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What Happens If?What happens if is a powerful thought experiment for thinking through and thinking ahead. It is an evergreen concept that is crucial for strategic thinking.
This is an excerpt from the book: Mastering Critical Thinking.
In the book Carrying the Fire, author Michael Collins (the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 11) discusses the importance of thinking through and thinking ahead. Collins notes that he felt one of NASA’s great strengths in the Gemini Program, and even more so during the Apollo Program, was to gather large groups of capable men at conference tables with engineering schematics and drawings and continually ask themselves: What happens if?
In some cases, Collins noted that the answer might be Tough. There is no out, no solution, and no alternative course. Fortunately, those instances were few and far between. In most cases, systems had been designed with built-in redundancy or redesigned when a weakness was uncovered. This was all done in the quiet and calm of a conference room. When difficult situations in space flight occurred, and there were many, the knowledge and work could hopefully be accessed to solve the problem.
This had a double benefit. First, if they had anticipated a problem, they had a protocol to handle it. Second, if the problem was significantly different, they had the knowledge, training, and experience to logically, rationally, and quickly develop options to solve the issue. This was incredibly powerful and led to many great successes in the space program.
Do you want to unlock the power of critical thinking and create an amazing future? If so, click the link and get your copy of Mastering Critical Thinking today! Return from Improving Listening Skills to Communication Articles |
