Creativity at Work Newsletter, December 2007
Dec 21st, 2007 by Linda Naiman
In this Issue:
Upcoming public workshops
Creativity at Work across the Commonwealth:
Vancouver, Victoria, Singapore, and Sidney
Rituals and Celebrations:
Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in
~ Leonard Cohen ‘Strange Music’
I used to think rituals and ceremonies (especially religious ones) were a colossal bore, until one day I was participating in a Hindu fire ceremony and my own inner flame was ignited. I was suddenly transported to another plane and I realized that full participation in a spiritual ritual opens the door to the Mystery of who we really are as a soul and Human Spirit. Ever since, I’ve participated in the ceremonies of different religions and cultures. I believe we are starved (in North America) for the soul food a good ritual or celebration gives us.
Psychologist Mary Pipher author of ‘The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families’ asserts that
“Without celebrations, time runs together and the significance of events is overlooked. Most families celebrate birthdays, but they often miss the opportunity to create meaning. Much more can be done on a birthday than simply having cake and presents. Poems and speeches can be delivered, photos taken, flowers and trees planted in honor of the day.We have celebrations for birth, death, and marriage, but not for many rites of passage in between. We need celebrations for retirement, a new job, a first driver’s license, and for the day a child leaves for college. Families can invent their own celebrations and special holidays.”
William Bridges in ‘Managing Transitions’ also talks about rituals, and their importance in the workplace to help people cope with endings before they can really embrace new changes. I’ve noticed that if I don’t take time to mark an occasion, or a completion with celebration and a pause to reflect, I feel out of sync with time. Anxiety replaces my sense of being in the flow.
Here is a simple ritual you can share with family or friends:
Appreciations
For Friends, Family or Co-workers
Provide enough cards for everyone present. You can use store-bought cards but it’s much more creative to make them yourselves. For emotional impact, read aloud All the Good Things before you begin your cards.
1. Each person writes their name on the inside of the card.
2. Pass these cards around the table and ask everyone to write down what they appreciate about each person.
3. When the cards are filled, everyone is given back their own card and they can read what others appreciate about them.
Do you suffer from boredom at social events?
Why not ask evocative questions and spark engaging conversations? Begin with yourself and ask what would make the season more meaningful and fulfilling for you? What do you really, really, really want? (A question that changed the life of Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love.)
Questions for reflection and conversation might be
What are you most grateful for this year?
What are your hopes for the coming year?
What was your biggest challenge/adventure/learning in the past year?
One of the greatest gifts we can give each other is to really listen.
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2008 Upcoming Events:
Creativity at Work across the Commonwealth
Influencing For Impact
UBC Vancouver BC
January 18, 2007
This highly interactive workshop provides an overview of developing influence, power and impact (drawn from research and executive coaching frameworks) to help you have more impact as a leader.
Whole-Brain Thinking
January 31, & February 1, 2008
Royal Roads University, Victoria BC
Organizations led by creative leaders have a higher success rate when it comes to innovation. Explore the strategic dimensions of Whole Brain Thinking and learn practical tools and techniques that integrate right-brain imagination, artistry and intuition with left-brain logic, analysis, and planning. Details.
ACA Conference
Singapore
Feb 25-29, 2008
I will be presenting at the American Creativity Assoc Conference. The theme of the conference is Creativity Across Cultures, and will focus on all aspects of creativity as it intersects with “culture.” The goal of the conference is to share usable insights into creativity and the understanding that comes from real-world encounters, including the valuable lessons learned from success and from failure.
Throughout the conference, cultural factors and considerations will be taken into account, thus highlighting the fundamental connection between culture and reality and culture and creativity.
My talk will be about artful leadership. Click here for details.
International Thought Leaders Forum:
How We Converse Creatively at Work
Sidney and Auckland, March 2008 (exact dates TBA)
I’ll be hosting this forum with Ralph Kerle, CEO, The Creative Leadership Forum, Australia
Participants will be invited from wide range of disciplines and organizations. This is not an academic conference, rather a peer to peer practice led information exchange. Ideal for innovation leaders within organizations., consultants and creative practitioners.
If you are interested in me presenting to your group while I am in Singapore or Australia please let me know.
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Last Minute Gift Giving
Gifts that give more from the Greater Good Network, and Green Peace
Fine Art Prints by Linda Naiman
Amazon Gift Cards
Available from $5 and never expires.
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Thank you for reading my newsletter and for the feedback you send me. Thanks also to all of you who have bought Orchestrating Collaboration at Work. If you enjoy the Creativity at Work Newsletter, please forward it to friends and colleagues. Recent issues are on my blog
Wishing you all the very best this holiday season!
Linda Naiman
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Linda Naiman is recognised internationally for pioneering arts-based learning and development applied to creativity, innovation, collaborative leadership and teamwork. She is available for coaching, corporate retreats, workshops, or to speak at your conference. Click here for details
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© Copyright 2007, Linda Naiman & Assoc. Inc. All rights reserved.
