The Explainer: Solving Problems by Starting with the Worst Idea Possible reviews

April 26, 2022



Sometimes wrong thinking can lead to the right answer.

There are many creative tools a designer uses to think differently, but none is more counter-intuitive than “wrong thinking,” also called reverse thinking. Wrong thinking is when you intentionally think of the worst idea possible — the exact opposite of the accepted or logical solution, ideas that can get you laughed at or even fired — and work back from those to find new ways of solving old problems.

———————————————————————

At Harvard Business Review, we believe in management. If the world’s organizations and institutions were run more effectively, if our leaders made better decisions, if people worked more productively, we believe that all of us — employees, bosses, customers, our families, and the people our businesses affect — would be better off. So we try to arm our readers with ideas that help them become smarter, more creative, and more courageous in their work. We enlist the foremost experts in a wide range of topics, including career planning, strategy, leadership, work-life balance, negotiations, innovation, and managing teams. Harvard Business Review empowers professionals around the world to lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact.

Sign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters

Follow us:
https://hbr.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review/
https://www.facebook.com/HBR/

https://www.instagram.com/harvard_business_review

Click to rate this post!
[Total: 0 Average: 0]
8 Comments
  1. precondition is you can afford the result from the bad idea no matter how tough it will be

  2. Bad idea,good iQ.

  3. I'm not sure about this one, there doesn't seem to be enough substance behind the concept or examples of it working.

  4. This sounds ridiculous but a good idea

  5. Only possible in an organisation that are people centric and not afraid to take risks and face possible failure to find that serendipity.

  6. Although this exercise seems counter intuitive, it often does provide the insights and opportunities required to solve a problem. Of course, you have to have the time, or the flexibility, and it can't have dire consequences, like losing your job or getting sued. Like most of the actions and exercises within creative problem solving, you can't leave out common sense 😉

  7. Problem that could get me fired or in a lawsuit if I ignore it. What is the worst thing I can do? Ignore it. I ignore it and get fired and have a lawsuit on me.

  8. Consistently failing on purpose? Sure, that sounds like a logical method of job security.

Leave a Reply to Arinze Clement Cancel reply

Reviews We Trust
Logo
Register New Account
Reset Password