The Enlightened Manager Blog

Friday Bookshelf: Creative Thinking & More

Happy Friday!  

To wrap up the theme of Creative Thinking, I wanted to direct you to a great podcast about the science of creativity from author Jonah Lehrer about his book Imagine: How Creativity Works.  I just found it this morning, and I'm listening to the podcast for a second time right now. 

It's neat to see how the science lines up nicely with the little tidbits of information I've discovered on my own.  Things like the importance of boredom and having diverse interests are highlighted.

  Book Information    Podcast from the Author

Also, just for fun, here are a couple novels for you fiction readers to consider:  American Gods by Neil Gaiman and 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.  Smart books, deep books, and entertaining too. 

          

I really enjoyed them both, but it was a bit funny to see how reading eBooks has shifted my perspective from reading paperback books.  Reading IQ84 took me over a week, which is unusual as I'm a speed reader.  At the end, out of curiosity, I looked up the page count.  (900+)  No wonder it felt like a long book!  Without the reference of a hard-copy book in my hand, it never occurred to me how long the book was, only the fact that I was enjoying it.

If you're reading something great (business related or not) let us know with a comment.

Cheri Baker is the owner of Emergence Consulting in Seattle WA with a new workshop available on "Creative Thinking for Non-Dreamers" geared for business types who want to be more creative.  Find her at http://www.emergenceconsulting.com

 

New Download: Creative Thinking Toolkit

Hey Enlightened Managers,

I just wrapped up my newest toolkit, this one is all about Creative Thinking and it's got 10 activities to help you strengthen your creative abilities.  It took me a month longer than I expected to get it out, because I kept finding more to add to it! :)

Creative Thinking Exercises:

1. A Numbers Game - Learn what it means to “think outside the box.”
2. Failure and Triumph - Reflect on your attitudes towards failure.
3. Roll the Dice - Increase your ability to find strange connections
4. The Right Environment- Set up your own “artist’s loft.”
5. Boredom is Magic- Create the space for new ideas.
6. Planting Seeds - The basis of unique and interesting ideas
7. A Different Angle - A simple exercise for creative problem solving.
8. Get Inspired - Seek inspiration from an unusual source.
9. The Back Burner - Tap into your unconscious mind.
10. Right then Left - Planning with both sides of the brain.

As usual, I'll be sending this toolkit out for free to my newsletter subscribers (here is the signup).  It's free for subscribers for the next 30 days and then it will be for sale in my web store for five bucks a copy.

The newsletter will go out on Friday.  Hope you enjoy it! 

Cheri Baker is an Organizational Development Consultant in Seattle, WA.  She's been writing since she was knee high to a grasshopper, and when she's not consulting, training, or writing business eBooks, she's working on her first mystery novel.

Embracing your Fears to Find your Courage

I had a great networking coffee with a friend-of-a-friend today, and it reminded me how often I hear statements like the following:

"I'm so impressed by how confident you are."

"I'm amazed that you can speak in front of large groups, that sounds really scary."

"How did you find the guts to start your own business?"

It's very sweet and generous when someone compliments me, and certainly I take these comments to heart.  Everyone likes a little validation, and I'm no different.  But I admit I find the praise to be a little strange.

Action Doesn't Imply Fearlessness.

The thing that sticks to me is this:  The underlying inference that I am somehow brave or special or immune from the heart-in-the-throat fear that others feel when speaking in front of large groups. 

In case you need proof of my fears, here are a few examples:

1) Whenever I take on a project that is something new and exciting (this describes almost all my projects) I come home and freak out a little bit.  I worry that *this time* I won't be able to deliver.

2) Whenever I stand up in front of a group of people to speak, my heart is hammering so loudly I have a hard time hearing what the person introducing me is saying.

3) When I'm preparing to meet a business leader to discuss a potential consulting project, I experience feelings of worry and anxiety.

4) Last week during a major speaking engagement I referred to Thomas Edison emailing his colleagues.  (The crowd busted a gut - so did I once I realized my gaffe).

What's the point of all this?  Not only am I regular, human, and vulnerable, but I experience all the same dark human emotions and worries as the people who choose not to speak in front of large groups or start a business.  I am as freaked out as anyone!

Short Term Suffering as a Price of Admission

When I go to the gym, the first ten minutes usually stink.  I feel tired and annoyed and out of breath, but I know if I get through those first few minutes, it will feel better and I'll leave the treadmill or weight bench feeling mighty fine.  So you tolerate the awful first 10 minutes because you know it's temporary.

It's the same with work related fears.  If I can accept the heart-poundy-ness of my speaking engagement, or that flash of terror that accompanies a new project, or that feeling of anxiety that chokes me prior to meeting with a new clients, I know that on the other side of those "bad feelings" there is something wonderful.

Accomplishment. Joy.  Collaborations.  Meaningful Results.  Fun.  Praise.  Laughter. *HighFive*

That's my hope for you, my internet friends, on this glorious Monday afternoon.  Go do something that frightens you a little bit.  Take an intelligent risk.  Run right into that scary place, feel it and accept it, and come out on the other side.

I can't promise you that the scary parts won't be difficult (they *always* are) but I can tell you that on the other side of the fear, there is often something wonderful.

Cheri Baker is the owner of Emergence Consulting in Seattle WA.  She is a popular public speaker on the topics of leadership, workplace communication, and creative thinking, even though she still gets nervous every time she steps in front of a mike.

 

 

Blurring the Line: Personal Finance Classes & Organizational Success

Where is the line between the role of the employer and the role of society?   Over time, this line gets blurred or it shifts.  One example is employee wellness.  Twenty years ago, the idea that employers would spend money to encourage employees to do more exercise would have sounded silly.  This is your workplace after all, and  your HR department isn't your Mom!

Employers intervened of course because they realized that healthy employees are less expensive and probably more productive.  They saw a business benefit.

I'm going to advocate for one more blurring of the line.  Why?  I strongly believe that companies will benefit from employees who have good financial habits.

What happens when an employee is deeply in debt, or living paycheck to paycheck?

1. They are unlikely to leave, even if they are disengaged or poorly suited for the job.

2. They are more likely to be stressed, unhappy, or unproductive.  (I don't have a study to back this up, but I think it's likely.)

3.  They are less likely to take risks and "rock the boat" as necessary to create organizational success.  

Perhaps I'm out on a limb here, but let's think about it.  If you have an employee who has a good emergency savings account, no debt, and a growing retirement fund, they are going to feel more secure.   They may worry a bit less about being a "yes man" or woman and a bit more about creating great results.  Instead of clinging to a job they hate for the money, they may feel free enough to go and seek a job that is a better fit, even if it creates some short term risk.

Here is an unpleasant truth that I see in workplaces - for every group of employees who are at work because they really want to make a difference, there is another set who are simply "putting in the time" for a steady paycheck because they don't have any other options.  This latter group might be unhappy or indifferent, but they are doing thier best to stay under the radar.  That means performing at acceptable levels, but it also means going with the flow, even when the flow is stupid.  It means viewing the company's problem as "not my problem" and "my job" as a narrow set of responsibilities.  They are on the earn and spend treadmill.

Is it possible that organizations will benefit if their employees are more financially secure?

Financial security doesn't mean you need to pay every employee six figures.  Instead it means that your HR or Wellness team offers programs in personal finance, savings, and responsible debt.  It means your company incentivizes savings for a rainy day.

You want your employees to speak freely and honestly without fear.  You want your poor fits to decide on their own that they should leave.  I believe someone with a decent savings account is more likely to do both.  

Do you agree? :)

Cheri Baker is an organizational development consultant in Seattle, WA.  

Endless Possibilities on the Road to Pullman

When this message posts on the blog, I will be driving along the Columbia River that borders Washington and Oregon, en route to Pullman where I went to college.  A nice little road trip to a place that means a lot to us.

College wasn't the easiest time in my life, but I do remember that there were some great moments.  My Mom drove me across the state to campus a few times, and we would laugh at the odd monuments (The giant golf ball on Route 26) and hunt tumbleweed.  Yes, tumbleweed!  As a resident of Tacoma on the west side of the state, I had never seen a tumbleweed except in tacky western movies, so I was delighted to see one rolling across the freeway.  On one trip, we "captured" a tumbleweed and lashed it to the back of my Mother's pickup.  I kept it on the back porch of my freshman apartment until we moved the following year.  My boyfriend (now hubby) thought I was nuts, but it worked out OK cause we're still together fifteen years later. :)

The tumbleweed story is silly, but it reminds me of something important.  There are times in our lives that are full of possibility.  When I was driving to college, it seemed that every door was open to me, and that I had no idea what would happen next.  I really loved that feeling, flying down the freeway towards the "unknown future."  Sometime I really miss it.

I think it's easy to romanticize the past though.  While I remember that feeling of possibility and covet it, I don't think I'd want to give up my wonderful life for so much uncertainty and doubt.  My life is certainly better today than it was when I was 17.  But I find myself wondering, how can we get that feeling of possibility back? 

A few ideas:

1. Realize that you  are always open to a new path, and the unexpected.

2. Accept that most of your "limitations" are self-imposed.  (Just because you don't want to sell your home and sail around the world, it doesn't mean you *can't.*  It's a matter of choices.)

3. Refuse to settle comfortably into 'what is' and instead stay engaged with the idea of "what could be."

4. Continue to ask those pesky questions like "why not?"

5. Be willing to take a leap into the unknown, even (and especially) when it costs you something.

Perhaps the truth I'll find on the road to Pullman is the idea that "endless possibility" is easy when you're not leaving anything behind.  There is no "sacrificed life" to leave when you are 17, only the permission to flap your wings and fly.  As we get older, we accumulate things.  Homes, hard-earned promotions, dependents, and responsibilities.  It's hard to "be free!" when it means unhooking yourself from the secure life you've painstakingly built.

You may not be on the freeway with me today, but take a moment to think back to a time when you were unencumbered and free of restraint.  Perhaps we can capture some of that feeling again, even for a moment.

And yes, if I stop and find a Tumbleweed, I'm going to capture it and bring it back to my room!

Cheri Baker is the owner of Emergence Consulting in Seattle, WA and a proud graduate of Washington State University (Go Cougs!).  She is enjoying a week of semi-vacation and looking forward to leading some Customer Service Training sessions when she returns to the office next week. :)

 

Monday Musings: Our Lives are Not Binary

Hey Enlightened Managers,

Happy Monday!  This message comes to you fresh from the Belltown Starbucks where I'm doing my blogging just a few steps from the whirr of the espresso machine, watching people flow in and out of the room in caffeinated waves.

I'm reminded today that it's good to go with the flow sometimes.  Five months ago my hubby and I had planned to take this week off to relax and recharge, and I goofed up by scheduling a speaking engagement in Portland OR right in the middle of the week.  So I'm in this state of half-vacation, half-working which is oddly satisfying.

This week I'll go down to Portland to talk about "Creative Thinking for Non-Dreamers", and while I'm on the road I'm bringing hubby along with me.  We'll go to my favorite book store in the world, I'll go speak to an excellent group of people, then we'll head east to visit our alma mater for a few days to reminice and visit even more bookstores.

It isn't the vacation I would have picked, but it actually sounds like a lot of fun.  Sometimes going with the flow can work quite well. 

And it reminds me also that our lives are not binary.   There is an option beyond "working" and "not working."  There is an in-between state.  When we're doing a bit of both, it all bends into a kind of muddle of fun-learning-productive-relaxation.

In other words, it just becomes your life. :)

Cheri Baker is the owner of Emergence Consulting in Seattle and an invited speaker to the Society for Design Administration's EDSymposium.  When she isn't driving cross-country to visit "awesome" bookstores, she offers teambuilding and leadership development services. :) 

It's Free-Quickie Friday! (PS: Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter)

Hi Enlightened Managers,

In my ongoing quest for spiffyness, I'm running a little experiment with my webinar offerings.  I'm trying a new format:  Fast, Fun, & Free.  (OK, I hope the "Fun" part isn't that new!)

The topic will be "Writing Effective Performance Improvement Plans" and you can join me by clicking the fabulous link below.

I am a Fabulous Link!  Click Me!

I hope you can join me live, but if you can't, you can click on the link after the session to watch the recording at your convenience for the next 2 weeks.

Cheri Baker is the owner of Emergence Consulting in Seattle, WA.  She believes most training stinks because it's preachy and long-winded.  If you like non-stinky training that makes a difference, she hopes you'll visit her website and get in touch to say hello.

Even Extroverts Need Solitude

 

I can tell that summer is on the way.

It's almost 8pm, and although the sky is grey and the wind is blowing fiercely, there is still a steady blanket of light making the clouds glow.  I'm in the upper lobby of my condo building, sitting close to a big gas fireplace and letting the heat seep into my knees.  It's peaceful by the fire, and the only sound is the whirr of the elevators and the steady hum of the wind outside.

I find that I need this quiet time, an opportunity to be alone and undisturbed.  It may be strange for an extrovert, but I find that the more time I spend presenting, teaching, training, and coaching, the more I crave solitude in the evenings.

When I first noticed this trend, I got worried.  Why was I wanting to hole myself up from the world?  I got a bit nervous that my husband would view my withdrawal as a kind of insult.  As usual, he is nothing but awesome.

So he's plotting some camping trips with the guys, and I left him to enjoy some TV time in the condo while I sit near the fire upstairs alone and watch the wind blow.  I've got my iPad to capture some notes, a nice mystery novel, a cup of strong british tea, and a deep sense of relaxation that comes from solitude.

This afternoon I was presenting to a group of business folks, turning my extroversion on high, and loving every minute.  I think that the pendulum swings the other way sometimes and we extroverts need to recharge and unplug.

The seagulls are shrieking in their high pitched voices, and the clouds are getting darker.  It's kinda nice to be alone but not lonely.  Go figure!

Cheri Baker is the owner of Emergence Consulting (Seattle, WA) and an extrovert.  She's married to an introvert who is probably relishing the chance to enjoy TV without his wife's snarky commentary. :)

 

Hug A Skeptic! Why Nay-Sayers are So Important.

Ok, I'm not *really* advocating that you hug people at work.  Wouldn't want you to get swept up in a sexual harassment investigation.  But I am serious that I want you to embrace (metaphorically) the skeptics in your group.

Several years ago I did some employee development work with a health care team.  We were working on communication skills, being more accountable, and bringing the company's new brand to life in tangible ways.  Early on, I met with the team to talk about what they wanted to learn, and many of them expressed skepticism about the training.

I smiled and listened and nodded.  Who wouldn't be skeptical of a new training program or set of expectations?  Change is always threatening, and so much training in this world sucks rocks.

At the end of the program  three months later, one of the most vocal dissenters handed me a postcard that had "SKEPTICISM IS A VIRTUE" written on one side in large black type.  She said that it reminded her of me, and she wanted me to have it.  By the way, this woman (the skeptic) was really thriving.  She was skeptical, but she was also open to new ideas.  Over time they promoted her to a lead role.  I'm proud of her.  I keep that postcard in my office.

Moving forward to this week, I was talking to a manufacturer about a big program to improve performance reviews.  Cue the skepticism.  The group was cautiously positive, but they also asked tough questions.  They didn't embrace every idea with open arms, instead they pushed back.  Some more than others.  Several were openly skeptical.

And you know what?  I FRIGGIN LOVE THAT!  Seriously!  All of the skepticism, the push-back, the frowns - they were authentic expressions of truth.  A skeptic isn't trying to be a negative-nelly.  Instead, they are raising real concerns, true concerns that must be addressed if the work is to succeed.

You know what's frustrating in a change process?  People who "check out" and don't participate, and sometimes people who cheerfully say "yes" without thinking through the implications.  I love cheerleaders, but sometimes skeptics bring even more to the table.  They surface the uglies that we need to deal with, early on.  They point out every rut in the road.  They stop us from being so excited about the future that we neglect the realities of the present.

Whenever a client frowns and says that they were sorry folks were so skeptical, I just smile and remind them that skepticism is a virtue.  It's not a "no" and it's not "negativity."  

It's pretty awesome actually.  Hug a skeptic!*

*Not really.  But be nice to them.  They are important.

Cheri Baker is the owner of Emergence Consulting (Seattle, WA) and a professional facilitator and teambuilder.  She's a strong advocate of continuous performance feedback, where boring unpleasant performance reviews are replaced with conversations that matter.

 

Flipcharts Changing the World

More and more, I'm getting away from PowerPoint.

Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome program.  When I teach a college course or give a presentation to a large group, it's a great way to provide an engaging and gorgeous visual element.

Can I confess though that sometimes I love an old fashioned flipchart?  This afternoon I spent a relaxing hour transforming a blank flipchart pad into a decision making framework.  Blocking out large letters with colorful markers and carefully scripting the main points, it felt like a meditation.  Working with your hands can make you feel like you're carving something out of stone - tangible and real.

It's not just the words of course.  Small drawings can make a concept more lifelike, and blank pages interspersed throughout can be an invitation to generate ideas.

While I enjoy a good afternoon cozying up to my flipchart, I think it's about more than that.  The idea that technology can become a barrier to the conversations that matter.  When we are focused on watching a lovely set of slides fly by, we are the audience.  When we have a marker in our hand, we are the co-creators.

I think it's a fun balance, using technology to maximize utility without scraping the soul out of your meeting or workshop.

For me these days, it's all about gorgeous training materials, a comfortable pen or marker in every hand, and a flipchart as an invitation to contribute.  Even better, we can lay those flipchart pages flat on the tables to get every hand active in the act of creation.

It's the end of a good workday and I can hear the Metro buses streaming down second avenue. Tomorrow I'll meet with a group of aerospace managers to have a great conversation about coaching skills.  For now, I need to find some soap.

I have facilitator fingers.  Blue and Orange and Black and Red and Purple ink.  It makes me smile.

Cheri Baker of Emergence Consulting in Seattle, WA is a professional facilitator.  In the pursuit of organizational improvement, she goes through several dozen markers and over a hundred cans of Play-Doh every year.