Think out of the box (in a bigger BOX)

To think out of the box means to come out with creative and innovative ideas be it for a project or a task. Due to restrictions and noises of disapproval all around, thinking out of the box comes with an invisible frame that frames up your supposedly 'frame less' space. It makes the statement:-

Think Out Of the Box
become
Think In A Bigger Box

There is no hard and fast rule to creative thinking but what usually restricts creativity is the conservative nature of human and the resistance to change. Instead of sending employees to numerous courses teaching them to think creatively, I suggest we all go empty our brains, get rid of our usual believes, practices, the can & can't, the dos and don'ts, into a big trash bin and start all over again. Learn like a baby, see everything as if we see them for the 1st time in our life. Adopt the NIKE slogan, "Just Do it" instead of "I don't think this can work" without even set out to try. This is the true first step to creative thinking.


I did something different for work recently. I adopted the NIKE slogan and put it into use. I did a presentation of my creative ideas to the company, came up with a draft skeletal write up, bought the stuff that will aid my pitching so that the visual aspects is present. As no one else done that before, it was a shock to them when I took out what I got. I lost my cool when I saw their shocked faces and got impatient when they threw me questions on why I bought them and what will I do with the stuff if my ideas were not accepted by the company. I have never expect the company to reimburse the stuff I bought for the presentation. I did consider these carefully before making the decision and also to face the fate that my ideas will not be accepted. In another words, I was ready for rejection.


My intention was being interpreted as I acted irrationally and that the company has no choice but to accept my suggestions since I already paid for the stuff. This upsets me as what I did was a genuine gesture, an effort I put in to show the company that I really want to contribute. I never once, not even for a second, thought about forcing them to accept my idea. I swear.

When Apple wanted to create a touch screen phone, their designers had to come up with many prototypes of a phone before it becomes iPhone. When an architect designs houses, they have to draw sketches and build models to show their potential customers. What I did was merely a fraction of what everyone has been doing all along. Because I wasn't expecting those responses I lost my cool. I felt that my efforts was not seen by them and instead they doubt my intentions.



Anyways my ideas were accepted by my director, I am confident to say that it was accepted because she agreed it will work for the company and not because she felt obligated to accept it. I might have indirectly caused unhappiness amongst some of us due to my behaviour that day. Hope this incident will not cause a strain in the relationship. I can only say I regretted not keeping cool but never regret my decision. Finally the take home message for myself is:

I will learn to stay cool at all times.