Thinking outside the box has become a phrase utilized so often today it has become cliché. Take a moment to ponder about when you approach a problem and look for a solution; do you try to come up with a creative solution almost every time? This way of thinking has been engrained into us from countless education sessions, planning meetings and sales process overhauls. We always are trying to think creatively to come up with solutions. So is thinking outside the box a thing of the past and now the new normal?
The word box in the phrase has an origin which is derived from the word paradigm. Paradigm is defined as a pattern or model of an instance or a specific train of thought to reach a solution. Author Thomas Kuhn, a historian of science wrote about this in his book titled The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Long story short, he stated that even conservative scientists will use techniques to find solutions which lead them to working outside the paradigm they are accustom to. In more current times we would consider these scientists to be thinking outside the box.
Don’t get stressed out from the nine to five grind in the office, take a break once in a while, learn to be social, have fun, laugh and smile. Our society has created a culture of work, work, work and work some more all the time. We are required to stay connected and put in longer hours. Studies have shown being social and disconnecting from the daily grind makes us more productive.
The event and meeting industry is a fast paced world, much like the world of technology where one day it is focused on this and the next that. The focus could be on greening your meeting, helping the community, finding more value or simply contract negotiations and clauses. The real focus needs to shift and I mean for everyone (hoteliers, venue owners and planners), towards being more mutually transparent. Hoteliers need to be upfront on all the little things about costs and services. Planners need to be upfront on their needs and the budgets they are working with. I am willing to step up and say we all need a little work.
Working from the hotel side of events I work with a large variety of clients from corporations. The one thing I experience that upsets me the most are companies which do not have a meeting professional on their staff. They have an assistant or intern or whomever planning meetings, events and travel. A lot of the time I am educating them on the contract, setups and more. So yes, you do need a meeting professional on your staff.
I usually write about Sales, Events or some sort of crazy idea that blends the two together but I have started something new. I am completing a website by the end of the month called “364 Thoughts Plus 1”. My website will be a thought a day for one year on how we can better ourselves personally or professionally. I took a note out of Jeff Gitomer’s book and decided to start writing, although be it a few sentences a day.
