I was enjoying a presentation by one of my professors recently, who stated, “Sometimes look inside the box. Use what you have today.” This was an interesting statement, as the presentation was about using innovation to solve organizational problems. For quite some time now, leadership gurus have preached of the importance of looking outside the box and finding resources which you don’t currently possess. The idea of looking within is almost ludicrous in this world that is obsessed with following the latest trends and doing everything one can do to appear hip, cool, young, and current.
What my professor was advocating, though, wasn’t to be less innovative, but rather more aware of the resources that may be all around us, if we only pay attention. Often, in our zeal for our organizations to be thought of as modern, we blind ourselves to the people around us who are considered by many leadership experts as the most important asset an organization can have. Sometimes, the very thing we feel we lack is in the office next to ours. Sometimes the wisdom we seek is someone whom we saw in the break room. Sometimes our assumption that all the answers we need are outside our box is wrong.
Next time you are looking for solutions to complex problems, start by assessing what you already have at your disposal. Before you look outwardly, first open your eyes to what might be standing right in front of you. Solutions come from innovation, but often innovation is best done by those who already know the environment and culture of your organization, and have established relationships. Looking “inside” doesn’t replace the need to also look “outside,” but it gives you a solid foundation on which to build.
Lead well.