Ask why.

What is that really mean?

I want you guys to hold that thought. Before we get going here,

I'm gonna draw on a few words of wisdom from a wise man.

"We cannot solve our problems

with the same thinking we used when we created them."

Today, we are going to explore a switch in your approach to problems solving.

Solving problems is something we do everyday. Coming up the solutions.

Some of those problems are fairly minor and some are a little bit more complex.

For example, feeling hungry, relatively simple problem.

Easy solution - I find food.

Now especially at Brentwood? we almost take that for granted.

However, if you were lost out in the woods,

I'd be quite certain

that solution would be a little bit more difficult to achieve.

On the other hand,

some problems are more complex.

I need to get to Vancouver. The problem is, I'm on an island.

The solution may involve taking a bus, may involve taking a ferry,

maybe involves taking a taxi.

A little bit more problem solving, a little bit more complex solution.

However, if I have a car at my disposal,

that's going to be a much easier solution to achieve.

So now that we've used the word "problem" a little bit,

I think it's important that we, perhaps, just take a look at that exact word.

What is a problem?

According to the Oxford dictionary,

a problem is a doubtful or difficult matter requiring a solution,

or a thing that is difficult to achieve or accomplish.

And as we just heard, there's a variety of different problems

and each of these problems has their own idiosyncrasies.

They have their own nuances. They are all different.

So what is one common thing, a common thread

that we can use to relate all problems?

I believe that all problems are consistent in two ways:

success and obstacles.

Success is what we trying to achieve.

And obstacles are challenges in the way of success.

And in case if you kind of think about it,

if you don't have any of obstacles in the way of your problem,

then all you are left with is success.

We all encounter problems. Those problems are different.

But let me ask you, is it the problems themselves that are different?

Or is it the lens through which the problems are viewed that is different?

Or is it both?

As we go about our day, we all encounter different problems.

And we see those problems through a different lens.

We each have a different view point.

Consequently, we see the world differently.

So what do I mean by that?

What do you see here?

What's the first thought that comes to your mind when you see this picture?

Is it the Eiffel Tower? Is it France?

Is it Europe? Is it a city?

The important thing to remember is that each and every person in this room

is gonna see this object in this picture differently.

Let's try it again.

What do you see here?

Do you see strawberries? Do you see a dessert?

Maybe you see 2,000 calories.

But ultimately, your viewpoint is different than the person next to you.

What do you see here?

I know what I see.

I see a bunch of hockey sticks.

Did you see it hockey sticks? Did you see a road?

Did you see a bench?

If you did see hockey sticks, what did you think?

Did you think of the Stanley Cup? Did you think of the Roscoe?

Did you think of Canada, Olympics, gold medals?

The point is, that each and every one of us has a different viewpoint

and that viewpoint differs between this room,

between the views in this room.

It spreads across age, spreads across generations,

spreads across demographics, geographics.

What that means is, what you see is going to be different

than what your parents see,

than what your teachers see,

than what your grandparents see.

So how do problems and viewpoints relate?

How can we draw those two together?

We cannot collectively solve problems

unless we appreciate and acknowledge that each and every person here

has a different viewpoint.

It's that variety in viewpoints

that is going to enable us to solve all problems in new ways

and it's going to enable us to creatively solve new problems as they are presented.

To focus on challenging,

we need to challenge complacent solutions.

We must switch the way we look at problems.

We all encounter different problems.

So wouldn't it be nice to draw

on as many viewpoints as possible to solve those problems?

Thinking outside the box, it's a common cliche,

doesn't necessarily mean coming up with a new solution.

Maybe what it means

is switching your approach to coming up with those solutions,

gathering as many different viewpoints as possible,

listening to what other things are being said,

listening to what other people are saying.

So how do we do that?

I heard a man to tell me one time, they said

the most important three-letter word in the English language is ask.

Ask questions.

Ask for other opinions.

Ask to hear different viewpoints.

We, we can collectively influence a decision.

We can collectively change the outcome of a problem when we ask why.

Why are we doing it that way?

Why did we do it that way last time?

Why do we think that this solution will work again?

Because the answer if you receive back to that question

is "that's the way we've always done it",

or because that's status quo,

how can you expect different results?

You see, ultimately the mind is an extremely powerful tool.

But so is the mind of the person sitting next to you

and the person sitting next to them.

Collaborate ideas encourage different opinions

and solve problems using different thoughts

or thinking that was used to create them.

So I leave you with this.

The next time you are asked to think outside the box,

I want you to take a step back

and look at the box from the outside in.

Thank you.

(Applause)