2. "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used
when we created them." is a very famous creativity quote of Albert
Einstein, it means we should change our point of views to problem in
a new view and look it up in other aspects. Changing the conceptual or
emotional point of view in relation, which is experienced in a situation,
placed in different frame and fits the fact of a concrete situation equally
well, is called reframing problem thereby its entire meaning is changed.
According to NLP techniques or Neuro Linguistic Programming there are 6 steps
of reframing problem. NLP techniques was begun by Alfred Korzybski's
work in general semantics, and developed by Richard Bandler
and John Grinder.
So what does NLP techniques mean?
Neuro
We experience the world through our senses, and neurology, and thus create our
view of reality and act accordingly. That is, all behavior results from how we use
our senses sight; hearing; touch and feeling; smell and taste and then processing
this information through our brains and nervous systems.
Linguistic
Linguistics refers to language and other non-verbal communication systems. It's
about how we communicate to others and ourselves. A Jungian approach would say
there is a spiritual ground of being that underpins our journey as human beings.
That "language" evolves from our first cry -- our first attempt to communicate and
reach out. It's about pattern recognition.
Programming
The "programming" part interprets human experience in very logical terms. Every
day we organize our thinking and behaving to get results. Our behavior is not just
random. Most of our thinking and feeling has a structure and a sequence. If we
understand the structure, we can largely predict the result. If we have a recipe -
know the ingredients and the method of combining them, we know if we will end up
with a cake or a stir-fry. If I think I can't do something, I am usually right.
Here are 6 steps of reframing problem:
1. Identify a troubling behavior or response, something you would
rather not do or feel.
2. Establish communication with the part creating the unwanted
behavior or response. Ask if it would be willing to communicate
consciously. This communication might be a sensation
somewhere in their/your body, a picture, voice or sound.
3. When you get a signal, first thank the part for responding. When
we have fought against particular behaviors, they can feel
alienated, so it's useful to be polite.
3. Find the positive intention. Ask the part "What do you want?
What positive thing are you trying to do for me? The key here is
to recognize the difference between the parts intention and the
way it is going about getting it
Have you ever tried to be helpful and the person misunderstood
your intention and got annoyed? How does it make you feel? Are
you likely to help a second time?
Our unconscious parts feel the same. Here they are doing the
best they can to achieve something for you. Is there thanks or
even appreciation? We might have a long history of fighting and
shaming this response.
If a neighbor repeatedly told you what a worthless lazy bum you
were for not mowing your lawn more often, would it inspire you
to mow? I have no idea why many of us think shaming works to
change behavior. It doesn't work for me.
Assuming that this aspect of self has a positive intention can
create rapport and therefore makes it more willing to cooperate.
4. Ask for help from their/your creative part to create three
alternative ways to get the intended outcome.
5. Have the part evaluate these new choices. Are they acceptable?
Will they be as good as or better than the previous behavior? It
needs to be willing to try them out for the next month or longer if
appropriate.
The key here is negotiation. If the part with the unwanted
behavior is not happy with these alternatives, it is unlikely to give
them a go. If you have ever agreed to something because you
were bullied into it, you'll know how important willing
commitment is.
If the alternatives are not acceptable, go back to step 4 for better
choices.
6. Check for objections with other parts with an ecology check
and future pacing. When we change behaviors, we can affect
other people and aspects of ourselves. Even changes we think
are fabulous have unintended consequences. We get our new car,
but our camping gear doesn't fit in the boot.
If there are objections, put them through the same process from
step 2 - what is the positive intention… so on?
Inspired by NLP techniques, We have a new paradigm about reframing
problem which is graphed in slide 1. We believe there are 6 concepts that
go parallelly geminate such as Perception and Culture, Experience and
Knowledge, Language and Habitat.
4. We will start with the first pair of concepts that is experience and knowledge. In
advanced solving of problem requires the necessary intellectual abilities, then
you will be unable to diagnose to solve the problems related to a new learning
task. In modern professional life the combination of knowledge and
experience is a key. There is a connection between knowledge and
experience, since experience named empirical knowledge and be specified
as a part of knowledge. Empirical knowledge is the knowledge gained from
experiments and can also be called a posteriori knowledge. It can be split
up further into subcategories such as physical, mental and emotional
experience, according to the type of experience made. And knowledge can
be subdivided into the categories like skill, information and expertise.
Expertise is practical knowledge in a specific field, while information
would be theoretical and skill is often a combination of both theoretical and
practical knowledge.
Culture and perception are closely linked with each other, because
people view and perceive themselves and others in the world
through their own culture. People’s background and upbringing as
well as their religions and political beliefs are included in culture, and
culture is also based on factors like a person’s gender, race,
ethnicity and nationality. People’s own culture would heavily color or
influence their perception as well as their perception of historical and
social events, actions and beliefs even though people can easily
develop an appreciation for and understanding of diverse
cultures. People's observing and experience through their own
culture background are analyzed by themselves, it means culture
and perception play a vital role in people's interpretation and
understanding to the world around them. Words or behaviors, such
as hand gestures or hug, they may be considered offensive or rude
manners in one culture may be considered neutral and go unnoticed
or be considered positive in another culture.
Social values are incorporated by language, and language integrates what
is of value to society and produces standards, ideals and goals. Society
changes when it's value changes and social produce changes in language.
However, social changes affect values in ways that have not been
accurately understood. Social values are only the same as linguistic values
when the society is a stable and unchanging one. Once society starts
changing, then language change produces special effects. In a static
society, the language is the society and society is its language, it means
two in one. In a static society, the language is the society and society is its
5. language, it means two in one. Language is a system of signs, and we can
communicate ideas by using signs. These parts are termed the signifier
and the signified. The sign is a compound of a word that signifies, and the
idea in the mind that is the signified.
Reframing problem should be:
A problem as an opportunity
A weakness as strength
A impossibility as a distant possibility
A distant possibility as a near possibility
Oppression ('against me') as neutral ('doesn't care about me')
Unkindness as lack of understanding
Here are some effects from reframing to different fields.
As a pessimist, you can see risks hidden and may be brought out with safer
solutions.
As a strategist, you will see beyond the today’s situation, make grow future
scenarios, and may find out new strategic opportunities.
As a researcher, you may discover wrong assumptions or missing facts and
suggest a new direction to explore.
As an inventor, you’ll think outside the box and break with wild ideas and
creative solutions no one else can think of.
An entrepreneur, you will be searching for creative solutions that can be
implemented with speed, put you ahead of your competition, and reposition
yourself for growth.
As an observer dissociated emotionally or otherwise from the problem, see
yourself trying to solve it. Quite often you will be surprised to see that you are
overlooking simple, obvious, and most elegant solutions.
From our new paradigm of reframing problem, we will use it to explain the
Chewing gum challenge from the crash course creativity and innovation.
6.
7. The chewing gum is a product that can be framed according to the above
graphic. To understand the total dimension about chewing gum, we must
analyze it having in count the following aspects: Perception and Culture,
Experience and Knowledge, Language and Society.
From the cultural perspective, chewing gum has been a famous product that
has more than 5000 years of history. This candy has a high popularity in most
of the countries. Some reject the product as they consider it to be harmful to the
environment and health. However others can not resist the sweet and charming
flavor of chewing gum and have been using it since Roman date. No doubt
chewing gum is one of the most controversial products in the market and
generates various perceptions.
Advertising and marketing harass us. It could generate that we create a false
perception about reality and a lack of knowledge. The best thing to do in
these cases is get documentation from reliable sources that help us frame our
research problem.
Today thanks to globalization, chewing gum has earned a global presence.
Even in some countries the expression “chewing gum” is used interchangeably
regardless of language (language and Society). But not everything is rosy. For
example, the Singapore government has restricted the use of chewing gum
because they consider it harmful to the environment. Also some researchers
suggest that chewing gum can cause serious health problems and bad look on
pavement of the streets.
In this situation, people have obtained a knowledge that makes them take a
negative stance against that type of caramel. It has created a controversy
around the chewing gum.
So here we can note that the perspective in comparison to the past has
changed a lot. In the past people only judged the chewing gum like a product
that smells good and used for fun activities. But today, there is a different
paradigm in where people consider the negative aspects explained above.
After learning reframing problem and reframing chewing gum from a cultural
and scientific context; we believe a new vision should be taken to improve the
image of this product. The manufacturers of chewing gum should look for
alternatives that minimize the negative impacts generated by their product.
They must understand that today people are gaining the awareness of
environmental protection. Innovation is the key to success and if they do not
change the negative image, we are sure that they will lose many customers in
the future.
If chewing gum becomes a friendly product with the environment, then a new
perception about this product will arise, and that will generate a new type of
culture around it.
References:
Dr. Ben Kim. Why Chewing Gum Isn’t Great for Your Health. Experience
Your Best Health. Article retrieved from: http://drbenkim.com/articles-
gum.html
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Chewing Gum. Article retrieved from :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum
8. TEWM, The Electric Web Matrix of Digital Technology. Bilogical Aspects
of Problem Solving. Article Retrieved from: http://www.co-
bw.com/BSC_CPS_biological_aspects_ps.htm