This is a two page summary of the concepts in the book "Thinking Into The Corners'

1. SuccessFuel provides support, education and tools for Managers to help them with initiatives.
+1.519.803.5401 | michel@successfuel.ca | successfuel.ca
Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012
SuccessFuel provides support, education and tools for Managers to help them with initiatives.
+1.519.803.5401 | michel@successfuel.ca | successfuel.ca
Thinking IntoThe CornersTM
Thinking Into The Corners™ recognizes that we all work with outside constraints (the box) which help us
anchor our ideas. We also have internal limits (the circle) that prevent us from stretching outside of our
comfort zone to develop ideas and discover solutions that should be obvious.
When you combine the box and the circle, it becomes clear there are ideas hidden in the corners that we
haven’t reached yet. There’s no need to try to go outside of the box to find and implement good ideas. In
fact, thinking outside the box can actually be counterproductive.
The process involves confirming the size of our box, including breaking down limits that are only in our
minds and where possible, stretching the box to make it bigger. The reality is that there are always limits
we simply can’t do anything about. Spending time on ideas that can’t be implemented is a waste of time
and demoralizing to your team.
Stop
Thinking
Outside
The Box
When options
are limitless,
you’ll miss the
obvious.
Instead,
stretch into
the corners to
find the best
solutions.
The Box
There are always limits in which you have to operate.
Understand those limites and anchor your creative
process around those limits instead of wasting time
on a process that leads you well beyond where you
need to be or are even able to be.
The sides of your box are defined by legal,
contractual, technical and moral limits.
Unlike the circle, everyone in an identical situation
would have the same limits, but the box is elastic -
you may be able to change the size of that box.
The Circle
This is represents self-limitations that inhibit
your ability to develop solutions, often
whether you realize it or not.
These limits affect the ability to create
strategic plans, solve problems and even
recognize issues and problems in the first
place. Your circle will be different from others’
circles.
Quite simply, they keep us within a safe,
comfortable range and mean we don’t stretch
to find new ideas that can be implemented.
Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012
you may be able to change the size of that box.

2. SuccessFuel provides support, education and tools for Managers to help them with initiatives.
+1.519.803.5401 | michel@successfuel.ca | successfuel.ca
Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012
SuccessFuel provides support, education and tools for Managers to help them with initiatives.
Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012
SuccessFuel provides support, education and tools for Managers to help them with initiatives.
Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012
SuccessFuel provides support, education and tools for Managers to help them with initiatives.
Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012
Fighting The Limits
Whether you are working alone or with a group, you are fighting limits that prevent you from stretching
and finding ideas and solutions hidden in the corners. Here are some of the more common ones you
should be aware of so you can counter them:
Sunglasses / Filters - We all see things with filters or sunglasses on in the background. This is based on
our own personal experiences, history and bias.
Dominant Player - Sometimes when we are working together to find solutions, a dominant player
stops others from speaking up and discussing solutions.
Time / Effort - We often self-edit our ideas because we know it will take time and effort to achieve.
Unless you are a Type A personality, this often stops us from suggesting improvements or changes.
Group Think - Whenever we are trying to think of solutions with others, sometimes we gravitate to the
idea everyone is comfortable with, instead of speaking up with alternate ideas.
Risk Aversion - Sometimes ideas come with risks and most of us are adverse to bringing up ideas or
solutions that could negatively affect our organization or ourselves.
Wallflower - In a group session, wallflowers may have great ideas to contribute but are too inhibited
to speak up or prefer to leave things to the dominant players in the rom. This is partly due to risk
adversion, but also due to personality.
Stretch
Thinking
Creativity
within a
framework is
more effective.
Overcome the
things that
limit creative
thinking to find
solutions in the
corners.
The process of
Thinking Into The
Corners™ is flexible.
As you are able to
expand your box, your
circle also needs to
expand, enabling you
to reach the corners
where the best ideas
are found.
Copyright © Michel Theriault 2012
adversion, but also due to personality.
Stretch Into The Corners to Find Solutions