Michael,

Thanks for the information. Elliott Jaques spent decades studying cognitive capacity and published his findings in Human Capability.

His model would say that what Roger Martin is talking about is moving from declarative thinking (this OR this OR this OR this)to cumulative thinking (this AND this AND this). Jaques found four cognitive processes, declarative, cumulative, serial and parallel. These four processes repeat themselves at higher and higher levels of complexity and abstraction (similar to octaves in music, notes repeat themselves at higher pitches).

Jaques's model would argue that yes, all humans are capable of holding two items in tension but the complexity level of the items will vary from person to person.

Meaning, a child can hold to tangible items in tension - do I want a dog or a cat? But holding two models in tension and thinking through all the intricacies associated with the decision, e.g. do we want to adopt a low-cost marketing position or a high-service market position, is not something children, nor all adults could do. Unfortunately, it is not something one can will nor teach himself to be able to do. Because this finding runs counter to the American way of thinking - we all have equal and unlimited cognitive potential - Jaques' ideas are not very popular.

Through decades of longitudinal studies, Jaques found that we all mature in cognitive capacity throughout adulthood. Different people matured at different rates that could not be explained by socioeconomic status, education level, or any demographic.

If this line of thinking is of interest, I urge you to read his material including, Requisite Organization.

Regards,

Michelle

Thanks Michelle. I've read his Executive Leadership, but it sounds similar to the Requisite Organization title you recommended. Martin believes you can improve your abiltity to deal with complexity. I'll post something on that on Friday. Thanks again for your well thought out comments.

We can improve our ability to deal with complexity and on my website you will find training tools for doing so.

After many years advancing the subject of Integrative Thinking it is pleasing to see more interest being shown in the subject.

Michael:
Thanks for your three helpful and well-crafted posts. I enjoyed reading them and think they provide incisive summaries.
Lots of people ask me about Elliot Jacques in reference to my work. I think that Jacques made a contribution with his work. For me, however, I find him more deterministic than my experience suggests is optimal. He is a little to quick to classify people in terms of their inherent capability and leave it at that. My perspective is that Integrative Thinking capability is like a muscle. If you don't use it, it isn't good for much. If you exercise it, the muscle can do a lot of useful things.
That doesn't mean everyone was born with the exact same muscle development potential. But there is a lot of room for improvement.
Hope that helps and again thanks for the well-written blogs.
R.