Anthea Roberts, the Founding CEO of Dragonfly Thinking and a Professor at the Australian National University, dives into the transformative power of metacognition in an AI-driven world. She discusses how Dragonfly Thinking encourages viewing challenges from multiple perspectives to enhance problem-solving. Anthea emphasizes that improving thought quality, not speed, is essential in decision-making. The conversation also covers the role of AI in clarifying complex issues and how metaphors shape organizational understanding, paving the way for better thinking tools.
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Teaching International Law Differently
When teaching international law in the US, Anthea found major differences in cases that revealed varying national perspectives.
The US treats many cases as domestic law rather than international law, contrasting with other countries' views.
insights INSIGHT
Bridging Polarization with Understanding
Polarization stems from groups not talking or seeing each other as stupid or malevolent.
Techniques from US polarization studies help us hear and bridge divides by understanding others' perspectives.
insights INSIGHT
Mixing Metaphors for Insight
Metaphors and analogies reveal how people think but also obscure parts of an issue.
Mixing metaphors deliberately can deepen understanding, despite conventional advice not to mix them.
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Originally published in 1940 and revised in 1972, this book is a classic guide to intelligent reading. It describes the art of reading as the process by which a mind elevates itself through its own operations on the symbols of readable matter. The authors emphasize active reading, highlighting the importance of keen observation, available memory, range of imagination, and an intellect trained in analysis and reflection. The book provides practical lessons on how to read books effectively, including inspectional reading, analytical reading, and syntopical reading, to achieve a deeper understanding of the material.
Superforecasting
The Art and Science of Prediction
Dan Gardner
Philip E. Tetlock
Santiago Foz (argentino)
In this book, Tetlock and Gardner present the results of the Good Judgment Project, a massive forecasting tournament that identified a small group of 'superforecasters' who are exceptionally good at predicting future events. The authors explain that good forecasting does not require powerful computers or arcane methods but involves gathering evidence from various sources, thinking probabilistically, working in teams, keeping score, and being willing to admit error and change course. The book uses stories of forecasting successes and failures, as well as interviews with high-level decision makers, to illustrate these principles and demonstrate how anyone can improve their forecasting abilities[3][4][5].
Six Faces of Globalization
Who Wins, Who Loses, and Why It Matters
Anthea Roberts
Nicolas Lamp
This book, written by Anthea Roberts and Nicolas Lamp, cuts through the complexity of globalization debates by presenting six distinct narratives about its virtues and vices. The authors explore the interests, logics, and ideologies driving these debates, including the old establishment view, pessimistic beliefs, and various accounts focusing on specific winners and losers. Instead of taking sides, the book provides a holistic framework for understanding current debates, highlighting value conflicts such as growth versus sustainability and efficiency versus social stability. It offers a more integrative way of thinking about complex problems, revealing both the fault lines that divide us and the points of agreement that might bring us together.
Images of organization
Gareth Morgan
Anthea Roberts began her career in international law. But after years of studying global conflict and power, she realized the real problem wasn’t policy—it was perspective. People weren’t just disagreeing on solutions; they weren’t even seeing the same problems. This realization led Anthea to develop "Dragonfly Thinking," a framework designed to help individuals and organizations view challenges through multiple lenses. She is now creating AI tools to apply this methodology to real-world decision-making. In this episode, Dart and Anthea talk about designing better thinking, why diverse mental frames matter, and what it means to build tools that make us better thinkers, not just faster ones.
Anthea Roberts is the founding CEO of Dragonfly Thinking and a Professor at the Australian National University. Her award-winning book Six Faces of Globalization explores competing narratives shaping the global order, and her work blends law, systems, and cognition to help people and institutions think better at scale.
In this episode, Dart and Anthea discuss: - Why thinking better—not faster—is the key to solving complex problems - How to help teams see their blind spots and cognitive defaults - What AI can and can’t do to improve decision-making - Why tools must fit the human hand (and mind) - The value of metaphor and reframing in shaping insight - How to operationalize integrative complexity inside organizations - And other topics…
Anthea Roberts is a Professor at the Australian National University’s School of Regulation and Global Governance and a Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School. A globally recognized legal scholar and systems thinker, she created “Dragonfly Thinking,” a framework for navigating complexity through multiple perspectives. Anthea is the award-winning author of Is International Law International? and co-author of Six Faces of Globalization, named one of the Best Books of 2021 by the Financial Times and Fortune. Through her company Dragonfly Thinking, she is developing AI tools to support better decision-making in complex environments.
Work with Dart: Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.
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