Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Whack Your Head Wednesday

Change Viewpoints

#6 Long ago, a curious plague struck a village. When afflicted, its victims went into a deathlike coma and most died within a day. The problem was that the villagers couldn't tell if a victim was dead or alive. After discovering that someone had been buried alive, an alarmed town council convened. The majority- hoping to save lives-voted to put food and water in every coffin. Another group proposed a cheaper solution: implant a stake in every coffin lid directly over the victim's heart. When closed, all doubts over the victim's condition would vanish. What differentiated the solutions were the questions used to find them. Whereas the first group asked, "What if we bury somebody alive?", the second group asked "How can we make sure everyone we bury is dead?" Remember: the second assault on the same problem should come from a totally different direction. How can you change your viewpoint?

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