Do you think outside the box?
Today’s blog is by Margaret Stewart, Director of HR and Administration at SafeSourcing.
Since being an out of the box thinker is such a desired asset, how does an in-the-box thinker get out? There are a plethora of ideas about how one can begin this or whether or not it is even possible.
One way to begin thinking outside the box is to approach a problem like a child would. Break aspects of the problem down into ideas that a small child could understand and imagine how that child would respond to the situation. This allows you to break things down into their simplest form, and often when things are simplified, resolutions become clear.
Another way to begin thinking outside the box is to question everything. It’s been said before that to be a scientist, you must question everything. The same holds true when trying to find a new solution to an old problem. Questioning everything allows you to start from scratch and begin the process of resolution all over. Question why the problem exists, what all of the possible actions could be, and why some actions were favored over others.
A third way to begin thinking outside the box is to stop thinking things out and just try. Trial and error has proven countless times to be beneficial when solving a problem. Sometimes, we may eliminate a possible solution before ever trying it because we assume it won’t work. Just trying anyway can sometimes produce results, even if they aren’t what we expect. For example, there have been at least a few medicines that were intended for one use, only to have side effects that are more beneficial than expected, like a migraine medicine’s ability to be marketed as a high0end beauty item.
Although there are a number of different theoretical ways to train yourself to think outside the box, some say that out of the box thinking cannot be learned, that one either has it or doesn’t. Ironically, that type of thinking could be described as in-the-box. Despite those that believe this, approaching a problem in a new way can at least provide a better understanding of the task at hand. Once a problem is more fully understood, then the more likely a positive outcome will result.
For more information on how SafeSourcing can help you think outside of the box, or on our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today
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