There is a solution to every problem. Think out of the box.

On Friday, December 6, 2013 8:23 PM, Mohandas KP <tranquilamma@gmail.com> wrote:

SHARED THOUGHTS….. 06.12.13               

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Every problem has a solution. The problem is finding that solution. A great mind is one that thinks beyond limits; limit that is cast by mind, where none really exists. Is there a college that teaches one to think out of box … or are some just born with this gift?

 

Wikipedia - Thinking outside the box (also thinking out of the box or thinking beyond the box) is a metaphor that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. This phrase often refers to novel or creative thinking. The term is thought to derive from management consultants in the 1970s and 1980s challenging their clients to solve the "nine dots" puzzle, whose solution requires some lateral thinking……. To think outside the box is to look farther and to try not thinking of the obvious things, but to try thinking beyond them.

 

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THE 18th CAMEL

There was a father who left 17 camels as an asset for his three sons.

When the father passed away, his sons opened up the Will.

The Will of the father stated that the eldest son should get 1/2 (half) of total camels while the middle son should be given 1/3rd (one-third) and the youngest son should be given 1/9th (one-ninth) of the total camels.

As it was not possible to divide 17 into half or 17 by 3 or 17 by 9, the three sons started to fight with each other. So, the three sons decided to go to a wise man.

The wise man read the Will patiently. The wise man, after giving due thought, brought one camel of his own and added the same to 17. That increased the total to 18 camels.

Now, he started reading the deceased fathers Will.

Half of 18 = 9. So he gave the eldest son 9 camels

1/3rd of 18 = 6. So he gave the middle son 6 camels

1/9th of 18 = 2. So he gave the youngest son 2 camels.

Now add this up: 9 plus 6 plus 2 is 17 and this leaves one camel, which the wise man took back!

Moral: The attitude of negotiation and problem solving is to find the 18th camel i.e. the common ground. Once a person is able to find the 18th camel the issue is resolved. It is difficult at times. However, to reach a solution, the first step is to believe that there is a solution. If we think that there is no solution, we wont be able to reach any!

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Out of the box thinking.

Recently, I got the below set of questions & answers, in a mail from a friend, Sunny.. This may be dismissed as pale jokes, but there is a whole lot of truth in these simple questions.

This could be a case study in any management class, to look at a problem with an ‘open’ mind… where the mind is not bound by the normal thought process.

“open” is about being free of any boundaries. One has to be wild and free to think with no barriers, no pre-set notions. Only then one can venture out of the box, as a matter of natural thought process.

Let’s look at the set of questions and answers.

Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?  * his last battle Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?  * at the bottom of the  page Q3. River Ravi flows in which state?  * liquid Q4. What is the main reason for divorce? * marriage Q5. What is the main reason for failure?  * exams Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?  * Lunch & dinner Q7. What looks like half an apple? * The other half Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become? * It will simply become wet Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ?  * No problem, he sleeps at night. Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one leg?  * You will never find an elephant that has only one leg..

Each question is one that the very moment it is asked, the listener is pre-conditioned to think in one particular manner or make some assumptions…

Probably some training or a continued exposure to catch the ‘key word’ would give an alternate answer.. which is what “thinking out of box” is all about.

It is fun to identify the “key word” or the ‘assumption’ we make in each question.  By an extension of this process, we can train our mind to listen attentively in business discussions or negotiations, be alert to catch the key word, turn it to one’s advantage. Or lose out.

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Here are some more illustrations – set of questions and the right answers : the right answer shows calm and clear thought process, without limiting oneself to any pre-conceived assumption. It is this ‘assumption’ that prejudices one’s thinking and therefore the decision making.

 

 

Question 1:

"What will you do if I run away with your sister?"

The candidate who was selected answered " I will not get a better match for my sister than you, sir."

Question 2:

Interviewer (to a student girl candidate) - What if one morning you woke up & found that you were pregnant ?

I will be very excited and take a day off, to celebrate with my husband. (Normally an unmarried girl will be shocked to hear this, but she managed it well. Why should I think it in the wrong way, she said later when asked.)

Question 3:

Interviewer: He ordered a cup of coffee for the candidate. Coffee arrived and was kept before the candidate, then he asked "What is before you?"

Candidate: Instantly replied "Tea" and got selected.

(You know how and why did he say "TEA" when he knows very well that coffee was kept before him?.
Answer: The question was "What is before you U? (-alphabet). Reply was "TEA" T (- alphabet).

Question 4:

Where Lord Rama would have celebrated his "First Diwali"?

People will start thinking of Ayodya, Mithila [Janaki's place], Lanka etc...

But the logic is, Diwali was a celebrated as a mark of Lord Krishna Killing Narakasura. In Dasavataar, Krishnavathaar comes after Raamavathaar.

So, Lord Rama would not have celebrated the Diwali At all!

Question 5:

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night, it's raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for a bus:

An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
An old friend who once saved your life.
The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing very well that there could only be one passenger in your car?

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

* You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; * or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. *
However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again...

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. Guess what was his answer?

He simply answered:

"I would give the car keys to my Old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams."

Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations. Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

Question 6:

The interviewer asked the candidate "This is your last question of the interview. Please tell me the exact position of the center of this table where u have kept your files."

Candidate confidently put one of his finger at some point at the table and said that this was the central point at the table. Interviewer asked "how did you decide that this is the central point of this table?", then he answers quickly that "Sir you are not supposed to ask any more question, as it was the last question as you promised .....

And hence, he was selected because of his quick-wittedness.

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Quick wit is another gift, that is not handed out to all, just as common sense is not so “common” after all. It is one of the rarest gift.

“wise people think alike”..  rejoinder – “fools never differ”.

“please give way”.                                                                                                                 

“I never give way to fools”.                                                                                                  

“oh, but I will”.

These are popular rebuttals or anecdotes attributed to Churchill, Bernard Shaw, or Hemmingway…. All three highly gifted in quick wit and wisdom, a deadly combination before which no ordinary mortals can survive in any debate or discussion.

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Those who think outside of the box are usually:

·         Willing to take new perspectives toward day-to-day work.

·         Capable of thinking differently with an open mind, thinking about the   substance of issues, and being receptive to doing things differently.

·         Focused on the value of finding new ideas and acting on them.

·         Ready to strive to create value in newer ways.

·         Capable of listening to, supporting, nurturing and respecting others when they come up with new ideas.^[1]

·         The driving force behind a lot of people who consistently think outside of the box is frustration. They don't feel that "enough" is being done, and that the "normal" way of thinking just isn't getting it done.

 

(Wikipedia)

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Have an enjoyable week ahead.

MOHANDAS. KP.

http://mohandas-sharedthoughts.blogspot.com/