Sparking Creativity for Virtual Teams

Originally published on November 9 2020 on LinkedIn

Creativity isn’t something you have! It’s something you do. This is a lesson I teach over and over again in my flagship creativity course, which I am thrilled to announce is now available virtually. It was incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to head back to Boeing to teach 24 engineers and leaders why creativity is important no matter what your title and how to cultivate the innate power of creativity that lives in each of us. As many of you know, I left Boeing almost two years ago to begin my career as a solopreneur. That journey has reignited my own personal creativity and it was an amazing experience to return and share all that I have learned along the way.

My philosophy around creativity is rooted in the need to let go of non-essential and unhelpful beliefs that we form throughout life which inhibits authentic expression. Starting with Otto Scharmer’s Theory U, we learn how to stop reacting to problems and instead respond to them with empathy. This is an important step because examining these beliefs and reactions helps open all people up to new ways of thinking and behaving.

Being confronted with these kinds of new ideas can trigger physical and emotional responses in our bodies that are hard for us to control and can inhibit our learning and growth. That’s why the next step of the course is so important. As a group, we work to come up with embodied and psychological antidotes to our stress reactions. These antidotes can be used personally and professionally to counter our flight, flight, freeze, or appease instincts when we feel threatened.

Once we find our affirmations, then the fun begins! We find our internal superhero and connect to our individual sources of inspiration and power. We learn about creative flow and how it manifests in the body and brain. We do embodiment meditations and movement exercises to put ourselves in a creative mindset. We play games! We do improv, work with playdoh, and draw pictures. We do all of this to show ourselves that we are all still powerful and creative. It is not something that we left behind in childhood.

Finally, I introduce the idea that is the most revolutionary: the importance of taking imperfect action. Creativity is strengthened the more we use it, even if the act itself is imperfect. The habits and rituals we build around creative actions that nourish us become our creative outlet and build our creative capacity. Creativity is just like anything else. When we practice it, we get stronger, and more confident. We also ultimately, cultivate emotional intelligence and harness the full power of our brains.

The other revolutionary idea I teach is how important rest is in helping our creative brain. Rest, deep work, and eliminating distractions are the most important things you can do to help yourself become more creative and strengthen your creative skills. Our world today is full of distractions and our attention spans have taken a hit. When you quiet the noise around you, you allow yourself the time and space to focus on what matters most and nurture habits that bring you joy and into a flow state.

The class was a hit at Boeing. The two dozen engineers and leaders that attended were engaged and thoughtful throughout the process and it showed.

“I used to believe creativity was magic but now I believe it is a skill.” — TC

“I used to believe that spending quiet time being creative was not worthwhile but now I believe it is essential.” — EZ.

“I used to believe I needed to lessen my desire to be more creative with my team, but now I believe bringing creativity to the forefront will not only be good for me, but also for my colleagues and our customers.” — MB

“I used to believe energy was an intermittent activity but now I believe it is constant and needs to be focused and directed.” — Anonymous.

This class is my favorite to teach and lead. As a former engineer, I love being able to bring a different point of view to the study of creativity. I love that I have found my calling and what feeds my soul. I love that my passion is able to inspire others

To learn more about my flagship course, check out this flyer, and schedule a discovery call with me here to discuss bringing the joy, power and connection of creativity to your team.