Lego thinkers and Play-Doh thinkers.

Some people are Play-Doh thinkers: they like to create from unformed raw materials. Sculpting something to their own vision, and creating something from nothing. This is the same kind of thinking that leads to a Big Idea, or a truly new concept. Play-Doh doesn’t offer you anything beyond a base substance with which to express your creativity.

I’ve realized recently, I’m a Lego thinker. I work best with a large set of pieces already in front of me, so I can look at them and find ways to make them fit together better, with more benefit, or with a greater end result. Lego thinking is about taking what already exists and finding ways it can connect. Lego thinking is a lot more like process innovation, or creating a network or ecosystem out of existing parts.

Play-Doh thinkers will see a thing that does not exist, and be driven to bring it to life. Lego thinkers will see a hole in a current system, and be compelled to fill it, because it will make the rest of the pieces come alive in a new way.

Both are valuable, and they tend to work well in teams. Two Lego thinkers will focus on what the best way to arrange the pieces is; two Play-Doh thinkers will focus on determining who has the better vision of what the end result should be.

What I’m saying is, share your toys.