'Thinking outside the Box'

You must have heard the phrase ‘Think outside the Box’. People use it all the time when they are trying to get you to act creativity or do something differently.

As a business strategist I have one fundamental problem with the notion of ‘thinking outside the box’, and that is, how can you if you can’t see it, feel it or someone has defined its parameters to you. How do you know when you are inside or outside of it?

So, the next time some asks you to TOTB, just ask them to define it!

Most businesses fail to recognise the true power of business planning and if they do, many don’t have a documented, rehearsed and communicated strategy available to all staff. Most businesses don’t have a Business Plan; which I find outrageous. However, if they did then they would definitely be able to tell people to be creative and think outside the Plan. So I believe, very strongly, that the box is the Business Plan and vice versa.

Does your company have a Business Plan? Is it communicated, regularly referred to and is it part of a culture by which you live and drive the business? I would like to know.

Gareth