The Importance of Hiring Managers with Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking allows managers to find new solutions to existing organizational problems. Those that can see a problem from multiple perspectives are more likely to come to comprehensive solutions with greater impact. Tunnel Vision among managers leads to lower results and less innovative problem solving. Companies that do not consider adding divergent thinking skills to their intellectual and labor capital may find themselves with sluggish future performance. 

Divergent thinking is a process of developing multiple vantage points and ways of seeing a problem. Those with higher cognitive abilities often use multiple and simultaneous pathways to understand, analyse, solve, and implement solutions from different vantage points. Switching perspectives is important for well-rounded solutions that meet multiple stakeholder solutions. 

Divergent thinking is associated with genius and artistic ability. Neuroscientific studies have found that divergent thinking uses both hemispheres and causes higher levels of neural activation (Yoruk & Runco, 2014). Divergent thinking activates the central, temporal, and parietal regions of the brain to develop semantic processing. Semantic processing is a deeper processing than most people are capable and allows for the encoding of meaning. 

A high percentage of managers have tunnel vision and know all the answers without exploring any of the premises. Their level of mental processing is low and relies on snap judgments, hueristics and bias. This tunnel vision becomes obvious when a person cannot find multiple explanations of a problem or accept the possibilities of other alternative solutions. It is often manifested in “know it all”, close-minded, and rigid explanations. 

Most of us have probably met at one time a manager who knew all the answers, used their power to force their opinion, and ultimately was gravely mistaken in their conclusions. When executives are stuck in tunnel vision they can cost companies a lot of money as their erroneous assumptions make their way throughout their department. Strong executives explore all the possibilities to find that which is most likely to work. 

Tunnel vision is dangerous for organizations because managers who cannot see alternative possibilities run the same poor processes until they collapse. They are also likely to use the same mental tool to solve every problem. Each major problem needs its own tool from the tool shed. Tunnel vision won't even allow them to see where the tool shed is let alone what other tools it contains.

Based upon an in-depth study of 221 managers within the workplace it was found that  divergent thinking and openness come together (Scratchley & Hakstian, 2001). Managers who are open to new experiences and abilities are better at finding new ways of thinking about things. Hence, narrow minded individuals who are convinced of their “rightness” should be avoided at all costs. 

A few tips for improving divergent thinking in your company may be beneficial.

Switch Up the Executive Team: If your organization is suffering from stuffy thoughts and rehashed ideas then consider switching up your executive team. Hire some new talent, throw out a few of the old talent, and get a different way of evaluating problems. 

Rearrange Team Membership: In some organizations the same people are asked to join problem solving teams. Ensuring you are using different types of people with various backgrounds and collaborative departments will help create new ways of thinking about issues. 

Hire Creative and Open Minded People: Without having people with the cognitive ability to solve problems and create organizational innovation, the company will eventually move into the decline stage. Develop stronger selection tools that look for creativeness and open mindedness. 

Adjust Performance Metrics: What and how we reward people impacts what type of behavior they are going to exhibit. If you want them to be creative and solve problems then ensure it is reflective as a performance evaluation.

Develop an Inclusive Culture: Creative people don't come forward with ideas in hostile environments. To propose solutions requires a level of risk and a receptive environment that doesn't chastise new ideas.

Train Managers to be Critical Thinkers: Even though much is determined by personality it is still possible to train managers on to use critical thinking and make decisions is beneficial; whether or not they use them is another story.

Scratchley, L. & Hakstiane, R. (2001). The measurement and prediction of managerial creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 13 (3/4). 

 Yoruk, S. & Runco, M. (2014). The neuroscience of divergent thinking. Actitas Nervosa Superior, 56 (1/2).

Teaching Critical Thinking through Aristotle's Conception of Friendship

The difference between critical thinking and creative thinking can be profound but they often merge together to create something new and practical. In the process of finding solutions creativity can build new ideas while critical thinking can test the viability of those options. Creativity builds something unique while critical thinking seeks to analyze information into something that can be understood, interpreted and evaluated. Dr. David White discusses how to use Aristotle to foster critical thinking among students (2010). 

Critical thinking of a story narrative requires recognition, analysis, evaluation, and alternatives. It is important for students to recognize the main issues, the main points, and be able to summarize. Analysis requires understanding the steps the author took, prioritization, and knowing the difference between premises and conclusion.   Evaluation includes understanding how the main points are derived, whether premises justify the conclusion, and the separation of personal bias from the situation. Finally, it is important to understand the potential other interpretations and conclusions. 

All critical thinking requires the establishment of arguments and then the breaking down of those arguments for analysis until premises and conclusions can be created. Complex ideas are broken down into its individual components while keeping the larger conception in mind. These individual components are reviewed and analysis to create conclusions about how they explain the broader phenomenon. 

 To highlight his point the author uses a section from Book VII of the Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle:

1. . . . the next subject which we shall have to discuss is friendship. For it is some sort of excellence or virtue, or involves virtue, and it is, moreover, most indispensable for life. No one would choose to live without friends, even if he had all other goods.

2. Friendship also seems to hold states together, and lawgivers apparently devote more attention to it than to justice. For concord seems to be something similar to friendship, and concord is what they most strive to attain, while they do their best to expel faction, the enemy of concord.

When people are friends, they have no need of justice, but when they are just, they need friendship in addition.

3. For, it seems, we do not feel affection for everything, but only for the lovable, and that means what is good, pleasant, or useful.

4. But it is said that we ought to wish for the good of our friend for the friend’s sake. When people wish for our good in this way, we attribute good will to them, if the same wish is not reciprocated by us. If the good will is on a reciprocal basis, it is friendship. Perhaps we should add, “provided that we are aware of the good will.” For many people have good will toward persons they have never seen, but whom they assume to be decent and useful, and one of these persons may well reciprocate this feeling.

5. We conclude, therefore, that to be friends we must have good will for one another, must each wish for the good of the other on the basis of one of the three motives mentioned, andmust each be aware of one another’s good will.

When dealing with such a complex text the student will summarize the meaning of the text, analyze the individual forms, evaluate the text without bias, try and understand alternative explanations. This creates a depth of understanding when seeking to comprehend complex works and make sense out of them. The book talks about friendship and the various meanings to that friendship from usefulness, pleasure and virtuous friendships.  It requires understanding a complex scenario with many different parts and vantage points. The meanings are subjective but often rooted deeply into our cultures and personal experiences. Moving through this ambiguous analysis helps students formulate better problem solving models. 

White, D. (2010). Gifted Education: Thinking (With Help From Aristotle) About Critical Thinking. Gifted child Today, 33 (3).