Lateral Thinker Questions

When the problem suddenly becomes ridiculous

“What would you have to do to guarantee that everything stays exactly as it is?”

Wait.
What kind of question is that?
Exactly. That’s the point.

Lateral thinker questions – known among others through Mathias Varga von Kibéd – completely turn the usual logic in coaching upside down. Instead of looking for solutions, you ask how the problem could be maintained or even worsened as effectively as possible.

And that is precisely where their power lies.

What are lateral thinker questions?

Lateral thinker questions belong to paradoxical or inverse interventions. They invite your clients to look at their own problem from a completely different perspective.

Not:
“How do we solve this?”

But rather:
“How do you ensure that it is definitely not solved?”
This reversal often feels liberating. It generates humor. It creates distance. And it exposes unconscious patterns.

Because often, your counterpart knows very well how the problem is stabilized.

Typical lateral thinker questions

Here are some examples you can use in coaching:

• “How could you particularly reliably ensure that the problem is not solved?”
• “Which resources would you have to continue ignoring so that nothing changes?”
• “Who could optimally support you in definitely not reaching your goal?”
• “How could you sabotage yourself most effectively?”
• “If you have successfully avoided this goal so far – how could you further secure this failure?”
• “What would you have to do concretely to make the situation significantly worse?”

Often, a smile arises just from the question. And it is precisely this smile that opens the door to change.

Why do lateral thinker questions work so strongly?

1. They interrupt the problem trance
   When someone is stuck, they usually think linearly:
   “I can’t get out of this.”
   “It’s just too hard.”
   “The others are to blame.”
   With a lateral thinker question, you force the brain to change perspective. The mental track is interrupted.
2. They promote self-responsibility
   If your counterpart says:
   “Well, I would just have to continue postponing everything and constantly distract myself...”
   … then it suddenly becomes clear: The problem is not a force of nature. It is a strategy.
   And strategies can be changed.
3. They create emotional distance
   The problem loses its weight. It becomes almost absurd.
   And what becomes absurd loses power.

Practical examples from coaching

Procrastination

A client says:
“I put everything off. I just can’t get into action.”

You ask:
“How could you particularly reliably ensure that you also don’t get things done in the future?”

Answers:
“I could continue checking social media first thing in the morning. And tell myself that I only work really well under pressure.”

Suddenly, the complete self-sabotage strategy lies open before you.
And with it, the way out.

Conflict in the team

A manager says:
“In my team, people are constantly talking behind my back.”

You ask:
“What would you have to do to guarantee that mistrust in the team continues to grow?”

Answer:
“I could continue withholding information. And only express criticism indirectly.”

Without accusation, it becomes visible how the system is stabilized.

Self-worth topic

A client says:
“I never feel good enough.”

You ask:
“How do you actually manage to keep yourself small so reliably?”

Answer:
“I constantly compare myself with people who are further ahead. And I ignore my successes.”

In this moment it becomes clear: This is an active strategy.
And what is actively generated can also be actively changed.

Goal avoidance

An entrepreneur wants to write a book – but never starts.

You ask:
“What would you have to do to guarantee that this book never appears?”

Answer:
“I could continue waiting until I have more time. And just keep researching in the meantime.”

Hit.
The avoidance structure is exposed.

The humor factor

Lateral thinker questions work particularly well when you ask them with lightness.

• Not cynically.
• Not instructively.
• But curiously.

The moment your counterpart says:
“That’s completely absurd…”
… is often the turning point.

When are lateral thinker questions particularly suitable?

• When your counterpart is stuck in a victim attitude
• When excuses dominate
• When the problem seems chronic
• When classic solution questions don’t lead anywhere
• When a pattern repeats itself over and over

They are less suitable in acute crises or strong emotional overwhelm. There, stabilization is needed first.

How to use them effectively

• Ask the question appreciatively.
• Stay calm and curious.
• Let silence work.

Then ask:
“And which of these are you perhaps already doing?”

This follow-up question connects humor with responsibility.

Essence

Lateral thinker questions turn thinking 180 degrees.
They make self-sabotage visible.
They dissolve problem trances.
They lead back to self-responsibility.

And sometimes a single question is enough:
“What would you have to do to guarantee that everything stays exactly as it is?”

Because when your counterpart recognizes how it stabilizes the problem, the possibility of ending it arises automatically.