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Binary Thinking is Destroying the World

Binary Thinking is Destroying the World

It is so easy to think in binaries. I’m right and, because you don’t agree with me, you must be wrong. This is good and that’s something different so it must be bad. We see this type of thinking everywhere, from the political stage to corporate offices. From immigration stances to opinions of work methodologies, we see strong polarizing voices creating camps of extremism.

The rising level of binary thinking that has emerged over the years has filled us with a bad taste in our mouths and made us almost lose sight of why we are communicating and working together in the first place. Binary thinking isn’t inherently bad. Like any other tool, it works out great when it’s needed but can cause massive damage when used in complex situations.

Fortunately, we can begin to navigate the chasm that exists between the existing extremes by recognizing the spectrum of options between them and learning how to navigate them to reach your end goals. Come and learn how we can become spectrum thinkers and directional thinkers that care more about progress than being right or wrong.

Julia Wester
PRO

December 04, 2019
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  1. Binary Thinking is
    Destroying the World
    Julia Wester
    Co-Founder, 55 Degrees AB
    @everydaykanban

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  2. @everydaykanban
    Image courtesy of https://twitter.com/MartinShovel

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  3. @everydaykanban
    Image courtesy of https://twitter.com/MartinShovel

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  4. @everydaykanban
    EITHER
    OR

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  5. “Human beings have a strong dramatic
    instinct toward binary thinking… Dividing
    the world into two distinct sides is simple
    and intuitive, and also dramatic because it
    implies conflict, and we do it without
    thinking, all the time.”
    Hans Rosling,
    Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and
    Why Things Are Better Than You Think

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  6. @everydaykanban
    The components of polarisation

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  7. @everydaykanban
    Make a claim The components of polarisation

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  8. @everydaykanban
    Support your claim
    Facts are optional…
    Make a claim The components of polarisation

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  9. @everydaykanban
    Support your claim
    Facts are optional…
    Treat dissenters
    as enemies
    Make a claim The components of polarisation

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  10. @everydaykanban
    Support your claim
    Facts are optional…
    Treat dissenters
    as enemies
    Make a claim
    Change focus 

    to #winning
    The components of polarisation

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  11. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    U.S.
    politics

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  12. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    Frustration,
    Discouragement,
    Cynicism

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  13. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    Loss of
    wisdom
    Frustration,
    Discouragement,
    Cynicism

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  14. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    Loss of
    wisdom
    Frustration,
    Discouragement,
    Cynicism
    Pendulum
    swings

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  15. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    Loss of
    wisdom
    Frustration,
    Discouragement,
    Cynicism
    Pendulum
    swings
    Wasted time
    & effort

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  16. @everydaykanban

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  17. @everydaykanban
    BOTH AND

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  18. @everydaykanban
    BOTH AND
    Cohesion
    Autonomy

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  19. @everydaykanban
    BOTH AND
    Cohesion
    Autonomy
    Automation Skills

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  20. @everydaykanban
    BOTH AND
    Cohesion
    Autonomy
    Access Security
    Automation Skills

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  21. @everydaykanban
    BOTH AND
    Cohesion
    Autonomy
    Working Software Documentation
    Access Security
    Automation Skills

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  22. @everydaykanban
    The Battle
    KNOWING

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  23. @everydaykanban
    The Battle
    KNOWING
    1. See the polarities

    2. Map them

    3. Leverage them
    THE
    OTHER
    HALF

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  24. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    REMEMBER THE COMMON GOAL

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  25. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    REMEMBER THE COMMON GOAL

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  26. @everydaykanban
    BELIEF
    OPPOSING
    BELIEF
    POSITIVE OUTCOMES
    FROM A FOCUS HERE
    + +
    POSITIVE OUTCOMES
    FROM A FOCUS HERE
    MAP THE GOOD OF EACH VIEWPOINT

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  27. @everydaykanban
    BELIEF
    OPPOSING
    BELIEF
    POSITIVE OUTCOMES
    FROM A FOCUS HERE
    + +
    POSITIVE OUTCOMES
    FROM A FOCUS HERE
    BAD OUTCOMES FROM
    ONLY FOCUSING HERE
    -
    BAD OUTCOMES FROM
    ONLY FOCUSING HERE
    -
    MAP THE BAD OF EACH VIEWPOINT

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  28. @everydaykanban
    When you have interdependent
    pairs, there is no problem to solve.
    There is a situation to manage.

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  29. @everydaykanban
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    VIEWPOINT 

    IDEA
    BELIEF
    DECIDE TO WORK TOGETHER

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  30. Agreement Disagreement
    - Winning argument > reaching goal

    - Lack of trust

    - Anger and resentment

    - Team members give up / opt out

    - “I told you so” mentality

    - Very little learning
    - Solutions not always best

    - Not safe to disagree

    - Lack of honesty

    - Contempt and cynicism

    - “I knew that would never work” mentality

    - Very little learning
    - Decisions get made

    - Everyone knows the final decision

    - Cohesion towards a goal

    - Excitement to move forward

    - You feel supported in your path
    - Safe to share differing viewpoint

    - Lots of learning

    - More confidence in choices

    - Growing skills in handling conflict

    - Ideas are better supported,
    regardless of outcome
    +
    -
    MANAGE THE TENSION

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  31. Agreement Disagreement
    - Winning argument > reaching goal

    - Lack of trust

    - Anger and resentment

    - Team members give up / opt out

    - “I told you so” mentality

    - Very little learning
    - Solutions not always best

    - Not safe to disagree

    - Lack of honesty

    - Contempt and cynicism

    - “I knew that would never work” mentality

    - Very little learning
    - Decisions get made

    - Everyone knows the final decision

    - Cohesion towards a goal

    - Excitement to move forward

    - You feel supported in your path
    - Safe to share differing viewpoint

    - Lots of learning

    - More confidence in choices

    - Growing skills in handling conflict

    - Ideas are better supported,
    regardless of outcome
    +
    -
    MANAGE THE TENSION
    EWS EWS
    AA AA

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  32. @everydaykanban

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  33. @everydaykanban
    MY CHALLENGE TO YOU
    MY CHALLENGE TO YOU
    • Find the polarities
    ripping apart your
    communities

    • Reflect on your
    contribution to the issue

    • Actively help change the
    conversation

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  34. @everydaykanban
    [email protected]
    @everydaykanban & @55DegreesAB
    https://55degrees.se
    http://everydaykanban.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliawester/
    L E T ’ S K E E P TA L K I N G …

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