Today´s publication is based on two sources, a tiny but wise book that I bought many years ago. The book was a New York Times bestselling written by John C. Maxwell “How Successful People Think”. And the second source comes from my own reflection (this will be shared on my next publication). I have prepared a summary of Maxwell´s book, about the minimum types of thinking that a Presidential candidate must have for ruling a country. Once you read the list below, the first 11 types of mental frames are from John Maxwell book. I have added 9 more mental structures or frames which I, personally, consider important in the mind of a country ´s president. The functional mental frames (needed to lead at the top position of the public sector) are all included into the self-mastery thinking (number 16 below).

Photo sourced from https://influencedigest.com/books/question-popular-thinking/

The mental frames or thinking frames are:

1. Big Picture Thinking
2. Focused Thinking
3. Creative Thinking
4. Realistic Thinking
5. Strategic Thinking
6. Possibility Thinking
7. Reflective Thinking
8. Popular Thinking
9. Shared Thinking
10. Unselfish Thinking
11. Bottom Line Thinking
12. Adaptive Thinking
13. Professor Thinking
14. Common sense Thinking
15. Relationship Thinking
16. Self-Mastery Thinking
17. Assertive Thinking
18. Ownership Thinking
19. Team-building Thinking
20. God´s centered Thinking

Let´s start with each of them. If you wish to see more about the first eleven mental frames, visit or click over each sub-title. John Maxwell blog section links are provided.

1. BIG PICTURE THINKING

Big picture thinking brings wholeness and maturity to a person´s thinking. It brings perspective. Big-picture thinkers are never satisfied with what they already know. They are always visiting new places, reading new books, meeting new people, learning new skills. Because of the latter reasons they can connect the dots. In addition, they listen intentionally, particularly because they recognize that they don´t know a lot of things. Their capacity to be good listeners is distinctive.  In addition, big picture thinkers look with an ample view. They know there is a world out there besides their own, and they try to see multiple people´s worlds through their eyes. In addition, big picture thinkers live completely, to a very fulfilling life. They can expand their world.  The benefits of being a big picture thinker are:

• Big Picture thinking allows you to lead
• Big Picture thinking keeps you on target
• Big picture thinking allows you to see what others see
• Big picture thinking promotes teamwork
• Big picture thinking keeps you from being caught in the unnecessary
• Big picture thinking helps you to chart the uncharted territory

2. FOCUSED THINKING

Focused thinking means concentration. Focused thinking removes distractions and mental clutter so that you can concentrate on an issue and think with clarity in the middle of turmoil. Focused thinking can do several things for you:

• Focused thinking harnesses energy toward a desired goal
• Focused thinking gives ideas time to develop
• Focused thinking brings clarity to the target
• Focused thinking will take you to the next level

3. CREATIVE THINKING

A creative thinker is more than an original one. Creativity is pure gold. It is your ideas that matter. Ideas which can be yours and from others, but by bringing them together they make a unique composite imaginative piece of art. The characteristics of creative thinkers are:

• Creative thinking value ideas
• Creative thinkers explore options. As many options, alternatives, and they do it with a lot of freedom that others do not possess
• Creative thinkers embrace ambiguity as something normal (they can think creatively in the middle of uncertainty).
• Creative thinkers celebrate the offbeat
• Creative thinkers connect the unconnected
• Creative thinkers don´t fear failure. It requires a willingness to look stupid many times because they are continuously searching for new ideas that eventually will work.

4. REALISTIC THINKING

A realistic thinker helps us to do a reality check. It gives reality to what is, and it gives us some ground to build a solid foundation on facts instead of possibilities.

• A realistic thinker minimizes downside risks. By recognizing the consequences of any decision, it helps to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
• Realistic thinking gives you a target and a game plan.
• Realistic thinking is a catalyst for change.
• Realistic thinking provides security (since you are equipped for the worst that can happen, you have developed contingency plans, and you are prepared)
• Realistic thinking gives you credibility
• Realistic thinking provides a foundation to build on
• Realistic thinking is a friend to those in trouble. Certainty amid uncertainty brings stability
• Realistic thinking brings the dream to fruition. The closer enough we are to the problem, it is easier to tackle it.

4. STRATEGIC THINKING

Strategic thinking helps to direct your path (actions and thoughts) to achieve your objectives. It helps to plan, to become more efficient, to maximize your resources, capabilities, and energy.

• Strategic thinking simplifies the difficult.
• Strategic thinking prompts you to ask the right questions at the right time. Do you remember the strategic paradigm of What? How? Why? Who? Whom? How can we afford it? How can we do it better? Where? When? Etc.
• Strategic thinking prompts customization. It helps to tailor-made from vague ideas to specific ways to go after a task or problem
• Strategic thinking prepares you today for an uncertain tomorrow
• Strategic thinking reduces the margin of error
• Strategic Thinking gives you influence with others

5. POSSIBILITY THINKING

People who embrace the possibility thinking are those who are capable of accomplishing tasks that seem impossible because they believe they will make it happen.

• Possibility thinking increases your possibilities
• Possibility thinking draws opportunities and people to you
• Possibility thinking increases other´s possibilities
• Possibility thinking allows you to dream big dreams
• Possibility thinking makes it possible to rise above average
• Possibility thinking gives you energy
• Possibility thinking keeps you from giving up

6. REFLECTIVE THINKING

Most leaders act instead of thinking first before acting. And this is sad. It is important to get the habit to reflect first about decisions than to regret that it has been wrong.

• Reflective thinking gives you a true perspective
• Reflective thinking gives emotional integrity to your thought life
• Reflective thinking increases your confidence in decision making
• Reflective thinking clarifies the big picture
• Reflective thinking takes a good experience and makes it a valuable AWESOME experience

Tomorrow we will continue with the rest of mental frames. We will finish this saga before February 2nd, 2019 as promised.

Blessings. Thank you.

Source References used to write this article:

https://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/

https://www.amazon.com/How-Successful-People-Think-Thinking/dp/1599951681

Disclaimer: All the presentation slides shown on this blog are prepared by Eleonora Escalante MBA-MEng. Nevertheless, all the pictures or videos shown on this blog are not mine.  I do not own any of the lovely photos or images posted unless otherwise stated.

Published by eleonoraescalantestrategy

Corporate Strategy Artist, San Salvador, El Salvador View all posts by eleonoraescalantestrategy