Don't get outside the box - move it!

Did a boss, colleague, customer, supplier or the like ever told you that “we have to think outside the box” when you showed concern to an off strategy opportunity?

And was it even followed by something like: “…If we don’t do it, someone else will.”, “…but it will increase our business with xxx if we do it”; “but they are counting on us…”? Yes, but of course: If no one else would do it, we probably wouldn’t either – and yes, of course it will increase business otherwise the suggestion would die by itself; and yes, they are counting on us – maybe because we sounded eager to grab this opportunity.

So, what’s the problem? Remember the old “9 dot puzzle” that later was used to illustrate the phrase “thinking outside the box”. The lesson was actually that you needed to go outside the box in order to connect the dots inside it - it wasn’t a labyrinth that you were supposed to find a way out of.

The same goes for business strategies: We should definitely think outside the box to get a clear picture of risks, opportunities, competitors, customers and the like, but this is done to help us moving inside a defined strategy; not to escape from it. And it is done occasionally and by the few; not daily by the many. And if it shows that there are better opportunities outside the box than inside it – move the box and work from there! I'll bet you still need focus to reach your goals.

So if someone meets you with a sceptic attitude when you want him or her to get out of the box (again) it might not be reluctance to the idea, but simply a concern that ship is risking sinking on unknown waters. Constant reminders of leaving the box are also constant reminders that the current strategy might not be sufficient to take the ship to the desired harbor.