Member-only story
How to Be a Smart Bastard When You’re Not a Genius
The surprisingly useful art of lateral thinking
Don’t get angry, get even
An old lady reached the head of the queue at her bank. She handed over her card and asked to withdraw £10.
“I’m sorry,” said the teller. “The minimum you can withdraw here is £100. For smaller amounts, you will have to use the ATM outside.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” replied the old lady. “In that case, can you give me £100, please?”
The teller completed the transaction and handed the old lady her £100. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” She asked.
The old lady withdrew £10 from her stack of money and placed it in her purse. “Yes,” she said. “Can you deposit this back into my account?” and slid the £90 across the counter.
Apocryphal or not, I love the story. Not because the old lady found a way to beat the bank; it was her refusal to accept the problem in the way the bank presented it. To me, that is the essence of lateral thinking.
Lateral thinking
I’ve always been fascinated by people who look at a problem and see something everyone else has missed.
