Beneath the Layer Obvious

How can we think outside of the box and yet remain on the same page? These are just two of the many powerful metaphors we live and work by every day. But they are indeed influential, capturing the two opposing forces of expansion versus control. Many of us feel the need and pressure to think anew and fresh, but social control often puts firm boundaries around how far we can go.

How far we can go… This the same metaphor as the flat Earth map and world view which centuries ago claimed that you shouldn’t venture too far out on the periferi, because you might fall off the edge of the Earth.

The same 3D-dimensional metaphor is applied to our psyche. In some social settings the exhortation is that you should be careful with how much you study because you may end up having read too much. Or how about the claim that if you reflect upon the size of the universe for too long you run the risk of going crazy. Do not go too far!

So most of us play it safe. For good reason. But innovation and development are still good ideas. I believe we have a lot to gain by using a different metaphor. Instead of a center/periferi model for our creative thinking we could use for example the much more pleasant image of a garden. When you enter a garden there are usually a few plants and flowers that you see immediately. The big and colourful plants probably capture your attention first. But this doesn’t mean that these are the only ones there, and after wandering around for a while you will probably detect less obvious but just as interesting varieties. The challenge of course isn’t as much that you have to look outside of the garden to find variety, but rather that you need to move around a little more where you already are. Look more closely, step back, change perspective and the full range of diversity will start to emerge.

The same is true for many social interactions in our everyday life. Definitely including those in the business world. Once we step into the garden of any topic, there are usually a few obvious points of views. Take basically any topic and you can probably identify a few given ideas about it. As you make this into a habit, you will likely find that most conversations are quite predictable. Let’s call this the Layer Obvious.

It’s important to identify and give names to these points of views in the Layer Obvious. Just like with flowers, by describing their characteristics it’s easier to quickly identify them. After all, we do see the pointlessness of getting surprised every time we see a yellow flower while walking about in a field of Sunflowers.

If we are curious, we want to find new and other species. Beyond the obvious answers to our questions we want to see if there is a new variety to discover. If we look closer, take a step back or change perspective. Just maybe there are at least three other answers beneath the Layer Obvious. Less spectacular from afar but wonderfully intricate and just as beautiful once you are up close. Or maybe they are ugly at first and modest in their posture, but once you have tasted their fruits you realise how truly delicious they are.

Don’t you think this could be a much more pleasurable metaphor to use? Being creative and innovative shouldn’t be painful and forced. By seeing the new as something already there but undetected, rather than something “out there”, we can make each other a little more comfortable and make exploration enjoyable.

Thanks for reading :)

Jonas Bergvall / Meaningful Businesses and Brands.

www.bergvalls.com