experiential learning

Paul du Toit said that he lives in his head for days a time. To be honest, I think I've been living in my head all my life... This is not so much an esoterical expose of life inasmuch as it is a simple observation.

I'm a scientist by profession: I think in boxes, models, equations, equilibriums, order, etc., etc.
I am by virtue of my training: critical, theoretical and calculating. I am oftentimes intolerant, blunt and impatient.

But the last couple weeks and months have challenged me to the core.
I've had the "aah-haah" moment more in these couple weeks than I have in the last couple years.

Why?

Simple really.

I can think of three triggers or catalysts for the change:
1) my wife who challenged me to respond rather than react
2) Nancy Kline who challenged me to listen
3) A strategy class which challenged me to look for the breakdancing brown bear

I've seen guys and girls raise a ton of $$ in two weeks.
I've seen a house being built in a week.
I've seen creativity that has left me speechless.
I've seen people coming out of their shells if they are given half an opportunity
I've seen what the potential is with the collective creativity of a group
I've seen how diversity has been leveraged into action
I've been humbled
I've been in awe

I've learnt (and am learning...) how to listen, respond and create a space for creativity.

And for all of that I am eternally grateful. Thank you everyone

Where good ideas go to die

On a recent request for presentation ideas, a friend of mine pointed me to a site called Flowgram that assisted in creating awesome presentations.

To my dismay the link was broken, and as a final try, I Googled "Flowgram", hoping that the link only needed correction.

What I discovered was that Flowgram, as brilliant as it was, had been shut down and sent to the eternal cemeteries for dead ideas... It exists! And it is called Deadpool.

When we talk about creativity, in the back of our heads we all want to be Facebook, Paypal, Google. A good idea that changed the way things worked. What we forget is that there are a myriad of (very good) ideas that just didn't work.

Creativity and good ideas have to supported by pragmatism, good implementation, and lastly, a viable and sustainable commercial business model.

Where do you find meaning in your life?

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About a year ago I had the priviledge of having a cup of tea with an elderly man (74 years old) and I was telling him about my aspirations, starting my MBA and the direction my career was heading....
What he told me was that when you reach the last 'trimester' of your life you would have forgotten that job promotion, that killer deal won and all the money you made. He told me what you really think about is the people in your life - your family, friends and in his case his grandchildren MEANT the whole world to him. He admitted that he was glad he worked hard and made a good living but that those memories fade away so fast and his purpose was actually about the amazing people in his life. That's what he lived for!

So I've been thinking about this notion of meaning for some time and one realisation I had was that my friends and family mean so much more to me than I give them credit for. I have realised that I need them far more that they probably need me and my actions relate this. Without them my life would be meaningless.

We are alive again

With a new group of colleagues we are again exploring how to create creativity and possibility.

Watch, please.


(Thanks, Banksy)