It’s not that big a deal, truth be told. But have you noticed that the managers who demand that you think outside the box either never do it themselves or worse, couldn’t recognize a good idea if it came gift-wrapped in free Starbucks coupons. I have never heard a truly creative person, or a c-level executive, ever say this.

It all started years ago, when some over-priced seminar leader needed a brain teaser for his audience, for maybe a ice-breaker or more cynically, to show his superiority. So, he found the ages-old, nine-dot puzzle, where you were supposed connect all the dots with only four straight lines. Here it is, with the solution (I had to look it up, again).

Wow, we were supposed to think, this is the solution to the business issues of the day…think outside the box.

Today, all over America managers are exhorting their employees to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, come on people, THINK! Think! Are we all thinking YET?

What’s wrong with it is that it often implies that somewhere out-there lies our salvation and solutions. Most of today’s business issues can be solved far more simply and directly. For example, almost any problem you are facing today at work, I’d wager, came as a result of some change. The market changed, your sales rep changed the deal, your company changed the specs, something. Thinking outside the box hopes for an easier solution, when what you should be doing is simply going hard after a better understanding of the problem—find out what changed, and you are almost there.

What’s your favorite business bromide and does it really work?