What will I learn about: why it is impossible to truly think 'outside the box,' as our brains naturally rely on mental models to efficiently process a complex reality?

Understand why it is impossible to truly think 'outside the box,' as our brains naturally rely on mental models to efficiently process a complex reality.

What will I learn about: why true innovation requires you to create entirely new boxes rather than just escaping old ones, protecting you from dangerous tunnel vision?

Discover why true innovation requires you to create entirely new boxes rather than just escaping old ones, protecting you from dangerous tunnel vision.

What will I learn about: Learn why you should stop trusting your gut feeling, since subconscious cognitive biases often cause us to favor flawed intuition over objective analysis?

Learn why you should stop trusting your gut feeling, since subconscious cognitive biases often cause us to favor flawed intuition over objective analysis.

What will I learn about: the habit of constantly doubting your worldview by critically asking whether your current assumptions and beliefs will still be useful tomorrow?

Master the habit of constantly doubting your worldview by critically asking whether your current assumptions and beliefs will still be useful tomorrow.

What will I learn about: how redefining your core identity can unlock fresh possibilities, just as Bic expanded its potential by shifting its self-perception from a pen producer to a plastic products manufacturer?

Find out how redefining your core identity can unlock fresh possibilities, just as Bic expanded its potential by shifting its self-perception from a pen producer to a plastic products manufacturer.

Thinking in New Boxes

A New Paradigm for Business Creativity

Luc de Brabandere and Alan Iny

★ 3.9 / 5(50 ratings)

Start ListeningDownload QR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App Store

Try free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds

Categories:

Creativity Entrepreneurship Career & Success

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that the common advice to 'think outside the box' might actually be the very thing preventing you from finding your next creative breakthrough?
💡Have you ever wondered why your brain’s natural instinct to categorize information is both your greatest asset and your biggest obstacle to innovation?
💡What if you could master a systematic way to identify, challenge, and replace the invisible mental models that limit your professional potential?

Listen to Thinking in New Boxes — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Thinking in New Boxes

✓Understand why it is impossible to truly think 'outside the box,' as our brains naturally rely on mental models to efficiently process a complex reality.
✓Discover why true innovation requires you to create entirely new boxes rather than just escaping old ones, protecting you from dangerous tunnel vision.
✓Learn why you should stop trusting your gut feeling, since subconscious cognitive biases often cause us to favor flawed intuition over objective analysis.
✓Master the habit of constantly doubting your worldview by critically asking whether your current assumptions and beliefs will still be useful tomorrow.
✓Find out how redefining your core identity can unlock fresh possibilities, just as Bic expanded its potential by shifting its self-perception from a pen producer to a plastic products manufacturer.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Thinking in New Boxes

Mind Map

Thinking in New Boxes

The Nature of Boxes+

Step 1: Doubt Your Instincts+

Step 2: Gather Fresh Input+

Steps 3 & 4: Generate and Test+

Think in Bigger Boxes+

Plan for an Uncertain Future+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

What does the book argue about the popular advice to 'think outside the box'?

A. It is the most effective way to brainstorm new products and services.
B. It is impossible because our brains rely on mental models to process reality efficiently.
C. It requires abandoning all previous knowledge and starting entirely from scratch.
D. It is only possible for individuals who have trained themselves to eliminate cognitive biases.

Question 2 of 8

In the context of the book, what is 'tunnel vision'?

A. Focusing too heavily on a single target market, such as teenage males.
B. The inability to predict future trends using deductive reasoning.
C. Losing awareness that your perception of the world is just a subjective interpretation.
D. Over-analyzing data to the point where creative thinking is paralyzed.

Question 3 of 8

How did the company Bic overcome tunnel vision to achieve radical innovation?

A. They invented a revolutionary new type of ink for their ballpoint pens.
B. They shifted their self-perception from a pen manufacturer to a disposable plastic products producer.
C. They acquired competing companies that manufactured lighters and razors.
D. They used predictive thinking to foresee the inevitable decline of handwritten communication.

Question 4 of 8

Why do the authors warn against trusting your 'gut feeling' during the innovation process?

A. Gut feelings are usually based on outdated industry data and consumer metrics.
B. Intuition is often clouded by emotions that lead to conflict within creative teams.
C. Cognitive biases program us to favor simple intuition over objective analysis, leading to logical errors.
D. Trusting your gut makes you too confident to test your hypotheses properly in the market.

Question 5 of 8

According to the book, what is the primary goal when gathering fresh input and data to challenge your old boxes?

A. To find immediate solutions to your company's most pressing problems.
B. To generate new questions rather than finding immediate answers.
C. To confirm that your current mental models and paradigms are still accurate.
D. To predict exactly what the market will look like in the next ten years.

Question 6 of 8

When evaluating a large collection of new ideas or hypotheses, which approach should be strictly avoided?

A. Using clearly defined criteria like budget constraints or government regulations.
B. Relying on intuition to select the winning idea.
C. Considering how the idea aligns with your brand image and corporate identity.
D. Assessing the technological feasibility of the concept.

Question 7 of 8

What is the primary advantage of creating a 'bigger box' for your business?

A. It allows you to challenge fundamental aspects of your business, unleashing a cascade of new, smaller boxes and ideas.
B. It prevents competitors from stealing your market share by overwhelming them with data.
C. It guarantees that your current products will never become obsolete as the market changes.
D. It eliminates the need for inductive reasoning by focusing strictly on known facts.

Question 8 of 8

How does 'prospective thinking' differ from 'predictive thinking' when planning for an uncertain future?

A. Prospective thinking relies heavily on historical data, while predictive thinking ignores the past.
B. Prospective thinking plans for multiple possible scenarios, while predictive thinking plans for one likely future.
C. Prospective thinking uses deduction to narrow down options, while predictive thinking relies entirely on induction.
D. Prospective thinking focuses on short-term financial goals, while predictive thinking focuses on long-term vision.

Thinking in New Boxes — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Like It or Not, You Can’t Avoid Thinking in Boxes
3Revolutionary Ideas Come from New Boxes
4Step One: Don’t Trust Your Gut Instinct
5Step One Continued: Keep Questioning Your Worldview
6Step Two: Equip Yourself with Fresh Input
7Steps Three and Four: Create and Test Hypotheses
8The Larger the Box, the Greater the Opportunities
9Prepare for an Uncertain Future
10Final summary

Thinking in New Boxes Summary & Overview

Thinking in New Boxes (2013) takes a deep look into the mind in order to create a clear understanding of the creative process. It gives the reader tools to uncover, manipulate and even create the “boxes” we use to organize information, shape our perception of the world and ultimately enable innovation.

Who Should Listen to Thinking in New Boxes?

Entrepreneurs, managers, engineers and politicians
Anyone who wants to enhance their creativity

About the Author: Luc de Brabandere and Alan Iny

Luc de Brabandere is a research fellow and senior advisor at The Boston Consulting Group in Paris. He has written and co-authored 12 books, including The Forgotten Half of Change.

Senior specialist for creativity and scenario planning at The Boston Consulting Group in New York, Alan Iny has an MBA from Columbia Business School.