This is the English version of an article published in French on Generation INC.
La version française de cet article a été originalement pubiée sur Génération INC.
To succeed, today’s entrepreneurs have to do exceptional things. But from Apple’s think different to the now cliché think outside the box, success is expected to come to those who break from the mold and think exceptionally.
Here’s how Integrative Thinking redefines the four steps of the traditional decision process:
1. SALIENCE
Traditional thinking aims to limit the number of criteria on which to base a decision. Integrative Thinking rather suggests that you expand it as much as possible, since some factors deemed unimportant at first or simply undetected often end up being the key to a project’s success. It’s better to explore those in advance than to be stuck with the “should’ve, could’ve, would’ve” syndrome a few million dollars later.
2. CAUSALITY
After having explored the range of possible criteria, the integrative thinker associates them as to whether they are causes or effects of one another. He questions shortcuts and stereotypical associations (e.g. “a personalized product will necessarily cost more” or “clients will not pay for a more expensive product”) to map the causal chains of criterai that will influence his decision.
3. ARCHITECTURE
The simplest decision is of course a yes or no alternative, but in complex situations, the traditional approach is to break down the decision in more consecutive, digestible parts. When planning a vacation, one will start by booking the cheapest flight, then a hotel with the best location/price ratio. From there, a program of activities can be set up. Integrative thinking assumes that each decision will affect the others and suggests considering all aspects at once: booking a slightly more expensive flight could help save the first night at the hotel and even leave an extra afternoon for a museum visit or some beach time before the return flight.
4. RESOLUTION
Once the variables are satisfyingly balanced, a decision must be made. Traditional thinking simplifies each preceding step to rapidly reach a clear, unequivocal decision that can be evaluated based on defined initial criteria. Integrative Thinking is based on iterations, forcing one to go back to reevaluate criteria or their causal arrangement. It is more difficult to evaluate the resulting decisions because they are unique, out of the mold. Rather than strict models, confidence, experience and a capacity to execute (and to adapt to a changing situation) will guide and benefit the integrative thinker.
With the growing complexity of the business world (globalization, norms, networks) and the acceleration of competition and innovation, entrepreneurs have to transform their business processes. The way they think and make decisions is central to outpacing their competitors.
Using Integrative Thinking is a sound alternative to applying prefabricated decision-making models to new, complex situations. The approach does require some training (and unlearning), some extra time and resources, and, most importantly, a capacity to juggle contradictions, uncertainty and, potentially, failure. But it opens a range of opportunity so vast, in this era of innovation, collaboration and creativity, that a whole new generation of startups and entrepreneurs has already claimed it as its playing field.
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