The adage, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” is often said in jest, but it is sound business advice. Having the flexibility to find opportunities when things don’t go according to plan is a valuable skill in business. The fact is, it is rare when things do go according to plan, and businesses are in search of creative employees who can think outside of the box.
According to Talentnow recruitment, 45% of human resources departments surveyed said they had difficulty filling positions because of a lack of available talent. Contrary to the popular image of the staid businessperson, businesses are looking for unconventional thinkers, those who can find new ways of doing things when uncertainty hits. Lateral thinkers fill this need.
What Is Lateral Thinking?
The conventional way of making business plans is to think in a linear or vertical line. Goals are contingent on previous goals being met or conditions are ripe for the next step. However, sometimes the goal isn’t met and the conditions are not what was expected. What should be done then?
A lateral thinker does not operate in a straight line but pays attention to the general picture and the broader context. If there is a roadblock, they will be the first to find a detour. Lateral thinking is essential in emergencies. It may often seem as counterintuitive or even bizarre at first, but when conditions are not ideal or unexpected, lateral thinking can save a company by finding different routes and methods.
How Lateral Thinking is Used in Business
The lemonade example is a good illustration of how lateral thinking is used. It is interesting how the adage “if life gives you lemons make lemonade” is structured like a joke. Dr. Edward de Bono, a physician and a psychologist who coined the term “lateral thinking” in 1967 pointed out that much of this way of looking at the world resembles a joke. The unexpected or very common-sense elements of humor are present in lateral thinking.
The link between humor and lateral thinking is imagination. This philosophy also tends to find silver linings. For instance, during February, at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, few people predicted wearing masks and using alcohol-based gel would be ubiquitous in the ensuing weeks and months.
A lateral thinker might have foreseen the upcoming problem and may have suggested creating gear to facilitate social distancing but with style like designer masks. Whoever was the first to put witty slogans on masks most likely profited well from it. Before anyone thought of making light of the issue, a lateral thinker usually is the first to see the bright side of a situation.
If there is a mistake and a company is sent too much of a particular product, instead of sending it back, a lateral thinker may figure out how to incorporate it into the overall product offerings or use it as a strategy or as a free promotion. If a tennis ball company accidentally receives a shipment of kewpie dolls, the lateral thinker may decide to dress the kewpie dolls up in a tennis outfit and give them away with every purchase of tennis balls or they may create an animated character for advertisements inspired by the kewpie doll in the miniature tennis outfit. With lateral thinkers, the sky is the limit.
Thinking Outside of the Box
Lateral thinkers consider all of the possibilities of a situation. This is how they manage to remain flexible when others are at a loss for solutions. The workforce is filled with lateral thinkers. According to a LinkedIn survey, 87% of job seekers are open to new job opportunities. These new opportunities may include tackling problems in original ways and finding ways to help a business weather unexpected events.
