Thinking Outside the Box

Thinking outside the box has become a cliche'. We use the expression often, but, I wonder, how well we know what it means. It is easy to get trapped into a pattern of thinking, to get stuck in a standard way of looking at things, to fit the mold, so to speak. We humans are easily lulled into a business as usual way of thinking and acting.

In the late 1980's I met Joel A. Barker in the lobby of Tektronix, in the State of Oregon, where we were both doing consulting projects. I asked Joel what type of consulting he did. He responded that he was in the paradigm consulting business. Afraid to admit that I had no idea what he was talking about, I kind of nodded and moved along. My curiosity drove me later to look into Joel's background. I learned that he was a futurist and the well-known author of the widely popular video "Discovering the Future". I immediately ordered a copy of the video. I have used this video often during the past 25 years to illustrate the power of paradigms. I have also relied on the video to examine my own patterns of thinking and my own limitations.

Joel teaches us, that a vision without action, is merely a dream. That action without vision just passes the time. And that vision with action can change the world. 

I saw and experienced the power of these words during my work with the CEO of Zain, Dr. Saad Al-Barrak. Recognized as a truly transformational leader, Dr. Al-Barrak had such a powerful vision that he was able to change the Arab world's view of its capability by creating one of the top telecom brands in the Middle East and Africa.

We all carry a bag full of paradigms with us. Unexamined, these paradigms limit our creativity and ability to think outside the box. Some of the paradigms are generational, others academic, cultural, geographical. Regardless of where they come from, unless we are able to make the necessary shifts at the appropriate time, we risk falling behind, of falling into the dustpan of obsolescence.

Let me list some well known paradigms:

JOB SECURITY. Depending on your age, you might have grown up thinking that if you join a good company, do good work, and behave loyally, that you will have a job for the rest of your working life. In the early 1990's we were shocked to find out that this way of thinking was no longer valid. We were admonished by our leaders that the only job security we will have comes from the quality of our skills. Some folks never got the message. Most got laid off as companies began to restructure or as companies began to move to maintain or enhance their competitive advantage.

MOBILITY. Again depending on your age, geographical location or culture, you were taught that you are born in a town, you go to school there, you marry a local person, you join the local workforce, and you stay close to your extended family. Guess what? As companies moved, you too had to consider moving. You too had to examine the notion of living elsewhere far away from close family members.

LEARN A TRADE. We assumed growing up that if we learned a trade or a profession that our future would be secure. That is what our forefathers told us. Unfortunately, some of the trades or professions have been on the decline or have disappeared all together as new technologies have made them obsolete or in lesser demand. The notion of continuous learning was not part of our box yet.

There are other paradigms that impede our success in more subtle ways. Take the role of HR. In most organizations HR is the butt of jokes, criticisms, and scorn. Why? Because HR seems to be stuck into an administrative, policy-driven role, acting more as a police force rather than a force for change. In the functional context, HR is often trapped into a one-size fits all mentality when it comes to pay schemes, learning strategies, and role definitions. More out-of-the box thinking is needed to align the approach we use to the needs of the organization we serve and the people who work there.

It is easy to say that HR is a business partner, but it is another thing to become one. In my view, business partnering is not a job title, but the description of how line management might see HR. Business partnering is more than doing what line management is asking us to do, it includes providing expert advice to solve complex organizational and human issues, and to implement the needed changes that make HR relevant and an integral part of the management process.

I welcome your thoughts! Good luck on your journey along the learning curve. There are many paradigm shifts that will be required of us in order to survive and prosper in the 21st century.

Career Management

How things have changed during the past quarter century!

It used to be common practice for people to join an organization fresh out of school and spend their entire worklife with one or two companies. You started at the bottom and worked your way up by performing well in your current job and by gaining the experience needed to move up a notch at the time.

You had to wait your turn, but your turn would come if you were a superior performer once your boss moved up or retired or if you had a sponsor.

In these earlier times, we saw our career progress hierarchically: non-management, supervisor, manager, director, general manager, vice president, and president. We grew with our companies; we put our time "in grade". This is the way the military did it and still does. Few would be on the fast track, most would be on the slower track. You wait your turn in line.

Times have changed. People no longer stay with one or two companies their entire career; they move more frequently, often to new locations. We are more mobile and more impatient. We are more loyal to our profession than our employers. Why? Because our employers have become less loyal to us, and because they have become more unstable in a more complex global economy.

So how do you manage your career in such a setting? The more unpredictable the environment around us, the more difficult it is. But people still succeed, they still progress up the line or across the line.

Our focus has shifted, by necessity, from the hierarchical view of career progress to a more circular one. You must work on growing your knowledge, enlarging your skill set, and expanding your capabilities. You must try to open up more choices, up and sideways. You have to find mentors and coaches who can guide you in your development, and maybe, even open up a door or two. You will need to gain traction in a rather slippery environment. You must differentiate yourself, and you have to invest in your brand.

You now need to focus less on job titles and more on job content. You find your sweet spot where your capabilities match your organization's requirements, and capitalize on your passion. You strive to do what you love, and love what you do.
You harness your motivation, your ambition toward being the best you can be in whatever field you choose to work.

It used to be that status and perks came with the job title. Now they can also come to those who are in high demand. Pay is not a significant differentiator anymore. Highly skilled professionals earn more than most vice presidents in banks, for example. Scientists often earn much more than managers.

It has been said that we spend more time at work than we do at home (awake)or in any other activity. My suggestion is simple. I have said it already. But, let me repeat it if you missed it: DO WHAT YOU LOVE, AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO.

Commit yourself to lifelong learning! In a fast changing world you cannot afford to stay still because you will soon fall behind, and you become obsolete. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.

The landscape is full of successful companies' carcasses who failed to adapt and change with the times.

Enjoy the journey along the learning curve; it will help your career.