Competition Entry: Part 1 of 4

In discussing how the application of de Bono's methods lead to my success, I should point out that there are various definitions of success and many people would not rate mine highly.

My stories do not including the making of millions of dollars. Maybe I've been unlucky, or lazy, or missing some key ingredient in the recipe, or spending too much time doing things that I enjoy, hoping that these could be made profitable. Perhaps subconsciously I don't want to get stuck half-way up the ladder of success - with no way to move but up or down. Consumers seem quite thoughtless in the way they spend money and there are limited ways to maintain profits while delivering an unambiguous benefit.

Notwithstanding all that, I am a seasoned software developer and have recently established myself as a web developer. Perhaps I will have better news next year when the fruits of my labour has become more apparent.

Now just as my stories do not describe the making of millions of dollars, neither do they including huge savings. If I worked for an organisation where it was apparent that there were millions of dollars to be saved, I would not be sitting down in creative meetings, I would be walking around the place yelling at people.

Not being a trainer I do not have a network of people whose stories I can relate, but there are stories of genuine, if apparently minor, personal success which may appeal to those who feel that music does not have to be loud to be enjoyed.

In separate blog entries I shall describe some successes using:
- Lateral Thinking techniques
- General thinking tools
- Value derived from de Bono insights.

I would summarise the value of de Bono methods for me by saying, "There is always a way forward."

The De Bono methods help me move forward in at least three ways:
1. Serving as a constant reminder that there is an alternative view or approach.
2. Providing step-wise recipes for developing creative ideas.
3. Providing tools to facilitate "conceptual map-making", because even if you're stuck and all the ideas in the world aren't going to get you out of your jam, you can at always use de Bono's attention-directing tools to help you better understand your position.

My next blog will describe how Lateral Thinking methods help me in my day-to-day work.