Creative Thinking
Challenge your assumptions

We all make assumptions; we use them to guide our thinking. The problem arises when our assumptions start to limit our thinking, or send us down the wrong path. Here are some classic examples of capable people coming to completely inappropriate conclusions:   "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943 "I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." Editor, Prentice Hall Business Books, 1957 "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home" Ken Olsen, President, Chairman and Founder, Digital Equipment Corp, 1977 How can we ensure that we don't make the same kinds of mistakes ourselves? The answer is that we must challenge our own assumptions, to see if they are correct. This is not always easy, because our assumptions are so integral to our thinking processes that often we can't even recognize them. Here is a simple four-step process to help you challenge your assumptions. It's guaranteed to be thought-provoking:   1. Identify a particular decision that you have made 2. List as many reasons as possible to support your decision (these are your assumptions!) 3. Take each assumption and then write down the opposite assumption 4. Ask yourself two questions:   o How confident am I in my original assumptions? o If the opposite assumption turned out to be true, what impact would this have on my decision? Next time you have an important decision to make, try out this quick four-step process. You might come to some surprising conclusions! Brand Manual More articles Subscribe 'How To Build Your Total Brand' takes you step-by-step through the brand management process, putting you on track to maximize the strength of your brand and the value of your business. Click here for details