Presented by Daniel Patrick Forrester, MBA, on September 26, 2013 at the fourth annual Center for Health Literacy Conference: Plain Talk in Complex Times.

3. We have no time to think anymore!
28% 25% 20% 15% 5-12%
Interruptions by things
that aren’t urgent or
important, like
unnecessary email
messages – and the time
it takes to get back on
track
Productive content
creation including
writing email
messages
Meetings (in
person, by phone,
video and online)
Searching
through
content,
like the
Web, digital
communi-
cations and
paperwork
Thinking
and
reflecting
Source: Basex
The New York Times

4. “Busyness” and Fragmentation of Time
“Inter-Leaving”
Source: Intel
Multi-tasking
Myth
“Continuous Partial
Attention”
Source: Linda Stone

5. Time for Reflection Drives User Satisfaction
By Situation By Communication Channel
Alon
e
With clients,
customers,
prospects
With direct reports,
one on one
With other
employees
With direct reports in
group
With external
stakeholders
With board or its
membersOthe
r
Source: McKinsey Quarterly
Face to face
Asynchronous
(eg. e-mail, voice mail)
Phone
Real-time messages
Real-time video
Othe
r

6. Getting language right
and really describing the problem

7. “Language conveys culture. In order to
change the culture, you must change
language. You cannot expect old
language to carry new ideas.”
–Admiral Art Cebrowski

9. Getting the Big Ideas Right

10. Rapid Contemplation:
Rethinking War in the
Middle of War

11. Petraeus Leadership Framework
Communicate
Ideas within
Organization
2
Oversee &
implement
Big Ideas
3
Capture/Share
Refinements
To Big Ideas
4
1
Get the
“Big”
Ideas
Right

15. Some Big Takeaways Today:
1. The State of Deep Thinking is under attack—
reflection is the antidote
2. Effective communications happen when you:
• Get the language & problem description right
• Get the ‘big ideas’ right
• Create cultures of learning