Strategies for "Thinking Outside of the Box"

In this day and age, telling somebody to think "outside the box" is pretty cliche. However, despite the overuse of the phrase, the concept that is encompasses is still sound strategy. Thinking outside the box or creative idea creation is an important skill that all entrepreneurs should try to obtain. The problem that most entrepreneurs have is that they become slaves to their ideas. This is a problem because a person, regardless of race, religion, gender, creed, educational status, and economic position, is restricted by the boundaries of his/her own biases, tastes, and opinions. However, you can overcome these boundaries by practicing a few simple strategies.

First, you can bring in an outside opinion. By bringing on an outside perspective, you are able to identify your biases and correct them or accept and utilize your bias, depending on your situation.

Second, you can evaluate your idea or decision to see if your biases have infected your thought process. This is very hard to do because a person usually does not recognize or know his/her biases. Most people write their biases off as fact and therefore, do not analyze the bias. This is the biggest problem with self-evaluation. However, it is a helpful tool that will be able to help you identify some, but not all, of your biases.

Last, when all else fails, do not use your idea. Thinking outside the box can include using the ideas of others. Talk with others, brainstorm, or get a "think tank" together to see what can develop.

Learn to identify your biases and how to evaluate their affect on your idea, and you will be able to come up with more creative, successful ideas.

How Much has the Office Changed Since our Parents Were Running Corporations

It is extremely amazing how much the face of running a corporation has changed. With the internet boom, the rise of computers, and the advancement of electronic technology, corporate governance has changed dramatically.

Things used to be very structured. You were to always be in the office before your boss and were to always leave after him/her. You had to always be in the office, period. All of the processes were slow and information took a very long time to acquire.

Nowadays, it is rare day when you are in the office. Most of the time communications to and from your office are done on a PDA, smart phone, e-mail, and or fax machine. Corporate employees today have to be movers and shakers. Corporations today support free thinkers; people who “think outside the box” are valuable assets to a corporation.

This is not to say that the way things were done on the past was ineffective. Many corporations became extremely profitable by doing things the “old way.” However, you have to admit that the average age of a corporate CEO has dropped dramatically. It used to be that you work for a company for 30+ years and you were slowly promoted through the ranks. Now, people in their early twenties are starting and maintaining profitable business empires.

Many things have changes, but no matter how many formalities change, one thing will remain constant in the corporate structure: the potential to make money.