Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

Sleep On It
An approach for improving problem solving and innovation.
Supports: individual learning, problem solving
LEVEL OF EFFORT
SIZE OF UTILITY
SCOPE OF WORK
LOW
SCALABLE
NARROW
Sleeping on a question can yield an answer the next morning. This is a particularly powerful
way to access tacit knowledge. Tell yourself, as you fall asleep at night, to work on a problem
or question. The next morning when you wake up, but before you get up. Lie in bed and ask the
same question, listening patiently to your own, quiet, passive thoughts. Frequently, but not
always, the answer will appear, although it must be written down quickly before it is lost from the
conscious mind.
This process becomes more effective if the conscious mind has been primed. For example,
early in the evening, prior to going to bed, take a focused period of time to ―brainstorm‖ with
yourself, asking yourself a lot of questions related to the task at hand. Even if you don’t think
you know the answers, reflect carefully on the questions and be patient. This is the process of
active reflection.
Another aspect of this approach is useful when a group or team is tackling a difficult problem.
It has been found that the answers from the team can be improved if, rather than acting on the
quick responses, let the team sleep on the problem and review the answers they come up with
in the morning. What happens is that while you sleep your unconscious mind is processing the
information taken in that day, keeping the valuable information and discarding that which
doesn’t make sense. It is also working on solutions to issues or problems that have come up
during the previous day. When the team gets back together the next day, there will be new
ideas and thoughts, and a clearer vision of the best way ahead.
Expected Outcomes:
Improved problem solving and decision making.
Increased number of new ideas.
Better awareness of the importance and power of the unconscious.
Tools: Brainstorming
Collaborative Problem Solving Forum
Ideas: Individual Learning
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©2011 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.