I’m sorry, I hate the phrase too.
Its corporate speak and really what does it mean?
Blue sky thinking refers to brainstorming with no limits. With this approach to idea generation, ideas don’t need to be grounded in reality. Rather, blue sky thinking sessions are open to all creative ideas regardless of practical constraints.
To me its up there with “think outside the box” as a useless phrase that means nothing really. In my opinion both do nothing to advance the theory or practice of what they aspire to.
Solving problems is not about what we know. Its about what we don't know Share on X“Blue sky thinking” evokes a romantic enlightened method of coming up with creative solutions to problems. “Thinking outside the box” does the same but what it does by its very definition is categorise or “box” the problem which automatically defines the approach that will be used to innovate solutions.
What’s the alternative?
Solving problems is not about what we know. Its about what we don’t know.
Its about using what we don’t know to find the path to solutions.
Use the same premise of the comfort zone to find the answer. Get out of your comfort zone, push the limits of your knowledge then step outside of that and look backwards to see what you may have missed.
“To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.” #Confucius Share on XIf people are questioning the sanity of your thought process then you might just be on the right track. If people struggle to understand the direction you are going, keep going, you are on the right track and the solution will come to you.
Especially now, trying to figure out our pathway through this pandemic, we must use what we know to figure out what we don’t know and start there with creating solutions.
Get rid of the box. Don’t limit your imagination.
Featured Photo by Kumiko SHIMIZU on Unsplash
