Name: Decision Making and Problem Solving
Rating: 3.9 (74 reviews)
Author: John Adair

What’s in it for me? Strengthen your decision-making, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

Have you ever been told you’re more logical than creative? Or maybe you’ve been assigned the label “creative” but at the same time “bad at math.” Why is it that we often separate logic and creativity? Can’t someone be both logical and creative?

Think about it – without creativity, an engineer couldn’t design a more efficient engine. Without logic, an artist couldn’t match the correct type of paint to a painting surface. And where would that leave us? Stuck with inefficient engines and never-drying paint – that’s right, the wrong combo of paint and surface material can leave a sticky, tacky result that no one wants to deal with.

Okay, but what if it feels like you really are bad at creative or critical thinking? Don’t worry. There are concrete, actionable steps you can take to strengthen both abilities. And it helps to first explore the concept of thought overall, which is what John Adair does in Decision Making and Problem Solving.

In this Blink, we’ll cover the basics of how our minds work – not our physical brains, but our thinking minds. You’ll learn what decision-making, problem-solving, and creative thinking are and how they relate to each other. We’ll also focus on you and your potential for practical thinking. Along with a clearer understanding of the different types of thinking, you’ll walk away with guidelines for practicing and strengthening your own abilities.

Unfortunately, we can’t include the visual puzzles Adair provides, but after learning about decision-making, problem-solving, and creative thinking, we know you’ll be more than capable of looking those up if you want to find them.

So let’s get started!

Types of Practical Thinking and Your Mind’s Metafunctions

Have you ever stopped to think about thinking?

The ability to think, to string together thoughts, to make conscious decisions – this sets humans apart from most of the animal kingdom. But how do we do it?

Yes, of course, we have physical brains in our heads with cells that send electrical signals. But that’s the mechanical system behind the actual thoughts. According to the author, John Adair, there are three types of applied thinking we use: decision-making, problem-solving, and creative thinking. They do have a lot in common and overlap a bit, but we can distinguish between them.

Decision-making involves choosing to take a certain action, often selecting from a few options- Problem-solving involves coming up with solutions or answers to obstacles. And creative thinking involves generating ideas, whether entirely new ones or different variations of existing ideas.

For common or routine actions, we might not need to think at all. When was the last time you consciously thought about your everyday commute to work? Or how to brush your teeth? Unless something unexpected crops up – an accident that forces you to drive a different route, a toothbrush that tumbles into the toilet – you probably don’t really have to think about how to complete these familiar actions. But whenever we face something new or unexpected, anything involving a choice, we often end up using one or more of the three types of thinking.

But how do we actually employ our thinking when dealing with something unfamiliar? How do we make a decision or solve a problem?

This is where the metafunctions of the mind come into play. Adair’s model of the mind includes three metafunctions: analyzing, synthesizing, and valuing. When we consciously think, we use at least one of these three functions.

When analyzing, we break down a thing or idea into its component parts to see how they work together. This doesn’t involve a complete separation though – imagine loosening a knot only enough to be able to trace how the rope loops around itself.

Synthesizing, on the other hand, is putting things together to get something whole. Imagine assembling Lego to build a castle. Or putting together the ideas of feathers, a warm body, wings, a beak, and a long neck to assemble a full understanding of a swan.

Valuing involves judgment. If we’re making informed valuations, we use valuing alongside synthesis and analysis to judge things. For example, you might use the first two metafunctions to come up with possible solutions to a problem, then use valuing to determine which solutions to cut and which to pursue.

The Depth Mind

The last concept to explore when we think about how we think is what Adair calls the Depth Mind. You’re probably familiar with this idea if you’ve heard of conscious and subconscious minds. The Depth Mind is your subconscious, and it’s also the conscious use and cultivation of your subconscious.

Have you ever struggled with a problem only to wake up in the middle of the night with the answer clear in your mind? Or maybe you stop thinking about the issue while you shower and a solution pops into mind as you wash your arms. These are common examples of your subconscious mind at work.

Improving Your Decision-Making Abilities

Alright, we’ve covered the basics of how your mind works. Now let’s dive into some strategies for decision-making.

Do you remember the scientific method from middle school? Well, good decision-making follows a very similar approach. Adair outlines a five-step method for any type of decision-making, big or small.

Strengthen Your Creative Thinking

And so we arrive at the third type of practical thinking – creative thinking. Though some might claim they haven’t got a creative bone in their body, the truth is anyone can strengthen their creative-thinking skills.

Although it might seem counterintuitive, there’s actually a process you can use to activate your creative thinking. The four-step process involves preparation, incubation, insight, and validation.

Kernaussagen in Decision Making and Problem Solving