We have no time to think anymore!

28% 25% 20% 15% 5-12%

Interruptions by things that aren’t urgent or important, like unnecessary email messages – and the time it takes to get back on track

Productive content creation including writing email messages

Meetings (in person, by phone, video and online)

Searching through content, like the Web, digital communi-cations and paperwork

Thinking and reflecting

Source: BasexThe New York Times

“Busyness” and Fragmentation of Time

“Inter-Leaving” Source: Intel

Multi-taskingMyth

“Continuous Partial Attention”

Source: Linda Stone

Time for Reflection Drives User Satisfaction

By Situation By Communication Channel

Alone

With clients, customers, prospectsWith direct reports,

one on oneWith other employees

With direct reports in groupWith external stakeholdersWith board or its membersOther

Source: McKinsey Quarterly

Face to face

Asynchronous (eg. e-mail, voice mail)

Phone

Real-time messagesReal-time videoOther

Getting language rightand really describing the problem

“Language conveys culture. In order to change the culture, you must change language. You cannot expect old language to carry new ideas.”

–Admiral Art Cebrowski

Getting the Big Ideas Right

Rapid Contemplation: Rethinking War in the Middle of War

Rapid Contemplation: Rethinking War in the Middle of War

Petraeus Leadership Framework

Communicate Ideas within Organization

2

Oversee & implement Big Ideas

3

Capture/Share

Refinements To Big Ideas

4

1Get the

“Big” Ideas Right

Some Big Takeaways Today:

1. The State of Deep Thinking is under attack—

reflection is the antidote

2. Effective communications happen when you:

• Get the language & problem description right

• Get the ‘big ideas’ right

• Create cultures of learning