Are you afraid?

For most of us our perceptions frame our reality. We then seek out those who agree with our reality so we can reassure ourselves.

Too few of us take the time to consider opposing views. Adopt some of them -- hardly. We find that problematic, even dangerous. Wait though, before we travel that road laced with fear, what if we simply read some views that were contrary to our own? Consider simply means to think carefully about. What if we gave careful thought to an opposing view?

Could a workweek be condensed to 4 hours? Could marketing be based on permission instead of interruptions? Could we be measuring creativity and intelligence the wrong way?

The challenge is to find a book or video that provides a viewpoint opposite to our own and then read or watch it without condemning it. Simply consider it.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Common Core or Changing Education Paradigms?

houston@figment-consulting.com

Think outside the box.

Think outside the box has come to symbolize the point in the conversation when people are going to think creatively. As if prior to that point everyone has been thinking inside the box.

Who brought the box to the meeting? Whose box is it? Do we each have our own box? Is my box different than yours?

What if we threw the box away? What if we never had the box in the first place?

Let's quit placing parameters on ourselves and embrace the concept that if you can think, then you can think creatively.

Open your mind to the possibilities and understand that you don't have to come up with a great idea, just come up with any idea. Ideas tend to breed other ideas. Once they start growing then you have the potential to develop one, or two, or three, that can be great.

Don't look for a "Eureka!" moment. Be on the lookout for the "Wow, that's interesting." moment.

As for the box, let it serve as a container of supplies, not ideas.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Changing education paradigms

If you have not seen this TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson, I would encourage you to watch it. If you have seen it already, it bears watching again. The RSA Animate gives it a unique perspective.

houston@figment-consulting.com