Maine Center for Creativity

Imagination plays a huge role in my work. I am constantly dealing with new situations and challenges that arise that we’ve never had to deal with before. Imagining different scenarios helps me to problem-solve creatively and successfully. I have also found that oftentimes my most creative and imaginative ideas have led to my biggest successes professionally and personally.

I had two comments to contribute to the conversation which the scribe perhaps reported, but I will send them in my own words as well, and add a 3rd observation.

1. FIND YOUR POND AND VISIT IT REGULARLY AND– WHAT MAY BE THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THIS CONVERSATION–RESERVE IT FOR YOUR IMAGINATION, NOT ALLOWING YOUR USUAL WORKING MODE OF THOUGHT TO CONSUME IT

I loved Eric Hopkins’s _____, REFLECT, PROJECT mantra.

His inner wisdom to find that pond, his inner discipline to visit it daily, but also his joy in the imagination process that he allows to take place is what makes it work for him. After realizing that I was missing something important in my life, I found my pond– a big chair that I sat in each morning with my tea–but most importantly I made it a time at the beginning of my day when I would not allow my mind to jump immediately on the day’s tasks, regardless of the urgency that they almost always presented. I would just stay quiet and let things float into my mind—and my “visitors” were things that needed answering perhaps in a few hours or maybe not for a few years. If I stayed quiet, ideas and solutions would float in. Or perhaps they were just visitors bringing emotional gifts to me. A colleague of mine spends time meditating each morning but, following Eastern religious training, says he deliberately pushes out things that are trying to float in, working to maintain a blank slate. Meditative but not reflective. I find Hopper’s process more nourishing and productive. Adopting this came years after using this process in my creative life as a musician–”learning” a new piece of music as much away from the instrument as during my actual practice time, just allowing structure, pace, shapes to occur to me.

2. Very often leaders are required to coordinate strong personalities; after all, most very successful people got that way by spending hours alone perfecting something. We are too quick to refer to leading these “lone rangers” as akin to herding cats. I suggested that people read Warren Bennis’s book “Organizing Genius” to be inspired how to step up to the important challenge of leadership in a more respectful, effective way. (Bennis is University Professor and Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Founding Chairman of The Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California.)

3. Habib Dagher did describe the circles he drew that invited the submission of imaginative, innovative ideas. What would be more helpful is to have him explain the process that he goes through to teach what he only briefly mentioned in his last sentence: explaining to people how to evaluate viability and outline action processes for those ideas that pass the viability test. This is what great teachers, students, leaders, managers, and individuals at all positions on the spectrum need most to do well.