Think Outside The Box
 
How To Think Outside Of The Box
 
People talk about the need to think outside of the box as though everyone understands what that means. It is assumed to simply mean being more creative and open minded in your thinking. But shouldn't we ask what the "box" is that we want to get out of?

We'll get to an answer for that in a moment. First, here is a simple creative thinking test you should take to better understand what follows.
 
Choose from the list below which parts are necessary for a car, and write down the numbers of those items:

1. Carpeting... 2. Wheels... 3. Mirrors... 4. Trunk... 5. Radio... 6. Seats... 7. Steering wheel... 8. Roof... 9. Ash trays... 10. Keys... 11. Gas tank... 12. Glove box... 13. Brake pedal... 14. Seat belts

How many items are on your list?
 
Some readers may have just two or three things noted as necessary.
 
Those of you who saw where this was leading are looking at a blank piece of paper.
 
The whole process of looking at what is "necessary" involves making assumptions, of course, and this is a clue to what the "box" is. We have a whole set of ideas about how things "should be" or "have to be" or "always are" when we look at anything around us.
 
This is the box that our thinking is often trapped in.

To think outside of the box, then, isn't just designing a better rear-view mirror, but questioning the assumption that a car needs one to begin with. Perhaps a monitor showing a camera view of everything behind the car would work as well or better.
 
Of course, you could also get creative in designing a mirror too. You might question whether it needs to be inside, for example. It could be a periscope that gives a view inside from the other mirror up above the roof outside.

In either case, the point is that to get out of the box you go beyond the limitations imposed by what you and others already think about the subject.

By the way, if you argue that some of the things on the list really are necessary, you really need this article.

For example, some might say that whatever is designed in place of seal belts, they are still required by law, and so necessary. Of course, this just points to another assumption: that cars have to be designed according to current regulations.
 
Thinking outside the box means challenging that preconceived notion too. It is possible after all, that laws can be changed.

Of course ideas or changes are not automatically good just because they are new. But among all the possible ideas and inventions that could actually be good and useful, some of them will always be outside the normal assumptions being made - outside of the box.
 
Sure, there are a ton of bad ideas there too, but we only find the good ones if we get out there and winnow through them.

How do you do that?
 
There are actually many ways to stimulate more creative thinking. There are brain boosters, certain environments that are more conducive to creativity, and dozens of good problem-solving and idea-generating techniques you can learn.
 
For now, you can start right here, with what this lesson about the "box" suggests: If the box is built from your assumptions and preconceived ideas, then you can break out by attacking those building blocks.

Specifically, when approaching a creative project, write down all the beliefs, feelings and ideas you and others have about the subject. Then ask why each of these exists, and what might replace them. Get at the roots of the matter too, by challenging the premises.

Here's an example of the latter:
A creative discussion about how to build a school is premised on the idea that the school should be built. Is that true? Perhaps an existing building could be used, or maybe there are ways to teach now without the students congregating in one place. In the end the school may be built, but it can't hurt to ask the questions, and if there is a better solution out there, you may need to think outside of the box like this to find it.
 
 
How To Think Outside The Box

You hear that to be more creative you need to think outside the box, but what is the box?
 
It is your normal ways of thinking, and all the hidden assumptions you make.
 
Imagine actually living in a box, and knowing the outside world only through the pictures and descriptions written on those four walls. Even the best pictures and most accurate descriptions couldn't encompass the totality of the world outside, so you would have all sorts of assumptions about the world that might not be too useful or true.

This metaphor is a great one for understanding how limited our thinking can be, and it suggests an obvious solution as well.
 
Your thinking and assumptions are like those pictures and descriptions, and they form the "walls" of your box, limiting what you can see or know about the world. The solution? Stop looking at them and get outside the box! Here is one of the best ways to do that.
 
 
The Best Way To Get Outside The Box

Perhaps the best way to get out of your habitual thought patterns and have some new and creative ideas is to identify the assumptions you are making and challenge them. This is a powerful way to deal with everything from personal to business to artistic problems and issues. Let's look at some simple examples.

Suppose a young single man wants to buy a house, but he doesn't seem to be able to. He doesn't have the money saved for a down payment. Also, he can barely make his rent and a house will cost more per month than that. He is ready to give up when he decides to try thinking outside the box. Specifically, he remembers an article he read about identifying and challenging one's assumptions, so he tries that.

He starts by explaining to a friend why he thinks he can't buy a house. There are no more zero-down mortgages lately and he has no money saved. He doesn't even have enough extra income to save a down payment. His job doesn't pay enough to cover the costs of owning a home. "I may just have to wait a few years until I get a better job," he says.
He clarifies this into the following list, even though he sees some of them not as assumptions, but as reality:

    1. A down payment is necessary.

    2. I have nothing for a down payment.

    3. I can't save money for a down payment at this time.

    4. My job has to pay enough to cover all the expenses of owning a home.

With the help of his friend, he challenges these assumptions one-by-one. Is a down payment really necessary? Maybe there are government programs that can help. Does he really have no down payment? His friend points out that he can use the money in his retirement account, and even avoid the usual tax penalty since he is a first-time home buyer. He also has some things he could sell to raise money. Can't save? If he worked overtime it could all go towards savings.

The problem of income seems irresolvable at first. He has been looking for a better job, he says. His friend points out that the idea of needing a better job is just another assumption. That makes him think about starting a business on weekends, but he doesn't hold out much hope for that. Then he again returns to the assumption that his job has to pay for the house. What if this wasn't true? What if something else or someone else helped pay for it?

That's when he remembers a friend of his who rented out rooms in his house. He got $400 per room per month. Looked at this way, a house might be far cheaper than renting. Working with this and the other ideas, he is soon in a new home and in better financial shape than ever.

You can see how assumptions create a "box" that is tough to get out of. Argue about how to save Social Security and you might not notice the assumption that it's worth saving, rather than scrapping it in favour of something better. Assume that motorcycles need wheels and you'll never invent the first "motorskimobile" for use in snow. You need to both identify and challenge your assumptions to think out of the box.
 
 
How Do You Think Outside the Box ?

If you do not know what the box looks like, how can you think outside of it? What do you mean, “Think outside the box”? Do you want radically new ideas to revolutionize your business? Really? Or do you simply want to make the existing box better? Are there limits to the scope of the ideas?

To begin you must define the context and expectations in which you operate. That is, clarify the scope or limitations of the vision for your business. Without that context, you will discard many good ideas as not relevant. Many other ideas never even surface because they seem too small or too big.

In other words, identify the characteristics of your box. Your box defines the internal constraints and external factors that influence your ability to innovate.
 
 
The six sides of the box include:

1. Self-defined beliefs: includes your own abilities, limitations, desires, personality and goals. Beliefs can be your biggest obstacle or a huge asset. Do you ever tell yourself that you cannot do something new? Is there a rational reason why not?

2. Life experiences: includes family values, culture, role models, challenges, successes and failures, and balance between work, family, and spirit. Experiences program you to teach how you succeed and how you fail. If you failed at something in the past, does it necessarily follow that you must fail at a new idea in the future?

3. Education: includes fields of formal study and the important informal lessons received along the way in your career and personal life. This programming creates the context for you to evaluate and discern information.

4. People around you: includes your family, peers, friends, executive leadership, and advisors, all have a great influence. Ask them what they think about your new great idea or venture. Some of them want to protect you while others want to control you. Most of the time, they will tell you not to do it. About whose interest are they most concerned?

5. The company you operate: includes vision and mission, leadership style and management practices, roles and responsibilities, culture, and products and services. Your business provides the context for operating in your current situation. It also limits your ability to pursue new ideas.

6. The external environment: includes the industry, competition, customers, products and services, and government legislation. All of these impose constraints and define the context for your vision.

You exist in multiple boxes at the same time. There is a box for your whole company, and there is a unique box for each individual in it.
 
If you are successful, then the characteristics of that company box are very similar for you and every employee in your company. In that case, your company’s culture is well aligned with your vision and values.
 
Conversely, you may find many boxes with distinctly different characteristics. There may be one for each employee, each department, and the corporation overall. How do you get such a group to collaborate, solve problems, and generate new ideas that support your vision?

Make no mistake: these boxes are very real.
 
They exert a profound influence on everything you and your employees do. When thinking about change, each individual’s box serves as a filter on the message you are delivering. That filter determines how they act and how they communicate with others.
 
To learn someone’s unique perspective, you need to understand their box, or using a familiar expression, “put yourself in the other person’s shoes”. Why?

Empowering people to produce meaningful and creative ideas and solutions requires seeing their perspective from inside their box.
 
This perspective enables you to:

    * avoid underestimating the impact of any change on each of them;

    * learn how best to communicate to get them aligned with your vision quickly;

    * avoid frustration by their apparent inability to “think outside the box”.

Is your goal is to improve your existing processes, rather than generating something completely new?
 
Then examining the existing box is critical. If you do not know the characteristics of the existing box, then how do you measure the advancement of the design of the new box?

Is your goal to create something completely new? Then you will not be relying much on existing systems or processes. Your purpose in examining the existing box is a little different. You will be most interested in the capabilities of the people and the organization to adapt to and lead radical change.

Each individual’s critical thinking style determines his or her ability to re-shape or step out of the box. These critical thinking styles are: a) literal, or adaptive thinkers, and b) conceptual, or innovative thinkers.

Literal thinkers will want to know the exact size, shape and color of the box. Then they will want to create a plan or method to think outside of it. For them, the process for managing the thinking and focusing the creative activity is paramount. Literal thinkers help to validate new concepts against current realities.

Conceptual thinkers on the other hand will start by ignoring the current state and jump forward to their vision of the future. Conceptual thinkers help you stretch far away from the existing box to enable meaningful innovation.

What is your style?
 
If you are a literal thinker, you may be tempted to discount ideas immediately as hare-brained ideas. You need both styles of thinking and you must use them together.
 
Analyse the framework and six sides of your own box and your critical thinking style. Then you will understand the filters that you will be using to evaluate others’ ideas and perspectives.

Charles Handy said, “You have to stand outside the box to see how the box can be re-designed.” What is the shape of your box? Is it holding you back from your vision?
 
Think your way out of it, and break through.
 
 
Think Outside The Box - A Key Question To Make It Happen

Think outside the box - how to do that? My experience tells me to look to others, ask the key question "what do you think?" and then use collective thinking to form a solution no one person would be capable of coming up with.
 
The most important belief in thinking outside the box is that the product of focused thought and collaboration and communication of a knowledgeable group is the best way to arrive at new and unique solutions.

That belief starts with the understanding that each of us has our own set of experiences, beliefs, attitudes and values - and each is different. Sometimes very different. And those differences are where strength and competitive advantage can be found.

A story to illustrate the point:

In an aircraft component manufacturer, safety was a big issue. Lots of accidents, lots of lost days of work for valuable employees. The Safety Director was hauled up to monthly Safety meetings and given verbal beatings about the bad performance. He did all the safety things - posters, reports, supervisor training - but nothing changed.

And then the leadership of the organization changed - safety was just one of many performance problems.

The new leader saw safety improvement as a first priority. He also saw that outside the box thinking and behaviour were needed. The first act of outside the box thinking was to recruit the collective genius of the experts already working in the company.
 
Teams were established to deal with the safety issues that had caused the most injuries. The first question each team was asked was " What do you think is the cause of the problem, and what do you think can be done to fix it?"
 
The teams were composed of the people that knew the most about the issues, the people most affected by the issues, and the people that could most effect change in the behaviours and conditions that caused the safety problem.

The Safety Director became the administrator and coordinator of the various team's efforts; the managers of the areas where accidents, unsafe conditions and unsafe behaviours existed or had occurred became accountable for the record of safety in their area; the periodic safety meetings were conducted by the leader of the organization.

No additional talent was added to make all this happen.

Within a year of this outside the box thinking and behaviour, this business unit became the safest business in the corporation. I know that happened - I was the new VP of Administration that worked closely with the new President to make the changes that made safety performance a real success.
 
That kind of outside the box thinking - new to what had been a very authoritarian business - was also introduced into quality issues, information systems changes, process improvement and a host of other areas.

In all these cases, the key question that started the process of improvement was " What do you think?" Behind that question was the belief that virtually all the issues in the organization could be solved - or improved - through the people in the organization.
 
The result was an improvement in all areas of measurement - safety, productivity, on time shipments, reduction in scrap and rework, and increased profit. It wasn't easy - and a number of people simply weren't able or willing to change their own behaviour and beliefs.
 
They were replaced.

When it comes to outside the box thinking, this approach is outside the box for many organizations.
 
But it works. And the challenges of making it work are minimal compared the the improvements in so many measures of success.

Here are some suggestions to make it happen:

    -Start with a problem, issue or condition that has high visibility

    -Assemble a knowledgeable team of experts - the people closest to the problem
       and to the potential solutions - the people who do the work

    -State the problem, and make it clear that all possibilities will be honoured

    -Ask the question " What do you think?"

    -Create opportunity for communication and collaboration

    -Assure that filters to communication are removed - assure that communication
       flows in every direction - not just through one point of authority

    -Be patient - particularly in organizations where individual initiative has been squashed

    -Be ready to accept some findings and solutions that will be out of the ordinary

And then watch the energy and accomplishment grow.

Start today.
 
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How To Think Outside Of The Box Copyright Steve Gillman. To learn how to have New Thoughts And Creative Ideas, go now and subscribe to the free Radical Thinking Course at: http://www.RadicalNewThoughts.com
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How To Think Outside The Box Copyright Steve Gillman. There are many other ways to think outside the box. To learn more, go get your free Radical Thinking Course, at: http://www.RadicalNewThoughts.com
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How Do You Think Outside the Box ? Patrick Smyth. Business advisor. Serving business leaders in planning managing change to improve performance. Helping leaders overcome challenges to achieve their goals and keep their business focused on their vision. 615-261-8585 http://www.innovationhabitude.com
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Think Outside The Box - A Key Question To Make It Happen Andy Cox is President of Cox Consulting Group LLC. The focus of his work is on helping organizations and their people increase their success in the hiring, developing and enhancing the performance of leaders and emerging leaders. Cox Consulting Group LLC was started in 1995, and has worked with a wide range of organizations, managers and leaders - helping them define success, achieve success and make the ability to change a competitive advantage. He can be reached at http://coxconsultgroup.com
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