We tend to think others think like we do and are surprised when people have very different views than us and we don’t understand why. This is perception error in action.

Through all my research, I have identified six different thinking styles, and I view them as the foundational layer to how we view the world. They are:

  • Top-Down

  • Bottom-Up

  • Convergent

  • Divergent

  • Associative

  • Linear

How we come to a conclusion starts with our thinking style. Layered on top is our religion, gender, socioeconomic background, colour, etc. They affect our views, opinions, and how we solve problems.

Most people have one major thinking style, but use others to a lesser but important extent. The majority of people don’t know what their thinking styles are. If you and a colleague are given the same data to solve a problem, but both come up with different answers, it will likely be because you have different thinking styles.

This is arguably the fundamental reason for our lack of understanding of one another, whether it’s in work, family, or friends.

Top-down thinking

Starts with the big picture, then works down to the details. You begin with a framework, theory, or overall goal and fit the specifics into it.

Strengths: Keeps everything aligned to a purpose; fast at organising messy information; good at seeing structure and priorities.

Weaknesses: Can force reality to fit the framework; may miss details that don’t match expectations; risks confirming what you already believe.

Bottom-up thinking

Starts with the raw details and lets the bigger picture emerge from them. You build understanding from the ground up, piece by piece.

Strengths: Grounded in actual evidence; catches things a framework would overlook; strong at spotting the unexpected.

Weaknesses: Slower; can drown in detail without ever reaching a conclusion; sometimes misses the forest for the trees.

Convergent thinking

Narrowing many possibilities down to one best answer. This is thinking centred around analysing, eliminating, deciding.

Strengths: Decisive; efficient; ideal when there’s a correct answer to reach or a choice to make.

Weaknesses: Closes options too early; poor at genuinely novel problems; can mistake “an answer” for “the right answer.”

Divergent thinking

From one starting point, create many possibilities. This is generative thinking: brainstorming, exploring, imagining alternatives.

Strengths: Creative; produces lots of options; excellent for problems with no obvious solution.

Weaknesses: Can create many ideas without solving the problem; hard to act on; may generate quantity over quality.

Associative thinking

Jumping between related ideas via connections rather than sequence, linking things that aren’t obviously next to each other.

Strengths: Sparks unexpected creativity; good at analogy and pattern-spotting across domains; flexible.

Weaknesses: Can feel scattered or hard to follow; connections aren’t always sound; tricky to communicate to linear thinkers.

Linear thinking

Step-by-step, sequential reasoning where each point follows logically from the last. A → B → C.

Strengths: Clear, easy to follow and explain; reliable for structured problems; easy to check for errors.

Weaknesses: Rigid; struggles when a problem doesn’t unfold in neat order; can miss non-obvious connections.