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.

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

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

REGISTER HERE

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!

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.

By that I mean, do you spend enough time savoring the goodness in your life?  Are you aware as you experience the pleasures of your life?

I know I don’t spend enough time savoring.  And therefore I am embarking on a small challenge:  I am taking a Daily Savoring Vacation.

The authors of Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience suggest an exercise of taking a Daily Vacation Exercise.

Once a day for a week treat yourself to something pleasurable.  Pay attention to the experience.  Notice.

Here are the guidelines for the Daily Vacation Exercise.  Download it and join me!

Here’s a video from our friends at Fast Company:

Ahhh, such good advice.  From now on I am going to focus on one th—–whoa!  What’s that?  How cool!

My last newsletter focused on Nick Bantock,a author of Griffin & Sabine and many other gorgeous books.  You can read more of his story here.  He is a Creative Producer with a truly solid background and I was intrigued with his routines.  Several things stuck out for me:

1) At the end of each day he leaves something simple undone.  The next morning when he entered his studio it is obvious and simple to get started.

2) He experimented with his physical space, finally arriving at a circular pattern of working.  He literally walks around his piece, getting different perspectives.  Since he started that pattern he has not gotten blocked.

3) Finally, he is organized and disciplined.  Easy to say, harder to do…or maybe I am projecting….

Nick strives to make his art, his life seamless.  That notion reminded Kath F. of this video (thanks Kath!):

Life as Art. Art as Life. Lovely.

SoulCollage(TM) is a consistently effective tool for tapping your intuition and letting go of your logical, linear mind for a time.  Images are a mainline to the psyche.  Here are a few examples from my SoulCollage(tm) deck:

The cards are so versatile and provide a wonderful window to your creative self.

Thanks again to my beautiful Winter Spa participants.  If you’d like to join the Spring Creativity Spa watch this space for dates.

Ta Ta 2009

Last night we said adieu to the passing year with a yummy meal at Ned Ludd and dancing with the Fun Gals.  That’s right, 80′s dancing at the Wonder Ballroom.  Oh, I did love the 80′s (thanks for the disco beret K!).  We walked home under a lush, full moon (a blue moon–very auspicious) and I was happy.

If you haven’t appreciated the past year I encourage you to take a couple of minutes.  Good work to do.

Begin as You Mean to Go

By now you may have a good idea of what you most would like to see come true in 2010.  I recommend beginning this first day with a literal or symbolic step toward each  goal.  For instance:

• if you want to watch less TV–watch less TV
• if you want to spend more time with friends and family, go spend some time with some dear
• if you want world peace, say a prayer and make a contribution
• if you want to be healthier take a short walk
• if you want to be more organized, clean a drawer or recycle some files
• if you want to draw more make a tiny drawing or order some yummy art supplies

Explore how you can fit a tiny step of each of your top ten into this day.  It is a powerful gesture.

And now, I’m off to make some Hoppin’ John for good luck.