How to Think

Thinking is the foundation of every decision we make. In business, the ability to apply different types of thinking can be the difference between success and failure. Leaders who harness a variety of thinking styles can navigate complexity, identify new opportunities, and drive innovation.

This post summarises key ideas from How to Think More Effectively by The School of Life in which they describe different types of thinking. We discuss them in order of importance for change makers in purpose-driven businesses and explain and how they contribute to strategic decision-making in an emotionally intelligent workplace.

1. Developing a Vision

Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking focuses on what we would like to achieve rather than how to achieve it. It involves setting a vision and defining long-term objectives. In business, this means thinking beyond immediate challenges to create a meaningful and sustainable impact—building "monasteries of the mind." We need a vision of what a better world looks like in order to be able to work towards it.

Cumulative Thinking

Cumulative thinking is about recording and building upon ideas over time. Keeping a notebook allows thoughts to develop, accumulate, and connect in meaningful ways, leading to deeper insights and better decisions. For business that are growing and solving complex problems the solutions will evolve and change over time so cumulative thinking is critical to ensure the business can change and adapt.

Independent Thinking

Independent thinking means forming your own opinions and trusting in your capacity to know. It involves questioning assumptions and making decisions based on personal judgment rather than external influence. To some extent the opposite of butterfly thinking - but society is often resistant to change and innovation and it is important to believe that even though you think differently it is possible that you are right.

Mad Thinking

Mad thinking asks, "If I didn’t have to be sensible, what would I do?" It removes constraints and allows for radical ideas and out-of-the-box solutions that might otherwise be dismissed too quickly. Some of the best ideas originate this way.

Reading Thinking

Reading thinking is the process of learning to understand and improve our own thoughts by engaging with the thoughts of others. Reading widely exposes us to diverse perspectives and deepens our analytical abilities. As our breadth of knowledge expands we are able to make connections and see solutions to problems more clearly.

2. Implementing the Vision

Focused Thinking

Focused thinking seeks clarity and precision. It involves identifying vagueness in thoughts and language, striving to be more specific, and ensuring that goals and ideas are well-defined. This is particularly important in ensuring that the business continues to make progress against its goals and driving execution of the plan.

Death Thinking

Death thinking serves as a reminder that life is short and precious. It encourages action and urgency—helping us focus on what truly matters and ensuring that we do not delay important decisions. For growing lean businesses focussing on what is truly important is essential.

Empathetic Thinking

Empathetic thinking recognizes that the clues to understanding others often lie within our own thoughts, feelings, and imperfections. By acknowledging our shared humanity, we can better relate to and communicate with others. Leaders must bring people on the journey.

Love Thinking

Love thinking acknowledges that no one is without flaws. Recognizing our own imperfections allows us to be more accepting of others and cultivate stronger, more meaningful relationships. People make mistakes including you.

3. Being able to Adapt

Butterfly Thinking

Butterfly thinking embraces openness to unexpected and disquieting ideas. It requires freedom from anxiety and an ability to explore unconventional perspectives without resistance. This type of thinking fuels creativity and innovation. Many businesses fail because they do not engage with the ways in which it could fail or to acknowledge when something they are passionate about is not working.

Philosophical Meditation

Philosophical meditation is the practice of setting aside time to reflect deeply on what is causing anxiety, excitement, or distress. By doing so, we can better understand our emotions and make clearer, more rational decisions.

Friend Thinking

Friend thinking involves thinking with another mind—being a good listener and engaging in meaningful conversations. It helps refine thoughts, challenge biases, and arrive at clearer conclusions.

Analogical Thinking

Analogical thinking involves drawing from a broad knowledge base to use analogies for better understanding. It is particularly useful for grasping new or complex topics by relating them to familiar concepts.

Skeptical Thinking

Skeptical thinking involves sincerely questioning everything we believe to be right. It encourages us to sleep on decisions, doubt our own biases, and approach conclusions with caution and open-mindedness.

Helping Businesses Think More Clearly

At Dandelion, we understand that thinking strategically and critically is essential for business success. Too often, organizations get stuck in habitual ways of thinking, limiting their ability to innovate and grow.

Our fractional CFO services offer a fresh perspective—helping businesses analyze financial strategies, identify opportunities, and make better long-term decisions. By applying different thinking approaches, we enable organizations to break through challenges, gain clarity, and achieve sustainable growth.

If you’re looking for a partner who can help you think differently and drive strategic success, get in touch with us today. Let’s create a smarter, more sustainable future together.

Contact Dandelion to explore how we can help your business think more clearly.

This post is an independent summary and reflection on How to Think More Effectively by The School of Life. It is intended for educational and discussion purposes only. All quotations and references are used under fair dealing. All rights in the original work remain with the author and publisher.