Have you ever wondered where the phrase “think outside the box” comes from?
After a quick search through several sources and sites, it seems to have originated from some management consultants who used the “Nine Dot Puzzle” to challenge their clients to think more creatively.
You will find no bigger advocate than me when it comes to the need for training professionals to be creative and innovative. But there’s a time and a place for everything. Sometimes L&D folks fall victim to the allure of a cool new technology or some sort of pop fad when a plainer, simpler solution would have been more effective.
Onboarding expert Michelle Baker and I recently had an opportunity to co-author an article in TD magazine entitled “Thinking Inside the Box” to offer some less sexy, though probably more effective, ways to meet the learning needs of organizations. Give it a read (it’ll take about 5 minutes), then let me know what you think in the Comment section.
What’s the most effective (and inside-the-box) solution you’ve ever implemented?
