No comparison, no harm. Is it because you don't think seriously enough? I've been saying "think seriously" since I was a child, and I swear I'm really serious! So there is a problem with thinking time? Stupid birds fly first, spend more time thinking? Facts have proved that the effect of thinking is not directly proportional to the time invested, or there is no positive correlation. So what's the problem?
Ryunoyuki Hirai gave the answer in the book Deep Thinking Method of MIT-Thinking Phenomenon from Model and Dynamic Mechanism, that is, deep thinking-thinking based on essence.
Because essence is the real reason that causes problems or phenomena and hides behind them. For example, tutoring a primary school student to do a problem at home, if he doesn't understand the concept today and simply does a problem, maybe he can do this problem, but he can't do the next one. Only by deeply understanding the concept can we draw inferences from others. Judging based on phenomena is like a quack treating a disease, treating the symptoms rather than the root cause. Only by paying attention to the in-depth thinking of the essence of the problem can we fundamentally solve the problem.
Takashi Hirai graduated from the University of Tokyo with a master's degree, and obtained an MBA and a doctorate (academic) from the Si Long Business School of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He used to work for Bain Consulting, Dell and Starbucks, and now he is a partner of Roland Berger Strategic Consulting Company (Roland Berger Consulting Company has been the largest strategic management consulting company in the world since 1967 was founded in Germany). The main job of management consulting company is to face all kinds of enterprise problems, so it is necessary to think deeply and solve the problems to the point.
I share my experience in learning this book from three main points:
1, why should we think deeply?
2. What are the obstacles to deep thinking?
3. How to think deeply?
Viewpoint 1: Why should we think deeply?
Because of the information explosion. According to statistics, the information growth in 2008 exceeded the sum of the growth of 200 1 to 2006. If we count the information generated by media development in recent years, it is estimated that it has reached a terrible level. When thinking now, what we are worried about is not the lack of information, but how to identify and choose when the information is overloaded.
But also because the world has become complicated. When the economy develops rapidly, the world is like a high-speed train. As long as you get on the train, you can follow and enjoy the bonus. The world looks simple. However, economic development has slowed down. For example, Japan, the United States and Europe are no longer developing on a large scale, and various dividends have disappeared. How to survive and develop better? The world has become confusing. Only by looking at the essence through the phenomenon and learning to think deeply based on the essence can we be prepared in advance when the sea ebbs and not be the embarrassing naked swimmer.
Point 2: What are the obstacles to deep thinking?
Deep thought is good, self-evident. But why can't male and female servants do it? Takayuki Hirai listed nine modes of thinking, which are superficial and imperceptible, and are "pits" that restrict or hinder our in-depth thinking.
For example, the first mentality is "causal inversion". For example, the author says "I'm so tired", but the general advice is "Then have a good rest". Think about it carefully, "I'm so tired" is a phenomenon and result, not a "cause". If we regard results and phenomena as "causes", we will stop thinking and not consider the real reasons behind the problems. The "reasons" of "good fatigue" may be staying up late, physical problems, excessive pressure and so on. Only by finding the real reason behind the phenomenon can we solve the problem in a targeted way.
The second mentality is "content with ordinary solutions". The author explains that if the answer you give is suitable for everyone and you don't object to changing the topic, it may be a superficial answer, content with ordinary solutions. For example, "I am fat", the suggestion is "eat less and exercise more". This is an extremely correct answer, that is, eggs are useless, because everyone knows the reason. So fat, food, house. Only by finding the real reason, not satisfied with the general solution, and giving targeted solutions, can it be implemented and popularized.
In addition, there are four modes of thinking, such as "relying on the framework", "adapting to the scope", "stopping at the key words" and "clinging to the preliminary hypothesis". These modes of thinking are all in a dilemma, that is, these modes of thinking are very good in themselves, but if you rely too much, it will be like holding a hammer in your hand and treating everyone as a nail, which will make absolute mistakes and hinder in-depth thinking.
There are also three modes of thinking, namely "forgetting the original intention of thinking", "emphasizing the process" and "losing independent thinking", which are obstacles to prevent thinking from wandering outside the door of solving problems.
Point 3: How to think deeply?
What is deep thinking?
Based on the classic system dynamics theory of MIT, Takashi Hirai gave the definition of deep thinking: deep thinking = model * dynamic mechanism.
What is a model? A model is a structure that produces a certain phenomenon, including its constituent elements and their interrelationships. What is the dynamic mechanism? It is the movement and result produced with the passage of time.
Behind the phenomenon, there must be a model and dynamic mechanism that causes the phenomenon. And deep thinking is to find out the mode and dynamic mechanism hidden behind the phenomenon. Then change an element in the model, that is, the fulcrum, and under the action of the dynamic mechanism, change the direction of things and solve problems. According to this formula, Takashi Hirai divides deep thinking into the following four steps.
Deep thinking step 1: build a model.
Modeling is more like a splitting problem, which determines the various elements that lead to the phenomenon, removes the "meta-elements" left after minor details, and then determines the relationship between various elements.
Causality between elements must be considered, and correlation can be eliminated. The author gives an example, "Employees who learn English well have strong working ability". Obviously, the two are not causal, but related, because there is a hidden factor "employees work hard". Because of hard work, they learn English well and have strong working ability. So correlation can't enter the model.
Modeling should first consider five elements: input source, output point, competitive relationship, cooperative relationship and influencer. For example, why Singapore Airlines is so successful, the model given by the author is as follows:
In addition, the modeling should consider the hierarchy: the five elements constitute the factor hierarchy, so are there other levels of factors that affect the model? For example, to win a game, what's the weather like that day, the runway situation, what to eat, and what the competitors are like are all five elements. In addition, there are technical factors in the upper layer and physical factors in the lower layer. All these will affect the result of the game. When modeling, considering levels is to broaden our horizons, which is no longer limited to one place, that is, from micro to macro; By considering other factors, we can get a breakthrough control to solve the problem, and then from macro to micro.
Deep thinking Step 2: Interpret the dynamic mechanism
Modeling is just drawing a static diagram, with no dynamic mechanism. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the dimension of time to look at the movement trend and results of the model on a long time axis. If we only look at the model at a time point, the relationship between the elements is fixed; With the passage of time, the increase or decrease of each element may change, and the relationship may go in the opposite direction. There are six representative dynamic mechanism models:
Deep thinking Step 3: Find strategies to change the mode.
To solve the problem in essence, we must start with the model. Because the model is hidden behind the phenomenon, if some measures are taken from the phenomenon, the model will not move, that is, various elements and their relationships still exist, and no matter how hard you try, you can't really solve the problem.
How to change the mode? Takayuki Hirai's suggestion is to find the fulcrum, which is the key to get twice the result with half the effort. How to find the fulcrum? The author gives five strategies:
Correctly understand the preconditions;
The reason is not necessarily close to the result in time or space;
Expand the current "thinking scope" and take all affected aspects into account;
Enhance the perspective and occasionally try to put down the immediate problems;
Think about what I think. Thinking about thinking order and judgment standard:
Step 4: Think deeply and get feedback from practice.
Deep thinking cannot be completed overnight. You need to practice and apply it in practice, and then get real feedback, so as to improve the effect of your deep thinking.
In addition, the author also gives six daily training methods to improve deep thinking, one of which is "using newspaper headlines to expand association". How to do it specifically?
When we see the title of an article in a newspaper or magazine, don't read it in a hurry, but think about what the five elements of this problem may be first, so as to establish a model; Secondly, think about the dynamic mechanism of this model and whether this situation will last forever. What will happen in 20 years after 10? Finally, we need to read the original text for verification and comparison, and see what are the differences between our thinking and the author's thinking, which is better or worse, where we need to reflect and where we need to learn from it. This way is very conducive to training your deep thinking ability.
To sum up: MIT deep thinking method is to make thinking no longer superficial. Through the model and dynamic system, we can go deep into the essence of things and see the sun through the clouds, thus solving the problem. Thinking is divided into high efficiency and low efficiency. In fact, inefficient thinking is to cover up real laziness with pretend diligence. May we all think deeply, express powerfully, live thoroughly and work efficiently.