Adults are obsolete children. ~ Dr. Seuss
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. ~ Pablo Picasso
Why does this happen? Why do we loose our ability to play and create? I think adults need to un-grow-up and go back to the “sandbox” to find leadership qualities and solutions for the world’s biggest challenges. Now, I don’t mean become childish again, but rather recapture the fresh perspective, curiosity and ability to imagine that is most prevalent in childhood. In this section I explore adult learning in the spirit of childhood play: hands-on discovery, sharing, using your imagination, and trying new things in an atmosphere of fun!
To do great work, we need to have fun. And what exactly does “fun” mean? Just click play. . . Continue reading
Engagement 2.0: Tummelling
What do Yiddish noisemakers have to do with a new age of Engagement? I’m going to find out at OCAD this week. Continue reading
Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
The practice of Appreciative Inquiry basically takes a glass-half-full approach to thinking, visioning and acting for purposeful change. In an individual’s life, it can be healing or motivating. In an organization’s life it can catalyze engagement and innovation. Continue reading
Minds at Play in the Laboratory
Minds at play may initially come up with some pretty wacky ideas that look impractical to us – at least until they lead to a game changing innovation. Continue reading
Story First, Statistics Second
Inspired by one of my favourite books on communications, Made to Stick, by Chip and Dan Heath, and on the other hand, uninspired by copious CSR Reports, Chris Jarvis wrote a recent blogpost on the importance of storytelling: Great Stats; Meaningless Information: The Problem with CSR Reports, which I have posted here for your reading pleasure! Continue reading
Taking Risks
This is me last summer on the sand dune island of Texel, on Holland’s western edge in the North Sea. I love this picture because it emphasizes the element of risk that’s involved in play. “I don’t know if I … Continue reading
The Value of a Common Language
Karl-Henrik Robert of The Natural Step says riding 1st class on the Titanic is a good thing. It has everything to do with being a collaborative leader. Continue reading
Using Appreciative Inquiry in a Workshop
I have had the pleasure of working with several social entrepreneurs at the start-up phase of their development. Banyan Tree was one of them. I used an Appreciative Inquiry approach to help them Discover the best of their prior experiences, Dream their vision, and Design their roadmap. Continue reading
Using Design Thinking in a Workshop
Innovation is a creative idea brought to life in a novel way. But in between the two, what do you actually do? Design Thinking is a great way to make a bridge between idea and action. Here’s one example of how to use it in a workshop setting. Continue reading
At the Stanford d.school, they understand that play leads to innovation. Here’s a great slide show from Fast Company of how they balance the openness of play with the structure of production. Play Class Continue reading
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