Crush the box thinking

Crush the Box Thinking
By: Phil Lower
Crush the Box Thinking is a trademark of Paladin Business Coaching - © 2013

Phil Lower www.theevansgroupllc.com
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It’s often said that we need “Out of the Box Thinking.” Well, how did we get in the box in the first place? People keep
preaching thinking out of the box but they infrequently understand what the root cause is. Moreover, they don’t
understand how to change.
When we enter into this world and begin to think and design things our creativity is pure and we use whatever we have at
hand to express ourselves. We then take those things and create other things without any perceived limitation. There are
no lines to stay within because we can’t even conceive of what a line is. The language of lines isn’t in our vocabulary. As
a matter of fact, our vocabulary sounds like gobbledygook and gibberish to those who live in the world of lines. People
coo and awe at us until we reach the point when they think we should change.
(Oh, and yes, this is my opportunity to exhibit on the internet for all time and posterity
some of my little girls’ artwork.)
Then people begin to slowly “develop” us. They introduce different concepts to us. Some of them are good and
constructive. Some of them are negative and limiting. We explore and use things around us to clarify or define certain
aspects of our lives. However, these can become limiting because definitions are themselves definite, clear, or distinct
outlines.

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It’s not long before we’re being taught to express ourselves, within the boundaries presented to us, by those in authority
over us.
Then we’re taught how to draw our own lines. They’re not all that straight at first. People look at them and say “Oh,
how cute.”
But, nevertheless, we’re told “Good job” when we do it the way they expect us to. Or, we’re corrected with attempts to
bring us into the norm when we don’t.
Now don’t get me wrong. Lines are a good thing. After all, without them we couldn’t do this.

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But this belies the point that lines create boxes.
If you’re in the habit of demanding that everything be in a box, then you are a manager and not an innovative and driving
force behind accelerating your business “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” And, if your business now has
managers managing managers, you’ll either become someone’s lunch,
Or, you’re set for extinction.
The truth of the matter is that there is no box other than the ones created by the lines, boundaries, and definitions we
create for ourselves, and those around us, or which we allow others to create for us. This is why it’s easier to follow the
Joneses. This is why companies fail. They simply stop innovating, stop creating new opportunities, and stop adding
value to society.

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How do you change this?
Learn to Crush the Box. Then throw it away! Here are 11 examples you could begin to implement today.
1. Find the thought constraints in your business. In other words, bluntly analyze your operations and culture and see
what things are done “just the way we do them” or even “best practices.” Who says it’s best practices if everyone
doing the same thing is getting the same results? If you want different results, Innovate. Look up the actual
definition. Don’t use one written by a guru who hasn’t run a business.
2. Allow people to brainstorm ideas on how to make each area of your business better. Throw a party and make it fun.
(As a college professor, my students always learned more and faster when we were laughing with and at each other.)
Use symbols, like a box marked fragile and run it over with a forklift in front of 100 workers spontaneously in the
middle of their shift so they know you’re serious. Then nail the box to the cafeteria wall.
3. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Ultimately, all of us are replaceable. You’re just not that important 50 years from
now; unless you’re the catalyst that drove the venture to higher heights and deeper depths that books will be written
about.
4. Be the one that books will be written about. Innovate in your own life. Find out what you actually Dream about that
would be your ultimate. Write it down. Set your Vision for how you’re going to get there. Write it down. Set
personal and business goals to what you’re going to do to achieve your Vision. Write them down.
5. Focus on your strengths. Understand your weaknesses and fill in the gaps with people that will bring new blood, new
thoughts, and new life to whatever you do. In other words, that will help you actually Innovate.
6. Hire a Coach to keep you accountable to your Dream, your company, and yourself. If you’re out of balance, unable to
hold yourself as accountable for your results as you should, or need to add new skills to your repertoire, Do It or you
may be what’s holding the company back. Hire someone to help you.
7. Reward yourself and your team every time you accomplish something innovative that your competition is trying to
copy.
8. Throw a HUGE party when you accomplish your metrics and let everyone know why.
9. Help your people continue learning new skills. Instill in them a sense of loyalty to you (which is so foreign in the
marketplace today) as you show that you’re loyal to them. A pay check just isn’t enough without an emotional bond,
too.
10. Come up with new ways to crush the other boxes around you and make throwing them away part of your new culture.
Then help your customers and suppliers do the same and watch all boats rise.
11. Live without boxes because you can now color outside the lines. But if you have boxes, use them wisely……

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___________________________
Phil Lower is a Business Coach and Consultant with The Evans Group LLC, one of the Top 100 Boutique Consultancies
(www.theevansgroupllc.com). We help you “think in spirals and act in straight lines.” Serving clients around the globe,
our consultants are functional experts in our core disciplines working across all industries, and can truly affect an
organization’s ability to keep up with the pace of change. You can reach Phil at phil@theevansgroupllc.com.
Phil is also Head Coach of Paladin Business Coaching (www.paladincoaching.com) and the Editor / Head Coach of the 5
Minute Business Mind (www.5mbm.com). Through 5MBM, we are accomplishing our vision of providing professionals,
executives, and small / medium sized business owners access to amazing wisdom and wide ranging experience gathered
from across the globe to assist their endeavors.
Please feel free to reach out to any of our contributing authors. It’s our prayer they can help your business goals as they
have our 5MBM team.
General questions and article submission requests, please send to info@5mbm.com.
Graphic Credits:
Red gift box with gold ribbon bow – Copyright : Volha Kavalenkava/123RF
Gabrielle Lower – Green sheet with stamps.
Danielle Lower – Tracing her hands.
Danielle Lower – Coloring in Shamrocks.
Danielle Lower – Finger Painted Sun.
Abstract Architectural Drawing – Copyright : Alexandr Gordeev/123RF
Close-up of Stacked Corrugated Cardboard - Copyright : myibean/123RF
Spotted Hyena – Copyright : Theeraphan Satrakom/123RF
Human Skull close-up – Copyright : fixer00/123RF
Crushed Fragile Box – Copyright : Carolyn Franks/123RF
Poodle Dog in cardboard box – Copyright : raywoo/123RF

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