Being the Ultimate Critical Thinker in Business

Think outside the box is one of the most overused, and underrated phrases in the English language.

When you really come down to it, how does one suddenly...think differently? That's what "think outside the box" really means. Go against the grain, and find something unique in a totally different train of thought. Huh. Easier said than done, I'm afraid. But I don't think that the "box" is something that is shared between humanity. It's context sensitive, and I fear that's where people lose their way.

In business, being intelligent is no longer enough. Being vigilant, no longer enough. Opportunistic, no. Nowadays, if a business owner isn't cunning his or her establishment is in a world of hurt. Intelligence is easy enough to come by. But it must be combined with guile, resourcefulness, and sheer hunger to make it worth while.

There are whole websites devoted to improving intelligence and problem solving skills. And by all means, most are legitimate and genuinely want to help people all around the world better themselves. But sadly, these principles cannot be applied to problems in business without some tweaking.

One website I found seemed to really help because they kept their advice more as open guidelines, allowing for the reader to extrapolate and think. But there was one element missing here. This website even lists an entire process that can help business owners solve problems, but once again, it was lacking a single element.

Cunning.

Look at the definition. It has negative connotations associated with it, such as "deception." I've also heard treachery associated with the word, but if you click the link above and take a look at the second part of the definition, it says, "Executed with or exhibiting ingenuity." A-ha! That's what I'm talkin' about.

One must be cunning in business. By no means should you deceive or rob your customers or competitors, but you must be able to outwit competition, know how to handle and please each individual customer, and use all your resourcefulness and determination to succeed. Some of you may believe that the only way to succeed in business is to be deceptive, and to be a backstabber. Ruthless. Greedy. No.

That's where being cunning gets its bad rap. Ingenuity is the great equalizer among all creatures. One moment of inspiration can spark years of success- do you have any idea the kind of things you can accomplish if you set a lofty goal, and then use the power of your mind to reach it? And I'm not talking about the stupid "BELIEVE IN YOURSELF" stuff. I'm talking about using your brain to its fullest.

Don't expect a guide from me. Or a bulleted list with tips. This is something you must do on your own. There will be many times in business where all you have is an empty bank account, and your brain. When the chips are down, no website or resource center will have the know-how to pull you outta the sewer. Only you can do that. So if you have to rely on yourself that much, you better make damn sure you're the kinda person you'd trust.

Don't be smart. Be cunning.