Where does thinking really happen?

Where does thinking really happen?

Following my training week I am happy to share some Friday reflections with you. Where does #thinking really happen? According to the theory of the #extendedmind by Andy Clark and David Chalmers, cognition does not reside only in our brains. It extends into the tools we use, the environments we shape, and the systems we interact with. Our notebooks, our devices, our conversations — even our #organizations — become part of how we think.
This perspective resonates strongly with the work of Herbert Simon.
Trained initially as a social scientist, Simon’s curiosity led him far beyond disciplinary boundaries, contributing profoundly to artificial intelligence, decision-making, and organizational theory. He understood something fundamental: thinking is not isolated — it is structured by systems.
And yet, in many organizations today, we still see a gap.
We train people to execute processes.
But how often do we train them to think about the conditions that make those processes effective?
Do our #environments enable good decisions?
Do our #tools extend or constrain our intelligence?
Do our organizational #cultures support reflection, or just execution?
If cognition is extended, then leadership is not only about defining workflows — it is about designing #ecosystems of thinking.
This has profound implications for learning and development:
-Training should not only focus on what to do, but on how to think
-Systems, tools, and environments must be aligned with human cognition
-Reflection and sense-making become as critical as performance
In an age of AI, this becomes even more relevant.
We are not just building intelligent tools — we are co-creating extended minds. So perhaps the real question is: Are we designing organizations that think — or just organizations that act?
#ExtendedMind #ArtificialIntelligence #HerbertSimon #CognitiveScience #LearningAndDevelopment #OrganizationalDesign #Leadership #SystemsThinking #FutureOfWork
Check out this great 1970’s lecture from H. Simon I loved it, I would be happy to hear your reflections https://lnkd.in/diW6-m2c