Don't Think Outside the Box, Find New Boxes. Bringing Strategic Change

 The ability to survive in a world of accelerating change and challenge necessitates ever-greater creativity, which necessitates a shift in our thinking. We can't simply "think outside the box," as the buzzwords suggest. To effect the desired transition and generate real competitive advantage, we must "think in new boxes."

Psychologists tell us that behavior is a function of preceding events, or, to put it another way, how we behaved in the past guides or governs how we will behave in the future. This also applies to thinking, so when looking for a new box, you have one strike against you.

To complicate matters even further, we create models to legitimize and substantiate these preconceived constraints. We work to frame complex issues in ways that simplify them and make them more understandable, but unfortunately, we often obfuscate them. And who hasn't been told, "We've always done it this way," after all, it's what got us where we are now.

Thinking outside the box is mentally taxing because it forces us to step outside of our comfort zone. A completely new box takes you back to the very beginnings of your company. Will we lose our customer base? Is our pricing model appropriate and adaptable? What will the competition say?

Why would you subject yourself and your organisation to the ordeal of establishing a new normal? You're doing it because the old way of life is no longer viable or has vanished entirely. It's a difficult task, but it's doable.

During the COVID shutdown, we saw restaurants delivering full or limited menus to curbside customers, art galleries showcasing their wares to potential buyers via video, and libraries delivering books via online reservations and curbside delivery. Apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams are being incorporated into the lexicon and standard operating procedures as a result of social distancing and meeting size restrictions. Telemedicine is also growing in popularity. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

What if you don't have a virus to use as a propellant? What if you simply recognise the need to refresh or pivot your business model? But the big question is how. It could be as drastic as redefining the company. A car company transforms into a transportation company, justifying a foray into trucking. A bank evolves into a more ambiguous financial institution, making speculative investments. It could imply:

Identifying new customers or a new market for old products

Developing new products for existing customers, or developing new products for new markets and customers.

Bringing about these changes may necessitate trying new and/or unfamiliar methods. There are several tried-and-true methods for increasing your chances of getting what you want, but consider the following. Ask one or more people who have no vested interest in your business and know nothing about it what they think or what they recommend. They are unaffected by what you have done in the past or what you believe will or will not work. Consider hiring a design firm, a consultant, or someone else who specialises in concept generation. You are not the first company to be put in this situation. Engage the services of a facilitator who is well-versed in change management techniques. Inquire with current customers about what they want or what they would like to see you do. Inquire about the problems that potential new customers are having, as well as their solutions. effects and what solutions they would like to see.

This is not an exhaustive list, and as far-fetched or outrageous as some may appear, they may work for you. Remember, someone invented the Pet Rock, and someone considered sending a man to the moon. Also, remember that if you always do the same thing, you'll always get the same result.