EDWARD DE BONO'S MESSAGE
26th January 1998

"Thinking Clubs 2"

This is the second part of the exploration of 'thinking clubs'.

Thinking Clubs (2)

Clubs survive so long as there is an energetic organiser. This is someone who does all the organising work - usually an unthanked task.

This organiser could be called a 'convenor' if you like grander titles. The organiser can be self-selected: the person who sets up the club in the first place. That person can remain the organiser for ever. Too often such a person is soon democratically voted out of office by power plays in a committee. Many people are much better at playing politics that at taking initiatives. They wait for someone to take the initiative then move in as parasites - and eventually kill the organism. So no democratic committees unless you want them. Those who do not like the way things are run can vote with their feet. Join another thinking club or set up one of your own.

I would strongly suggest that the organiser has a partner or deputy who can take over if the organiser has to be absent or is ill. Otherwise things just fall apart.

The only role is that of 'leader'. This is the person who leads the thinking in the club. The leader and the organiser may be the same person but the required skills are very different. Leaders may be good at leading people once they have got there but not so good at getting people there. Again, the leader can have a partner or deputy.

The thinking club can be formed within a single family or in a neighbourhood or community group. There may be a work group. Someone may belong to several clubs or may set up several clubs.

People may meet physically or over the internet.

The number of people can be as low as four or as high as eight. If people are not constant in attending then there can be more people to allow for absentees. If a club, through its success, grows large it can be divided into offspring clubs.

In my next message I shall write about formats and discipline.

Edward de Bono
25th January 1998