We all operate in two contrasting modes, which might be called open and closed.
The open mode is more relaxed, more receptive, more exploratory, more
democratic, more playful and more humorous. The closed mode is the tighter, more
rigid, more hierarchical, more tunnel-visioned. Most people, unfortunately spend
most of their time in the closed mode. Not that the closed mode cannot be
helpful. If you are leaping a ravine, the moment of takeoff is a bad time for
considering alternative strategies. When you charge the enemy machine-gun post,
don’t waste energy trying to see the funny side of it. Do it in the “closed”
mode. But the moment the action is over, try to return to the “open” mode—to
open your mind again to all the feedback from our action that enables us to tell
whether the action has been successful, or whether further action is need to
improve on what we have done. In other words, we must return to the open mode,
because in that mode we are the most aware, most receptive, most creative, and
therefore at our most intelligent.” -John Cleese
