Linear thinking is the process of thought following known stepbystep progression where a response to a step must be elicited before another step is taken. Programmed thinking versus lateral thinking another way to think of brainstorming is to understand what its not and how it differs from something we do often in our day to day jobs programmed thinking. Critical thinking is primarily concerned with judging the true value of statements and seeking errors whereas lateral thinking focuses more on the movement value of statements and ideas. A straight line between two points has been the way we. If you are still not clear, here are the 6 top classic examples of exactly how lateral thinking works. Whereas linear logic is useful in certain areas of the thinking process, it is almost entirely left brain based, allowing little room for the functioning of the right brain, the seat of creativity. This means that he approaches idea generation and idea development with conventional methods. Learning outcomes lateral thinking potential genesis. Linear thinking is the process by which linear thinkers put things in order as they experience them and how they express them. How does critical differ from analytical or lateral thinking. He has written numerous books, which have been translated into 34 languages, and his advice is sought by nobel laureates and world leaders alike. This lesson goes over the concept of lateral thinking. The use of lateral thinking in the generation of new ideas.
The lateral thinking attitude involves firstly a refusal to accept rigid patterns and secondly an attempt to put things together in different ways. How lateral thinking can help your career ziprecruiter. Critical thinking vs lateral thinking whoiscaseymarshall. Here well talk you through what the ability is, and give some examples of lateral thinking skills. We generally learn in sequence, and organize in the same type of order as most everyone else like filing things according to name, subject or date so our lives are less cluttered and. Vertical thinking is distinguished as something that is linear, while on the other hand lateral thinking can be seen as non linear.
Lateral thinking is about the breadth of knowledge, not the depth of expertise. Lateral thinking is a manner of solving problems using an indirect and creative approach via reasoning that is not immediately obvious. Lateral thinking involves looking at a situation or problem from a unique or unexpected point of view. Non linear thinking is less constrictive letting the creative side of you run rampant because of its inherent lack. We shall present to you an understanding of two contrasting ways of thinking linear and nonlinear thinking.
Critical thinking isnt the type of thinking needed to make stuff. A rock musician with highlevel security clearance ridiculous. It essentially means being able to think creatively or outside the box in order to solve a problem. Read this book and over 1 million others with a kindle unlimited membership. Non linear thinking is human thought characterized by expansion in multiple directions, rather than in one direction, and based on the concept that there are multiple starting points from which one can apply logic to a problem. Break down the no barrier the mind can reject any concept it wishes. Book is almost done and i will endeavour to put out as much practical info in blogs very soon. It is a function of lateral thinking to free information by challenging cliche patterns. Have you ever met someone who is so bound to critical and linear thinking that any thought of something chaotic supernormal. Lateral thinking definition and meaning collins english.
Linear thinking vs lateral thinking 1 thought reason. Lateral thinking is the mental process of generating ideas and solving problems. As adjectives the difference between lateral and linear is that lateral is to the side. Newest lateralthinking questions puzzling stack exchange. The differentiation between linear and lateral thinking can be best described with examples. As a noun lateral is an object, such as a passage or a protrusion, that is situated on the side of something else. Each conversation happened recently on different dates and involved one person who suffers from depression and another who suffers from dyslexia. Lateral thinking in management innolytics innovation. Lateral thinking offers a somewhat structured way to generate new ideas, while creative thinking opens the door to all possibilities. This is the core chapter of this book, about the complexity of complexity. Lateral thinking has to be distinguished from critical thinking. The reason for this is the simple fact that vertical thinking utilizes a sequential method in solving problem, where only one solution is generally realized. The differences between lateral thinking, parallel.
The addition of lateral thinking to our toolbox of cognitive tools is an important and crucial one. Although promotion b nearly doubled sales, profits sank almost 25%. It involves ideas that may not be obtainable using only traditional stepbystep logic. Lateral thinking only makes you shift your logical thoughts from one sequence to. It requires a lateral shift in thinking to realise that the issue here is the relationship between time and starting of the car, and of course there is a logical relationship between vanilla ice cream and time. Heres a quiz from the university of kent thats kind of fun. Most people default to a linear thinking approach in everyday problem solving. Since then, he has written around 40 books on creativity and thinking. With lateral thinking one is always trying to generate alternatives, to restructure patterns. Today i wanted to tell you about a couple different logic styles, and see which one you think you are. As the author of teach like a pirate, dave burgess, has stated, creativity is making stuff. Sep 05, 20 the book, lateral thinking gives a fairly clear description of the concepts. Critical thinking is primarily concerned with judging the truth value of statements and seeking errors.
By thinking outside of the box and becoming more fluid, a linear thinker opens up the possibilities for both themselves and the rest of their team. Examples in a spectrum of vertical and lateral thinking. Neither linear or lateral thinking is the right answer for every situation. Every day he takes the elevator to go down to the ground floor to go to work or to go shopping. Youll learn what the phrase means, explore some of the basic theory behind it, and see a few examples of lateral thinking.
The science of lateral thinking and millions of other books are available for. So, let us conclude that design thinking is a more organized type of lateral thinking with specific techniques attempted for the domain in question. Mark mcguinness over at lateral action has a great post titled is lateral thinking necessary for creativity. You see that lateral thinking is the type of thinking that leads to new ideas. Jan 21, 20 creative thinking, creativity, lateral thinking, linear thinking it is said that it takes all kinds. I realize i just wrote the same thing again in slightly different words. In brief, lateral thinking involves looking at problem from a different angle. Lateral thinking means taking a creative approach to a problem or challenge. Lateral thinking isnt something which is usually discussed, not in secondary education or anywhere that ive noticed to be honest. In my hunt for jack reacher series thrillers, fbi special agent kim otto is a lateral thinker, often at odds with the linear thinking carlos gaspar as a lateral thinker, kim otto. A person uses lateral thinking to move from one known idea to new ideas.
Unless, of course, you are able to outthink our nations enemies. Thinking presented by ayush jain himanshu sukhija saurabh jain rochak vishnoi prerna arora topics. While critical thinking is needed in identifying and starting to solve problems, lateral and creative thinking help generate multiple, different, and often unexpected solutions. A person with lots of depth can come up with minute details to answer a question but theyll get stuck putting those details into the context of a bigger picture, one that involves something outside of their field of expertise. Lateral thinking means thinking differently or thinking out of the box. What is the difference between linear and nonlinear thinking. Nov, 2014 how does critical differ from analytical or lateral thinking. As the name suggests, linear thinking takes a sequential, patterned, orderly and systematic approach to decision making and problem solving. Imagine two managers who are responsible for product development and innovation management in their companies. Lateral thinking is when you think outside of the box. His other books are expansions on the original idea.
Packed full of over 60 different quality lateral thinking puzzles, this book gives you the chance to exercise your brainpower to think laterally and to seek to solve. It is easy to see from the example above that lateral thinking comes into play when solving crimes. Jun 11, 2015 follows the same method of thinking that is most popular among police detectives. Differences between vertical and lateral thinking in our world we are governed by rules and structure, and there is a great deal of time spent developing them. Leadership challenges in linear thinkers blog jody. Based on the way people are charting a lot of characters, it seems as though getting down to the nitty gritty of it people seem to think linear thinkers are literally just thinking less, or taking fewer things into account. He is widely regarded as the leading authority in the direct teaching of thinking as a skill. Linear thinking is analytical, sequential and highly focused. The differences between lateral thinking, parallel thinking. This book gives am idea on what lateral thinking is, how it alongside vertical thinking is the most deadliest tool an individual can have in solving any problem. Creative thinking how to get out of the box and generate ideas. Lateral thinking instead focuses on thought driven by a more indirect approach. Our way of thinking decides how we perceive the world around us.
This book and its concepts should be introduced in our primary education system and kids should be taught to inculcate lateral thinking in heir day by day world. Still not sure whether youre a linear or lateral thinker. Develop an existing patter n restructure an existing patter n. How can you determine which switch is connected to which bulb if you may enter the room only once. Last week on my blog we talked about differences in creative routines. Defining lateral thinking,parallel thinking, creativity and innovation. This saying is often applied to life and the world in general, it also applies in the world of success and life change. Lateral thinking does not replace logical thinking. Lateral thinking 01 a man in a lift a man lives on the tenth floor of a building. It encourages one to delve into more of a creative form of reasoning.
In the book, the concept of vertical thinking can be seen with many. Their thinking process proceeds in a sequential manner, like a straight line. The writing is incredibly dry, but the material is well worth the effort. When he returns he takes the elevator to the seventh floor and walks up the stairs to reach his apartment on the tenth floor. Linear thinking verses lateral thinking incisive observations.
Rather than argue that one style of thinking is more important or practical than the other, every leader should strive to strike a balance between linear and non linear thinking. Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples log in dictionary. Apr 11, 2014 lateral thinking is solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional stepbystep logic. Systems thinking, design thinking, strategic thinking. Remember when elvis asked nixon if he could be in the dea. Linear thinkers put things in order as they experience them in a sequential manner, like a straight line. What is the difference between lateral thinking and linear. Through this method, both lateral and vertical thinking are more likely than others. Linear thinkers vs non linear thinkers this conversation came up when i told two people that i have adhd and they brought up the discussion of linear thinking and non linear thinking. Creativity exercises to improve your lateral thinking. Questions tagged lateral thinking ask question a puzzle solved through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable only using logic.
It will help you assess your lateral thinking skills. A lateral thinker like kim otto or a linear thinker like. Activating the power of linear and circular thinking. May 09, 2016 well, if it sounds like we just talked about it in lateral thinking, it indeed is.
There are so many useful exercises to help you develop lateral thinking habits, which help to improve general creativity. This is a process of thought following known cycles or stepbystep progression where a response to a step must be elicited before another step is taken. Traditional western thinking system is based upon linear logic. He originated the concept of lateral thinking and developed formal techniques for deliberate. What are analytical, critical and lateral thinking skills. Linear thinking is based on logic, rules and rationality or sustained reason to solve a problem. A person uses lateral thinking to move from one known idea to creating new ideas. Lateral thinking is a technique used to induce innovation in idea creation by trying to shift patterns of thought off their linear and predictable trajectory using unconnected inputs to.
Complimenting the use of logical vertical thinking, lateral thinking can be used to. Programmed thinking is using a structured or logical framework to create a product, system or service. We shall present to you an understanding of two contrasting ways of thinking linear and non linear thinking. Lateral thinking is more concerned with the movement value of statements and ideas.
Linear thinking is the standard stepbystep approach to breaking down challenges and seeking solutions. As such, its nearly impossible for us to fathom the implications of exponential change. Differences between vertical and lateral thinking memorise. One of these managers has a socalled linear thinking style.
I wrote my first book on the feminine counterpart to the hero archetype, which i give workshops on worldwide including at raindance film school in london. Lawyers and detectives do employ lateral thinking when attempting to solve crimes because the sequence of events is often not as straightforward it first appears to be. Thought processes may be divided into vertical linear thinking which uses the process of logical reasoning to follow a welldefined path, or. Three switches outside a windowless room are connected to three light bulbs inside the room. Vertical thinking is distinguished as something that is linear, while on the other hand lateral thinking can be seen as nonlinear. I draw upon my work with western and oral cultures for my current book the arrow and the ring. Lateral thinking is a method of solving problems by using your imagination to help you. Analytical thinking the ability to visualise, articulate, and solve both complex and uncomplicated problems and concepts to make decisions that are sensible and based on available information.
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