From in-the-box to out-of-the-box

Constrained, Unconstrained and Surprised in a Global Context (Part #9)

A contemporary variant of the frog/turtle contrast, and an indication of its current relevance, can be found in reference to thinking "in the box" or "out of the box". It could be said, for example, that people are born in a box, live in a box, are educated in a box, work in a box, may be incarcerated in a box for a criminal offence, tend to die in a box, and are buried in a box. There is a case for recognizing the analogy implied by literal use of "the box" as a widely employed method of punitive solitary confinement, as vividly described by Shruti Ravindran (Twilight in the Box: what does solitary confinement do to the brain? Aeon, 27 February 2014).

Consultants now offer courses on thinking "outside the box". Its status as a buzzword has been challenged as being no different from "getting an idea" as is characterized by divergent thinking -- and contrasted with convergent thinking. The latter is presented as "thinking inside the box", namely solving problems with reference to prior experience. This is compared with "in the box" as conformal thinking, related to the expression "boxed-in", or having reduced choices. In the fast-paced world of information technology, employers often say they are looking for someone who "thinks out of the box".

Pressure for "out of the box thinking" may come from people working in teams who feel that the contribution of their immediate peers is not helping find new and original solutions to the challenges they face. Edward de Bono has given considerable attention to means of assisting people to think outside the box as recorded by Piers Dudgeon (Breaking Out of the Box: Biography of Edward de Bono, 2002).

For Ed Bernacki "out-of-the-box-thinking" requires: an openness to new ways of seeing the world and a willingness to explore. Out-of-the box thinkers know that new ideas need nurturing and support. They also know that having an idea is good but acting on it is more important. Results are what count. (Exactly what is 'Thinking Outside the Box'? CanadaOne, 31 March 2002). Bernacki sees it as including: Willingness to take new perspectives to day-to-day work; Openness to do different things and to do things differently; Focusing on the value of finding new ideas and acting on them; Striving to create value in new ways; Listening to others; and Supporting and respecting others when they come up with new ideas.

For The Arbinger Institute (Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box, 2000), the problems that typically prevent superior performance in organizations are the result of a little-known problem termed "self-deception". People who are in self-deception live and work as trapped in a box. Blind to the reality around them, they undermine performance -- both their own and others'. The problem is, being in the box they cannot see that they undermine performance. Consequently, they don't change, and neither do their results.

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From in-the-box to out-of-the-box