{"page":"\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nVideo\n
\n

\nDiscovery Mode: Cheese or Owl?\n

\n
\n
\nGet Free Access for 10 Days!\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
×
\n\n\n
\n\nPublisher:\n\nCurated Video\n\n\n
\n
\nIf you want your team to solve problems more effectively, you need to get them into Discovery Mode. Put another way, is it to be Cheese or Owl?What I like about projects is the constant flow of problems. It isn't that I like the problems...\nIf you want your team to solve problems more effectively, you need to get them into Discovery Mode. Put another way, is it to be Cheese or Owl?

What I like about projects is the constant flow of problems. It isn't that I like the problems themselves: I like problem-solving. If you are a Project Manager, you need to get good at it.

Of Mice and Mazes
Ronald Friedman and Jens Forster learned something valuable, in a series of experiments, published in 2001*. They split students into two groups and set each group the same simple maze to solve. The maze had a mouse in the middle. One group was asked to solve it to get to the cheese. The other was told to avoid the owl that would eat the mouse.

All the students were then set a creative thinking task. The group who'd helped the mouse find the cheese were twice as creative as the group who were avoiding the owl.

Discovery Mode
As soon as we get into the 'must be safe; need to avoid danger' mode, our natural caution seems to close off options from us. On the other hand, when we are seeking something, we move into a discovery mode that opens us up to new ideas.

When you need to solve problems, trying to fix a problem or avoid an outcome will make you and your team defensive, and less imaginative. If you re-frame the problem as 'how to achieve a desirable outcome', you will do far better.

So,
Step 1: make your team feel comfortable by setting the problem in a wider, positive context.
Step 2: frame the problem as 'how to... something positive'\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Resource Details

\n
\n
\n
\n
Curator Rating
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Length
\n
3:30
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Grade
10th - Higher Ed
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Subjects
Career & Technical Education
1 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Type
Instructional Videos
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Source:
\n
\nOnline PM Courses\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Date
\n
2020
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n
Language
English
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Audiences
For Teacher Use
2 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Materials

\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Transcript\n
\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Preview\n
\n
\n
\n

Concepts

\n
\n
cheese, range, solutions, creativity
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Tags

\n
\n
discovery mode, owl, ronald friedman, jens forster, the effects of promotion and prevention cues on creativity, cues on creativity, problem-solving, project management, project manager, solving problems, creative thinking, wider, problems, friedman, creative, team, positive, mouse, solve, problem, students, group, maze, told, avoid, helped, kind, mindset, mind, hand, makes, open, step, make, frame, framing
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Classroom Considerations

\n
Best For: Explaining a topic
Video is ad-free
\n
\n
\n

Educator Ratings

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nShow resource details\n
\n
\n\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Discovery Mode: Cheese or Owl?\" href=\"/subscription/new\">\"Discovery\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n"}