[Industrialblog,
May 10, 2004]
Workplace Trade Secrets: Thinking the Big Thoughts
One phrase that caught on (until there was a lot of turnover) in a place that I once worked was, "Thinking the Big Thoughts." I've received some puzzlement lately about what this means.
Well, "Thinking the Big Thoughts" is both a joke and a serious concept, and both stem from its source. usually "Thinking the big thoughts" means you are not immersed in the immediate details of the situation; you have taken a step back and are looking at how things all fit together in the big picture.
It's a serious concept because "Thinking the Big Thoughts" is very simply strategic thinking. You need good strategic thinkers if you hope to achieve your goals; you can't achieve your goals unless you figure out what they are. In my current work environment, the managers are pretty good detail people, but they're not much in the way of strategic thinkers. They could use to spend a little more time thinking Big Thoughts, but unfortunately every time they try to do this, they formulize the process so much that not much comes of it. You think Big Thoughts by habit ... not on demand. You simply ask, "What if ..." during your regular work day. Think about what could replace your products. Think about what your customer needs your product to do, and if those needs could be met another way. The classic example of a non-strategic thinker is the horse Boxer from Animal Farm. His answer to everything was, "I will work harder." Boxer worked very hard all his life, and then he was sold to a glue factory so the pigs could enjoin cable porn and salmon steaks. Showing up every day and working hard isn't enough; you need to understand the big picture, and how you fit in, and where to go if you don't fit, or if the Big Picture is going to get a channel change. That's the Big Thoughts.
And it's a joke because thinking Big Thoughts can be a convenient thought for simply not having anything on your workplate at the current moment. Thinking the Big Thoughts means reflecting ... that may mean you need to let your mind wander around for a while, you may need to take a walk, or bounce around the Web just to spur some creativity and let the Big Thoughts come. To the outsider, this really doesn't look like work. To the outsider, it's not noticeably different from goofing off. So the joke is ... that you don't know. The person could've been thinking Big Thoughts. Or maybe not. All purpose excuse.
Well, "Thinking the Big Thoughts" is both a joke and a serious concept, and both stem from its source. usually "Thinking the big thoughts" means you are not immersed in the immediate details of the situation; you have taken a step back and are looking at how things all fit together in the big picture.
It's a serious concept because "Thinking the Big Thoughts" is very simply strategic thinking. You need good strategic thinkers if you hope to achieve your goals; you can't achieve your goals unless you figure out what they are. In my current work environment, the managers are pretty good detail people, but they're not much in the way of strategic thinkers. They could use to spend a little more time thinking Big Thoughts, but unfortunately every time they try to do this, they formulize the process so much that not much comes of it. You think Big Thoughts by habit ... not on demand. You simply ask, "What if ..." during your regular work day. Think about what could replace your products. Think about what your customer needs your product to do, and if those needs could be met another way. The classic example of a non-strategic thinker is the horse Boxer from Animal Farm. His answer to everything was, "I will work harder." Boxer worked very hard all his life, and then he was sold to a glue factory so the pigs could enjoin cable porn and salmon steaks. Showing up every day and working hard isn't enough; you need to understand the big picture, and how you fit in, and where to go if you don't fit, or if the Big Picture is going to get a channel change. That's the Big Thoughts.
And it's a joke because thinking Big Thoughts can be a convenient thought for simply not having anything on your workplate at the current moment. Thinking the Big Thoughts means reflecting ... that may mean you need to let your mind wander around for a while, you may need to take a walk, or bounce around the Web just to spur some creativity and let the Big Thoughts come. To the outsider, this really doesn't look like work. To the outsider, it's not noticeably different from goofing off. So the joke is ... that you don't know. The person could've been thinking Big Thoughts. Or maybe not. All purpose excuse.