#ThinkfullyHabit: Remix it
Oranges came about from crossing the pomelo fruit with the mandarin. The story didn't stop there. The pomelo was then re-mixed back with the orange in order to give us the grapefruit, which was determined as a distinct fruit in its own right in 1837.
Interesting outcomes come from mixes. The same is true when we mix ideas together – particularly when we work with others to do so.
“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed.”
WHY?
We can get stuck when faced with competing choices and ideas. However, if we force combinations together from the ideas already in view, it can give us alternative ways forward. Importantly, it helps to work with others to get to these new combinations.
Psychologist, Nicholas Kohn and his colleagues did a study where they asked people to generate, share and then spend 15 minutes combining existing ideas into novel outcomes, either as part of a group sharing electronically, or by working alone. They found the idea combinations from those working in small groups were far more useful than those generated by individuals working alone.
If you find that evaluating between the existing options doesn’t give you a good way forward, try mixing the current options you already have together to find new solutions. Break away into small groups (electronically is fine!) and task yourselves to remix ideas.
Here's a few starting points to help mix to new solutions:
Combine current options: what existing ideas are there which can be fused or mixed together?
Mix component parts: what are the components from different ideas that can be combined together?
Resolve differences: what brand new ideas come about when you are forced to reconcile differences between ideas?
Add a little sprinkle: what small elements can you add a sprinkle of from a different solution to improve an existing idea?
But obviously, feel free to mix up the questions a little!
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