A few months ago, I saw something that stuck with me. A team spent three days debating a problem that could have been solved in three hours. They were stuck in routine: looking at past results, following the usual processes, defending what “always worked.”
Then someone asked a question so simple it almost seemed silly:
What if we did it completely differently?
The room went silent. And then something amazing happened: a simple, elegant solution appeared—much faster than anyone had imagined.
Here’s the thing: we often fall into the trap of doing more of the same. We optimize, tweak, iterate—but rarely stop to ask if what we’re doing even makes sense. The result is more work, more stress, and more frustration.
Innovation isn’t just about thinking outside the box. It’s about ignoring the box entirely and asking:
Why are we doing this this way?
What assumptions are we making?
And what if the problem isn’t even what we think it is?
Take Lucas, a logistics manager, for example. He had a recurring problem: packages were always delayed, even with faster vehicles, more staff, and longer hours.
Instead of looking for efficiency within the existing system, he asked:
What if we organize delivery routes based on customer patterns instead of driver convenience?
It sounded crazy—but it worked. Delivery times dropped by 40%, staff stress decreased, and customer satisfaction skyrocketed. The key was rethinking the problem itself, not just executing it better.
True efficiency often comes from simplicity: combine steps instead of adding more, eliminate unnecessary approvals instead of automating them, change the sequence of actions instead of speeding each one up. Efficiency isn’t always about speed—it’s about doing the right thing in the simplest, most effective way.
And the best part? This mindset isn’t just for R&D departments or startups. It’s about questioning everything, listening to diverse perspectives, and embracing the uncomfortable idea that your “obvious” solution might actually be the worst one.
When we innovate this way, problems shrink and opportunities grow. Because the real magic of innovation isn’t just doing things better—it’s seeing them differently.
So when your next problem comes up, ask yourself: will you tackle it with routine, or with curiosity and courage?discuti
