Crenguta Leaua
Why alternative thinking?
We are living in a continuously and abruptly changing environment, at a more intense pace than ever. The climate, the technology, the markets, the laws, the social interactions and the generational cultural traits of people are rapidly evolving in directions that are too rarely predictable. Disruption of existing economical models as well as of many aspects of our lives is a daily reality.
One fundamental question is on everyone’s agenda: how to deal with our problems in such a highly volatile environment? Then it follows: what and how to adapt? Our vision in answering this fundamental question is human-centric: we need to adapt our thinking and become more agile in action.
Our purpose at The Swiss Institute for Alternative Thinking is to provide and promote human-centric solutions to the complex issues decision-makers are now confronted with, by using the alternative thinking method we designed in this respect.
Any problem we are confronted with is a challenge brought by one or more perceived limitations to achieve a desired goal. These limitations may be physical, technological, financial, economic, social, organisational, or legal. There may also be limitations regarding the people we are working with and- if we are honest- self-imposed limitations.
Ultimately, all such limitations are shaped by the way we are perceiving our universe, by the coordinates and rules that anchor ourselves. There is one fundamental tool that shapes the perspective over the universe we are living in – our mind.
The same limitations may become irrelevant, they may be overcome, or even transformed into opportunities, should we change the coordinates of the perspective we are using to perceive and analyse the reality and identify the reference system that enables the necessary actions towards the intended goal.
The alternative thinking method we designed is aimed to provide support to decision-makers and organisations in adapting their perspectives and analysis. It consists mainly of defining the coordinates of the problems they are confronting and then changing those coordinates together with their reference system, resulting in a change of perspective over those problems and the identification of potential paths towards the desired goal.
The capacity to extract oneself from the rigidity of a certain perspective and to embrace a wider one, the capacity to look at alternatives is a mind skill that can be learned and trained. By using this method, not only can one see the alternative paths to the desired goal and solve problems, but they can also regain or boost their adaptability and their creativity, with a long-term effect over the capacity to innovate in a changing environment.
We will either find a way, or make one.
