Cross Balance

Six ways of thinking

I read about these ways of thinking in a fascinating book called
“Creative Problem Solving” written by Mr and Mrs Lumsdaine.  
They use Herrman’s brain model
to define steps we can take to think through a problem
and come up with a creative solution.
The first steps are to work out what the problem is
– either by looking at the detail using a detective mindset (right brain)
and then as an explorer looking at the context (left brain).

The difference is like using a microscope or a telescope.
Once the problem is defined,
one can go through four more steps: the artist,
where as many solutions are generated as possible;
the engineer, where these ideas are made practical;
the judge, where the best idea is selected;
and finally the producer, where the best is put into practice.
When judging, if no idea seems practical,
then it’s back to the first two steps to reconsider the problem.

These steps correspond to the brain quadrants and temperaments
as shown above.
Interestingly,
the Lumsdaines suggested colours to be associated with each step,
and these correspond quite closely with those
I have chosen for the temperaments (see later).