thinking tool.
The one about opening up thinking to find novel solutions
de Bono’s Thinking Tool,”Po”
Credit: Edward de Bono (1933-2021)
Summary:
“Po” is a term deployed by Edward de Bono to open discussion and invite creative problem solving. Moving beyond the dichotomy of “yes” and “no”, “po” precedes and signals a provocation. The syllable “po”, according to de Bono, is an extraction from words such as “supPOse”, “POssible”, and “hyPOthesis”. Used as a provocation, “po” is a thinking today used to move thinking forward to a new place from where new ideas or solutions may be found. Finally, “po” is also an interjection, aimed at obtaining further clarifications without agreeing or disagreeing.
Real world application:
paul mallett will attempt to use creative processes, including the thinking tool of “po”, to open policy discussions and seek different, better and kinder policy ideas to address the pressing issues of our time.
To illustrate, paul uses “po” to open up the debate concerning the pursuit by the Tasmanian Government of an Australian Football League (AFL) Licence/Team for Tasmania.
For example, in response to the AFL ultimatum that Tasmania will be issued the league’s 19th licence if, and only if, it builds a new roofed stadium in Hobart with a minimum capacity of 23,000 spectators (at an estimated cost of between $0.9b-$1.3b).
po: Buy an existing AFL licence from a struggling Victorian club like North Melbourne using the $300m already earmarked by government;
po: Renegotiate the arrangement so the club can commence using the two existing stadium, with a commitment to a new build when economic times improve;
po: Delay the deal, institute a lottery (based on Lottery West) using the $300m already earmarked by government and accumulate the profits from the weekly lottery for use on building sporting and recreational infrastructure across the state, with the Hobart stadium the first priority project.
