Something that could improve the way you and your team think (Individual and Collective Thinking) and communicate? The Cognitive Grid by Erich R. Bühler is a great way to think about problems in groups. This advanced concept incorporates influencing factors such as emotions and biases to help you realize your full thinking potential. To play the Cognitive Grid, simply write down a question or problem you want to solve. Next, collect related ideas and concepts and write them on a separate card or post-it. Then arrange the cards in a grid pattern so that each card represents a node in the grid. Connect the nodes with lines to show the relationships between the different ideas. As you do it, explain the relationship between your ideas to the group. For example, if one idea is the cause or impacts another, connect the two nodes with an arrow or a rope from cause to effect. As you think and explain the question or problem, move through the grid by following the connections between the nodes. This structured approach allows you to explore different ideas and see how they're connected. The Cognitive Grid also allows you to bring your emotions and biases into this grid (this is where things get interesting!). Place cards with your emotional reactions (fear, joy, etc.) and biases (if any) next to the different ideas and connect them to the appropriate nodes. This way you can see and show others how your emotions and biases influence your thinking. The Cognitive Grid allows you to assess the quality and relevance of your ideas and gives you a set of analytical and visual tools to work with as a team. You can also create a Shared Map that visually connects your ideas to those of others. This way you can also see how your ideas influence others, or how others influence you. If you're a change consultant, you can use the Cognitive Grid to develop your Mental Agility and raise your awareness of your own inner mechanisms (self-awareness and self-knowledge). Try the Cognitive Grid, you'll be surprised how it can strengthen your thinking and that of your team, and how you can build organizations that are always ready when everything changes!
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