Unleash Your Inner Maverick: What is Perpendicular Thinking?

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a rut, circling the same old solutions to persistent problems?

We’ve all been there.

In a world that often rewards linear progression, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of conventional thinking. But what if there was a way to truly break free? Enter perpendicular thinking – an exhilarating, unconventional approach to problem-solving that challenges established ideas and looks at issues from a completely different, often contrarian, viewpoint.

Think of it like this: if conventional thinking follows a straight line, perpendicular thinking takes a sharp, 90-degree turn. It’s about questioning conventional wisdom, turning an idea on its head, and examining it from an entirely new angle. This isn’t just about tweaking an existing concept; it’s about fundamentally disrupting it to spark true innovation. It’s not about following a linear path, but rather about deliberately breaking away from expected thought patterns.

Perpendicular Thinking vs. Lateral Thinking: A Subtle but Mighty Difference

You might be thinking, “Isn’t that just lateral thinking?” While both perpendicular and lateral thinking are celebrated for their “out-of-the-box” nature, there’s a subtle yet crucial distinction.

• Lateral thinking is like a brainstorm on steroids. It encourages you to explore a multitude of different, often seemingly unrelated, angles to a problem. The goal is to generate a wide range of new ideas and possibilities. It’s a “generative” process, aiming for quantity and breadth.
• Perpendicular thinking, on the other hand, is more like a targeted interrogation. It deliberately takes a single, established idea and examines it from an opposing, or perpendicular, perspective. Its power lies in its ability to challenge and disrupt a single, pre-existing path, rather than just generating a multitude of new ones.

In a nutshell? Lateral thinking is about broadening your view, while perpendicular thinking is about upending it entirely.

Real-World Wonders: Examples of Perpendicular Thinking in Action

This isn’t just abstract theory; perpendicular thinking has driven some truly fascinating innovations by simply asking that powerful question: “What if?”

• The QWERTY Keyboard Conundrum: Did you know the ubiquitous QWERTY keyboard was actually designed to slow down typists? On old mechanical typewriters, faster typing led to jammed keys. Perpendicular thinking would challenge this historical constraint by asking, “What if the primary goal was to design a keyboard that allowed people to type as fast and efficiently as possible?” This led to the creation of more optimized layouts like the Dvorak keyboard, proving that sometimes, the opposite approach is the best one.
• The Walking Meeting Revolution: Think about your last business meeting. Chances are, it involved a group of people sitting around a table. A perpendicular thinker might challenge this by asking, “What if we held this meeting while walking?” This simple, yet profound, shift in environment can disrupt typical thought patterns, encourage more dynamic conversations, and even boost creativity and problem-solving.
• The “Always Be Closing” Fallacy: For decades, real estate training has been built on the mantra of “always be closing.” A perpendicular thinker would challenge this by asking, “What if the primary goal wasn’t to close, but to provide so much value that the client couldn’t imagine working with anyone else?” This shifts the focus from aggressive sales tactics to a give-first, consultative approach that builds a powerful foundation of trust—the very thing that keeps a client loyal for life and generates a steady stream of referrals.
• Recruiting Top Talent: The traditional recruiting playbook involves cold calls, emails, and promises of high splits. It’s a high-volume, low-conversion game. A perpendicular thinker would ask, “What if we stopped trying to recruit and started focusing on building an irresistible firm that top talent seeks out?” This leads to strategies like investing in cutting-edge tech, building a robust lead-gen system for agents, or creating a culture of mentorship and success. Instead of chasing agents, you become the destination.

So, the next time you encounter a problem that seems to have only one “right” way of being solved, dare to take a perpendicular approach. Challenge the status quo, ask the audacious “what if,” and unlock a whole new dimension of innovative solutions! What common practices can you turn on their head today?