5. Lateral Thinking
It is not uncommon to hear that critical thinking is an important skill to develop. But as the whole world focuses on critical thinking, critical thinking is fast becoming a passé. If you are looking for the next big skill to develop, it is lateral thinking. Lateral thinking is a fancier word for the concept of «thinking out of the box».
It is the mental process where you look at problems from fresh and/or unique perspectives to find a solution. It helps you break away from traditional modes of thinking and do away with established patterns and preconceived notions. The term lateral thinking was first coined by Edward de Bono in his book «The Use of Lateral Thinking».
If you want to master the art of lateral thinking, you can adopt some of the lateral thinking learning techniques. Here are seven for you to have fun with: Alternatives, focus, challenge, random entry, provocation & movement, harvesting and treatment of ideas.
