TOtB: Where Does the “Box” Come From

As anyone that manages/employs/hires people they will know that there is a “box” the employee will have to fit in. That box is defined by so many things it is very difficult to simply say you need to fit in to one box. Some of the various boxes are but not limited to:

-Federal Regulations
-State Regulations
-County Regulations
-City/Municipality Regulations
-Any public or private governing bodies
-Company Standards and hiring practices
-Potentially Unions

And if I have a longer (but painful) think on it I am sure I can easily discover more ways to limit the size and shape of the ensnaring box. Each governing body imposes its own set of rules companies have to abide by. Unfortunately, many of these rules/governing bodies can also be fluid in practice which makes for a soggy cardboard mess.

So the question becomes “Which box am I allowed to think outside of”? And that is part of the reason imagination and creativity gets stifled. Some people are willing to fight the tide and try and swim against it. Some are not. Most people simply want to do a good job, go home to the family, go on a trip, have a weekend expedition etc… and not worry about duking it out at the work place.

With a massive stifling structure surrounding the communication of ideas it is a wonder anything actually gets done. Often times seeking a solution is a daunting task. The flow-chart that basically dictates how ideas are created then how to implement ideas are themselves rife with pitfalls.

So, how do we then navigate the web of entanglement? By thinking “OUTSIDE THE BOX”!!! As a manager myself I foment an environment of: as long as you do not purposefully do something malicious all ideas are on the table.

One of the reasons I prefer to say “Divergent Thinking” over TOtB is that as a thinker you are not limited. But to say to my team (figuratively) “You are stuck in a rut/box/dead end… and now you must think differently” places a negative connotation on those very people you are trying to inspire.

I simply ask “What are your thoughts on---” rather than making a song and dance about what they think. Most people get in to a non-artsy professional career because they do not want to be part of a stage act. They want to do good by who hires them. They want to go home knowing they made a difference in a positive way within a team. And by forcing them to think about issues in a way that places an onus upon them, that in all rights should not be there, can lead to the opposite effect.

So to sum up, as a manager, learn how to ask a question that leads to openness and free passage of ideas. Do not make thinking a burden.