converge on the only possible solution. It is sometimes called
‘convergent’ thinking; de Bono refers to it as ‘vertical thinking’
because you go straight down the line from one state of informa-
tion to another.
De Bono summed up the differences between vertical and
lateral thinking as follows:
Vertical thinking Lateral thinking
Chooses Changes
Looks for what is right Looks for what is different
One thing must follow directly Makes deliberate jumps
from another
Concentrates on relevance Welcomes chance intrusions
Moves in the most likely Explores the least likely
directionsCreative thinking is not superior to logical thinking. It’s just
different. The best managers are both creative and logical.
Eventually, however creative they have been, they have to make
a decision. And logical thinking is necessary to ensure that it is
the right decision.
The process of creativity
In The Act of Creation, Arthur Koestler (1984) described the
process of creativity as one of ‘bisociation’; putting together two
unconnected facts or ideas to form a single idea. The establish-
ment of the relationship or bisociation is usually accompanied by
a release of tension. There is a flash of illumination leading to a
shout of ‘Eureka!’ or at least ‘Aha!’ As Koestler remarks, it is like
the release of tension after the unexpected punchline of a joke –
the ‘haha’ reaction. Or even the less dramatic release of tension
when confronting a work of art.
If we assume that it is desirable to increase our capacity for
creative thinking, there are three steps to take:
- Understand the barriers to creative thinking.
- Develop individual capacity for creative thinking.
- Use the collective capacities of groups of people to develop
new ideas by brainstorming.
How to be Creative 47