Tips for Leveraging Your Thinking

Leverage Your “Intersection”

Question of the Week: In the world of creativity and innovation, I struggle with breaking through my black and white analysis. Even though I’ve attended seminars, and have read books about steps to creativity, all of these methods seem to be illogical for me. I’ve recently been promoted to Head Supervisor, and am dreading the discussions about innovation at management meetings. How do I move from that analytical, no nonsense frame of mind into understanding how creativity actually works for people like me?

Let me introduce you to the word “Intersection”.

The Intersection is the connection point for ideas which could either clash or combine. When stepping into the Intersection, you will begin to overcome logic-related challenges and appreciate your creative ideas. By generating and not judging your thoughts, you will produce a constant mix of surprising insights.

Rather than keeping your systematic thoughts in separate “files”, merge them.

How to Merge Your Brain

When left-brain (your strength) thinkers look for solutions, they are more likely (than right brain thinkers) to immediately discard concepts which don’t fit into the category for solving the problem.

1. The technique I recommend is to identify the judgment immediately by writing it. Listen to your own thinking!

2. Then substitute the judgment by using a replacement process. Move your items from the judgment category into the generating category by using a developmental tool, called the metaphor.

3. A metaphor, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, helps your brain to amalgamate dissimilar information. Metaphors connect old information to new information, and bring you easily to the Intersection.


How do you create a metaphor?

One way, is to listen carefully to conversations. Pick out proverbs and clichés, which more than likely will contain a metaphor.

“A chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link.” “If the only tool you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail.”

In each case, you can actually picture the elements of these ideas. In fact, I’d encourage you to draw the phrase. Yes, draw. Doodle. Diagram. Stick figures, weird lines, crooked objects – the artistic quality is irrelevant. Your objective is to kick-start your right brain function, not compete with Van Gogh. By doing this, you will find the “intersection” visually and intellectually.

What do you do at your next management meeting?

First, listen. List. Draw, doodle, diagram the metaphors. Find the potential Intersections. Mix and match, without looking for the “right” idea.

Metaphors are everywhere, once you are aware of their importance. Metaphors pull you to the Intersection, the crossroads of emerging ideas. The more remote your ideas, the less they seem to have in common, the higher the potential of a great solution!

Many of the world’s largest and most successful strategies have come about because someone found the Intersection. Steve Jobs – Apple! – is an obvious example.

Let me share another version with you, even though including this story creates a longer column than usual. You're investing about 7 minutes this week!

This “Creative Confessions” article was written because of the awkward positioning of two unrelated words in a metaphor: “Trailer Hitch” and “Hearse”.

Finding the Intersection is natural for some of us. If your analytical left brain is stuck, here's the process for you:

While you’re reading, pick out the Intersections! Draw, doodle or diagram “to your heart’s content”.

Do not worry about your artistic abilities - don't judge yourself, generate!

If you’d like to know more about moving from your analytical base to a conceptual style, just ask!


Creative Confessions
“What’s That About a Trailer Hitch, Dear?”
By Maggie Chicoine

You don’t really need to know why we’ve been “living” at the hospital more than at home lately. We were in Emerg, off and on, for months on end with a variety of young and old in the family. We now own 2 spaces in the hospital parking lot! You can guess how often we commented about how bored we were, especially trying to lounge in those stiff awkward seats in the waiting room. We did our best to tough it out, because being there was the most important duty of the day.

Being a people watcher, I counted the numbers of screaming babies cuddled by harried fathers, hobbling geezers, teens in labour and just plain sick folks. I’d switch spots, walk the loop, stop to talk to the “porter” at the elevators, gawk some more and wonder what had happened to turn these people into “patients”.

Ignoring mom’s warnings about picking up germ-infested magazines in clinic sitting rooms, I chose the least tattered ones first. Mag-scanning suited my curiosity about urban sociology; for example, the advantages of wearing grey nail polish (“A colour signaling stability in tough economic times”, “the sign of a true risk taker”). I discovered innovative diet techniques, including calorie savings by simply kissing my sweet husband while he devours his chocolate dessert. French necking might inspire a smaller dress size! Tired and bored, a few striking headlines did continue to catch my attention. In a thick journal featuring the letter O, an oversized quotation blared, “Have you ever seen a hearse that needs a trailer hitch?”

“Hey, dear, listen to this!” I reached over to tug at sweetie’s sleeve. He didn’t budge. Eyes closed, world shut out. Not listening.

Reading out loud was normal for me. I loved my family’s tradition of reading out loud while I was growing up. We enjoyed the nuances of my grandmother’s voice. She always picked the perfect paragraphs to share with us. There was no question: when she started reading, we dropped what we were doing and listened.

I tried again, couldn’t wait. “I’m reading this cool article; listen to this!! “Have you ever seen a hearse that needs a trailer hitch?” Is that a perverse headline? Sweetie…are you awake?”

No answer. An hour later, when it was my turn to just rest my eyes, he replied, “What was that about a trailer hitch? I was just thinking we should get one, and buy that trailer. It would be handy, don’t you think?”.

Who says men don’t listen! I let it go.

As often happens, that phrase just kept buzzing around my head. I liked the metaphor: “trailer hitches on hearses”. Trailers – big or small, heavy duty or the garden variety – haul “stuff”. Either the contents are useful as they enter our lives, or debris as they exit, carrying building materials heaped neatly for new homes or broken furniture and household waste piled haphazardly. What’s more, the loads are symbols for investments we have made of our time, energy, money and other people’s expertise. We need the help of an external appendage, the trailer, to move them.

I’d like to think that the hearse moves the best of the best. All that is precious, lovely, and battle weary from existence. Simply, worthy of remembrance.

Everything attached to the trailer hitch of life would be irrelevant when the hearse pulls up. The time, the sweat, the cash, the debts, the accumulation of precious things, all loaded onto a platform to be moved and rearranged; carried in or carried out.


How Hitchless Are You?

Pardon me, but My Coach Mode has this habit of kicking in. I recommend three questions to help you clarify your “hitch quotient”. Write these on a slip of paper to keep in your wallet for a time when you’re musing about life. If you share my bizarre sense of humour, please jot down or doodle the trailer hitch image, as a reminder.

Question 1: “What’s Important?”
Question 2: “What’s Really Important?”
Question 3: “What’s Most Important?”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful not to worry about that hitch? To know what is important despite the commercialization of our lives?

Perhaps today, I’ll forget about finding that gray nail polish. I will start kissing the frosting off my sweetie’s lips more often. I’ll report back on the new dress size, next issue!


"When Maggie promises a twist of ingenuity, she's not kidding!"
Maggie Chicoine is an expert at sparking deep thinking and asking for a commitment to act on the possibilities, whether she is writing or speaking at conventions. People say that she's “provocative, well-researched, funny and the easiest speaker to work with on the circuit!”. Contact Maggie at 1 800 587 1767 or read her MAG-Oh!-Zine at www.theideascuptor.com

D Day

3 Design Secrets

If you’re into writing lists, or thinking things through in your head, it’s time to try a new strategy! The “D” words in the Ideas DU Jour list, all point to using a Different Design method… one that’s scared you since childhood, if you’re part of the mainstream. It’s called DRAWING. Feared by many, used by few as a problem solving technique. Get over it! Your teacher gave you that D grade how many years ago?

Drawing is part of design....think systematically like an architect. What's connected to what? What are the functions? Where are the aesthetics? Solutions are systems...let your mind work it through.

Secret 1: Buy a cheap LARGE scrapbook or use flip chart paper. Start doodling about the ideas you are trying to develop. Create a DESIGN for the DILEMMA by using a metaphor. If this situation were a moving thing, what would it be? For example, would “it” be an island surrounded by water? Draw it… don’t worry about being the artist…just doodle away and enjoy. Music helps! What is on your island? Any bugs in the sand? Look up…is it night or day? Windy or calm? Hot or cold? Who’s on shore, in a boat, who is approaching? Who is not around? What do you want on this island? Get the idea?

Secret 2: While you’re at it, Discover a new use, dig just a little deeper. Doze off, or walk away from the project for a while. If you decide to nap, pay attention to what’s happening in your mind on the way into sleep, and also when you’re re-entering the awake zone. Your mind is in Delta, moving into Theta, the perfect spot for creativity to emerge. You just might find some answers in that sleepy state!

Secret 3: Read the archives, and take a good look at the Ideas du Jour A, B and C. I’m the Coach on Call…all you have to do to get some help is email me! maggiechicoine@gmail.com There's no charge for your first visit!

PS Have fun!

Maggie

Join us for Leverage Tuesdays

More about 7 Ways to Slap Your Forehead

See the list on your right!

The Ohhhhh!!!!!! Moment can be elusive; when you need a trigger to get your innovation going again, this is the place to be!

This first set of 7 ways to leverage your ideas… aka slap your head!… all start with the letter A. What’s with that? I’ve categorized this blog alphabetically and numerically as well as using the calendar week, starting with a Tuesday. Analyzers and organizers with strong left-brain tendencies will appreciate the logic, won’t you? The blog postings will be rambling notes and stories, specifically for the emotional touches and the abstract why the heck not right brainers. Ask me about the HBDI if you’d like to learn more about all of this.

Let’s take a look at these 7 points on this 1st list.

Speaking out is a common stuck point... One of yours?
When I teach communication skills, such as how to design presentations, how to get your point across at a meeting, how to negotiate with your boss or your mother, I encourage you to use a mind map. The central focus point of the map houses your key concept. State this concept in 7 words or less, and don’t just stick with the first phrase that comes to mind. You have to work at fine-tuning the concept, because all of the remainder of your content springs from these few key words. This method is called, “Say It In 7™”. Think about cartoon strips: a few words say it all!

“Say It In 7™” needs a strong metaphor attached to it. Use a powerful verb that implies action. The phrase is more than an advertising slogan or a headline. It’s the core of your message.

Try at least 10 different versions! When I birthed the “Say It In 7™” technique, I started with the idea of
§ “just use a few words to say it”
§ “start with a key idea”
§ “stay with a key word”
§ “central message key to central map”
§ “seven words are the max”
§ “In focus with 7 words or less”
§ “Start with a key concept”
§ “Just say it”
§ “Say It In 7™”

Analyze and recombine a variety of elements. Reading over my list above, you’ll notice that all of the versions contributed to the final product. I find it helpful to write ideas on stickies, re-cluster to analyze. Can you make the phrase even shorter and snappier? Abbreviate it. Switch the words around. Make it into a question. Change the verb... there's power in strong actions. And ask a bunch of others for their comments, such as kids and older people. Intergenerational input points out the best features, and suggests options for your weaker ingredients. Listen for the negatives...there are clues about what you haven't totally considered yet!

You might have the best idea on the planet, but it’s all in the timing! Chew over the potential impact of launching your product, confronting your manager or presenting a new recipe to your family on the wrong day or at a strange hour of the day. Think about the BEST timing, for you and for anyone else involved in your venture. Just because you’re so excited and can’t hold back, doesn’t mean they will be!

Which brings us to Ahhhhhhh time! Let the concept rest for a time. Like roast beef fresh from the oven, it’s important to let the juices sit where they belong, just for a while. Slicing too quickly makes your dinner, and your concept – tough and dry. The flash of creative thinking is only the beginning of the process. Don’t rush…hush….

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Oooooh!ly yours,
Maggie

TGIT!

We declare...official LEVERAGE Day is....TUESDAY! Best day of the week for meetings? New projects? Quiet dinners with family? Least expensive date night? TUESDAY! Research shows... so keep tuning in for the finale of a week's worth of ideas du jour, every Tuesday.
- Maggie
PS: Go to the post on LEVERAGE below!