Outside the Lines
As a new manager at an insurance company, my boss encouraged me to get involved in the wider community and join service organizations like Kiwanis or Rotary. My reaction was, “OMG! I’m not service club material.” Sensing my reluctance, he immediately pivoted and asked if I’d be willing to teach a weekly seventh-grade business economics class, sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce, at an inner-city junior high school.
I jumped at the opportunity. Teaching was more in my comfort zone, and talking with a group of kids about business economics was a better alternative to attending those service club gatherings. Is that so wrong?
The Chamber assigned me to Mr. Jackson’s seventh-grade social studies class and provided a well-scripted curriculum for me to follow. After skimming through the course materials, my first question to Mr. Jackson was, “Do I have to use this?” He smiled and said, “No! Do whatever you want.”
What a relief! I’ve never been one to color inside the lines—literally or figuratively. So, I ditched the pre-made script and decided to do something a little more hands-on on day one. I handed each of the 28 students a single sheet of paper and asked them to create something—anything—using only that sheet. They could fold, tear, or shape it however they liked. The goal wasn’t just to make something physical, but to fire up their imaginations.
The results were fascinating. Some students made simple items, such as airplanes or bookmarks. Others went all out, crafting intricate art pieces. A few even created something practical and valuable. We then voted on which creation stood out the most, and without a doubt, the winner was a miniature paper house—a unique, imaginative piece that embodied the idea of thinking outside the box.
That paper house became the foundation of our next seven weeks together. From there, the students selected managers to design and lead the manufacturing process and to market, price, and sell the miniature paper house to their school classmates. We explored the fundamental idea of economic exchange: "I give you this in exchange for that.”
Twelve-year-olds, unencumbered by business jargon or an MBA, easily grasped the business fundamentals and worked together to produce a product.
Over the past 30-plus years, I’ve used this exercise with adult leaders to help them better understand the fundamentals of business economics and organizational behavior. It’s a simple activity, but it sparks a much deeper understanding of how businesses—and organizations—function at their core.
Let’s Talk! If you’d like to explore unconventional teaching methods.
