Session 3A
Lateral thinking for business success
Nigel Newman, The Edward de Bono Foundation UK
Thinking is the most important life skill for individuals, businesses and society. However, like literacy and numeracy, it is a skill that needs to be learnt to be effective. This is especially true of creative thinking; where we generate completely new ideas that haven't been considered before. Many people believe that only really gifted or highly intelligent people can be creative. This is not so, like any other activity once the thinker has acquired the skills and techniques they can control and direct their thinking at will. To be even more creative or innovative we need to cut across previously established thinking patterns to find alternative ideas in a deliberate and formal way. Lateral thinking is a way of thinking that seeks to do just that by using thinking tools systematically to develop new ideas, reform old ones and change concepts.
Nigel Newman is a specialist human resources consultant and an experienced facilitator and a Master Trainer in Dr. Edward de Bono's Thinking Methods. He has spent the last 15 years working with European organisations and institutions to develop their creativity. He is passionate about the need for greater emphasis on the active teaching of thinking as a life skill.