JUST SHRED THE BOX ALREADY

When to think Inside, Outside, or to Just Shred Box

I’m sure you have either said or have heard someone exclaim “I think outside the box”! It is a few seasons removed from overused business catchphrase like the current fad phrase “We don’t set the bar, we are the bar!" For decades outside the box thinking has been praised and encouraged as the foundation of innovation in every field of study and practice.

But what if there was a third option??? Shredding the Box!

Now before you comment about how I just came up with another fad phrase, bear with me while I give a brief definition of and an example of how powerful Shredding the box can be when applied – not only strategic business thinking but in most areas of your life as well.

Inside the box thinking refers to conformity thinking. Not questioning why things are done in certain ways. It is closely related to its top down, love of paper work cousin, bureaucratic thinking. I am sure you are well aware firsthand with the sometimes necessary, but often creativity- and innovation- killing bureaucracy which can be detrimental to a positive corporate culture in an otherwise efficient business. If you would like to get acquainted with this kind of thinking just go through a process at one of your local government facilities and you will know what I am talking about here. It isn’t always a negative thing, such as when you are bound to regulations in the financial industry, you better stay inside the box and color in the lines to avoid losing your license or enjoying a free stay in state prison. However, there are plenty of ways and good reasons to go outside the box.

Outside the box thinking is a better method when facing challenges or innovations regarding ingenuity in products, services, and even strategic planning. It means looking past the written or assumed “Standard Operating Guidelines” of an entity and looking beyond for a different way—a better way. A great example of this is when all of the traditional cable TV providers faced the hard truth one day that they could no longer be just a cable company. They now had to become a Communications Company, and expand their services to include telephone, internet, and so on if they were to survive and continue to grow in the new market.

Last but not least is a mindset that I always get into when looking at long term strategy for a business, as well as day to day methods and tactics—Shred the Box thinking!

It is Shred the Box thinking that led me to change the assumptions and presuppositions many organizations nationwide have when it comes to “how non-profits should operate.” A most recent example of this is when I was just recently hired at my first non-profit position as Executive Director after leaving the for-profit sector in business and finance. It didn’t take long to determine that intentional collaboration in service programs and fundraising efforts among complimentary organizations was scarce. When we had our first Open House for the community to visit and see what exactly their donations did for so many families and children in their own community, we invited several other local non-profits. These nonprofits served mostly the same families in need but in different ways. I reached out to these organizations, discussed ways of referring our clients to their job training, farmers market, English as a second language classes, etc, and also invited them to set up a table and engage our guests and supporters.

Little did I know at the time that this was one wild shred the box idea, and one leader asked why I would open up my donors to possibly be “stolen” by another organization! I found that questions very interesting simply because I didn’t see it from her angle and perspective. My perspective was that there was plenty of donors and sectors of donors, and that if organizations worked together more we could accomplish more and cut costs. Furthermore, I paid and organized one event but was able to attend those organizations events as well. Worked for one event but got to participate in seven in return, for FREE! In contrast, her perspective was that there is only a set number of government grants and donors, and we are all competing for that limited amount of donations available.

When faced with a business decision, I now take time to consider my approach. A few circumstances call for in-the-box thinking. Many times, out of the box thinking can bring added benefit by opening up new opportunities. And sometimes the existing box just doesn’t suit the problem at hand, and the best course of action is to shred it!

So, throughout the day challenge yourself to look for creative ways to improve thing like policies, procedures, training, anything. You will be amazed at how even the smallest of innovations can pay the biggest returns.