Cognitive agility
Cognitive agility is the ability to quickly and appropriately change your perspective, strategy, or way of thinking when data changes.
Definition
Cognitive agility is close to cognitive flexibility. It helps you switch between tasks, update hypotheses, understand different points of view and not get stuck in one interpretation. It does not mean chaos or lack of consistency; means the ability to correct when reality requires a new response.
Key ideas
- A change of perspective
- Strategy update
- Correction of hypotheses
Practice and life
For a problem, write down three different frames: emotional, systemic and practical. Check which opens the best next step.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to confuse cognitive agility with leaps and bounds. It is also a mistake to stick to one interpretation despite new data.
> Cognitive agility allows you to change the way you think before the old way closes all the doors.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- Do I need to change my perspective?
- What data needs correction?
- What strategy works now, not then?