Non-local learning

There people, teams, organizations, networks and communities all over the world thinking and doing differently than we are. The more we pay attention to this ever-churning diversity, the more we feed our creative capacity. This is what seasoned artists do. The opposite of starring at empty canvases, lumps of clay or talking things to death.

What to do with new ideas

In every organization, new ideas emerge in a variety of forms: as problems, opportunities, solutions, breakthroughs, questions and disruptive possibilities. In an idea friendly culture, there can certainly be more new ideas than capacity to explore, learn from or fulfill them.

In the triage of ideas, there are some basic options.

Implementation 

Some are action ready. We just need to implement them as they are. We have the optimism, resources and talent to put them into practice.

Experimenting 

Some need to be tested in iterations from minimal viable products to fully formed and implementation ready forms.

Development 

Some need to be developed through the 5 Growing Ideas strategies into more functional, problem-free, constraint-responsive approaches 

Research

Some have promise and any number of open questions including technical, operational, financial, marketing and strategic questions.

Dependency cue

Some can only happen after other conditions, resources or talents are available. We keep an eye on these as possibilities open up for them to move forward.

 

 

The creativity-trust magic

Creativity in teams requires trust. When we can depend on each other to help grow ideas we are less apt to self-filter unfamiliar, different and essentially untested and unproven ideas. We have more space to listen and inquire, discover and explore.

When we don't have to fear ridicule for raw and undeveloped ideas, we have the patience of courage. When we don't have to compete to win over others, what we create together is richer than what we could create in isolation or opposition. We experiment with those we trust. 

Trust grows as we share understanding, promises, agreements, storytelling, connecting conversations and growing together.

When it comes to being more creative together, we don't need training as much as a growing culture of trust.