Think Like Sherlock: Creatively Solve Problems, Think with Clarity, Make Insightful Observations & Deductions, and Develop Quick & Accurate Instincts (Think Smarter, Not Harder Book 5)

by Peter Hollins

the SCAMPER method stands for seven techniques that help direct thinking toward innovative ideas and solutions: (S) substitute, (C) combine, (A) adapt, (M) minimize/magnify, (P) put to another use, (E) eliminate, and (R) reverse.

The CPS model outlines six stages of problem-solving: (1) mess-finding, (2) fact-finding, (3) problem-finding, (4) idea-finding, (5) solution-finding, and (6) action-finding or acceptance-finding.

This step helps converge your thinking on a problem that’s specific enough so that you can concentrate your mental energy toward productive and feasible ends.

Compared to piling on the resources and broadening options, putting up constraints and limiting resources appear to spark creativity better.

sometimes, in order to force the mind to think out of the box, it is necessary to first make that box smaller and smaller, reining in the mind with fewer and fewer options so it has no choice but to reconstruct those options in unconventional ways. In other words, creativity appears to be less of an inborn personality trait and more of a response to environments and situations that compel the person to make the best use of whatever resource is available.

It was those who switched between the problems at predetermined intervals that showed significantly higher chances of finding the right answer or generating the most novel ideas for both problems.

How does scheduling regular breaks produce better outcomes than the other approaches? The researchers say that such breaks refresh your perspective and approach to the problem or task at hand.

(1) become more detail-oriented, (2) give your 100% focus, (3) note differences from baseline, (4) understand people’s self-perceptions, and (5) see the big picture.

When you ask questions about what you observe, you deepen your thinking further and start to exercise your ability to make sense of what you observe.

if you try to dig a little deeper, you may discover that she perceives herself as the best in the business, that she values others’ esteem, and that it’s important to her that her superiority is not threatened by any new talent. Thus, you realize that challenging her authority will only make things worse. You recognize that the best way to get her to stop antagonizing you is to show that you’re impressed by her successes, express that you look up to her as an authority, avoid fighting over power and credit in the team, and help her realize that the work you do for the team would also benefit her reputation.

If you want to hone your powers of deduction, there are a number of techniques you can practice. The following section outlines five of the best ways you can go about it: (1) make a fishbone diagram, (2) practice coming up with potential causes for details you observe, (3) watch people and deduce the conversations they’re having, (4) talk out loud, and (5) put aside your ego to become more open-minded.

you can count on several perspective-shifting techniques to help you through. First, you may redefine problems through a number of ways: inversion or reverse brainstorming, paraphrasing, redirecting focus, varying the stress pattern, and substituting explicit definitions for terms in the problem statement. Second, you may engage in hypothetical thinking, challenging your mind to tackle “what if” questions to drive you toward innovative answers. Finally, you may choose a more radical approach and take an entirely different viewpoint by seeing the problem from a psychological distance, tapping a combination of disciplines, lateral thinking, or using the six hats method.

Though you should be open-minded and also humble, you should also learn to question what’s in front of you.

Everyone has a reason for what they say and do, and they might not even be aware of it. But it’s up to you to find it.

assuming you’re right will often put you on the wrong track when it comes to thinking critically.

Whatever the case, you are almost always working with incomplete or bad information. Any conclusion you make is going to be a leap, but you can make sure it is a smaller leap rather than a bigger one.