Thinking Without Boxes
We’ve all heard the phrase “think outside the box” numerous times to the point that we no longer stop to consider what it really means. It’s used when we want to spark creativity and innovation, when we want our teams to come up with new ideas. “Think outside the box” we tell them.
But, what does “think outside the box” mean? What are we asking from our people when we make this request? Most of us would answer that we’re looking for our teams to come up with new ideas, we’re looking to give them opportunity to have their voices heard, or perhaps you’re faced with a problem that needs solving and you would really like your people to take the lead on the resolution process. All of these are fair responses, but they all leave out a critical element. If this is where your thoughts go to the questions above, then I want you to consider that you’re skipping a step in the name of innovation.
What boxes are you asking your people to think outside of? The reality is, if “boxes” exist, then they need to be removed by you, the leader, not your people, before any effective, creative innovation is going to happen. Asking people to think outside of the boxes they have been conditioned to work in for years, even decades is akin to asking a fish to climb a tree. It isn’t going to work. The boxes in your organization have trained your people to respond in certain ways, habitually. So the only way to foster an environment where people can think creatively is to remove them.
Photo by Matt Ridley on Unsplash
Metaphorically speaking, the term “boxes” makes sense, but how does it translate into the everyday workplace? I define boxes as any rigid process, procedure, expectation, or framework that is used for decision making. Boxes can be as obvious as clearly defined procedures and processes that employees engage in on a regular basis, for example, hiring procedures, budgets and how money is spent, an organization’s mission, vision and values, staffing capacity etc. But some boxes are more ambiguous - they’re the unspoken truths in your organization, often residing in your culture. They are ingrained in the interactions among your employees, in how people communicate, and what is supported and discouraged by upper management. If people in your organization fear failure, struggle to embrace change, hold rigid ways of thinking and acting, have heavy workloads, or refuse to question what they think they know, then true innovation, in the out-of-box kind of way will be out of reach. Your people will be brainstorming and generating ideas from within all these boxes, and ultimately limiting what is possible for the organization as a whole.
“Remove our processes, procedures, frameworks and expectations?! Are you you kidding me?” Right? It seems like a recipe for disaster, ripe for confusion, disorderly conduct, lack for structure and cohesion, and let’s not fail to mention a headache to manage. Let me be very clear - I’m not suggesting you remove procedures or processes in the sense of eradicating them from your organization. Rather, it’s about suspending them, temporarily to create room for free thinking. Some of these boxes are necessary for the cohesion of the organization, and they’re also legally required. Obviously, removing these would be problematic on many levels. But is there room to re-evaluate them? For example, if your hiring process is lengthy and paperwork heavy, it may be beneficial to make some adjustments - a brainstorming session with the people who are navigating it the most might be incredibly helpful. If you need your people to design a new service or product, how can you help them suspend the budget constraints, or the staffing concerns so they can innovate without barriers? Once we have a great idea on the table, finding a way to work around those constraints becomes easier than trying to navigate them on the outset.
All too often we fall trap to “let’s not reinvent the wheel” because we’re trying to reduce workload, and avoid duplication and wasted time. But what if the wheel needs reinventing? What if there’s a better way to construct the wheel so that it’s more effective, sustainable, stronger? Sticking with the original wheel because, well it works, is the equivalent to settling for the status quo and wondering why your results are mediocre or you’re seeing no change. We’ve all heard the phrase: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” but what if changing it made it better? While the status quo can get us results, more often than not it doesn’t get us the best results.
Let’s think about those more ambiguous boxes. The reality is these are the ones that can create the biggest blocks for innovation. They are challenging because often they’re not clearly defined and people aren’t always aware that their influence. With these boxes it’s less about just removing them, and more about replacing them with the right ecosystem for innovation - an environment that fosters creativity will consist of the following:
A problem
An idea
Failure is encouraged
Flexibility in thought
Desire for change
Questioning what is thought to be true
Considering all the alternatives
The challenge here is that an innovative ecosystem is rooted in the behaviours of the people, especially the leadership team. It’s one thing to tell people “we encourage failure, it’s ok to fail”, it’s another thing entirely to exemplify it. How does your organization’s behaviour show your people that the above is true? If you’re in a leadership position, when was the last time your failed and owned it publically with your team? Does change excite you? Do you question your own knowledge in a way that fosters robust conversation? Do you really consider all the alternatives?
Ultimately, how do you foster the above conditions through your own behaviours and interactions with your people? There is no point in wasting your breath on words that don’t reflect the actions you engage in on the regular. So, here’s my challenge for you: pick one of the last 5 elements of the Innovative Ecosystem and think about what you can do differently to foster more of it. For example, if you’ve selected “flexibility of thought”, what do you need to do more of less of so that your people feel that their ideas and thoughts are welcomed, safe to share, and even vital to the success of your organization? Then commit to one small behaviour change. It could look something like this:
When someone expresses an idea/thought in their 1:1 or team meeting I don’t agree with,
Instead of pointing out my disagreement or concern,
I will ask one question to learn more about where they’re coming from
A posture of curiosity goes a long way in facilitating an environment where people feel confident to express ideas and concerns that can greatly impact your organization.
I’d love to hear how fostering an Innovative Ecosystem goes for you. Leave us a comment on the article on our Facebook , Instagram or LinkedIn pages.