---
title: Thinking Inside-the-Box Tool
---

[![Reality-Based Leadership](https://info.realitybasedleadership.com/hs-fs/hubfs/rbl-logo-reversed.png?width=1080&height=226&name=rbl-logo-reversed.png)](https://www.realitybasedleadership.com) A tool for stuck teams

# Thinking Inside-the-Box

Too often, we encourage our teams to think outside-the-box to solve the challenges we face. This can create an argument with reality because we don’t acknowledge the constraints we’re called to deliver under.

How do you manage that energy better?

By thinking inside-the-box.

Start here

## Unlock the tool

First name and email, and the tool opens up below, ready to fill in. We will send you a copy for later too.

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![Reality-Based Leadership](https://info.realitybasedleadership.com/hubfs/RBL-Reversed-Logo.png)

Thinking Inside-the-Box

## Draw the box

Two ways to use it. Take the PDF with you, or fill it in right here.

[Download the PDF](https://info.realitybasedleadership.com/hubfs/Thinking-Inside-the-Box-fillable.pdf?hsLang=en)

It is fillable, so you can type straight into it, or print it and write by hand.

or

Fill it in below

It saves as you type on this device, and you can print it when you are done.

### When to use this tool

Use when your team is stuck because of constraints, competing priorities, or perceived barriers. When you hear ‘we would, but…’ or ‘that’s not possible given our situation’.

### How it works

Write the goal at the top. Write every constraint, barrier and/or competing priority on the sides of the box. Then ask: given our goal and given these constraints, how could we move forward? Capture every idea inside the box. Then ask for commitments. If it doesn’t end with who, doing what, by when, it is as if the conversation never happened.

Goal: what are we trying to achieve?

Constraints / Barriers

### How could we…?

Write ideas that work within the constraints

Constraints / Barriers

Commitment

Who will do what, and by when?

Print your box

Clear

Alex Dorr  |  © Reality Based Leadership, LLC  |  RealityBasedLeadership.com

Watch Alex use it

Watch how to use Thinking Inside-the-Box to…

- Move a stuck team forward without arguing with the constraints
- Turn ‘we would, but…’ into a list of things you can actually do
- Get every competing priority named out loud instead of working around it
- End the conversation with who is doing what, and by when

© Reality Based Leadership, LLC [realitybasedleadership.com](https://www.realitybasedleadership.com)