Leaders Think Outside the Box
Unless you are producing Pirates of the Caribbean movies, you won’t get too far just spinning new variations of a single idea. There is a reason organizations are focusing their mission, vision or value statements around creativity and innovation, we need fresh ideas.
If you are looking for quick fixes, this article isn’t for you. We are going to cover what might be holding you back and how you can think differently. For our teams to think differently, we need to think differently. Don’t expect anyone else to do something you don’t do.
The phrase ‘thinking outside of the box’ doesn’t describe the problem enough. You don’t want rare occasions of creativity, but rather, how do you look at every situation with a fresh perspective. Your goal is to get out of the box, for good.
The Box: The box is a world you have created where no new ideas come in or out. You are in the box.
What’s inside the box?
To get out of the box, we need to understand what’s in the box. Simply jumping out isn’t going to happen. We all have elements about us that pull us back.
Our image.
We all have an ego and don’t pretend we don’t. Our thoughts are filtered by our ego and the image we want to maintain. When we try to think outside the box, we are pulled back by how we want to be perceived and how it might benefit us. You won’t think too differently with those filters. The ego is complicated and there is a lot of good information out there to help control it. I have read several books on the ego, and you can find them here.
Fear.
Our fears of failure hold us back from being creative. The corporate world has been defined by successes and up to this point, there hasn’t been a lot of room for failure. If there isn’t a safe place for ideas to be shared or solutions to fail, corporations shouldn’t be shocked that people are not thinking outside the box. The fear of rejection is one filter we run our ideas through when tackling a problem. No one wants a reputation for being a failure, and that feeling joins us in our box.
There is a reason that universities make room for failure, researchers cannot be bound with having to worry about winning every single time. They only need to get it right once for everything to change. Researchers do not need to know what is around the corner before moving forward, they just go. That mindset is needed for us to think differently. We cannot let fear hold us back.
Our assumptions.
Before we listen, we tend to make assumptions about people or a problem. Those assumptions we make discredit the information or people around us. Without curiosity, we will not look at the situation differently, but rather with our narrow vision. We make assumptions to validate how we feel or how we see the world. If we are always right, why do we even need to think differently?
Imagine a situation where a process has been around for years. That process needs to change and you have been asked to generate new ways to move forward. If you make assumptions about the process and the people that are part of the process, how will you know what the problem is? Your insights only go so far, and we need all the knowledge about the environment to help generate new ideas.
Pro tip: Just stop assuming in general, it ruins lots more than your creativity.
The road we take.
We all dream about what the next step in our life or career is, and we go for it. We don’t always realize that when we envision the path, we don’t leave a lot of room for anything else to get in. If you already decided how every step is going to go on your journey, then you are in the box. Focus on the goal but have a creative relationship with the process. Every single step we take in our journey has an opportunity for you to think differently.
Leave the box behind.
Create some space.
Our ego, self-interest, and the fear of failure can be suffocating. We need to make space so we have some room to breathe. When we breathe that fresh air in, there is space for curiosity, and creativity.
This is why we need to listen to the thoughts in our minds. We can only let go of things we notice, and self-awareness will help. Not everyone is into mindfulness, and I don’t want to force it on anyone. You can skip the next paragraph if you want. For everyone else,
The reason we focus on our breath in meditation is to have an anchor when our thoughts or storylines try to pull us away. Every breath we take puts more space between us and our thoughts. Our breath gently pushes away our ego, desires, fears, and everything else in the box. That space created from meditation is where creativity lives.
Active listening.
The reason we have 2 ears and 1 mouth is because we need to listen twice as much as we talk. Active listening is underrated and we need more of it. How can you possibly think differently, if you don’t entertain a thought that isn’t yours? Not every idea or opinion will be life-changing, but you have to go in thinking you are going to learn every time.
To think outside of the box, we need to give ourselves the knowledge to expand our thinking capacity. Active listening to people, seminars, podcasts and books will expand our knowledge and will give us the tools to think differently.
Diversity.
People with diverse backgrounds offer a different perspective. How people get their knowledge or see the world will differ from you. Bring in people with diverse backgrounds, and watch innovation happen. I won’t go any further because I wrote a full article on diversity already.
Read the article on diversity here.
Summarize Next Steps
This won’t happen overnight but won’t take a lifetime either. Below is a summary of what we talked about. There will be a few suggestions for each item.
· Leave your ego at the door. There are several books available on letting go of your ego and self-interests. Mindful exercises will help as well. Recognizing you have an ego is a good start. Don’t tie yourself down to maintain your image. Free yourself.
· Let go of fear. You need to embrace the idea of not being right or perfect. Prepare yourself now because corporate cultures are beginning to create space for failure. Redefine failure and fail better.
· Stop assuming. Raise your curiosity and be aware of your assumptions. You don’t know everything, and the world may surprise you. When you walk into any conversations, imagine having an empty glass. Your goal is to have everyone around you fill it up with knowledge and insights.
· Active listening. Don’t listen for the sake of listening but have an attitude and mindset of learning. You won’t think differently by just thinking on your own.
· Mindfulness. Find mindful exercises that work for you. Meditation doesn’t work for everyone. Mindful walking, yoga, and exercising are great ways to create space.
