Suppose you were not allowed to use the word 'tomato'. If you wanted a tomato you would have to describe it.

• it is round and red
• it could fit into the hand
• much used in salads
• the juice makes a good drink
• makes a sauce for spaghetti
• often grown in greenhouses
• may be dried in the sun

How much easier to have the word 'tomato'.

Suppose you could not use the word table:

• a horizontal platform
• raised above the ground so you could sit on a chair and use the platform
• used for eating off
• usually has four legs but sometimes just one central leg.
• to be found in houses

How much easier to have the word 'table.'

Words are codes which allow us to unlock and communicate complex situations. We could indeed describe such situations but that is very different from 'preceiving' them instantly.

We do have words for 'things' but language is poor in words for complex situations. The fact that we can describe situations with lots of words but that is not the same as perception.

So the "de Bono Code Book" sets out eighteen different codes for complex situations. There are negotiating codes, youth codes, meeting codes, project status codes, travel codes, relationship codes etc.

It may be difficult for a youngster to say to his or her parents: "Mum, I am in deep trouble. I need your help and advice. But I do not want the usual sermons, preaching and 'I told you so'. Can we work on this together? Can we discuss it? Can you help me?"

Some youngsters might find that awkward to say. How much easier to say: "Mum, I have an 8/1 here."

There are 257 codes which become an 'inter-language' for international use (among other benefits such as compression for m-commerce).

See debonocode.com