Yesterday, I introduced a simple tool Edward de Bono provided to help people develop the ability to Pay Attention. The tool was called PMI.
In summary:
PMI (Plus-Minus-Interesting)1
You can develop your faculty of ATTENTION by taking the time to focus on 3 things:
- the Plus aspects of the situation
- the Minus aspects of the situation
- the Interesting aspects of the situation
I recommend we take this Edward de Bono tool a step farther.
For us, the word Process is a synonym of the word System, when both words are taken in the broadest context.
A definition of the word, 'System' and what we mean when we use the word 'Process':
“A system is just an arrangement of circumstances that makes things happen in a certain way. The circumstances may be metal grids, electronic components, warm bodies, rules and regulations or anything else. In each case what actually happens is determined by the nature of the system.”
“The brain is a system in which things happen according to the nature of the system. What happens in the brain is information. And the way it happens is thinking.”
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Plus |
Minus |
Interesting |
| People |
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| Process |
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| Situation |
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You can use this little table, a 1-Page Tool, to develop your Attention skill:
- it can be used to develop the skill of Attention by focusing on Situations [as de Bono taught in 'Water Logic', (1991)]
- it can be used to develop the skill of Attention by focusing on People [the #1 thing Spirited Leaders recommends]
- it can be used to develop the skill of Attention be focusing on Processes [also known as Systems]
Processes/Systems have 4 major categories:
- things that happen in our brain [as de Bono describes in the quote above],
- interactions between People,
- Man-made Processes/Systems [as examples: nmanufacturing processes and accounting systems], and
- Processes/Systems of Nature and the Cosmos.
To be more specific about the 'People' uses of this 1-Page Tool:
- self-analysis and self-development [introspection and creative-thinking progress]
- conflict resolution [a person-to-person application]
- getting present
More on this topic of Attention in future future Thought Posts...
Footnote: