1. FORGING: The principle of constructive conflict.

2. TACKLING THE TYRANT: The principle of worst things first. (David/Goliath).

3. FIDDLING: The principle of inveterate tinkering.

4. MIND-WARPING: The principle of rigid flexibility.

5. RELENTLESS PREPARATION: The principle of forever learning.

6. MEASURING TWICE: The principle of methodical meticulousness.

7. FORCE MULTIPLICATION: The principle of equitable teamwork.

7 PRINCIPLES:

HOW DO YOU SEE A PROBLEM?• Common Logic: A problem is something to be dealt with so we can go on to more productive things.

• It’s a mind-set that robs us of enjoyment and obscures the one thing essential to the success of any organization: Opportunities.

Charles Kettering, another Daytonian, told his staff: “Don’t bring me anything but trouble…good news weakens me.”

PROBLEMS = OPPORTUNITITES

THE KEY ELEMENT IN DETERMINING WHO REALLY SOLVED THE PROBLEM LIES IN HOW YOU DEFINE THE CONCEPT OF FLYING.

SOLVING PROBLEMS IS WHAT WE DO DAILY

“It’s quite a three-pipe problem, and I beg that you won’t speak to me for fifty minutes!” (-Sherlock Holmes)

•TOUGH MENTAL HONESTY

•HIGH-SPIRITED ENTHUSIASM

•FOCUSED LISTENING

•OPEN (FLEXIBLE) THINKING

•CONFIDENT SELF-IMAGE

Principle 1: FORGING

MAKING CONSTRUCTIVE CONFLICT EFFECTIVE • ASSESS FIRST

• ESTABLISH THE OBJECTIVE

• KEEP IT LIVELY BUT CIVIL

• PERIODICALLY TAKE THE TEMPERATURE

• PROTECT SELF-IMAGES

• DON’T FORCE IT

• PERIODICALLY SWITCH POSITIONS

• AVOID COMPROMISE

• INCLUDE THE “UNINFORMED”

BY DISTILLING THE PROBLEM DOWN TO A SERIES OF SMALL DOORS TO BE OPENED, THE WRIGHT BROTHERS IDENTIFIED 6 CATEGORIES OR SUBSETS

WITHIN THE OVERALL PROBLEM.

• WING DESIGN (generating sufficient lift)

• PROPULSION (propellers to provide thrust)

• POWER (a lightweight, gas-powered engine)

• CONTROL (a means to manage instability in flight)

• BALANCE (the ability to keep the craft level in flight)

• FLYING SKILL (the ability to actually fly the machine)

THE WORST FIRST: BALANCE & CONTROL

Principle 2: TACKLE THE “TYRANT”: THAT PORTION OF A PROBLEM (Challenge, Opportunity, Difficulty) THAT RULES, OFTEN CRUELLY, OVER ALL OTHER COMPONENTS.

WRIGHT BROTHERS’ PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS:

•DETERMINE THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO SOLVE

• RANK SUBSETS IN TERMS OF DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY

• PICK THE TYRANT

• TACKLE THE WORST (more difficult) FIRST

•BREAK PROBLEM DOWN INTO SMALL COMPONENTS/SUBSETS

• IDENTIFY THE OBSTACLES/BARRIERS

THE COST OF IGNORING THE TYRANT:

• IT CREATES A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY

• IT HAS MANY COSTS (time/money): “Lost Opportunity”

• IT LEADS TO TUNNEL VISION

• TIME LOSS IS DOUBLED

• IT CREATES A HIDING PLACE FOR CLUELESS EMPLOYEES

3. FIDDLING: The Principle of Inveterate Tinkering

TINKERING: The art of looking for connections and contrasts, either Conceptual (Mental) or Tactile (Physical).

Brainstorming is a form of Conceptual Tinkering.

“HAWTHORN HILL”

Orville Wright, 1947

The rubber band operated Penaud Helicopter Toy - 1870

Sketch by Orville Wright (drawn 1929) of the rubber band operated Penaud

Helicopter Toy of 1878 Alphonse Penaud

1850 - 1880

•BY AGE 5: Orville is tinkering with clocks

•BY AGE 10: Orville takes up the sport of kite flying

•WHEN WILBUR IS 14/ORVILLE IS 10: decide to build a wooden lathe

•Orville experiments with tar sweetener

•AT AGE 12: Orville fashions an engraving tool and starts woodcutting

•AT AGE 16: Orville creates a printing press

•Orville takes a new adding machine that uses 81 keys and creates a 10-key model

•Orville reworks a noisy typewriter