Convos (Blog)
Applied creativity and inventive thinking for regular people in everyday life.
Podium Finish
If you’re like me, then it is easy to get carried away with your own to-do list. It’s tempting to stay focused on meeting your own targets and moving your own projects forward. But when you’re responsible for others, it can be helpful to look up from your own commitments and recognize the contributions of others.
Think in 5D
Recently, I’ve been reading a lot about Appreciative Inquiry. As the name suggests, AI is about two things: 1) appreciating what is already working well, and 2) asking good questions. I have come to appreciate (!) one simple tool at the heart o the process: The 5D Cycle.
Three Weekly Wins
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had more than my fair share of rough weeks recently. But even during our worst weeks, we have small accomplishments that make us proud. The trick is to slow down long enough to reflect on those wins and be grateful. I created the Weekly Wins worksheet to start building a habit of reflecting on things that went well.
Social Snowflake
As a hetero-normative, middle-class, white guy I too often forget that the systems in which we work and live have been built for people like me. These workshops have forced me to learn – and unlearn – a lot about the experiences of others.
Mark Your Miles
Goals should be SMART (i.e., Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound), right? Organizations love the SMART framework because it forces people to set goals that are measurable. But what if SMART goals aren’t actually that smart?
AAA Leaders
I created the AAA Leaders worksheet after reading about a class of architecture students who were struggling to find inspiration for their final design projects. I started thinking about the people who inspired my leadership journey.
Things That Ding
“What are you putting aside to be present this morning?” the facilitator asked. One of the participants said she was silencing the “things that ding” – and that phrase stuck with me through the morning.
Notebooks On Notebooks
I have notebooks on notebooks of thoughts and ideas. Usually, I’m inspired by something I’m reading so I write my thoughts down to get them out of my head. Many of those ideas find their way into blog posts. Occasionally, those thoughts turn into a course idea or an experimental learning experience.