Learn to improve your lateral thinking

Let's be honest: how many times have you been faced with a problem that you can't find a solution to? Probably many times. Well, we believe that with lateral thinking you could get to the answers you're looking for much faster.

It's a special method that will help you find solutions through creative and unusual alternatives. 

As time goes by, these problems will become a real headache if you don't solve them. 

It's time to move forward and not fall by the wayside, remember that the competition will show no mercy in taking you out of the market. Do you want to know more? Don't miss it: 

What is lateral thinking?

We can say that lateral thinking is the way to solve various situations through atypical responses and creativity.

People who apply it focus on taking into account all the points of view involved in that situation. This way, they find unorthodox solutions that can help solve the problem.

In other words, what lateral thinking seeks is to break with the traditional paradigms of thinking that only use the rational part of the brain.

In this sense, the right hemisphere and creativity have proven to be of great importance when it comes to solving situations. It's time for you to start applying them to see what you can do.

4 elements of lateral thinking

The interesting thing about lateral thinking is that it has some elements that differentiate it from other models of thinking. Let's take a look at the following list:

1. Verifying assumptions.

One of the problems of traditional thinking is that it fills us with assumptions that are of little use in finding solutions. 

We're talking about those paradigms that don't allow you to see the big picture, thereby ignoring possible answers to the situation. 

Therefore, lateral thinking checks any kind of theory to quickly find the way out of the situation. 

2. The right questions

To find solutions we must first ask the right questions. 

Through creativity it's much easier, because each question will take your thinking to another level, which will increase the chances of finding an answer.

You will evaluate new scenarios and take into account other points of view that you had not considered until now, so don't think twice and start asking yourself a lot of questions.

3. Creativity

We cannot leave aside how important creativity is within lateral thinking. 

It's basically about getting out of the box, breaking out of your thinking patterns and using your mind to find answers to the problem. 

Looking at every problem from the same perspective won't do you much good. So, encourage yourself to talk to more people and use your right hemisphere to find that solution you are longing for.

4. Logical reasoning

Yes, it's true that creativity is very important to solve problems, but we cannot ignore the relevance of logical thinking. 

It helps you to have a critical view of things and use common sense to find solutions. In many occasions, the way out of the problem is where you least expected it, so logic will always be an important factor.

Techniques to develop lateral thinking

The truth is that lateral thinking is an excellent way to break out of the mold and find new solutions to the challenges that arise. 

The business world is very complex, so it's always useful to find new alternatives to help you overcome every obstacle that comes your way.

Let's take a look at some techniques that will help you in this regard:

1. Change the focus

Of course, the first thing that specialists recommend is to change the mental pattern that has guided you for so many years. 

Does it mean that you were thinking the wrong way? No, just that if you want to use more of your right hemisphere you must let go of some approaches that prevent you from thinking this way.

Try to change your focus, talk to new people or read texts that help you develop new perspectives. This way and with a little help you will see solutions that you couldn't even imagine before.

2. Anticipate

One of the drawbacks we find in companies is that most employees wait for problems to arrive and then think of solutions.

Therefore, lateral thinking suggests being proactive. So, start anticipating the challenges that will come and look for alternatives that will be helpful in the face of problems. 

If you apply it you will see how your confidence increases significantly and you will solve problems in a better way. It's time to put your heart and soul into things. 

3. Embrace chance

Yes, just as you must make sure you keep everything under control, it's never wrong to embrace chance, to let go of everything that's not up to you. 

What does this mean? It means that the inflation rate, war conflicts, user behavior or some change in Google's algorithm doesn't depend on you. Therefore, let go of everything that's not in your hands and focus on what does depend on your abilities.

You may not solve anything right away, but you will see how you will have greater peace of mind that will help you to attack any changes at the root.

Importance of lateral thinking in business

Monotony is one of the biggest enemies of any company. The day-to-day can be quite overwhelming and boring for the team, which means that when a problem arises, you don't know how to solve it. 

That's why it's essential to develop lateral thinking to get away from those schemes that don't help you reach the b-point you had projected. 

This new pattern will help you to take into account new alternatives that will be of great importance to find new answers. That is why we advise you to:

• Never prejudge any idea proposed by your team. You don't know, it might be the solution.

• Look for any way out of the monotony and propose it to the organization. Nothing like a game with friends, watching TV or listening to music to disconnect.

• Apply the solution that fits the challenge. Discuss it with your employees to determine what the ideal answer is.

Do you see the importance of lateral thinking now? Don't think about it anymore and apply it in your company to see how much faster the answers appear.