Educational articles

Painting work by Susie Barrow

Rasa Baltė Balčiūnienė
Founder of HAI Institute, author of leadership programmes

 
Today I will continue talking about meta-competences, i.e. universal competences that we develop throughout our lives - the basis for all other skills. The second metacompetence, which is essential to become the creator of one's own life, is the ability to rely on strong thinking, i.e. to see the deep causes of phenomena and what is really happening, taking a long-term perspective. A strong thinker is able to have inner guidance in an unstable environment. He does not follow imposed stereotypes of thinking. Here is an example from a business context: electricity prices are currently rising and companies are starting to make savings at the expense of other costs. People always save when something becomes more expensive - it's like an automatic collective reaction. But perhaps, in your business, it would be better not to start saving, but to look for more varied ways to increase your income. This situation can provide the impetus for innovative solutions that will bring great results in the future.

What are the key components of strong thinking?

Abstract thinking. Strong thinking - whether we like it or not - is often abstract. The ability to think abstractly helps us to grasp the big picture, to relate events or processes and to make generalisations. Abstract thinking is an excellent tool for navigating uncertainty, complex situations and crises, because it is able to piece together the big picture from small details.

A broad world view. A worldview is a complex set of meanings, structures, attitudes and the human condition in the context of the world. It can encompass geographical, co-cultural and cross-disciplinary contexts. The broader the better. When you see not only Vilnius, but the whole of Lithuania. Knowing the broader context helps you to understand your own situation, to see it from different perspectives and to be able to take the right decisions.

Insight and influence. A strong thinker can see the causes and consequences of phenomena. He does not feel boxed in, and is able to go beyond stereotypes. Thinking strongly means having a point of reference inside and seeing very clearly. Someone who sees further has more power and can influence the person next to him, helping him to move forward.

The ability to build on images of the future. A strong thinker has a picture of the future - of what they would like to do in, say, the next 10 years. He is not thrown off course by difficulties - staff turnover, failed projects, price increases. He is able to cope with them, without getting caught up in emotional reactions, because he is well aware that these difficulties are temporary and maybe even necessary for his plans. When one door closes, another opens. Or a window may open.
The ability to pause. A strong-minded person can pause. It is necessary to see the future with a sense of direction and perspective. Pause is necessary when it is not clear what to do. It prevents impulsive action. Sometimes people act just to act, to fill a void, and unfortunately they make costly mistakes. In business, such pauses avoid losses and save money and energy.

The ability to make decisions that work. When the situation is constantly changing and it is not clear what decision should be taken, a strong thinker is not afraid to make mistakes. He knows that, sometimes, the best decision is the one that works. It may not necessarily be the right one, but it will lead to a new context and a new direction. Once the action is taken, we see what comes out. That is the solution that works.

The criterion for a solution: viability. A strong-minded person is able to find his or her bearings in the face of uncertainty because he or she has internal reference points. And there is only one criterion: vitality, manifested through variety, beauty, quality, functionality and harmony. When the situation changes, one does not start with "right or wrong", "good or bad". When an action is taken or a process is started, it is observed whether more or less vitality is found.