“Please think out of the box”.

I get irked hearing statements like this. Especially when someone tells it to another as though they belong to a group of social elites who reign above the “narrow-minded” peasant mass. It’s different when this statement is used in seminars or leadership workshops – after all it is a good piece of advise to consider things not tried before. But when some are deliberately trying to say “you’re too square”.. that’s something else. 

Here is my response to the phrase – there is no such thing as thinking out of the box. Some may like to think they can think out of the box, but guess what? They’re still in one! It may be a bigger box (assuming they’re really smart), but it is still a box.

Your ideas may simply be the best option at present, but it doesn’t give you the right to downplay others. We’re all human with limits. And we also can be wrong. 

Still wanna get me to think out of the box? I’m trying.. but it’s never ending. 

Had this conversation with Mr Cheong Sing Yuen, the KL State Commissioner (Boys’ Brigade) almost two months ago. This should be a BB post, put I’ll post it here anyway. We were talking about hiring a new Full Time Officer for the State to manage State affairs. 

Cheong:  I don’t think a full time Officer should be attached to any Company. If I were in-charge and hiring, that would be a main requirement. (I am still serving in 3rd KL though attached with National Headquarters)

Voon: What if I raised my own funds? (We were aiming to raise several hundreds of thousands to buy a premise and sustain the FTO’s salary for three years) Would you allow me to be attached with a Company?

Cheong: No. How much can you raise?

Voon: If I raise RM30,000 by myself (that’s like a year’s salary worth in Malaysia)? Sell away my car and stuff.. 

Cheong: Oh. If like that I sure can allow.

LOL!