EDWARD DE BONO'S MESSAGE
27th April 1997

Critical Thinking is Excellent
but it is not enough

One of the more retarding influences of traditional Western Thinking is that you have to attack something in order to suggest a change or an improvement. If you cannot - or do not want - to attack something then it is assumed that the existing method is 'true' and therefore beyond change.

It becomes very difficult to say: "That is excellent. There is nothing wrong with it at all. But it is not enough." The front left wheel of a car is excellent - but it is not enough. Critical thinking is excellent - but it is not enough.

It is equally difficult to say: "There is nothing wrong with this. But I believe there might be a better way to do it. Let's try to find that better way." We conceive of thinking mainly as 'problem solving'. If there is no 'problem' then there is no need to think.

In practice, many things which are adequate can be greatly improved.

There is a myth that evolution produces the best methods. This is not necessarily the case. If something is adequate and there is no better choice then evolution will produce what is just adequate.

All the above applies paticularly to systems and methods.

While change for the sake of change is tiresome and confusing there is a permanent need to review existing procedures in order to design better ones. And better often means simpler.

This may apply to this month's tasks: the design of the new professions that will be needed in the future.

Edward de Bono
26th April 1997
London