Monday, July 25, 2005
The Imaginary Board of Directors
A best practice for creative problem solving is to form an Imaginary Board Of Directors.
The Imaginary Board of Directors is a “…fantasy board of powerhouse business leaders and innovators who will assist you in overcoming your business challenges.” (from Thinkertoys)
This board may consist of any person you admire most, living or dead. The instructions Michael Michalko offers in Thinkertoys to form and use this board are as follows:*
- Select three to five business movers and shakers, living or dead, whom you admire most.
- Get photographs of your Board and pin them up to constantly remind you of the talent at your disposal.
- Research your heroes. Read everything about your heroes that you can get your hands on.
- Take notes on your favorite passages. Pay particular attention to the creative techniques they employed to solve problems.
- When you have a challenge, consult the members of your board and imagine how they would solve it.
One of the fellas on my Imaginary Board of Directors is Walt Disney. I have admired him all my life.
Others on my list include: Henry Ford, Tom Edison, Al Einstein, Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Steve Martin and the McVicker brothers.
When trying to solve a business or marketing problem… I’ll ask myself… what would Twain say? What would Edison do? How would Martin handle this situation?
Who would be on your list?
*Paraphrased from the great book:Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1991. pg. 178
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Post To Twitter •3 reactions
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(1)RE: Sand for Your Inbox - March 2006 • Monday, June 9 2008 at 10:45 pm
[...] is such a great way to think about it… I’m going to have to check in later on the Imaginary Board of Directors, but my immediate response to the concept is that it’s brilliant. – Lara “This was [...]
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(2)odranoeL ekiL etirW • Tuesday, July 22 2008 at 10:50 am
[...] I’m studying one of my heroes and a newer member of the Idea Sandbox Board of Directors. [...]
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(3)Idea Sandbox Imaginary Board Helps Invent Time Travel • Tuesday, January 13 2009 at 2:24 pm
[...] photograph reveals that an Imaginary Board of Directors was consulted to invent time [...]
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