Here's how you can cultivate innovative solutions by thinking outside the box as an analytical professional.

If you dont ask, the answer is No. Question the obvious coz nothing is obvious. Keep looking at multiple dimension to the same thing.

Start by challenging existing assumptions and exploring unconventional data sources to uncover new perspectives. Foster a culture of experimentation where diverse ideas are tested and iterated upon. Encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration to blend different expertise, leading to holistic solutions.

Asking the right question is critical, but you should also foster that curiosity in your teams. Be clear about the importance of diversity of thought and encourage "first draft thinking" with the group. If you model grace and creativity in the early stages of strategic planning, identifying where you have strengths and question where you see opportunities, you prime the wheel for innovation. If you approach all of your strategic leadership work this way, when the big challenges arise your teams will be prepared to be nimble and dig into data with creativity and curiosity.

It can be hard to ask basic questions about a topic you already know pretty well. If you can't think of it yourself, find someone you know is very unfamiliar with the topic and tell them a little about it, and/or what problem you're considering. Children, youth, newbies in your field or workplace -- they are great for questioning the "obvious." Another tactic is to cultivate several distinct strategies for asking questions. If I'm trying to explain human behavior, I might start with asking about the subjectivity involved -- what was he thinking? Then I might go on to things that influenced him -- where did he learn that? Did something put him under stress? Then I might ask about opportunities -- how was he able to do that?

En alguna ocasión, un consultor sumamente exitoso me dijo que el factor fundamental de implementar soluciones exitosas qué realmente tengan cambios positivos para sus clientes (justo la materia prima de su éxito) es escuchar todo, analizar la evidencia, y comenzar con cuestionarios internos de las causas que conectan los eventos de los procesos adversos en la información que recibe del cliente. Más allá de los procesos, programas y organigramas, esos cuestionarios son los que le permiten dar respuestas eficaces a sus clientes.

Yo soy un fiel partidario de no dejar de aprender. Aprende del operario, del gerente, del intendente, del supervisor, del director, del presidente, del vigilante, del becario. Toma clases, toma cursos, ve documentales, lee al respecto. Interésate no sólo en el tema central del objetivo. Conoce opiniones, discrimina la información que recibes, y serás capaz de dar soluciones no solo puntuales, si no en capas, para distintos objetivos y para diversos fines.

En este punto concuerdo ferozmente. En mi vano de ejercicio profesional trabajamos con supuestos que hasta colegiadamente se acuerdan. Sin embargo, hay casos en los que la experiencia (conocimiento del tema, conocimiento del cliente, conocimiento técnico y conocimiento del mercado) han permitido dar soluciones totalmente eficaces, correctas y favorables a los clientes, mejorando aspectos que, de otra manera, serían adversos o con beneficios muy limitados. Pero el punto importante de lo anterior es contar con la experiencia y dominio del tema para hacer este tipo de aportaciones sin perjuicio al cliente y sin incumplimientos de ningún tipo.

I prefer too begin an analytical process with a divergent thinking exercise to try and weed out personal bias that I may have for results. Even believing that an idea is "good" or "bad" can leave space for bias in personal thinking and in group brainstorming. Regularly reviewing or returning to defined objectives, letting go of preconceived expectations, and relentlessly pursuing creativity can ensure that you remain aligned to your north star and frame the unknown. It is important to recognize that this technique is best for initial creative thinking and innovation. Once you have chosen a direction and invested resources the techniques for iteration may be refined around different questions.

When innovating, brainstorm all of the known or perceived risks with the diverse group of individuals that are working together to creatively problem solve. If you have crafted a well-represented group of diverse thinkers, facing the potential failures and uncertainty, documenting the possible outcomes without hyperbole, and ranking in order of magnitude of risk can help identify where you can mitigate and a range of tolerance. This should always be part of change management. Facing the potential unknowns and gaming out possible recoveries or next steps creates a sense of security for the team. It also provides space to convey that you will all succeed or "fail" together - though failure can sometimes manifest as success in other ways.

Do not pressure yourself too hard! Anxiety and burnout will kill creativity. Take a break whenever you need it and believe in yourself.