Wagon Wheels and Ladders™
A Simple Way to Understand Different Thinking Styles
More than ten years ago, I was trying to find a simple way to describe something I kept seeing in my work with individuals with ADHD. Two people could be equally bright, equally motivated, and given the exact same task—yet approach it in completely different ways. One person would move naturally from step one to step two to step three. Another would generate ideas in every direction, make unexpected connections, notice things others missed, and sometimes struggle to figure out where to begin. I needed language that made those differences easier to see and easier to talk about. That is where Wagon Wheels and Ladders™ began.
Two Ways of Organizing Ideas
Some minds naturally think more like Ladders. Others think more like Wagon Wheels.
Wagon Wheels generate possibilities. Ladders create order.
Wagon Wheel Thinking
Wagon Wheel thinkers tend to generate ideas in many directions at once. One thought quickly connects to another—and then another.
They often show strengths in:
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creativity
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curiosity
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intuition
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humor
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big-picture thinking
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making unusual connections
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flexible problem solving
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seeing possibilities others may miss
Their challenge is often not generating ideas.
It is organizing all of those ideas into a clear path forward.
Ladder Thinking
Ladder thinkers tend to approach ideas and tasks in a clear sequence. One step leads naturally to the next.
They often show strengths in:
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sequencing
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planning
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organization
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time management
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following routines
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knowing where to begin
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staying with a task through completion
Much of school, work, and everyday life is organized around this kind of linear thinking.
Neither Style Is Better
This is one of the most important ideas behind the model: Wagon Wheels generate possibilities. Ladders create order. Both are valuable.
A Ladder thinker can benefit from greater flexibility and creative exploration. A Wagon Wheel thinker can benefit from structure that helps organize ideas, priorities, and next steps.
And most of us are not purely one or the other.
Thinking styles exist on a continuum. We can show more Ladder thinking in one situation and more Wagon Wheel thinking in another. The purpose of the model is not to put anyone into a box. It is to give us a language for noticing patterns.
Understanding creates a bridge—not a battle.
Why This Matters
Many everyday frustrations begin when we assume everyone should approach a task the same way we do.
A Ladder-thinking parent may look at a Wagon Wheel child and think:
“Why can't you just follow the steps?”
A Wagon Wheel thinker may look at a highly structured approach and think:
“Why do I have to do it that way?”
Neither person is necessarily being difficult.
They may simply be organizing information differently.
When we understand thinking style, frustration can shift toward curiosity. Instead of asking: “Why are you doing it this way?” we can begin asking:“How does your brain approach this?”
That small change can improve communication, learning, problem solving, relationships, and the kinds of support we provide.
The Connection to ADHD
Wagon Wheel thinking is not the same thing as ADHD.
Not every Wagon Wheel thinker has ADHD, and not every individual with ADHD thinks in exactly the same way. But over years of working with individuals with ADHD, I noticed that many showed a more associative, idea-driven style of thinking. Their minds could generate remarkable connections and possibilities while also requiring more support with sequencing, organization, initiation, and follow-through.
The challenge is often not the thinking style itself.
The challenge is helping the brain organize that thinking into action.
That is where The Control Tower Model™ becomes especially useful. Thinking style shapes the ideas. The Control Tower helps determine what happens next.
Thinking style shapes how ideas are generated.
The Control Tower helps turn those ideas into action.
When Thinking Styles Interact
Thinking styles do not exist in isolation. They affect families, classrooms, workplaces, teams, and relationships.
Two people with similar styles may understand one another intuitively—but may share the same blind spots.
Two people with very different styles may complement one another beautifully—or frustrate each other endlessly.
Understanding those differences creates a bridge: A Ladder thinker can learn to appreciate the creativity and flexibility of a Wagon Wheel thinker. And, a Wagon Wheel thinker can learn to use structure without feeling that their natural way of thinking has to disappear.
The goal is not to make everyone think the same way.The goal is to help different thinkers understand themselves—and one another.
Where Do You Fall?
Most of us recognize pieces of ourselves in both styles. You may naturally prefer structure and sequence. You may generate ideas in multiple directions. Or you may move between the two depending on the situation, your level of interest, or the demands of the task.
The Wagon Wheels and Ladders™ Thinking Style Quiz is a simple reflection tool designed to help you begin identifying those patterns.
It is not a diagnostic test and does not measure intelligence or ability. It simply offers another way to ask:How does my mind naturally approach ideas, tasks, and problems?
One Idea to Remember
Your thinking style is not something to fix. It is something to understand.When we understand how ideas are generated, we can create better systems for organizing them, communicating them, and turning them into action.