Activities to Support Your Practice

Take the Dare

15th of May ~

I’ve been getting a little too comfortable. So, I recently took on a new challenge: a pro bono project in Bangladesh.

Three flights: 10.5 hours, 6.5 hours and 5.5 hours. That’s what it takes to get to Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a city of 16 million, the 9th largest city in the world and, until last month, I couldn’t have found it on a map. All I knew of Bangladesh is that it’s shockingly poor and George Harrison did a concert for the country 40 years ago. I’ve learned that Bangladesh is a new country, formed in 1971 after a liberation war that cost more than 400,000 lives. Citizens are passionate about their country and Goldman Sachs named it one of the Next-Eleven economies. Still, Bangladesh is unfortunate in its geography. Floods and cyclones routinely devastate the country. The stunting rate of children under 5 is over 40% and it is the only country where the average height is getting lower. Before I left I was inoculated against polio and typhoid, diseases that are still alive there. My assignment was a large retreat for the entire team on the PROSHAR project, a food security program funded by USAID.

I arrived at 2:30 am at the Dhaka airport nattily dressed in my new shalwar cameez, a modest ensemble for a country that is 90% Muslim. I was kindly shuttled through purchasing a visa, then passport control, by an airport official. A rep from the hotel met me and, dazed and confused, I arrived at the Royal Park hotel. When I got out of the van my glasses fogged over–temperatures ran 85 to 99 degrees with humidity over 90%. All week my complexion was dewy and my hair had a newfound exuberance.

The next day I learned that the meeting was moved a day ahead because a hartal (general strike) had been called and travel would be impossible. As it was traffic was astonishingly chaotic. At one point carts drawn by water buffaloes joined the road.

Still everyone managed to arrive and nearly 100 of us gathered at the retreat site. I redesigned the agenda to adapt to the new schedule–a daily activity, usually done at dawn on 5 hours of sleep. The meeting was conducted in English but as there were only 3 native speakers (2 ex-pats and me) we often asked someone to interpret and much of the meeting was held in Bangla. I was confronted with novelty in all directions–new food, jet lag, electricity that popped out 5-6 times a day and the sheer size and complexity of the gathering. I haven’t worked that hard in years!

This has been the experience of a lifetime. I LOVED working with the creative, engaged team members.

They were playful and resilient–a hallmark of Bangladeshis. I have enormous respect for the work they are doing. I cherish the personal connections.

It’s not as though I climbed Mt. Everest but I do feel satisfaction in meeting the challenges. I come home with more appreciation for the basic rights we enjoy (safe tap water, relative stability, traffic laws, continuous electricity) as well as the luxuries (good coffee, soft mattresses). I value being stretched beyond my normal routine. I am enriched because I took a chance and said, “Yes” to an opportunity that scared me.

If you’ve been getting a little too comfortable I encourage you to do the same.

Principles of Creativity

11th of February ~

Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way gave millions permission to honor their creativity. Here is a lovely video featuring her Ten Principles of Creativity.

Very nice for when you need a reminder to make room for your creative side.

29 Ways to Stay Creative

2nd of February ~

I agree with everything in this video. Nicely done Mr. Not Famous!

Experience Innovation with Design Thinker

16th of November ~

Design Thinker is the most exciting program I’ve found in years to build INNOVATION CAPABILITY. I’m offering a public session in December and I think you should join us!

When: Wednesday, December 7th
Time: 8:30 am to 12:30
Where: The Standard, downtown Portland
Cost: $250

Does Innovation Matter?
The IBM CEO Study last year highlighted the need for creative leaders who can innovate. As Fast Company noted:

About 60% of CEOs polled cited creativity as the most important leadership quality, compared with 52% for integrity and 35% for global thinking. Creative leaders are also more prepared to break with the status quo of industry, enterprise and revenue models, and they are 81% more likely to rate innovation as a “crucial capability.

In short, innovation is your source for differentiation.

Why Design Thinker?

Design Thinking is a computer-based simulation based on the IDEO methodology. The problem solving approach works for systems, products, experiences and any other challenge that requires a creative approach. In three and half hours you will apply design thinking to a case study and practice new innovation skills. When clients are looking for innovation development I recommend Design Thinker as a good solution. Why?
1) The computer simulation is fast-paced, challenging and competitive. Participant engagement is extremely high.

2) The content goes far beyond traditional problem solving. It begins with a people-centered approach that challenges assumptions and gives practice in forming deep insights that lead to breakthrough ideas.
3) As solutions are developed we practice designing experiments to refine ideas. We learn to fail fast and fail early to strengthen the ultimate solutions.

People LOVE this program and I know you will too. You can learn more here or just drop me a note. I hope to see you!

A Sensory Stroll

22nd of September ~

Today or tomorrow… slow…down.
Practice focusing on what you are doing this very moment.

Give yourself 30 minutes to take an excursion while completely tuned to your senses.

To begin:

Formulate a question you want answered and then close your eyes. Allow yourself 60 seconds of total relaxation and let the answer rise up. Write down whatever comes–a feeling, an image, or a simple phrase.

Now, Take a walk. Walking is a wonderful way to become centered, focused and calm. Stop periodically to tune into your senses. Here are your prompts:

Look. When a scene becomes too familiar you may stop seeing your surroundings. Find another way to look. Choose a view and let your eyes go soft. Search for directional lines. Seek out a certain color. Observe how the light strikes a surface. Look only at the shadows or negative space.

Smell. Your sense of smell has close connections with the parts of the brain that process emotion and make associations. For that reason is is the most evocative of the senses–a mainline to memories. Seek out the scents that have associated memories for you: the smell of cinnamon, Mom’s perfume, play-doh. Or breathe deeply and identify the scents of your current surroundings.

Listen. We tune out sounds to keep our sanity. Yet, wherever you are, you are surrounded by sound. What do you hear?

Touch. Feel the nub of your sweater and the roughness of the concrete. Sweep your hand over a smooth table. Pet a dog or a cat and relish the soft, warm fur. Close your eyes and attune to your sense of touch.

When you have completed your Sensory Stroll you might want to go back to your original question. Now that you have had a chance to relax and allowed your brain to feast on new stimui you might have some new insights.

Or, you could just take a nap.

Activities to Support Your Practice — Third Thought Third Thought