The new word po
The word 'po' provides a simple tool for applying lateral thinking, just as 'NO' serves logical thinking.
THE IDEA
Understanding the nature of lateral thinking and the need for it is the first step towards using it. But understanding and goodwill are not enough. The formal routines suggested as methods of applying lateral thinking are more practical but there is a great need for something more definite, more simple, and more universal. A simple, general tool is needed to apply lateral thinking, just as NO is a tool for logical thinking.
When to use it
Creative brainstorming sessions where participants need permission to propose wild ideas without immediate criticism.
Design thinking workshops to generate unconventional product features or solutions.
Problem-solving scenarios where conventional approaches have failed and a fresh perspective is needed.
Educational settings to encourage students to explore non-obvious connections between concepts.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Using 'po' in a brainstorming session
When a team is stuck on a conventional solution, one member says 'po' to signal a break from logical constraints, then proposes an absurd idea that leads to a novel approach.
Overcoming cognitive fixedness
An engineer designing a new container says 'po' to challenge the assumption that containers must be rigid, leading to a flexible, inflatable design.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How could you use 'po' to break a mental block you are currently facing?
What situations in your work or life would benefit from suspending logical judgment and instead provoking new ideas?
Can you think of a time when a seemingly absurd suggestion led to a useful insight? How might 'po' have formalized that process?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Lateral Thinking A Textbook of Creativity (Edward de Bono)