Rediscovering Inspiration: My Journey Back to Creative Thinking

Over the past few years, I've actively explored diverse learning and reflection methods to hone my understanding of leadership and team dynamics. I've blogged about my experiences, interviewed fascinating individuals on my podcast, and read countless books. Yet, I paused this routine in July 2022 to focus on a demanding volunteer leadership role. Now, as this chapter ends, I'm reigniting my creative flame, searching for fresh inspiration.

I am not the same person I was 12 months ago. The past year has been filled with new leadership experiences and interests. Coupled with the rapid advancements in generative AI, I've found myself reflecting on how these changes could influence my creative process. As an optimist and an eager experimenter, I embarked on a new experiment this morning, which I'm excited to share.

During my routine dog walk, instead of my guilty pleasure episode of Smartless, I stumbled upon the latest episode of Adam Grant’s Re: Thinking. This episode featured Pixar’s Ed Catmull and Pete Docter, whose book "Creativity Inc." I referenced in an article years ago. It was a serendipitous encounter, reminding me of my work as a leadership coach and facilitator in fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and candidness.

A major takeaway from the podcast was the significance of fostering a culture that encourages disagreement and criticism. Reflecting on this, I pondered the diverse responses I've witnessed when individuals are confronted with opposing ideas. Some become defensive, some withdraw, while others lean in, eager to understand alternative perspectives. My role often involves helping teams create an environment that promotes debate and empathy.

My favourite quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,” underscores the power of shifting perspectives. Can disagreement be seen as a form of assistance leading to better outcomes? How one answers reveals their perspective.

Recently, my volunteer and professional work has shed light on the transformative power of the arts in leadership and relationships. This morning, I wondered how the arts could be used to explore differing perspectives on disagreement.

Being a fan of powerful song lyrics, I decided to try something new—I wrote a poem. While I feel vulnerable sharing this, I hope you can appreciate its authenticity and the experiences it encapsulates:

If you don’t agree with me, you must be against me.

If you are against me, you don’t support me.

If you don’t support me, I am alone in this.

If you don’t agree with me and you tell me why, you must care about me.

If you care about me, you will understand that it’s hard to hear your disagreement.

If you understand me, I will try and understand you and neither of us is alone.

Subsequently, I experimented with GPT-4, which reimagined my poem in the style of Kahlil Gibran.

If you stand not with my ideas, perhaps you stand against them.

In standing against them, your support for me seems a fading star.

Without your star, I find myself solitary amidst this vast cosmos.

But if you share not my notions yet speak your reasons, it signifies your deep concern for me.

In your concern, a comprehension of the strain in my heart when our ideas diverge.

If you grasp my strain, I too shall strive to understand your pain, and in our mutual understanding, we are united, never alone.

I'm not certain what's next with this experiment, but the rewritten poem left me inspired and eager to share my journey with you.

I'm curious if this sparks any ideas for you. How might you explore and express your ideas? I would love to hear from you.