According to the famous Porchlight Book Company, humans are born with naturally opposable minds, which means we can hold two opposite ideas at the same time.
That can produce tension. One thought goes one way and the other takes a 180-degree turn. We can use that tension to form different ideas that keep both scenarios in mind while making decisions. This is called integrative thinking.
Integrative thinking is a term coined by Roger Martin in his book The Opposable Mind to explain how leaders consider opposable solutions and make a third, unique way out of the two in order to succeed.
The idea of integrative thinking is more "if-else-then-that" (multiple complex options) than "either/or" (two straightforward options).
A simple example to get the gist:
Traditional thinking. Shopkeeper: Do you want apple, banana, or mango? You: I will go with apple as it has the most nutrient value.
Integrative thinking. Shopkeeper: Do you want apple, banana, or mango? You: Can I have a mixed fruit salad? That way I get the highest nutrient value.
The point isn't about quantity or pricing. It's that you can make the best out of the given options. Decision making is one of the most valuable assets in today's world.
Here are the 4 stages of thought an integrative thinker goes through, with a simple guide for each. If you are at a management level, running a business or startup, or working as a solopreneur, this can help you make better decisions.
Stage 1: Put extremes on the frontline. Seek the less obvious.
If there are two potential factors to a problem, an integrative thinker will build tension by emerging a third way out of those two factors. Most people avoid complexity and pick one of the factors as the final solution. Integrative thinkers embrace complexity.
They try hard not to eliminate necessary actions during the process, because that may backfire later. It doesn't matter if setting the foundation takes a while. It sets a good starting point to come back to for future reference. They set the foundation for emergence theory, a fundamental part of systems thinking.
Emergence is the outcome of the synergies of the parts; it is about non-linearity and self-organization, and we often use the term "emergence" to describe the outcome of things interacting together. — Leyla Acaroglu
How you can do it. Enlist the options. Make sure you have all the options in front of you before even considering the two extremes. Cut out the obviously wrong ones to reduce the range of action.
Stage 2: Analyze the options.
When analyzing and comparing, conventional thinkers compare factor A to factor B. The only ones that are available and obvious. This limits the variables and complexity. The untouched corner of an idea.
Its outcome is linear in simple terms. Straight lines and slopes are easier to analyze than curves and parabolic graphs.
Integrative thinkers see the ideas beyond the picture. They combine strategy and consider reading between the lines as a favorable path.
How you can do it. Now that we have options in front of us, we should analyze the causes and effects. By strategizing and considering the shadow options we tend to overlook as a conventional thinker, we would see unconventional ways of solving problems.
Stage 3: A view from above.
When we have a new business model, we tend to keep it in the center and branch out various variables. This tends to create fragments in the business model, and some sort of standardization gets involved. An integrative thinker will not shy away from bringing all those fragments together to find the most effective outcome for that business model.
Integrative thinkers consider a top view. They see a blueprint of the situation. They consider the whole picture no matter how messy it gets. This is where they stand out.
Decisions are taken with respect to cause-and-effect relationships between various features. They make sure that in order to make a good decision, the actions must be efficient rather than standardized.
The order in which you make these decisions will affect the outcome. — Roger Martin
Making accurate decisions is never guaranteed, but making decisions that yield maximum output with available options is what makes integrative thinkers unique.
How you can do it. Look at the greater picture. The view from above is usually where you will find your blueprint. You will be able to gauge your options and pick the best ones to go deep down. Before that, ask yourself: are the dots connecting and making sense? If not, go back and reconsider.
Stage 4: A wise comeback. The solution.
The outcome here should be the summation and average of all the great decisions taken. If the initial three stages are done based on conventional thinking, the outcome may not be extraordinary.
The major part of this step is when you test your outcome. Consider people's feedback and take it seriously. The more open you are to feedback, the cleaner the outcome gets. If you need to go back and fix a certain thing at a certain stage, you have the whole process in place, so it is not much of a hassle.
How you can do it. This stage is for testing. Compare the best options for A/B testing and work on what serves you best.
In short
Integrative thinking is a discipline where, once it becomes a habit, you have a different approach to complex situations. The key is to avoid a common, simple, well-defined approach. Integrative thinkers take a path of uncertainty, which opens up the next level on a non-linear thinking radar. That in turn opens up greater opportunities with the same resources.
Originally published on Medium's ILLUMINATION, November 2020.
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