Box of Creativity
Some of my most memorable boxes came on Christmas morning. My parents would try to hide the contents of our gifts by putting the much asked for pocket knife in a huge box with a rock in it. The big, heavy box allowed me to imagine all sorts of possible gifts. As a child, I became an expert on what gifts could fit in a certain size box. As managers, it is our responsibility to give each of our workers a box of creativity.
Importance of the Box. The box represents the limits or expectations that we can expect. Without limits it is impossible to be creative. Our workers may indicate a desire to have no limits, but their creativity is dependent on our box.
Purpose. The first side of your box of creativity is purpose. Define the purpose of what you are trying to accomplish. If you do not define the purpose, others may define it for you. Common purposes that may be harmful include, “Let’s get this done as fast as possible,” or “Whatever works . . . I guess that’s okay.” Every activity should have a reason. Many times the purpose is key to connecting temporal work with eternal possibilities.
Time. The second side of your box is the realization that there is a time deadline. Unfortunately, we are not given any time- outs in the constant procession of time. Without a deadline, your team begins wasting time and goofing off, waiting for you to share what the deadline is going to be.
People. The third side of your box should be a clear understanding of who will be involved in getting the job done. Each person provides a different background and unique skills that affect the creativity.
Money/Resources. The last side of your box of creativity must include what we can spend or use to do the job. To create out of nothing is not an ability that we have. Many times we communicate this through the use of a budget.
When all four sides of the box of creativity have been defined, we are ready to be creative. Think about a specific area in your ministry, such as your website. Is the purpose clear? How much time and money do you want to spend on it? Is there a deadline? Two things happen when there is no box of creativity. First, our staff assume they can spend, use, or work on the project as much as they want. We find ourselves trying to get a handle on something that has grown way out of proportion. Second, staff who do not want to step on any toes, spend too much energy, or spend too much money, will wait and wait and . . . wait. The project does not get off the ground, because nobody has a clear idea of what to do and how to do it.
Our job . . . giving them a box of creativity! We are to remind them that even though we may have limits, we serve a God who is infinite. Our limits magnify God’s power.