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CHAPTER 13: CREATING VISION AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION 415
3. What resources do I need to pursue this future outcome?

4. What is the first step I can take to achieve this outcome?

After you have answered these four questions, what are you feeling about the
problem?

The human mind is effective at focusing on problems to diagnose what is wrong and
who to blame. The first four questions reflect that approach, which is called problem-
focused thinking.
The second set of four questions reflects a different approach, called outcome-directed
thinking. It focuses the mind on future outcomes and possibilities rather than on the causes
of the problem. Most people feel more positive emotion, more creative ideas, and more
optimism about solving the problem after answering the second four questions compared
to the first four questions. Shifting the mind to the future harnesses the same power that
a vision has to awaken creativity and inspire people to move forward. Future thinking is
using the idea of future vision on a small, day-to-day scale.
In Class: This exercise is very effective when each student selects a problem, and
then students interview each other about their problems. Students should work in pairs—
one acting the role of leader and the other acting as a subordinate. The subordinate
describes his or her problem (one minute), and then the leader simply asks the first four
questions above (changing each “I” to “you”) and listens to the answers (four minutes).
Then the two students can switch leader/subordinate roles and repeat the process for the
same four questions. The instructor can then gather students’ observations about what
they felt when answering the four questions.
Then, students can be instructed to find a new partner, and the pairs can again
adopt the role of leader and subordinate. The subordinate will relate the same prob-
lem as before to the leader, but this time the leader will ask the second four questions
(outcome-directed thinking, again changing each “I” to “you”). After the subordinate
answers the four questions, the pair switches leader/subordinate roles and repeats
the process. Then the instructor can ask for student observations about how they felt
answering these four questions compared to the first four questions. Generally the
reaction is quite positive. The key questions for students to consider are: How did the
questions about future outcomes affect your creative thoughts for solving the problem
compared to the first four questions that were problem-oriented? As a leader, can you
use future-oriented questions in your daily life to shape your thinking and the thinking
of others toward more creative problem solving? Future-oriented thinking is a power-
ful leadership tool.

Sources: This approach to problem solving was developed by Robert P. Bostrom and Victoria K. Clawson
of Bostrom and Associates, Columbia Missouri, and is based on a write-up appearing in “Inside USAA,”
(September 11, 1996), pp. 8–10; and Victoria K. Clawson and Robert P. Bostrom, “Research-Driven
Facilitation Training for Computer-Supported Environments,” Group Decision and Negotiation 5 (1996),
pp. 7–29.