1. Reframing (a) Look out for reframes in everyday life Start to notice that reframes that are part of everyday conversation and communication: in jokes, advertising, discussions and arguments. Here’s a clue: look out for comments that provoke a strong emotional reaction, either positive (the punchline of a joke or a thoughtful compliment) or negative (in a political debate or a lovers’ argument). The more you do this, the more you will realise how much human beings make themselves happy, sad anxious or plain miserable over their interpretation of events, rather than the events themselves. (b) Spot limiting frames It’s often easier to spot limiting frames when they are used by other people. When you see other people getting stuck in problems, ask yourself “What limiting frames are they applying to this situation?” and “What other frames would give them more options?”. E.g. A business owner with disappointing sales who keeps tweaking the copy on the sales page of his website, unaware that the problem isn’t with his sales pitch, it’s the product itself that is flawed. Once you get used to this, try raising the bar and spotting the limiting frames that you are applying to situations where you habitually get stuck. (c) Look for alternative frames When confronted with problems, opportunities and other interesting situations, get into the habit of looking for alternative frames to the most obvious ones. Here are two very useful questions for doing this: i.“What else could this mean?” This is known as a content reframe, as it reframes the thing itself, whether a behaviour, person, event or object. Here are a few examples: Is that noisy person’s behaviour charmingly enthusiastic, or annoyingly boisterous? Is that presenter admirably confident or merely arrogant? Was the rock festival a fantastic weekend of fun, or a blight on the peaceful countryside? Is Bob’s new sports car a symbol of his success or a sign of a midlife crisis? ii.“Where else could this be useful?” This is known as a context reframe, as the meaning of the thing itself doesn’t change, but a change of context can change it from a positive to a negative (or vice versa). Nobody wants a reputation for clumsiness – unless it’s time to wash the dishes. Winston Churchill’s fighting spirit won him admirers during the Second World War, but when the war ended, the British public decided they wanted a different kind of leader for peacetime. The start of the football season divides many households between those who have been waiting for it all summer, and those who can’t believe it’s come around again so soon. Driving a 4x4 truck in the city is environmentally irresponsible; in remote countryside it’s a basic necessity. (d) Useful frames for problem solving Think of a problem or creative challenge that you are currently trying to solve. Run through the list of creative frames from the lesson, asking yourself each of the questions in turn, to see what new options they bring to mind. If you’re still stuck, do the activity with friends or colleagues. The more people you involved, the more different perspectives (frames) you will generate, and the more chance you have of finding a workable solution. Keep this list handy for dealing with future problems – and add any new frames and questions that you discover along the way. Meaning — what else could this mean? Context — where else could this be useful? Learning — what can I learn from this? Humour — what’s the funny side of this? Solution — what would I be doing if I’d solved the problem? Can I start doing any of that right now? Silver lining — what opportunities are lurking inside this problem? Points of view — how does this look to the other people involved? Heroes — how would one of my creative heroes approach this problem?
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:15:08 +0000
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