Think Outside the Box

I have always had a problem hearing the expression “think outside the box” as I never felt I was inside the box in the first place. To find out what people really mean when they use this expression, I looked to Diane Law’s recent book (the title of which I won’t print here) which is a lexicon of corporate and office speak, she gives the following definition for “think outside the box”

Think outside the box–verb

l. Think creatively without regard to the “box” of rules and conventions which inhibit creative thought (Dr. Edward de Bono pioneered lateral thinking as one form of thinking outside the box).

2. Don’t think, just say the first thing that comes into your head; nothing put forward by anyone having been asked to think outside the box will ever be acted on, so there is little risk of any terrible consequences.

Another source says “Think outside the box” is often used in employment interviews to describe the type of team player wanted. They may want a person on the team who can find new and original solutions to the challenges the company faces.

On the contrary, some describe thinking inside the box means accepting the status quo. In-the-box thinkers find it hard to see the quality of an idea. Outside the box thinkers are more open to change and better listeners and tend to support others that come up with a good idea. It is good to have a mix of types on a team—you can’t have all risk takers or all conservatives.