THE ART OF SEEING WHAT ISN’T THERE: Questioning the Box, Unlocking the Unseen
Conventional wisdom tells us to “think outside the box.” But what if the box doesn’t exist? What if the boundaries we perceive are merely constructs of our own making, limiting our vision to the confines of a self-imposed Streetlight Effect?
In my experience, the most innovative strategies are born from a willingness and curiosity to question existing assumptions, challenge the status quo, and embrace the unknown. It’s about seeing the world not as it portrays itself but as it truly is—a profound shift in perspective that moves beyond the obvious.
This requires a willingness and curiosity to look beyond the immediate glare of easily visible metrics and explore uncharted territories. It means immersing yourself in the customer’s hidden emotional world, understanding their unarticulated needs (the subtle but powerful emotional insights often missed), and revealing the hidden opportunities disguised as problems—the very contents of any organisation’s Opaque Black Box. That is the mindset of a Strategic Bloodhound, relentlessly sniffing out what’s truly there yet unseen or disguised.
It also means fostering a culture of experimentation and learning from failures. Not every idea will be a winner, but the exploration process itself, when guided by a truly diagnostic approach (akin to an Organisational CT Scan), can yield invaluable insights and spark unexpected breakthroughs. The discovery of Unseen Value & Growth thrives in this environment.
So, the next time you face a challenge, don’t just think outside the box. Question the very existence of the box. Embrace the ambiguity, explore the unknown, the unseen and unleash the power of your imagination. The real magic and the greatest value happen when you see what isn’t overtly there.
