The process of thinking is a complex and mysterious phenomenon because it is difficult to determine the line where thoughts turn into thinking. Often a person can register passing words, ideas, and concepts in their head, but this process occurs without intentional effort. On the contrary, a person can unconsciously and spontaneously come to an answer to a question that interests them (Gladvell 6). This happened to Mendeleev, who saw the periodic table of elements in a dream. Ruggiero (4) believes that thinking differs from the flow of thoughts in that a person exercises some control. He defines thinking as “any mental activity that helps formulate or solve a problem, make a decision, or fulfill a desire to understand” (Ruggiero 4). Thus, thinking is a purposeful process that allows you to identify a problem, formulate it and find a way to solve it.
The ability to think has always been a critical success factor, as it allows a person to correctly and timely assess the situation and select an adequate response. However, in the past, workers, and people, in general, were not required to have the skills of problem analysis, quick decision making, creative rethinking, etc. (Ruggiero 6). It was quite possible to get by with the mechanical execution of the work, following the instructions issued. In the modern world, the importance of the skill of thinking is becoming more evident for several reasons. First, people live in an information world full of conflicting ideas and information. Without independent and critical thinking skills, a person can easily become a victim of manipulation, marketing, and propaganda (Azizah et at.). Secondly, a wide range of skills is expected from successful workers today, related to solving problems, navigating a changing situation, causing adequate solutions, and coping with atypical tasks.
In other words, innovative, creative thinking is in demand in the modern world. It includes more than just the ability to find a solution to a problem. This is the faculty to analyze and evaluate atypical, new situations that do not fit into known patterns and parameters and have no analogs in historical experience (Azizah et al.). First, innovative thinking allows you to see the problem where most people do not see it and cannot even assess the situation and explain the ongoing processes. Moreover, creative thinking is associated with developing new methods or unusual adaptations of old ones.
Innovative thinking is essential nowadays because it is at the forefront of the progress and development of humankind and allows people to generate new business solutions and ideas that change the world for the better. Many successful businesses, like Tesla, have declared a strategy of radical innovation culture (Hoeft 210). Tesla’s example shows what good, creative thinking requires. First, innovative thinking requires the absence of a hierarchy and any form of punishment for mistakes in solving non-trivial problems or searching for new approaches (Hoeft 214). The company is encouraged to come up with new ideas, regardless of the number of failures because extensive negative experience is valued more than positive. Second, Tesla encourages curiosity, asking uncomfortable clarifying questions, and critical thinking, even on the most basic facts (Hoeft 218). Third, the company stands for collaboration and communication ((Hoeft 218). The more employees communicate and discuss ideas, the more often they find solutions to problems.
Even though people understand the importance of developing innovative thinking in the modern world, the system of education and upbringing of children has not yet been reorganized to evolve thought creativity and independence. Our education system is not free enough and puts pressure on children to get the correct answer and not to fail (Barak and Shiran). Some modern educational methodologies, such as constructivism, shift the focus of education from remembering correct answers to acquiring the competence to form new knowledge independently. In such a system, teachers often give open-ended problems and tasks that children can solve freely using their skills (Pande and Vijayakumar). Teachers then work with the class to evaluate and review the process and its outcomes.
To develop innovative thinking in adults and children, you need to teach them the idea that failures are expected and should be used for improvement. Creativity can be produced by expanding a person’s knowledge base and constantly absorbing new ideas, even those unrelated to the main job (Barak and Shiran). Moreover, it is necessary to communicate with other creative people and encourage them to seek new solutions (Barak and Shiran). Shared space creates a culture of innovation that stimulates creative thinking in all its members, regardless of their original problem-solving skills.
Thinking is a purposeful process of assessing reality, searching for and resolving problems. Creative, innovative thinking is the main priority of the information world, in which people bring the most significant benefit, having the skills to create new non-trivial approaches. Creative thinking can be developed using modern achievements in pedagogy and creating an innovative culture. The main factors in developing innovative thinking are the absence of fear of failure, extensive knowledge, skills in working with information and atypical situations, open communication, and discussion of problems that require new approaches.
Works Cited
Azizah, S. N., Dafik Dafik, and Susanto Susanto. “The effectiveness of discovery based learning implementation through improving students’ innovative thinking skills in solving open-ended task of pattern generalization.” International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, vol. 5, no. 8, 2018, 264225.
Barak, Miri, and Shiran Yuan. “A cultural perspective to project-based learning and the cultivation of innovative thinking.” Thinking Skills and Creativity, vol. 39, 2021, 100766.
Gladvell, Malcom. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. Back Bay Books, 2007.
Hoeft, Fabian. “Auto makers and radical innovation: culture, capital and talent form road blocks.” Journal of Business Strategy, vol. 43, no. 4, 2022, pp. 210-221.
Pande, Mandaar, and S. Vijayakumar Bharathi. “Theoretical foundations of design thinking–A constructivism learning approach to design thinking.” Thinking Skills and Creativity, vol. 36, 2020, 100637.
Ruggiero, Vincent. Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues 11th Edition. McGraw Hill, 2015.