This post first appeared in my old Blog "On Being Fair" in February of 2015.
I just saw a post on Facebook where someone said they were most proud of their ability to "think outside the box." I'm paraphrasing, but that is the gist of the post. Well, that got me thinking about something that has been percolating for years. I hate that adage!
In my mind, thinking either inside or outside a box sounds entirely too static in today's world. Most organizations and people are not sitting in a box. They are barreling down the interstate (or autobahn) of life and commerce at dizzying speeds. Therefore, stopping to think either inside or outside a box is simply not going to happen, much less do any good.
I therefore want to propose a new adage:
Take a detour or scenic byway every now and again.
to symbolize this nugget of wisdom. True innovation doesn't often happen in a "business as usual" atmosphere. Perhaps a better way to put it would be to
Think off-road.