The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Summary

In their book The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking, Burger and Starbird (2012) remark that there are only several thinking techniques that may be mastered by people to make their reflective process more productive. The authors propose four sections representing the basis for effective thinking: understanding profoundly, making mistakes, asking questions, and tracking the stream of ideas (Burger & Starbird, 2012).

By suggesting profound understanding, Burger and Starbird advise not to deal with complicated problems immediately but first realize the elementary ideas thoroughly. According to Burger and Starbird, it is necessary to admit which things one knows and the ones he/she does not comprehend. Further, they suggest determining the lacking parts and compensating for them. Burger and Starbird emphasize that understanding has levels that one can increase all the time (Burger & Starbird, 2012).

The second suggestion – making mistakes – lies in deliberately allowing oneself to comprehend something in the wrong way eventually to realize it even better (Burger & Starbird, 2012). Burger and Starbird remark that errors are perfect educators because they accentuate the unanticipated possibilities and gaps in one’s comprehending. Apart from that, errors boost people’s imagination and allow them to decide which step to take next (Burger & Starbird, 2012).

Burger and Starbird recommend consistently to ask questions to delineate and enlarge one’s comprehension. According to the authors, correct questions produce good ideas. Also, inquiries show the relations that would have remained unnoticed without being questioned (Burger & Starbird, 2012).

The final section of the effective thinking basis, as defined by Burger and Starbird, is tracking the stream of ideas. The authors recommend reflecting upon the origins of the ideas and exploring where the ideas may direct. They emphasize that an idea is not a finish, but only a start. Pursuing the outcomes of minute ideas may generate substantial rewards (Burger & Starbird, 2012).

Further, Burger and Starbird correlate their techniques of effective thinking with the classical elements of air, water, fire, and earth. Profound understanding is associated with earth, asking mistakes – with fire, asking questions – with air, and tracking the stream of ideas – with water (Burger & Starbird, 2012). Finally, there is one more element – the quintessential one – which is used to represent the unchanging matter building up the heavens. This element is responsible for the change. As Burger and Starbird note, grasping the first four elements allows one to transform one’s way of learning and understanding. The authors emphasize that every person can continue progressing in the course of life due to changes (Burger & Starbird, 2012).

Taking the theory of Burger and Starbird as a basis for his research, Zentner (2016) performs a case study analysis demonstrating how unproductive thinking can be altered. Failure at the level of fire results in failing to see the reasons for deficiency of a project and not looking for the chances to improve. To correct this situation, Zentner suggests evaluating earlier ideas and coming up with solutions that could bring better results (Zentner, 2016). When the person experiences difficulties at the level of water, there is a lack of a logical stream of ideas. To eliminate the risks, Zentner recommends working in various groups and trying to overcome the challenges. Additionally, putting the ideas down and sharing them will make it easy for all the stakeholders to be interested in the project (Zentner, 2016).

Unproductivity at the level of the earth is shown via the inability to comprehend the guidelines and create joint projects. Zentner proposes to analyze and summarize the basic information, which will make possible the successful cooperation (Zentner, 2016). Deficiencies at the level of air result in the absence of questions and in repeating the same strategies over and over again. The author recommends open discussions and analyzing repetitive ideas (Zentner, 2016). Finally, the problems at the quintessential level result in the inability to think “outside the box” (Zentner, 2016, p. 2). In such cases, Zentner suggests creating an energetic environment and stimulating new ideas (Zentner, 2016).

While Burger and Starbird and Zentner develop the ideas of effective thinking, Shure and Aberson (2013) demonstrate how productive its implementation is. In their article, the authors give examples of the beneficial impact of effective thinking on children’s resilience and problem-solving. They remark that it is easier to deal with the children’s ill behavior and to teach them to conduct rationally if they are taught the basics of effective thinking (Shure and Aberson, 2013).

Reflection

The ideas suggested by Burger and Starbird (2012), Shure and Aberson (2013), and Zentner (2016) present an innovative approach to effective thinking management. The authors propose easy and animated ways of enriching one’s thinking possibilities and making one’s life more engaging and worthwhile. By employing effective thinking, people can radically change their lives, reach their goals, fulfill their aspirations, and become more open-minded and successful.

The approaches recommended by Burger and Starbird and further developed by Shure and Anderson and Zentner provide an opportunity for self-discovery and self-improvement. Having effective thinking as a tool, one can learn how to calculate the risks and not be afraid to face them, how to draw lessons from one’s errors, and how to revolutionize oneself into a more attentive and reflective person.

References

Burger, E. B., & Starbird, M. (2012). The 5 elements of effective thinking. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Shure, M.B., & Aberson, B. (2013). Enhancing the process of resilience through effective thinking. In S. Goldstein & R. B. Brooks (Eds.), Handbook of resilience in children (2nd ed.) (pp. 481-506). New York, NY: Springer.

Zentner, A. (2016). SSRN Electronic Journal, 1-2. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, November 23). The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-5-elements-of-effective-thinking/

Work Cited

"The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking." IvyPanda, 23 Nov. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-5-elements-of-effective-thinking/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) 'The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking'. 23 November.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. "The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking." November 23, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-5-elements-of-effective-thinking/.

1. IvyPanda. "The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking." November 23, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-5-elements-of-effective-thinking/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking." November 23, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-5-elements-of-effective-thinking/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1