john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking1 The minding of business thinking John Little Centre for Research into Ethics and Decision-making in Organisations at the Australian Catholic University

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking2 The workshop My purpose is, through a series of exercises, to introduce you to your own “minder” and to explore its implications for individual and corporate thinking. Four parts 1.the science of thinking: exercises / models 2.on control 3.on the minder: reflection on exercises 4.on corporate thinking: model and discussion

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking3 Part 1: the science of thinking

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking4 A schematic map of mind person ground good thinking

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking5 ‘good thinking’… adds value improves performance –innovation –delegation –questioning –use of language –decision-making empowers poor thinking…

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking6 thinking?

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking7 mind Thinking as a black box… methoughts thinking body world or thinking as science?

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking8 If a science, then we need data where do we get such data? how do we get it? what do we do with it? how might we sort it? and classify it? and make sense of it?

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking9 Exercises for gathering some data After each exercise, spend 1 minute to record as many facets as you can of what you experienced - felt, thought or did mentally - during it. 1.find as many ‘reds’ as you can in the room - 30 seconds 2.meditate for 2 minutes - using a mantra 3.write down your definition of a circle: 2 minutes 4.write down your solution to the puzzle: 3 minutes 5.write down possible question(s) to ask: 1 minute

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking10 allow me to offer a possible structure for holding this data A C ?A

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking11 Short answer Long answer Who?, what?, When?, where?.. Why?, how? Is it? Will I? explanation yes, no ………data ….. (maybe) Questions ……… classified by a nswers Now an hypothesis

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking12 A value-adding structure Sense and memory. in touch…see, hear, feel.. imagining, perceiving intelligence ideas, opinions, concepts understanding, insight reason what is: true, right, real, fact / risk judging willing Change deciding enquiry publicpersonal and invisible talk walk ATTENTION CREATIVITY KNOWLEDGE CONTROL

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking13 Key landmarks for a science of thinking sense formulate assent act enquire publicpersonal and invisible self world ATTENTION CREATIVITY KNOWLEDGE CONTROL experience decide judge understand

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking14 CORE SKILLS enquire 1 experienc e 2 understand 2 formulate 3 judge 3 assent 4 decide be open foster clarity be accurate be concise ask all relevant questions be courageous be humble be focused gather a wide range persist be confident Exercise: locate the core skills X X X X X X X X X X X

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking15 Part 2: on control

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking16 Control, in changing the world.. sensing action world closing the loop with: 1. attention 2. intelligence 3. reason 4. responsibility

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking17 We can also control / change our own thinking

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking18 The structure can integrally sense and act on any part of itself.. eg in formulating eg in choosing the structure uses its self-appropriated powers to control itself

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking19 Part 3: on minding

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking20 test against given data foster clarity be complete focus and select ask all relevant questions range about be open actively imagine persist when in darkness be concise be accurate Skills for level 2: eg defining a circle coresupport 2 XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking21 test against given data foster clarity be complete focus and select ask all relevant questions range about be open actively imagine persist when in darkness be concise be accurate Skills for level 1: eg exercise of finding red coresupport 1 XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking22 test against given data foster clarity be complete focus and select ask all relevant questions range about be open actively imagine persist when in darkness be concise be accurate Skills for level 1: eg exercise - meditate coresupport 1 XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking23 test against given data foster clarity be complete focus and select ask all relevant questions range about be open actively imagine persist when in darkness be concise be accurate Skills for level 3: ‘is my solution correct? coresupport 3 XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking24 Part 4: on corporate thinking

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking25 Corporate thinking 4 levels going up 4 levels going down decision ground

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking26 3. Facts / reality / risks / probabilities 1. Research 2. Opportunities / possibilities choice 4. Positions 5. Vision / mission / values 7. Plan / capability 8. Action on the ground Valued outcomes The corporate mind: adding value in 8 products 6. Policy / strategy stakeholder good

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking27 choice The mind at work 3. Facts / reality / risks / probabilities 1. Research 2. Opportunities / possibilities 4. Positions5. Vision / mission / values 7. Plan / capability 8. Action on the ground Valued outcomes 6. Policy / strategy relating managing learning wisdomleadership achievement stakeholder

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking28 achievement freedom / choice Minding at the centre relating self knowing learningmanaging wisdomleadership

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking29 Minding… as the heart of mind

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking30 The minder’s task to overcome fear secrecy violence betrayal to facilitate trust co-operation and achieve unity forgiveness reconciliation with openness attentiveness intelligence reason responsibility to discover and live by the human good trust

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking31 Summary This workshop explores the structure of the mind, using data gathered from one`s own experience or consciousness of one`s mind at work in various exercises. This exploration uncovers the notion of the minder. A generic map of `good`, person and ground orients our search. Much can be overlaid on this map. Part 1: the science of thinking The structure comprises four levels of conscious operations - attention, understanding, judging and deciding, co-ordinated by inquiry. These four levels make up four structures: attention, creativity, knowledge and control - and introduce the science of thinking The structure has inbuilt criteria, core competencies or skills which underpin quality performance and which can be discovered within one. Part 2: on control Control is a closed loop structure which has input and output, the latter being monitored attentively, and adjusted, intelligently, rationally and responsibly. The minder is the principle of the mind`s coordination and control. It has the same structure of the mind and is integral to it. Part 3: on the minder The skills of the mind can be identified as core and minder. Exercises are used to assist participants differentiate core and minder skills. Part 4: on the corporate mind Corporate mind is presented as an achievement of co-operation and trust. It has the same generic structure of the mind. Eight value-adding products of corporate thinking are identified and overlaid on our generic map. Also located on our map are key activities of organisational learning, relating and managing located between peak attributes of wisdom, leadership and achievement. At the core, as integrator, is self- knowledge. Minding is presented as the heart of mind,wherein lies the possibility of discovering the human good, of choosing to live by it amd of shaping corporate achievement under its sway. NOTE The workshop extends the common notion of DATA to include conscious data, or all that is `given` in one`s human experience, including that of memory with its acquired knowledge. The four level structure, when applied to data of sense, is consistent with Scientific Empirical Method. By including data of consciousness, it gives rise to General Empirical Method - GEM. Within GEM the Scientific method is a special application. The ideas explored in this workshop have their origin in the classic text of Canadian philosopher, Bernard Lonergan, Insight, a study of human understanding. Google will reveal many supportive web sites devoted to Lonergan`s ideas. Tom Daly SJ has developed the schema of skills and competencies associated with the mind and the minder used in this workshop. Further texts of the author can be located at

john little 4 July, th International Conference on Thinking32 the Skills of thinking be open be active avoid drifting avoid obscurantism assent formulation data performanceInquirydeciding judging understanding experiencing recognise clarity foster clarity attend to the data gather a wide range of data be fair, patient, team spirited, committed, courageous, self-controlled, objective, and open to each of the basic human goods be accurate do not exaggerate or understate be humble but not shy do not assent without full justification become familiar with the field ask all relevant questions test against the DATA