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Digg it UP - Are Your Financial Decisions Becoming Stale? Here are 3 Fresh Tools to Help!
The mortgage industry accounted for $1,815,949,279,000 in loan transactions in 2004. That's one trillion, eight hundred and fifteen billion, nine hundred and forty-nine million, two hundred and seventy nine thousand dollars... in one year!Mortgage brokers average better than 1% commission on every transaction...so a conservative estimate is $18,159,492,790 to the mortgage industry in commissions last year. Eighteen billion is a lot of money to go around.Consider a profession that doesn't require any formal schooling yet offers a six-figur
Blue Hat - think of blue sky - overview, process control, sets agenda for thinking, summaries, conclusions
Both 'A' and 'B' can wear the black hat at the same time to find the dangers in an idea. They can both wear a Yellow Hat to to explore the benefits. That way all members of the discussion can be thinking in the same way for a period of time without the need to argue and take sides. The organizer can decide when to change the hats and all agree to abide by his/her rulings.
Fresh Tool #3. S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Apply SCAMPER to the problem you wish to solve or your specific situation.
You can use each of the letters of this word SCAMPER as follows:
S – Substitute (can you apply something else)
C – Combin
We don’t like to think about people doing harm to ourselves or others. The reality, however, is that we live in a country with one of the highest rates of financial crimes, including embezzlement, fraud, theft, etc. And, that’s just the beginning. Let’s look at just a few statistics on what the FBI reports is the fastest growing crime in the US - employee theft:· US Chamber of Commerce reports that $50 billion dollars are lost annually due to employee theft and fraud and that 20% of all businesses fail due to the same reason.<
Are you ready? Let's do it.
Fresh Tool #1. Random Input
This is the simplest of all creative thinking techniques. It is widely used by advertising agencies, new product teams, rock groups, playwrights, IT developers and many others. This tool was developed by Dr. Edward De Bono in 1968 but has been plagiarized and borrowed since then, often by folks who don't really know how to use it.
One way to use this technique is to compile a list of 60 words (e.g. tiger, nose, hamburger, plane, molecule, rubbish, dog, shoes etc). When you need a random word glance at your watch and note the seconds reading. Use that number to get a word from your list. We then use one of these words that has no connection with the situation and hold them both together. The mind is very powerful at linking these seemingly unconnected ideas together.
In Dr. De Bono's book "Serious Creativity" he offers the following illustration:
"Cigarette" linked with "Traffic Light". "Within a few seconds this led to the idea of printing a red band around a cigarette some distance from the butt end. This band would serve as a 'danger zone'. If you stopped smoking before you reached the band, your smoking would be safer (because the last part of the cigarette is more harmful)."
This also led to the idea of putting seeds in the butt of the cigarette so that when it was thrown away in a garden or park, flowers would grow out of the butt end.
Do you feel that you have completely run out of ideas and your usual ways no longer work well? Does it seem impossible to get new ideas? Put in a random word and it will open up new lines of thought immediately.
Fresh Tool #2. Six Thinking Hats
This is another of Dr. De Bono's tried and tested methods. Again, it is extremely simple, but powerful. This method has been used by IBM, Prudential, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph and many other businesses world-wide.
The theory is as follows:
The Six Thinking Hats allows one to get away from the Western tradition of argument that says 'A' has a point of view but 'B' disagrees. There are six hats, each designed to represent a way of thinking about a problem.
White Hat - think of white paper - neutral - carries information, data and information
Red Hat - think of fire and warmth - feelings, emotions, hunches and intuition
Black Hat - think of stern judge - black robes, black hat is for critical judgment
Yellow Hat - think of sunshine - optimism, feasibility and how things can be done
Green Hat - think of vegetation and rich growth, creative thinking, new ideas, additional alternatives
Blue Hat - think of blue sky - overview, process control, sets agenda for thinking, summaries, conclusions
Both 'A' and 'B' can wear the black hat at the same time to find the dangers in an idea. They can both wear a Yellow Hat to to explore the benefits. That way all members of the discussion can be thinking in the same way for a period of time without the need to argue and take sides. The organizer can decide when to change the hats and all agree to abide by his/her rulings.
Fresh Tool #3. S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Apply SCAMPER to the problem you wish to solve or your specific situation.
You can use each of the letters of this word SCAMPER as follows:
S – Substitute (can you apply something else)
C – Combine
The most important purpose of a sign is delivering a message. It takes a whole lot more than throwing a bunch of letters on a panel and hoping folks will see it. A completed sign is really a composition. Whether it’s any good or not depends on four critical factors: Balance, Rhythm, Oneness, and Harmony.For balance a good sign must be “pleasing” to the eye. It is the weight distribution that is considered first. It’s not necessarily done symmetrically; rather, a well-balanced sign composition is optically effective and has a stability of sorts in
One way to use this technique is to compile a list of 60 words (e.g. tiger, nose, hamburger, plane, molecule, rubbish, dog, shoes etc). When you need a random word glance at your watch and note the seconds reading. Use that number to get a word from your list. We then use one of these words that has no connection with the situation and hold them both together. The mind is very powerful at linking these seemingly unconnected ideas together.
In Dr. De Bono's book "Serious Creativity" he offers the following illustration:
"Cigarette" linked with "Traffic Light". "Within a few seconds this led to the idea of printing a red band around a cigarette some distance from the butt end. This band would serve as a 'danger zone'. If you stopped smoking before you reached the band, your smoking would be safer (because the last part of the cigarette is more harmful)."
This also led to the idea of putting seeds in the butt of the cigarette so that when it was thrown away in a garden or park, flowers would grow out of the butt end.
Do you feel that you have completely run out of ideas and your usual ways no longer work well? Does it seem impossible to get new ideas? Put in a random word and it will open up new lines of thought immediately.
Fresh Tool #2. Six Thinking Hats
This is another of Dr. De Bono's tried and tested methods. Again, it is extremely simple, but powerful. This method has been used by IBM, Prudential, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph and many other businesses world-wide.
The theory is as follows:
The Six Thinking Hats allows one to get away from the Western tradition of argument that says 'A' has a point of view but 'B' disagrees. There are six hats, each designed to represent a way of thinking about a problem.
White Hat - think of white paper - neutral - carries information, data and information
Red Hat - think of fire and warmth - feelings, emotions, hunches and intuition
Black Hat - think of stern judge - black robes, black hat is for critical judgment
Yellow Hat - think of sunshine - optimism, feasibility and how things can be done
Green Hat - think of vegetation and rich growth, creative thinking, new ideas, additional alternatives
Blue Hat - think of blue sky - overview, process control, sets agenda for thinking, summaries, conclusions
Both 'A' and 'B' can wear the black hat at the same time to find the dangers in an idea. They can both wear a Yellow Hat to to explore the benefits. That way all members of the discussion can be thinking in the same way for a period of time without the need to argue and take sides. The organizer can decide when to change the hats and all agree to abide by his/her rulings.
Fresh Tool #3. S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Apply SCAMPER to the problem you wish to solve or your specific situation.
You can use each of the letters of this word SCAMPER as follows:
S – Substitute (can you apply something else)
C – Combin
SNAPSHOT IN TIMEEach morning I get out early and walk. The light is terrific as the sun rises and I have gotten into the habit of taking my camera along. The details that are revealed in the pictures often surprise me.Although strategic planning is about the future, it starts with a clear picture of today. By zooming in and focusing on the environment, the conditions within your business, and what makes you unique, you will find useful information to help develop effective strategies for the coming year. There are many dynamics, both inter
This also led to the idea of putting seeds in the butt of the cigarette so that when it was thrown away in a garden or park, flowers would grow out of the butt end.
Do you feel that you have completely run out of ideas and your usual ways no longer work well? Does it seem impossible to get new ideas? Put in a random word and it will open up new lines of thought immediately.
Fresh Tool #2. Six Thinking Hats
This is another of Dr. De Bono's tried and tested methods. Again, it is extremely simple, but powerful. This method has been used by IBM, Prudential, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph and many other businesses world-wide.
The theory is as follows:
The Six Thinking Hats allows one to get away from the Western tradition of argument that says 'A' has a point of view but 'B' disagrees. There are six hats, each designed to represent a way of thinking about a problem.
White Hat - think of white paper - neutral - carries information, data and information
Red Hat - think of fire and warmth - feelings, emotions, hunches and intuition
Black Hat - think of stern judge - black robes, black hat is for critical judgment
Yellow Hat - think of sunshine - optimism, feasibility and how things can be done
Green Hat - think of vegetation and rich growth, creative thinking, new ideas, additional alternatives
Blue Hat - think of blue sky - overview, process control, sets agenda for thinking, summaries, conclusions
Both 'A' and 'B' can wear the black hat at the same time to find the dangers in an idea. They can both wear a Yellow Hat to to explore the benefits. That way all members of the discussion can be thinking in the same way for a period of time without the need to argue and take sides. The organizer can decide when to change the hats and all agree to abide by his/her rulings.
Fresh Tool #3. S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Apply SCAMPER to the problem you wish to solve or your specific situation.
You can use each of the letters of this word SCAMPER as follows:
S – Substitute (can you apply something else)
C – Combin
How important are staff to your business? That’s sort of a basic question, because everyone knows that without staff you can’t do your own job. But really, how important do we consider our staff? After all, they haven’t been to school as long as we have, they don’t know as much, they don’t make the money we do. Shouldn’t it be easy to replace them when we need to?It’s easy to fall into the trap of under-rating the importance of staff to a business; but it’s at least as bad to have the wrong staff in your organization. Who are the ‘wrong’ staf
The theory is as follows:
The Six Thinking Hats allows one to get away from the Western tradition of argument that says 'A' has a point of view but 'B' disagrees. There are six hats, each designed to represent a way of thinking about a problem.
White Hat - think of white paper - neutral - carries information, data and information
Red Hat - think of fire and warmth - feelings, emotions, hunches and intuition
Black Hat - think of stern judge - black robes, black hat is for critical judgment
Yellow Hat - think of sunshine - optimism, feasibility and how things can be done
Green Hat - think of vegetation and rich growth, creative thinking, new ideas, additional alternatives
Blue Hat - think of blue sky - overview, process control, sets agenda for thinking, summaries, conclusions
Both 'A' and 'B' can wear the black hat at the same time to find the dangers in an idea. They can both wear a Yellow Hat to to explore the benefits. That way all members of the discussion can be thinking in the same way for a period of time without the need to argue and take sides. The organizer can decide when to change the hats and all agree to abide by his/her rulings.
Fresh Tool #3. S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Apply SCAMPER to the problem you wish to solve or your specific situation.
You can use each of the letters of this word SCAMPER as follows:
S – Substitute (can you apply something else)
C – Combin
There are lots of ways to deal with difficult interview questions. In these situations it helps to understand some of the possible motives interviewers have in asking you these questions, and what your own motivation should be in answering them. Here are a few insights to ponder for yourself. Whatever your approach, you should record the answers that work for you, and find new approaches for those that do not.1. What are some of your significant accomplishments?This question is an opportunity for you to express how your contributions h
Blue Hat - think of blue sky - overview, process control, sets agenda for thinking, summaries, conclusions
Both 'A' and 'B' can wear the black hat at the same time to find the dangers in an idea. They can both wear a Yellow Hat to to explore the benefits. That way all members of the discussion can be thinking in the same way for a period of time without the need to argue and take sides. The organizer can decide when to change the hats and all agree to abide by his/her rulings.
Fresh Tool #3. S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Apply SCAMPER to the problem you wish to solve or your specific situation.
You can use each of the letters of this word SCAMPER as follows:
S – Substitute (can you apply something else)
C – Combine (can you mix in something, add)
A – Adapt (can anything be changed, modified)
M – Modify, Magnify, Minimize
P – Put (to other uses)
E – Eliminate (one or more of the elements)
R - Rearrange, Reverse, Redefine
These 3 tools are only the tip of the iceberg. One reference on the Internet counted over 250 creative thinking methods from just 13 books! These 3 may just spark your interest in studying more deeply into this fascinating subject.
This study is not just for fun, it can also really assist in helping you make better financial decisions by being able to marshal more ideas, options and ways of doing things and then applying them to the financial decisions at hand.
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