"The differentiation between linear and lateral thinking can be best described with examples. The linear thinker moves one mental step at a time down the path of logic, consuming and digesting each piece of information before moving to the next.
The lateral thinker (also known as branching logic) pursues multiple paths of information gathering and processing simultaneously, bringing all relevant parts together at the end.
Linear thinkers tend to be left brain dominant while lateral thinkers tend to be right brain dominant. Our educational systems have traditionally
valued and encouraged left brain development and linear thinking patterns while dismissing right brain development and lateral thinking patterns.
Conversely, we tend to think of linear processors as "slow" because they
often take more time to reflect before speaking and work through an issue fully before acting. Lateral processors are often "quick" and respond much sooner to a stimulus than their linear counterparts. They
often make more mistakes and are generally risk takers."
I am a lateral thinker. I know this as my working life has been involved in the creative industry where lateral or creative thinking is essential and it's something you look for in designers. I look for inspiration for ideas from anywhere and 'throw' these ideas down. Reason and logic comes later.
Accountants tend to think in a linear way, numbers have to add up! (unless you are 'creatively' fixing the figures!). Scientists also are linear thinkers reasoning out facts and results in an ordered way although scientists who find cures must have to also think laterally.
Some members 'throw' their thoughts down while others reason thoughts out in a logical and ordered post. Both are good, just different!
