Change-ability is enhanced when we feel that we have the resources, strategies or options for navigating the path ahead. Most of us are more resourceful than we think–we just need access to our ideas. List of 100 is a journalling technique described by Kathleen Adams in her book Journal to the Self: Twenty-two Paths to Personal Growth.

Adams writes that lists are helpful for clarifying thoughts, revealing patterns, brainstorming solutions, moving beyond the obvious, generating a lot of information in a short time, and focusing attention. (p. 124) She suggests using the List of 100 for any topic or challenge. “Anything that is a current issue for you is a good candidate for a List of 100.” (p. 132)

There are a few guidelines you’ll need to follow to benefit from the List of 100 tool. First, you must write 100! The first couple of dozen will be the obvious, followed by more creative ideas, and then you’ll be forced to really dig deep–this is when the results become interesting and out-of-the-box. You can number your entries as you go or number a sheet of paper from 1 to 100 before you start–but do number each thought.

In addition, Adams notes that you should write as fast as you can. And you can repeat an entry if you’re stuck. Use point form rather than complete sentences and don’t worry about the logic or “quality” of your points. You should also write your list in one sitting. After you’ve finished, review your list for themes and patterns. Use themes or individual list entries in developing a change response or strategy. If your ideas need further development, try some of the visual thinking techniques discussed in Change-ability Tip #18: Increase Creative Problem-solving through Visual Thinking.

Kernel: Life is filled with opposites. If you’re facing darkness (stress/change), what is the opposite now visible as light?

From creativity consultant and author Roger von Oech:
“Heraclitus is saying that we don’t fully appreciate something until we have thought about or experienced its opposite. For example, success is more rewarding if we’ve tasted defeat, life more precious if we’ve been close to death, and love dearer if lost and regained. … So, the questions this insight suggests are: What’s ‘dark’ or missing in your current situation? How does it shed light on what is there?”

Roger von Oech’s books include:
A Whack on the Side of the Head (New York: Warner Books, 1998.)
A Kick in the Seat of the Pants (New York: Harper & Row, 1986.), and
Expect the Unexpected (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2002.)

There is something magical about visual thinking strategies such as Mind Mapping, clustering, concept mapping, or FutureScapes™. Each approach varies somewhat and personally, I like to use Gabrielle Rico’s “clustering” simply because I’ve had the most experience with it. I rarely begin any project at work without doing a cluster map of my thoughts, ideas, resources, goals or needs, and connections, etc.

Simply described, clustering begins with a “focus” word or phrase written in the centre of a large, unlined sheet of paper (at least this is my preference–you could create a cluster in the sand… or on lined paper). Circle your focus word and then capture your thoughts, ideas, and related topics, letting them pour onto the sheet in representative words or phrases. In my use of clustering, I circle thoughts and connect them to related or hierarchical thoughts at the same time or later as I reflect on the cluster topic. In Mind Mapping, developed by Tony Buzan around the same time as Rico’s clustering technique, use of colour and images is considered very important.

FutureScape™ is a technique that I’ve learned about recently and instantly appealed to my librarian sensibilities in that it incorporates information gleaned from environmental scans and intuitive insights. It is a visual thinking strategy developed by T. Irene Sanders for organizational strategic planning, but has been used for many purposes including career development. It is described in her book Strategic Thinking and the New Science: Planning in the Midst of Chaos Complexity and Change (New York: The Free Press, 1998).

I was especially interested in Sanders’ use of what she calls “perking information”–new developments occurring just below the surface that will impact your situation in future. She notest that FutureScape™ is different from Mind Mapping in that it “helps you see the self-organizing behaviour of the big-picture context in which your decisions are being made.” (p. 157)

More information is available at the links below:

T. Irene Sanders: Washington Center for Complexity & Public Policy

Mind Mapping video with Tony Buzan

Clustering developed by Gabrielle Rico, author of Writing the Natural Way

Review of Dan Roam’s book, The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures. at Paul Baker’s blog, EducationPR: Social Media for Communicators In Education

Chuck Frey is the founder and editor of InnovationTools.com (check out the Mind Mapping Resource Center here) and the author of The Mind Mapping Software Blog. The Mind Mapping Software Update newsletter includes excerpts from the blog.

For information about online or electronic visual thinking tools, check out Innovation Tools and Chuck Frey’s Mind Mapping Software Product Guide

In the first edition of his book, Michalko writes “Assumptions are maintained by the hug of history. Yet, history does not guarantee their validity, nor does it ever reassess their validity. At times, an assumption presents a false face that we mistake for something immutable; a truth that cannot be challenged.” (p. 43-44).

Assumptions are an enormous barrier to change-ability because they are quiet and keep a low profile. We’re not even aware of many of them. When we begin to develop a strategy for meeting a challenge, we begin with a set of assumptions–the foundation–which impacts the direction and success of everything that follows.

Michalko’s recipe for using assumptions to our advantage:

1. state your challenge or issue
2. list your assumptions [do not be fooled--this is extremely difficult and may take some time]
3. reverse your assumptions and write the opposite of each one
4. develop several approaches for accomplishing each reversed assumption
5. consider how these strategies can be utilized in working with your original challenge

In my experience, personally and in using this technique while facilitating workshops, the most powerful aspect of reversing assumptions is step #2–identifying the assumptions. Often identifying a piece of the puzzle that can be reinterpreted or reshaped causes the bigger picture to shift.

Let me know how this works for you.