20 Jan “Think outside the box”. OK, but… what box?

In the words of the wise man “one is ignorant because he does not know what he ignores”, hence , if we wish to start thinking in innovative terms , that is, “outside the box “, it would be desirable to make a first effort to effectively define what is the matter with this case.

Defining a problem in clear terms is always a good start, since part of an effective answer lies in the clear definition of the question at hand.

Following this logic, we would venture to say that the box is built on rigidity, fear of the unknown, and the need to produce responses in contexts of predictability and repetition of standardized infertile processes. In short, we could say that the box is rigid framework, an obstacle blocking the scope of our vision and preventing us from thinking creatively. The weight of the box, finally ends up closing any crack through which the light o innovation could enter and overriding our ability to think.

Fortunately there are antidotes, but as such, they are neither immediate nor absolutely effective in every case. Anyway, we could prescribe a strong dose of questioning as a shock treatment to eliminate this scourge of the box, at least temporarily.

As Sinek Simon says, “start with why”. That question is a great starting point that allows us to reflect on the nature and characteristics of a problem, in fact, the first step out of the box. Do not be afraid to think. Often the first interference to creativity and innovation is built by ourselves —external influence has something to do too, but there is no doubt that we are the protagonists of our own censorship.

In conclusion, before one can “think outside the box”, a task in itself daunting enough, we should begin to recover the value of thinking and question asking, key tools to understand the nature and the context in which our existence takes place and effective vehicles for obtaining answers from the universe.

Successfully complete this first step and we should have built a suitable logical and creative basis to take the next step forward on our way to innovation.