Outside the Box

A few years ago, I started hearing it said we need to "think outside the box" in order to evangelize this generation. I barely grasped what was meant by this, but it sounded good. I'm finally beginning to get it on what this means. To do something "outside the box" means to be unconventional or to innovate.

I love being an outside the box person. I love unconventional people. I love innovations. But I also am constantly pulled back by the "boxes" of thinking and doing, so I am far from being completely unconventional or innovative. I am open to these things and people that are outside the box and want to be more open.

Jesus is the prototypical outside the box person- unconventional and innovative. But he always respected core values for living. Unconventionality and innovativeness are never equatable with immorality or badness. But conventional, box bound people (and I'm not judging them as bad either) can easily react negatively or in fear at the outside the box people or ideas and that is ok. It's just human. Here's a great short piece on what it means to be outside the box:


Exactly what is 'Thinking Outside the Box'? By Ed Bernacki

Thinking outside the box requires different attributes that include:
* 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.
* Supporting and respecting others when they come up with new ideas.

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.

Ed Bernacki created The Idea Factory to help people and organizations to develop their capacity to innovate.

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