Customer Reviews

The Power of Impossible Thinking: Transform the Business of Your Life and the Life of Your Business

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Who says I am not capable of change?

When I first say this book I was turned off by what I perceived as its "positive thinking power" approach. I am glad I did not stop there. A careful reading revealed the book to contain a systematic process which helps define the importance of mental models, assess their relevance and steps for action.

The authors propose a four step process for assessing and changing your models.

1. Recognize the power and limits of mental models.
2. Test the relevance of your models against the changing environment, generate new models and develop an integrated portfolio.
3. Overcome change inhibitors by reshaping infrastructure and thinking.
4. Transform your world by quick action. Continuously experiment, assess and strengthen your models.

This fourth point, the authors say, is accomplished by "zooming in" and "zooming out." Zooming in is a process that involves focusing of a situation's details without being over whelmed by them. The process includes these approaches:

1. Engage in rigorous analysis. Pay attention to outliers and inconsistencies.
2. Categorize and Prioritize. Categorize by similarity, common fate and continuation.
3. Avoid Paralysis caused by too broad a focus.

Zooming out allows you to look at the big picture. It is accomplished by:

1. Recognizing the limits of your vision field.
2. Avoid Cognitive fixation.
3. Appreciate the context.
4. Create time for reflection.
5. Use many approaches.
6. Collaborate.

The models you adopt shape your approach to life. The dot-bomb bubble provides interesting lessons, the authors say.

1. Understand your models.
2. Know when to change. Do not get swept away with fads.
3. Recognize that paradigm shifts are a two-way street. Old models have value in an e-commerce world.
4. Develop a new way to see and perceive.
5. Mine nuggets of sense from streams of complexity.
6. Experiment.
7. Bridge disconnects.
8. Examine your infrastructure.
9. Trust your intuition - but have the courage to challenge it.

To change your world, you have to change your thinking. This book is a thoughtful, systematic approach expanding your personal and business opportunities.

To paraphrase Descartes:

I think it is...therefore it is.
I think it's not...therefore it isn't.

Wind and Crook assert that a given opportunity is perceived to be either possible or impossible, depending upon one's mental model(s). In this brilliant book, they explain how to understand the power and limits of mental models; how to test the relevance of mental models against a changing environment, generate new models, and develop a "portfolio" of models; how to overcome inhibitors to change by reshaping infrastructure and the thinking of others; and finally, how to transform one's world by acting quickly upon the new models, continuously experimenting and applying a process by which to assess and then strengthen one's mental models. Long ago, Henry Ford observed: "Whether you think you can or think you can`t, you're right." I agree with Ford to an extent: Self-fulfilling prophecies are almost always based on a positive or negative attitude. Nonetheless, I am wrong if I think that I can defeat Tiger Woods in match play competition. Wind and Crook would insist, however, that with the proper mental model and lots of hard work, I could eventually become a much better golfer than I would otherwise be.

They organize the material in this book as follows:

Part 1: Recognize [and Understand] the Power and Limit of Mental Models
Part 2: Keeping Your Mental Models Relevant
Part 3: Transform Your World
Part 4: Act Quickly and Effectively
Conclusion: What You Think Is What You Do

In the Appendix (The Neuroscience Behind Mental Models), one of the core concepts is that "reality is a story the brain and the world work out together." This is a variation on Lilly Tomlin's suggestion that reality is a "collective hunch." Wind and Crook are describing an on-going process which has four primary phases, each of which is examined in in one of the four Parts. The process is on-going in that, once the power and the limit(s) of mental models are fully understood, it is still necessary to ensure that one's own mental models remain relevant during efforts "dismantle the old order" while finding common ground "to bridge adaptive disconnects."

At every appropriate opportunity, as Wind and Crook carefully explain, it is imperative to be able to respond quickly and effectively. In Chapter 10, they discuss intuition and explain how to develop and enhance its capabilities. (Pages 181-186) Their discussion of "creative leaps" reminds me of much of what Malcolm Gladwell has to say about intuition in Blink. If I understand all this (and I may not), Wind and Crook seem to agree with Gladwell that underdeveloped intuition is (at best) a "lucky hunch" whereas developed intuition enables us to utilize talent, training, and (most important of all) experience to make appropriate decisions when we suddenly find ourselves in a life-threatening situation and must react.

In Chapter 11, Wind and Cook explain how three celebrity CEOs demonstrate in their respective lives and careers "the power of impossible thinking." Howard Schultz formulated new concepts of coffee as a beverage and café as a social environment within which to consume it. Under his leadership, Starbucks continues with rigorous experimentation which challenges its business model (based on Schultz's mental models), constantly trying to "stretch beyond the possible." The Oprah Winfrey Show is a prime example of "impossible thinking" in that Winfrey formulated a new mental model: She would interact with her audience as personal friends. The dialog was deliberately self-revealing as she discussed her own challenges and experiences, especially those which were personally unpleasant, at times deeply hurtful. "She adopted a goal to `transform people's lives.' She changed the ways people thought about talk shows and about their own lives -- in effect, challenging their mental models." With regard to Andy Grove, former chairman and CEO of Intel, he led and managed a huge global enterprise by preparing it for what he characterized as strategic inflection points: each reveals "a mental map of the New World."

As Wind and Crook explain, all three recognized the influence of childhood, education, and early work in shaping their mental models; kept their models relevant; made things happen by transforming the world around them; and acted quickly and effectively.

I appreciate the Conclusion section in which Wind and Crook reiterate their key points. Here are three:

1. "When you face a new decision or new challenge, step back a moment and consider whether or not you have the right model for it."

2. "To carry your new view into the world, pay attention to the factors that keep you locked in the old model or enable you to bring others into the world."

3. "If you can cultivate the ability to think in new directions, you have the possibility to transform the business of your life and the life of your business. There are so many opportunities for transformation if you could only see them. To see these opportunities and to seize them, you need the courage and the understanding to think impossible thoughts -- and then act upon them."

In response to these three points, presumably Henry Ford would suggest, "Whether you think you can or think you can't gain the power of impossible thinking, you're right." Wind and Crook disagree. Although the Model T was indeed a product of Ford's "impossible thinking" in 1908, newer and better mental models have produced newer and better automobiles each year since. In all other industries, newer and better mental models continue to produce newer and better whatevers. My hope is that, after absorbing and digesting the material in this book, many readers will then begin some impossible thinking about the business of their lives and the life of their businesses. They are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of the CD-ROM which accompanies the book. It consists of an audio summary and an interview with the authors.

And perhaps more intellectually adventuresome readers will also do some impossible thinking about impossible thinking...then share it with Yoram (Jerry) Wind and Colin Crook.

This book provides an elementary introduction to the way the mind works, but it is an entirely practical introduction. Authors Yoram (Jerry) Wind and Colin Crook tell readers the basics of mental functioning in order to warn them about putting too much trust in what seems to be. What we see is, in fact, not reality but rather mental models that we ourselves construct. When we understand this, we begin to see why it is important to test our mental models continuously for relevance to reality, and to change them. The authors address the impact of mental models on everything from business to personal health, using strong case histories (such as Oprah Winfrey's life changing story) as illustrations. As a lagniappe, the publisher includes a CD with a brief summary of the book's main points.We recommend this straightforward exposition; it will help you think about how you think.

The central point around which this useful book revolves is that the Mental Models in our head determine what we see, and what we think is real, when looking at the outer world. Our mental models provide the framework for our actions and responses in our world; and determine our ability to see, or not see, opportunities. Given the huge role our mental models play in the quality and nature of our lives, it is a subject well worth becoming more aware of and paying attention to.

The Power of Impossible Thinking does an excellent job of introducing the reader to the basic concepts of mental models, and then taking you through the process where you can begin to think in terms of your own mental models and how they might be limiting you. The topic is looked at from many different angles, allowing one to become something of an expert in a relatively short time.

In terms of applying this information to my own business and my competitors, I became aware that we are all working out of somewhat different mental models. This causes us to present our businesses to our buyers in significantly different ways. Becoming aware of the mental models of my competitors helped me think more clearly on where our company strengths and weaknesses are, and what we can do to gain a greater competitive advantage. In fact, I don't think I have ever been able to think about my competitors as clearly as I was able to do after reading this book. Needless to say, this is valuable information.

Reading The Power of Impossible Thinking was a refreshing, invigorating read. I recommend it.

Do you remember the book from the 1970's A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD : How You Can Be More Creative
by Roger von Oech ? Would you like something similar, more modern and perhaps even better?
Well, Professor Jerry Wind of the Marketing Department at the Wharton School has put together a terrific, engaging book to help entrepreneurs, business managers, and just any person looking for methods to leap beyond his/her normal way of thinking into practical, results driven ways of viewing the ordinary.
Professor Wind tells us how people get stuck in 'models' of perception and what they need are new ways of seeing things. He points out the extraordinary capabilities we have of 'reframing' our viewpoints and by very simple means, come up with problem solving, revenue enhancing methods of dealing with the mundane.
If you are like me, in a business at the cutting edge of technology, needing to use any ideas that come up as potentially applicable, then you will certainly love this book.
Let's put it this way, I went through the whole book one time and immediately started to re-read it all over again, page by page, with a highlighter in one hand and a notebook in the other.
This is what can be called a 'handbook' for the 21st century visionary. You will want to bring it with you wherever you go, just for the opportunity of finding yet another gem of wisdom, so conveniently found in paragraph after paragraph.

Ok, I have to admit that the cover art and title kind of made me think this book was going to be some self help book authored by people about to catch the next space ship to a far and distant planet. Once I got past this internal bias I found that the book was very interesting, and that it in part helped me to figure out my initial reaction to the cover. I must say that the views this author takes and the way they tie in the business world with expanding and shifting individual thought patterns was very creative. I also came away surprised that some much of the book focused on the business world, again my bias thought this was a self help book. What is that saying about judging a book by its cover?

The authors detail that it is a proven fact that most people see the world and each situation that they are involved in through a predetermined method that almost ensures a set outcome. The more I read the book the more I kept saying of course, that is why many difficult situations marked up to misunderstanding come about. People do not hear or see the world for what it is, only for what they think it is and what to see. This book teaches the reader that the ability to put aside preconceived thought patterns is what makes truly great leaders. To be able to see an opportunity where others have not is as much to do with how you interpret the incoming data as to the intelligence and creativity of the individual.

Overall I found the book to be very interesting and powerful in its message. It was easy to read and engaging from the very first page. The authors message that what you see in any situation depends upon what you bring to the situation was eye opening. This book is great for getting you to think about making slight changes in your view of the world that will have significant dividends in your life.

I have been trying to explain why Japan has fallen into a pitfall and cannot come out of even the simplest problems. One can call it an innovators dilemma, but that does not solve the problem. This book suggests we have to go back to the basics of reviewing our underlying 'mental models' now and then, and only then, have to construct a new model, perhaps plural, and move onto exploring the new terrain.

"The Power of Impossible Thinking" is a powerful, insightful book that challenges you not to reshape or rework, but rather to DESTROY tired, self-defeating thought processes and replace them with a new way of thinking. The new mindset refuses to allow you to place constraints on your ideas, thereby opening up the potential fulfillment of your wildest dreams.

A couple of weeks after reading this wonderful book, I went out to a former U.S. Open course for a round of golf. Years ago, I had played very Competitively (captain of the high school golf team, narrowly missed making the golf team at Duke)... but had never made a hole-in-one.

My game is a far cry from what it used to be, but I still manage to hit a handful of excellent shots each time out. Usually about four or five times a round, I will set up over the ball and know I'm going to hit a terrific shot... the problem is, it's only about four or five times a round.

In a certain respect, it's ridiculous to engage in the "impossible thinking" of considering it a legitimate goal and desire to make a hole-in-one when one gets ready to tee off on a par three. But on this particular day, that's exactly what I did. I knew I had the right club (8-iron for a 152-yard shot), and I knew I could fly the ball at the hole. Thinking about how beautiful it would be when the ball went into the hole, I swung perfectly and sent the ball sailing sky-high towards the pin. The ball landed one foot short of the flagstick and trickled in for a hole-in-one. I credit the authors for helping me realize how impossible thinking can lead to incredible results... so thank you very much!

Robert Zorn
Dallas, TX

P.S. I'm about to launch a new company. Our inspired team is charged to figure out what's impossible, then do it and leave others wondering, "How in the world did they do that?" It's going to be fun!

This book is awesome. Page after page leads you to experience a true "Ah - Ha !" moment. Don't continue to wonder why you keep making the same mistakes over and over! Do something about it, and start by reading "The Power of Impossible Thinking". I have read this book twice and will definitely be reading it again. Thank you Wharton School Publishing for backing such an important work!

This is a good inaugural piece from Wharton School Publishing. The book deals with how much of what we "see" is really only what we "perceive." Reality is perception, and if you can change your pre-conceived notions, things that were once deemed impossible, become very much possibile. The best example of this is the 4-minute mile, which was once thought to be an unbreakable barrier for athletes until Barrister finally cracked the record, and subsequently a dozen other runners broke that time within a few months. Once the athletes knew that a sub-4 minute mile was possible, it was easier to actually achieve it. I'm usually wary of business school texts that read like academic journals, but this was a fairly entertaining and informative read.