How to Think Laterally

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How to Think Laterally
Problem-solving, and lateral thinking in particular, requires that we think counter-intuitively, since intuitive/linear thinking brought us into the problem.
For example, when there's a problem, the initial tendency is to focus on the problem because that is the target of our frustration (be it bad morale, falling productivity, inferior quality, or whatever). Lateral thinking suggests looking at it from different persepctivers altogether, such as looking at the intended result instead and thus posing every question in light of its positive or negative effect on achieving that goal/result.
What about the customers' perspective - whether its about the problem - or even the intended result? Who knows, maybe the intended result is outdated.

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		Satish Talikota Management Consultant, India
	0 How to Think Laterally Good explanation, thank you. Especially the problem & result focus.

		Pradeep Kakkar Consultant, India
	0 Lateral Thinking and Simplicity There's one key element in lateral thinking that hasn't come through in the discussion thus far: simplicity. Solutions arrived at through lateral thinking are almost invariably amazingly simple - the kind that, in hindsight, make you think that anyone could have come up with that. I guess this links in with clarity of problem definition - if that happens, the simple (and creative) ideas almost seem to leap out at you.