It’s the most aggravating cliche of the innovation world…thinking “out-of-the-box.” Once upon a time it meant something. And in truth, it resonates because “constraints” often has us feel like we are brainstorming inside a straight jacket. However, what I’ve found is that 90% of the time people don’t really want out-of-the-box ideas, they want inside-the-box ideas. Perhaps the compromise is Across-the-box” ideas (stay tuned.)
Sure, we all want fresh perspectives, even on “close in” challenges. Those kinds of out-of-the-box thoughts are always welcome. However, in a corporate sense, most “out” ideas are expensive and risky. They come up in ideation sessions — and are ruled out almost immediately. Taking a risk on a high potential “out” idea is something that gets people fired. Inside-the-box ideas represent what we need all the time, which is incremental improvement. And there is nothing wrong with that, those types of ideas tend to drop straight to the bottom line.
If an organization is truly looking for disruptive innovation, then I encourage them to think “across the boxes.” Thinking wider, across the box you are in, and across the other “domains” stacked along side of it, will give you the kind of perspective you need to start a new business.
7 responses to “Thinking Out-of-the-Box revisited, With Cartoon”
Good post and funny comic.
Thinking ‘outside the box’ is just corporate speak for “let’s think of new ways to do the same things, but cheaper, and with more layoffs.”
My cat thinks outside his litterbox. He also poops outside it sometimes. I think he’s ready to run AIG.
Ha!
I think your cat could do a better job running AIG than the “fat cats” currently in place.
Cheers Gregg, Excellent advice as always.
How best can this thinking be communicated so that people apply theory to fully realise potential?
I’d like to see a test case, a new company set up to succeed, complete with business case to tick all the boxes but backed up by following a CPS derived plan.
I like to virtualise the box. The four corners of the box can be visualised as pillars labelled ‘professional’, ‘ethical’, ‘legal’ and ‘societal’. The bottom can be ‘strategical’ building up from the core to form the top, the lid which is the ‘business’.
By virtualising, we can think across the box, linking up vital domains, combating that nasty little law of unintended consequences. Loss of continuity can and has been brought about because people decided to act without thinking (or copied / repeated the mistakes of others, because they thought that someone else must have fully through things through – e.g. Dunfermline Building Society copying RBS and Northern Rock..the dummies).
If I spot (or start up) a test case business, I will offer it up for scrutiny – to demonstrate how things can be done.
Meanwhile I will stay tuned.
Later.
Gregg,
I’ve always hated ‘out of the box’. It is so contrived.
So I use the storytelling concept of thinking ‘inside the circle of expectation’.
Currently have baby on lap – so unable to type much more.
Simon
Love it.
And this totally resonates with something I heard last night: have you heard of Rob Bell? He’s doing a speaking tour (called Drops Like Stars) all about suffering and creativity. He touched on this same idea.
Gregg
It is so funny that you should be writing about the world outside of the box. I was at a presentation just last week where the speaker was talking about how to expand your thinking and step out-of-the-box. He then spent rest of the time talking about once you expand your thought process you then try to see how your outlying ideas will work within your existing box.
I think it is just better to get a bigger box. But, you probably don’t have to leave the comfort of your own box!
I am glad your brought this point up and I hope you continue to expand on it!
Thanks,
Sandy J.
Catalystranch.com
A bigger box is a great idea. Kirton talks about the concept of “Domain width” which means someone who knows a lot about things across a wide range of topics. This kind of person, essentially, has a bigger box.
One great way to get new ideas is to look at another domain, for instance, if you are looking to solve a problem in manufacturing, see how they solved the same sort of problem in healthcare…