Index
active thinking, 88
activity. See exercise/activities
advice, 83–84
analysis versus insight strategies, 143–144
arguments
due to personality conflicts, 146–148
friendly, 45
thoughts occurring during, 26
Art of Insight, The (TAOI), 54–56
discussion about (example), 35–36
key elements, 6
in organizations (see introducing TAOI to organizations; team/group applications for TAOI)
Art of Thought, The (Wallas), 109
assessing your progress, 167–169
assumptions, challenging basic, 117
August Rush (film), 35
bad moods, 52–53
Bailey, Joseph, 81–82
Banks, Sydney, 33
basketball analogy (recovering equilibrium), 53–54, 94
basketball game example (quiet mind), 44–45, 55–56
behavior, insights into others’, 28–29
behavioral states of newborns, 93–94
benefits of insights, 3, 102, 138, 157, 159–160, 163. See also life in an insight state
Berlew, Dave, 15
brainstorming compared to TAOI, 138–139
Brazelton, T. Berry, 93–94
breathing for relaxation, 35–36
cafeteria trays example (fresh thoughts), 46–47
Carlson, Richard, 81–82
Celtics game example (quiet mind), 44–45
children
behavioral states of newborns, 93–94
realizations of, 34
China project example, 135–136, 142
Citicorp example (strategy formulation), 140–141
coaching
coaching a colleague, 145–146
for fresh thoughts and insights (exercise), 76–79
collaboration. See working with others
common insights, 34–37
common sense, 141
Common Vision, 15
concepts, upending of existing, 25–26
confidence, 161
conflict management, 146–148, 149–150
conscious thoughts, 65
continuum of thought, 40–42
convergent phase of problem solving, 138
conversations. See also working with others
active thinking as, 88–90
benefits of pauses in, 150–151
Citicorp example, 141
for coaching a colleague, 145–146
coaching during (exercise), 77–79
facilitating insights in others
during, 85
Insight Listening, 80–82
introducing TAOI (see introducing TAOI to organizations)
keeping on track in, 84–85
for strategy formulation, 144
Creating (Fritz), 137–138
creative process. See also working with others
brainstorming compared to TAOI, 138–139
early model of, 109–110
illumination/insight for, 109
incubation/reflection for, 109, 113–114
preparation for, 111
problem solving compared to TAOI in, 137–139
verification for, 114
what to listen and look for during, 115–117
current thinking, awareness of your, 64
Daley, Eliot, 30–33
decision making, 160–161
desired state of affairs, 111
discoveries, 25
distracting thoughts, 69–79, 81–82
distractions, 54–55
divergent phase of problem solving, 138
Eisenhower, Dwight, 96
emotional issues. See psychological/emotional issues
energy, 162
environmental changes for finding insights, 126
epiphanies, 106–107
errors/mistakes in thought, 115–117
exercise/activities
for clearing your head, 101–102
focusing on insights during, 104–105
mental activity during, 86–88
facilitating a meeting/group, 155–157. See also introducing TAOI to organizations
feelings. See also psychological/emotional issues
absence/loss of good, 51–52, 59–60
as functions of thoughts, 99–100
insights manifested as, 35–36
looking for, 85
flawed thinking, 115–116
Formerly Called “Retirement” (Daley), 30–33
formulating strategies, 140–146
framing problems, 110–117, 137
Fresh Thought Hunt, 72–75, 77, 112, 114, 130, 147
fresh thoughts
coaching for fresh thoughts and insights (exercise), 76–79, 145–146
as distractions, 71–72
improvements in finding, 161
listening/hunting for (exercise), 72–76
looking for, 37
during meeting breaks, 153
memory thoughts versus, 20–22
need for, 22–24
sharing, 66–67
space for, 46–47
steps for finding, 109–110
through Insight Listening, 63
when alone, 126–127
Fritz, Robert, 137–138
gazebo reading, 15–16
George, Samuel E., 23–24
Goldilocks sweet spot example, 43
good feelings/thoughts, 57, 164–165
gratitude, 104
Harman, Willis, 9–11
heady voice, 90
hearing versus listening, 61
idea generation, 85, 150–151, 152, 157
idiot lights analogy, 53–54
illumination/insight for creative process, 109
inaccuracies in thought, 115–117
inconsistencies in thought, 115–117
incubation/reflection for creative process, 109, 113–114
information processing, 109–110
inner wisdom, 56
Innovation Associates, 15
insight, art of. See Art of Insight, The (TAOI)
insight development, 9–11
Insight Listening. See also listening for coaching colleagues, 145–146
coaching for fresh thoughts and insights (exercise), 76–79
conversations for, 80–82
exercises for practicing with one other person, 67–79
fresh thoughts and, 63
hunting for fresh thoughts (exercise), 72–76
listening to others, 61–63
natural and common aspects of, 34–35
with a person unfamiliar with, 82–85
practicing techniques, 63–67
stopping distracting thoughts, 69–79
to yourself, 86–91
insight meter, 16
Insight State of Mind
art versus technique of, 54–56
description, 39–40
losing/recovering, 50–54
problems of entering, 93–95
recognizing feeling of, 47–50
space for fresh thoughts, 46–47
techniques for thinking for, 59–60
tempo and pauses in, 42–45
writing for insight, 86
insight versus analysis strategies, 143–144
insight voice, 90
instructing versus reminding, 13
integrated cross-selling example, 142–143
intellect
disengagement of, 10–11, 13, 61, 62, 78
focusing the, 42
intellectual insight versus understanding, 26
internal monologues, 56
intractable problems, 134–139
introducing TAOI to organizations
five-minute practice sessions, 151–152
ground rules for, 148–151
importance of breaks during, 152–153
with others unfamiliar with concepts, 153–157
Johnson, Samuel, 13
knowledge, things you don’t know, 116
Kovacevich, Dick, 140–141
labeling your thoughts/insights, 155
leading by example, 155
leading/facilitating discussions on TAOI. See introducing TAOI to organizations
learning capacity of newborns, 94
life in an insight state
benefits of insights, 3, 102, 138, 157, 163
improvements through, 159–162
triggers for thinking about, 168–169
listening
for insight (see Insight Listening)
as natural function, 63
new questions when, 116
to others, 61–63
low-quality thoughts, 96–97
Manning, Ken, 62–63
meaning, profound, 33
meetings
applying TAOI in, 130–134
importance of breaks during, 152–153
for introducing TAOI to organizations, 155–156
memory bank, 23–24
memory thoughts, 20–22, 22–24, 109–110, 161
mental activity during physical activity, 86–88
mental conversations, 88–90
mental health. See psychological/emotional issues
mistakes/errors in thought, 115–117
monologues, internal, 56
moods. See psychological/emotional issues
muscular stress, 105
natural insights, 34–37
negative feelings/thoughts, 28–29, 52–53, 106
new thoughts. See fresh thoughts
nonverbal insights, 30–33
Norwest Bank (strategy formulation example), 142, 143–144
offsite planning sessions, 131–134
overthinking insights, 162–164
partners. See working with others
paths to insights, 14–15
Pauling, Linus, 23
peace of mind, 103
personal insight, 30–33
personality conflicts, 146–148
planning retreat example, 131–134
practice of insight. See also creative process; problem solving
during group discussions on, 151–152
technique versus, 101–103
working alone, 126–127
working with others (see working with others)
prayer, 102–103
preparation for creative process, 109, 111
problem solving
framing the problem, 110–117
improvements in, 160
insight compared to, 29, 137–138
insights during steps for, 113
intractable problems, 134–139
for others, 80
reflective thinking for, 86–87, 113–114, 126–127
working with others for insights, 125–126
progress assessment, 167–169
psychological/emotional issues. See also feelings; state of mind effects of agitation, 96
escaping bad moods, 52–53
improvements in, 160
losing/regaining our bearings, 101
mood elevators, 104
questions
for introducing TAOI to organizations, 155
new, when listening, 116
reframing of, for problem solving, 113
quiet mind, 44–45
reading
acting on what you read, 16
for insight, 15–16
reality
relationship of thought and, 15, 107
taking inventory of current, 112
reflective reading, 15–16
reflective thinking, 86–87, 113–114, 126–127
reframing a problem, 110–111, 112–113
relationships
improvements in, 161
insights into others’ behavior, 28–29
personality conflicts in, 146–148
thought/reality, 15
relaxation
breathing for, 35–36
of thinking, 94–95
reminding versus instructing, 13
sensory walks, 153
simplicity through insight, 26–27
sleep, 96–97
solving problems. See problem solving
staff meetings, 130–131
state of mind. See also Insight State of Mind; psychological/emotional issues
changing your, 102
government of, by thoughts, 95
losing awareness of, 105–106
practice versus techniques for, 101–103
recognizing/noticing your, 40, 47
when leading/facilitating discussions on TAOI, 154
strategy formulation, 140–146
stress reduction, 105
subconscious thoughts, 20
sweet spot example, 43
TAOI. See Art of Insight, The (TAOI)
team/group applications for TAOI. See also introducing TAOI to organizations
coaching a colleague, 145–146
introducing Insight Thinking to, 153–157
leading/facilitating discussions, 148–157
meetings, 130–134
offsite planning sessions, 131–134
personality conflict issues, 146–148
problem solving, 134–139
strategy formulation, 140–146
technique of insight, 54–56
technique versus practice, 101–103
thinking. See also thought(s)
active, 88–90
automatic/unconscious switching of, 70–71
awareness of your current, 64
flawed, 115–116
good/high-quality, 99–100
improving your, 107
insights into nature of your, 106
overthinking insights, 162–164
pace of, 42
reflective, 86–87, 113–114, 126–127
relaxation of, 94–95
state of mind according to style of, 163
techniques for, 59–60
triggers for assessing your progress, 168–169
thought continuum, 40–42
thought/reality relationship, 15, 107
thought(s). See also thinking
allowing wandering, 113, 151–152
automatic/unconscious switching of, 70–71
conscious, 65
creation of, 20
dropping/stopping techniques, 65–66
feelings as function of, 99–100
fresh (see fresh thoughts)
inconsistencies, mistakes, errors, inaccuracies in, 115–117
insights as, 20–24
insights versus other types of, 19
listening to your, 63–67
preoccupation with your, 82
role of, 103–107
stopping distracting, 69–79
thinking pace, 42
train of, 87
time management, 161
triggers
for fresh thinking, 168
of low-quality state of mind, 98
of new ideas, 152
for thought derailment, 51
underproductive states, 50–51
understanding
deepening, through insight, 24–26
intellectual insight versus, 26
lack of conscious, 37
universal, 26
of yourself, 30–33
vacation state of mind, 103
verification for creative process, 109, 114
voice types, 90
Wallas, Graham, 109
wandering thoughts, 113, 151–152
working alone, 126–127
working with others. See also conversations; team/group applications for TAOI
clients, 135–137
facilitating insights in others during conversations, 85
insights into others’ behavior, 28–29
listening to others, 61–63
maintaining Insight State of Mind when, 127
practicing with one other person (exercises), 67–79
problem solving for others, 80
problem solving insights, 125–126
working as a trio (exercise and examples), 117–125
writing for insight, 86, 89, 127
Yanowitz, Joel, 131–134
Zmuda, Allison, 123–125