When faced with a problem, it is not uncommon for us to keep rehashing the same possible solutions. Even when these solutions do not seem viable, we simply can’t find the answer. In those situations, we need to think out of the bucket.
I was faced with this on multiple occasions in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike two years ago. Our lives were tossed upside down. Things that we take for granted– like water, electricity, and gasoline– suddenly became scarce. Running to the store for a loaf of bread was more than an ordeal– for a few days it was literally impossible because few stores were open and none had bread.
The inconveniences went beyond the inability to buy what we wanted when we wanted. It extended to simple things, like having a fresh cup of coffee in the morning. It included a generator with no gas and no way to see visual images of the destruction that had befallen our city.
Running out of bread was merely annoying. Running out of gas was going to be expensive. Some of these problems did not need a solution, while some were rather crucial. Solving any of them required some imagination– some thinking out of the bucket.
For example, I rigged up a crude drip coffee maker. I boiled water on our gas stove and slowly poured it into my “invention”. It was certainly a slow and tedious process, but it allowed us to enjoy fresh coffee each morning. In a world devoid of other creature comforts, it was a considerable treat.
Since my truck does not have a cassette player, my wife had previously purchased a converter that allowed me to get AC power from my truck battery. We used this to power a small television so that we could conserve our gasoline.
With the gas stations closed we were desperate for fuel for our generator. Our vehicles had full tanks, and I managed to find a siphon at an auto parts store. That allowed us to operate the generator until a gas station opened (and had fuel). When power came on at our office, we moved the freezer there, which reduced our need for gas.
None of these solutions were particularly ingenious, but each was a solution that was not readily obvious. Together they helped reduce some of the stress and fatigue that accompanies such situations.
The same applies to our paint contracting businesses. When the marketing that worked last year no longer generates leads, we must find new sources for customers. When we are continually told that our price is too high, we must find new ways to add value, differentiate our company, and sell more effectively. In short, when life hands us lemons, we can complain about the bitter fruit, or make a refreshing drink.
Sometimes the method for turning lemons into lemonade is not obvious. Sometimes the solution evades us, for whatever reason. Sometimes the tried and true simply no longer works. In these instances, we must expand our thinking and consider new possibilities. In these instances, we must think out of the bucket.
