takes all

your attention just to drive never mind

think so it seems that to do good

thinking we should also be doing some

kind of undemanding task at the same

time and if that's where we do our best

thinking then we actually do our best

thinking in that time so maybe should

you should save your important issues

for those

times in

1953 advertising executive Alex Osborne

wrote a book called applied

imagination in the book there was quite

an extensive process how to work with

clients to develop new ideas and within

this extensive process there's one

little tool that he

called

brainstorming now the rest of the

process seems to fall into dis disuse

but what has stayed with us is

brainstorming whenever we seem to need

some new ideas what do we do we do some

brainstorming over time academics have

likeed to study brainstorming to compare

the ways we

think now a few years ago

Kevin Sawyer sorry Keith Sawyer a

psychologist at Washington University

did a meta analysis on brainstorming now

a meta analysis is the way you do a

study of all the studies that have been

done before he had to look at several

hundred studies his conclusion was that

Decades of research on brainstorming has

conclusively shown that brainstorming

groups think of fewer ideas than do the

individuals who when they think alone

and later pool their

ideas so the question is why are we

using brainstorming if it doesn't work

I'm sure you use this tool in your

workplace it's over 70 years old and we

use it when we actually have a need to

overcome a major problem or to develop a

new opportunity which other tools in

your business or your workplace do you

use for important things that are over

70 years

old I don't think very

many but potentially it's because we

don't know of any

alternatives Daniel

caraman a Nobel prizewinning Economist

wrote the book thinking fast and

slow in the book he proposes two generic

types of thinking system one and system

two system one is fast responsive or

reactive who Bing King Charles I when

Bing 1632 where Bing on a boat on the

English

Channel really good for quiz CHS really

good for the pub

quiz but work the workplace is neither

of these it's not about speeding

answering in the

workplace system to thinking is

different it's more

thoughtful more

considered more reflective in

nature it's not about coming up with the

answer it's about coming up with an

answer and then an other answer and then

yet another answer always looking for

that better answer that provides a

better solution to the issue that you're

considering let me deviate for a moment

I I'd just like to talk to you

about vampires

you may be aware that vampires generally

generally living castles in

Transylvania only coming out in the

evening to Howl at the full moon but

actually there's something else about

vampires that you may not know a little

known

fact that vampires don't see a

reflection in a

mirror if I was with my best buddy who's

a vampire we could take a selfie of

ourselves but if we happen to be

standing inside in front of a big mirror

what I could do is take a photograph of

ourselves the reflection the

mirror this is what the photograph would

look like you wouldn't see my buddy he's

no

reflection now over the centuries the

vampires have changed their ways they've

adapted they now live in our cities and

in our towns they walk along the High

streets with us they've learned to hide

their characteristics that gave them

away in the past there is only one place

that a vampire will show their true

colors and that is in workplace

meetings because when somebody asks an

important question that needs some deep

thinking they will not

reflect they will answer straight away

they are system one responders to a

system

question I'm sure you've seen it

something difficult but it's how quickly

can you get your answer in there they

are the vampires That's What I Call

vampire thinking and it's probably quite

prevalent in your

workplace now a disclaimer here you've

got to be careful it isn't politically

correct to drive a stake through

somebody's heart in a

meeting there is an alternative approach

you can use this symbol

that if you

pose an important question that requires

a bit of

thinking when you've paused it just say

would you all mind just taking 10

seconds of Silence to think about it

before you

speak because the those vampire thinkers

the system one thinkers they'll come up

with the idea straight away but they

hold it back because you've told them

not to speak and they'll come up with a

second idea

and then they'll come up with an even

better third idea by holding them back

you've converted them from system one

thinkers into system twoth

thinkers so try this

technique ask for 10 seconds of Silence

in

meetings but what else can you do if if

brainstorming doesn't work in meetings

and you've got a whole regular meetings

are there any alternative alternative

approaches

a lot of our meetings have a regular

Cadence they are weekly two weekly

monthly an alternate approach is to use

something called proactive

procrastination wait isn't that a

paradox how can you proactively put

something

off well rather than say in the next

meeting we're going to do a

brainstorming session on this topic now

we all know that brainstorming aren't

the best places to do our thinking and

we also know that we do our best

thinking in our own special

spaces rather than say that's what's

going to happen at the end of one

meeting you can simply say this is the

important question that we want to

consider now I'd like you all to think

about this in the space until the next

meeting because during that time a lot

of us are actually doing hybrid working

at the moment we have time at home why

not take half an hour off of that

time and take your dog for a walk and

take your issue with you take yourself

for a walk just take your issue for a

walk because you know that might be

where you do your best thinking if it's

an important issue it's worthy of your

valuable thinking time so know where and

when your best time

is and take your issue into that time

and then at the start of the next

meeting you can just give your best

ideas you're not doing the actual

thinking

you're just presenting the ideas where

you can discuss them and actually build

on them and develop them into something

tangible for you to

deliver this brings us to the end of our

brain operating system upgrade and if

you adopt and embrace some of these

opportunities for your thinking you'll

find you're able to address bigger

Bolder questions and to answer them in a

better way in a way that will disrupt

your normal thinking to change the world

around you for yourself but also for the

world of those around you as

well so this is the end of our freaky

thinking upgrade we must now exit the

application and I just hope that from

this day on your thinking is never the

same

again thank you

[Applause]