Karin Malmström, Co-founder and Managing Director, Corporate Governance Reality Check, offers some practical insights into how adopting integrative thinking in decision-making processes helps set innovative leaders apart, and how it helps boards push beyond conventional approaches.

How many times have you gone into a board meeting and felt like there are only either-or options on the table for discussion? Decisions need to be made, business needs to get done. It’s black and white. Or is it?

What if you feel that a decision taken is not ideal, but you ‘can live with it’?

Alternatively, what if settling on less-than-optimum solutions is no longer good enough? Can you push beyond conventional approaches that keep guiding you toward limited choices? How do you break the broken record?

You can start by adopting integrative thinking into your decision-making processes.

What is integrative thinking?

Integrative thinking is a problem-solving and decision-making approach that involves considering multiple viewpoints and options, and synthesising them into a cohesive solution. Innovative ideas, creativity and willingness to dig deep into your cache of skill sets and experience are the cornerstones of realising optimum outcomes.

Key advantages

You will spend more time and effort devising solutions, but the results will have enduring effects that can achieve long-lasting success. And, in the process of learning and adopting integrative thinking practices, you will absorb useful life skills. Here are some benefits:

Enhanced creativity. Integrative thinking encourages looking beyond conventional boundaries, mixing diverse ideas to generate novel and creative solutions. This can lead to innovations that wouldn’t emerge from traditional linear thinking.

Comprehensive solutions. By considering multiple viewpoints and combining elements from various sources, integrative thinking helps create well-rounded and thorough solutions that address problems from multiple angles.

Improved decision-making. Integrative thinkers assess a broader spectrum of information and perspectives, allowing for more informed and balanced decisions. This reduces the risk of omissions and leads to better outcomes.

Conflict resolution. Integrative thinking fosters understanding and collaboration, bridging gaps between conflicting views. It helps find common ground and proposes solutions acceptable to all parties involved. Everyone at the table comes out a winner.

Adaptability. This approach is inherently flexible, adjusting to new information and changing circumstances more effectively. Integrative thinkers are better equipped to handle complexity and uncertainty.

Promotes learning and growth. Engaging with diverse perspectives and ideas promotes continuous learning and personal development. It encourages open-mindedness and intellectual humility, which are essential traits for growth.

Better team dynamics. Incorporating integrative thinking into teams enhances collaboration, as it values and synthesises each member’s input. It builds a culture of respect and inclusivity, leading to stronger and more cohesive teams.

Economic and strategic benefits. For businesses, integrative thinking can lead to innovative products, services and strategies that provide a competitive edge. It enables companies to better navigate complex markets and consumer demands.

How do you adopt and practice integrative thinking?

Mindset and training are fundamental elements for mastering integrative thinking. We are conventionally taught to think using deductive and inductive logic. These methods of reaching resolutions, inferring what ‘should’ be, and determining what is and is not true by empirical observation, respectively, do not include data or models that do not already exist. Instead, by employing generative reasoning, which focuses on what ‘might’ be, we can stretch the boundaries of possibilities and opportunities.

The ‘what if’ factor

When presented with a problem, question or situation that requires resolving, integrative thinkers automatically switch into ‘scenario scanner mode’. This process includes considering a range of scenarios and their possible outcomes, that is, asking: ‘If this is the problem/ question/situation and if we do A/B/C/D/E, then 1/2/3/4/5 may be the result.’

Multiple scenarios create opportunities to arrive at varying conclusions. Depending on desired outcomes, the individual or group can choose which ones are best. Here are a few tools you can add to your toolbox:

Adopt ‘the opposable mind’. Embrace conflicting ideas rather than choosing between them. Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each and all perspective(s) to create a novel solution that integrates the best elements of both/all.

Salience. Identify and understand the key factors or variables in the problem. Determine which aspects are the most important and why. This helps to focus efforts on critical elements.

Causality. Delve into the relationships between these key factors. Understand how changes in one aspect can influence others. This mapping of cause-and-effect helps in predicting outcomes and crafting more robust solutions.

Thought architecture. Structure your thought process by breaking down the problem into manageable components. Organise these elements hierarchically and understand how they interconnect to build a comprehensive solution.

Tension resolution. Rather than settling for trade-offs, work towards synergising different elements. Aim to resolve conflicting priorities in a way that means both are addressed satisfactorily.

Prototyping and testing. Develop prototypes of potential solutions. Test these in real-world scenarios to gather feedback and refine your approach based on practical insights. 

Divergent and convergent thinking. Start with divergent thinking to generate a wide range of possible solutions. Then use convergent thinking to narrow down these options, combining and refining them into a single integrative solution.

Visualisation. Create visual representations of the problem and potential solutions. Tools like mind maps, flowcharts or concept diagrams can help in seeing connections and integrating different aspects. 

Dialogue and collaboration. Engage in open dialogue with diverse stakeholders. Different perspectives can provide valuable insights and drive the integration of varied viewpoints into a cohesive strategy.

Scenario planning. Envision different future scenarios based on various decisions. This helps in understanding potential outcomes and crafting solutions that are resilient and adaptable to changing circumstances.

Reflective practice. Periodically review your decision-making process. Reflect on what worked, what didn’t and why. This continuous learning loop helps in honing integrative thinking skills over time.

By leveraging these techniques, you can approach complex problems with a more holistic perspective, creating innovative and effective solutions that draw from the strengths of multiple perspectives.

Integrative thinking applications

Integrative thinking has numerous applications across various sectors, as well as in everyday life. What comes to mind are companies such as Apple (integrating then-radical design and functionality), the Hyatt Hotel Group (who first created the hotel model sector for customer-first, midsized, higher-end accommodation) and Procter & Gamble (whose CEO took risks based on both experience and systematic research to recognise unique opportunities for growth, such as through acquiring Gillette). Many of today’s startups have the potential to blow out existing paradigms because they are not afraid to play with concepts and models that are yet to be created.

Conclusion – walk the talk

Integrative thinking nurtures an environment where creativity, collaboration and comprehensive problem-solving thrive. It addresses the complexities of modern challenges more effectively than traditional, single-faceted approaches.

Integrative thinking drives innovation and problem-solving in diverse contexts, leveraging a blend of perspectives for optimal outcomes, making the either-or choice obsolete.

Leaders who make the effort to train in and adopt integrative thinking are more capable at successfully manoeuvring in ever-changing life and business environments.

Karin Malmström, Co-founder and Managing Director

Corporate Governance Reality Check

Corporate Governance Reality Check is a leadership consultancy focused on the governance of listed companies, SMEs, startups, and institutional and non-profit organisations. The author can be contacted at: malmstrom@cg-realitycheck.com.