The Leader's Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills
Unlock the Creativity and Innovation in You and Your Team
By Paul Sloane
Category: Management & Leadership | Reading Duration: 18 min | Rating: 4.5/5 (49 ratings)
About the Book
The Leader’s Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills (2017) offers expert insights into and practical guidance to a specific approach to leadership that can help to unleash your team’s creativity, resulting in a more innovative and successful organization.
Who Should Read This?
- Leaders
- People interested in a more innovative approach to business
- All those who want to learn how to think more creatively
What’s in it for me? Think outside the box.
Have you ever wondered why some companies manage to reinvent entire industries, while others fade into obscurity? Breakthroughs don’t come from more data, tighter budgets, or longer meetings. They come from people daring to think differently. In The Leader’s Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills, Paul Sloane explores how leaders can cultivate a creative mindset within their teams.
Rather than relying on conventional approaches, Sloane invites us to lead through curiosity – to challenge what seems obvious, and explore what others overlook. Through stories, strategies, and practical exercises, he shows that innovation doesn’t begin with having all the answers, but with asking better questions. For anyone who’s ever felt trapped by routine, or frustrated by “the way things have always been done,” this Blink offers a way forward. You’ll learn how to become a more inspiring leader, and spark creative insight. And ultimately, your business will benefit.
Chapter 1: The importance of innovation
In the 1970s, the Swiss watch industry was on the verge of extinction. Japanese companies were mass-producing watches that were both cheap and of good quality. How could the Swiss compete? A businessman named Nicolas Hayek came up with a plan – a brand-new company, created by a merger of two of the largest watch manufacturers in Switzerland.
This new company, Swatch, had a fresh approach to design, creating watches that were not only high-tech, but also fun, fashionable, and affordable. Five years later, Swatch had become the biggest watchmaker in the world. The story of Swatch illustrates what can happen when organizations are truly innovative. According to expert Paul Sloane, this is the key to success. In today’s global economy, the best way to get ahead of your competitors is to innovate, creating temporary monopolies. You need to harness the power of your greatest asset – your team – and come up with creative, innovative ideas.
Innovation means bringing something new into existence. Often, this can be achieved through lateral thinking – approaching challenges from different directions, in order to come up with radically new and exciting solutions. For instance, until the early twentieth century, customers in shops were always served by an assistant. Then, in the 1920s, a man named Michael Cullen asked some questions: “What would happen if we did things differently? What if customers helped themselves? ” And thus, the first modern supermarket was born.
Cullen’s questions are a good example of lateral thinking – thinking about things differently, and coming up with an entirely new idea. Now, if you’re a leader, you’re probably wondering how you can inspire your team to come up with similar ideas. We’ll soon look at a few techniques to try. But first off, here’s something to keep in mind: Because you are a leader, it all starts with you. According to Sloane, there are different kinds of leaders. Conventional leaders tend to be goal-oriented, focused on results and efficiency.
Lateral leaders are also focused on goals, but they have a different approach to getting there. They’re more interested in creativity and innovation, inspiring their teams to find new and improved ways of doing things. While there’s something to be said for the conventional approach, the most successful leaders today also have lateral leadership skills. They know how to get the best out of their teams. So let’s find out how you can start doing things differently.
Chapter 2: Come up with a vision, then make it a reality
In order for change to take place, everyone needs a sense of how things could be different. As a leader, you need to create a vision to inspire your team. The word “vision” gets thrown around a lot, and it’s easy to be cynical. But actually having a vision – and a powerful mission statement – can really make a difference.
For example, the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has a mission “to help people do more, feel better, live longer. ” Instead of focusing on drugs or medicine, their vision statement is much more inspiring. A good vision statement should be similarly short and inspirational, avoiding cliches. It should also be ambitious, but still achievable and clearly defined. Here’s one from President Kennedy in 1961: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to landing a man on the moon, and returning him safely to Earth, before this decade is out. ” Clear, inspiring, and with a defined timescale – perfect.
Once you’ve decided on a vision, communicate it. Talk to your team – get feedback, and encourage people to become more invested by coming up with their own objectives in line with the company vision. Then, of course, you’ll need to make that vision a reality. This starts with empowering your team – trust the people you’re working with, and give them the authority to make important decisions. People need a certain degree of freedom in order to be creative and entrepreneurial. And make sure your team has the time to focus on exploration and discovery in addition to their day-to-day tasks.
It’s natural for people to feel apprehensive about change – the fear of the unknown. As a leader, your job is to remove this fear. Talk to your team and let them express their concerns, ideally in a small group discussion. By listening, you show that you care.
You should also reassure people that it’s okay to take risks, and that they won’t be punished if a bold initiative fails. Next, we’ll look at some practical ways to encourage creativity. You can’t just leave people on their own and hope that they’ll come up with creative solutions – you need to lead by example.
Chapter 3: Challenge assumptions and ask different questions
One way to become a better lateral thinker is to challenge your assumptions. We all have assumptions. In fact, the more experienced we are, the more assumptions and biases we’ve accumulated. Experts often get things wrong.
For instance, in 1932, Albert Einstein said, “There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. ” In the 1970s, the CEO of a computer company expressed doubt that anyone would ever want a computer in their home. When we assume things, we risk missing out. Some of the most innovative ideas come from challenging assumptions. In 2009, the idea for Uber was born when Travis Kalanick struggled to get a taxi in Paris. He challenged assumptions about the infrastructure of city transport, leading to the creation of a hugely successful business.
Less than a decade later, Uber was valued at $62 billion. So how can you challenge your own assumptions? Sloane recommends asking lots of simple questions about a situation in order to identify any assumptions you might have. You could also try pretending you’re an outsider. Why are things done this way, anyway? Or how about this – think about what experts recommend, and then do the complete opposite.
Whatever you do, keep asking questions. To be a good lateral leader, you need to ask questions about everything, and try different kinds of questions. Consider the following story. At a famous pen company, executives met every month and discussed this question: “How can we sell more pens? ” Then, the company hired a new VP of marketing, who pointed out that they should be asking a different question: “What business are we in? ” At first, this seemed absurd.
They were in the pen business, obviously. But the new VP explained that he had been talking to customers, and found out that many of them bought pens as gifts. Their company was in the gift business, not the pen business, so they should make changes to reflect this – in pricing, marketing, and so on. The company took the VP’s advice, and turned things around completely.
Maybe it’s time for you to try asking some different questions. Here are a few examples to get you thinking about things differently: “Why are we trying to solve this problem? ” “How would someone from another planet approach it? ” And finally, “If we had all the money and resources in the world, how might we solve the problem?
Chapter 4: Try a different perspective (and unusual combinations)
Let’s look at one of those questions again. “How would someone from another planet approach this problem? ” This is an example of looking at a situation from a completely different perspective. It’s a good habit to get into, as it can lead to new insights and innovative solutions.
See it as an opportunity to get creative. Instead of looking at the situation from your point of view, try to see it from the customer’s point of view, or even the product’s – imagine that you’re the product. Or, how might a child see things? What about Salvador Dalí? You could also try reframing a problem by describing it in different words, or representing it visually with a mind map. Creating a visual representation of an issue, and then brainstorming as a group, can help you to see things differently.
Another strategy is to think about what you’re currently doing – or how your rivals do things – and then try the exact opposite. That’s what Anita Roddick did when she founded the Body Shop. Her rivals used fancy packaging for their shampoos and beauty products, so Roddick did the opposite. She opted for cheap bottles and simple packaging, making the point that it was the contents that mattered. Another thing that innovative people do is experiment with unusual combinations. If you think about it, most new ideas aren’t totally original.
They take existing ideas or concepts and transform them into something new. For instance, one of the greatest inventions in history is the printing press, created by Johannes Gutenberg in the fifteenth century. Essentially, he combined two existing technologies – a coin punch and a wine press – to make a powerful, flexible printing press. This new device was capable of reproducing books rapidly, helping spread knowledge throughout Europe. So why not try a similar approach with your product or service? Try to combine it with other random things – products, objects, nouns – and see what you come up with.
Bizarre combinations often trigger the most original ideas, and even things that seem totally contradictory can work – the solar-powered torch, or the inflatable dartboard. You may not come up with something revolutionary right away, but at least you’ll be on the right path. You’re learning how to think laterally, and inspiring others in your team to do the same.
Chapter 5: Team activities to spark creativity
From asking out-there questions to brainstorming quirky combinations, there are so many things you can do to develop lateral thinking skills. We’ll leave you with a couple more exercises to try with your team – activities that will help spark people’s imaginations. The first one is called “Found Objects. ” When you’re having a meeting, ask everyone to find a random object during the break.
Afterwards, once everyone has come back with their object, explain the task. Each member of the team has to speak passionately about their object – a paperclip, for example – explaining how it will help to solve the problem you’re examining. This exercise can bring some much-needed humour and energy to a meeting. But most importantly, it encourages people to think more creatively. Another activity worth trying is a classic lateral thinking puzzle. This works particularly well as a team game.
The moderator, who knows the solution, reads out the puzzle – a strange situation that needs to be explained. Everyone else asks questions about the situation that the moderator can only answer with “yes,” “no,” or “irrelevant. ” For example: “A woman died because she bought a new pair of shoes. How did she die? ” Obviously, the solution is far from obvious, and people have to keep asking questions and trying different approaches. The solution, by the way, is that the woman worked at a circus, as a blindfolded knife-thrower’s assistant.
Her new heels were higher than her old ones had been, resulting in her death. The great thing about these kinds of puzzles is that they force people to get really creative. They have to look at a situation from many different angles in order to find the solution, rather than just any solution. They’re an excellent form of training. Finally, here’s one more puzzle to ponder. A man called the train station to find out what time his train departed.
But when he got to the station, he was surprised to discover that he had arrived half an hour early. What time was the man’s train? See if you can work it out.
Final summary
The main takeaway of this Blink to The Leader’s Guide to Lateral Thinking by Paul Sloane is that success in today’s competitive world depends on a leader’s ability to foster innovation. True innovation goes beyond creativity – it involves turning bold ideas into reality. To do this, leaders must create an inspiring vision, empower their teams, and build an environment in which experimentation and risk-taking are encouraged. A key part of lateral leadership is learning to challenge assumptions and ask questions that reveal new opportunities, just as companies like Uber did by rethinking traditional models.
Sloane also recommends shifting perspectives, combining unrelated concepts, and using creative exercises to stimulate innovative ideas. Through practical techniques such as mind mapping, the “Found Objects” activity, and lateral thinking puzzles, leaders can help their teams see problems from new angles. Ultimately, Sloane encourages leaders to embrace curiosity, imagination, and unconventional thinking to transform their organizations, and create lasting success. Before we finish, there’s one last thing – the solution to that puzzle from earlier, in case you were wondering. The man’s train was at 22:10, or 10:10 pm. He’d misheard it as “20 to 10,” which explains why he arrived half an hour early.
Okay, that’s it for this Blink. We hope you enjoyed it. If you can, please take the time to leave us a rating – we always appreciate your feedback. See you in the next Blink.
About the Author
Paul Sloane is an author, speaker, and course leader specializing in innovation and lateral thinking. He’s worked with leading corporations and written several books, including How to Be a Brilliant Thinker and The Innovative Leader.