Inspired by Chengdu: Journey (Post 2 of 4)

This is the second post in the series "Inspired by Chengdu: Adopting the Leadership Personality of a Design Thinker."  

I live in the American southwest, in the majestic red rocks near Zion National Park. It is a landscape that inspires and reminds me daily what can be accomplished when diverse forces come together in a common goal.

The growth taking place in our world today is exciting and challenging. My last visit to southern China was just months before the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake. My family, and so many others around the world, shared deep empathy and love for the people of China during that time - much as the world did with us after September 11. Their resilience and persistence in re-envisioning and rebuilding is inspirational.

In the spirit of inspirational paths, we are going to embark on a short journey together. On this journey, we shall explore the leadership personality of design thinkers, consider how we can each develop our own authentic voice, and begin to see why this approach is timely and practical for today’s world of explosive growth and complex challenges.  

Every journey begins with a first step. Let’s begin. 

Please close your eyes. In your mind, picture the world as you would like it to be. Land. Food. Air. Water. Is it a peaceful place? Are people happy?    

From that elevated viewpoint, zoom in to observe the city or town in which you live.  How does it look?  What are the things that strike you as important or missing?  

Now, zoom in still further to view your neighborhood. Picture where you live. How you live. How do you feel about it?  Does what you see and feel make you smile?  

Now consider your neighbors. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment.  How would they answer these questions?  

[pause]

OK. Please open your eyes.

Welcome back.  

Now that you have visited the world as you would like it to be, and considered how others feel about it, let’s consider the following questions:  

1) How does what you pictured in your mind compare to what you know to be true in the world today? In your city? In your neighborhood?  

2) How did you feel about that world when you put yourself in your neighbor’s shoes?  Did new perspectives emerge about the ways in which your neighbor sees this world?

This simple exercise is a powerful tool anyone can use to begin solving difficult problems. What makes it so powerful?  The answer is simple: empathy.  

Empathy is the intellectual identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.”  Empathy is foundational to effective leadership, for without empathy, a leader is incapable of understanding the perspectives of others, including those he or she desires to lead.  Empathy is also the foundational element in design thinking: the way trained designers approach problems and develop creative solutions.  

Empathy, then, is the the connection point between practicing effective leadership and developing creative, solution-driven strategies.  As we gathered in Chengdu last week to discuss healthy urban growth, I asked the audience to consider their personal relationship with empathy.  In follow up, I offer you an opportunity to begin to explore how you might adopt the leadership traits of design thinking to meet complex challenges.

We'll continue our journey in the next post in our series "Inspired by Chengdu."  See you soon!

Inspired by Chengdu: Introduction (Post 1 of 4)

Last week I had the opportunity to speak in Chengdu, China, at the 2012 China International Friendship Cities conference. It was an exciting opportunity, and simply being in China for those few days, listening to speakers from around the world promote their perspectives and successes, was an inspiring cultural and business education.  

My talk was brief (organizers limited us to six minutes each, complete with gong when your time was up...a misplaced motivational choice from my perspective but effective none-the-less), and a little different from the others : I urged the audience to remember to keep empathy at the forefront in our urbanization and development decisions - always keeping in mind that a city's stakeholders are its inhabitants, and prioritizing other goals over the fundamental needs and desires of its citizens will lead to far more lost than gained in the long run. 

I kept it well under the six minute mark: no gongs for me.

What I really wanted to speak about, however, had there been time to fully develop the idea for the audience that day, is that empathy - the basis of both design thinking and effective leadership - ties together these two individually effective practices to create an extremely powerful tool for discovering and implementing novel solutions to difficult challenges.  

Over the next several days and posts, I invite you to come along and explore some of what developed as I prepared for, spent time in, and finally returned home from Chengdu. 

Tune in tomorrow for the first installment of Inspired by Chengdu: Adopting the Leadership Personality of a Design Thinker.  

In the meantime, happy leading!

The Innovation Society will Never be the Same!

I know first hand the success possible when groups embrace the creative collaboration of design thinking (a.k.a. human-centered design), after all, I've practiced it personally for more than 15 years and have witnessed it work again and again in organizations large and small. So naturally, I was delighted to read about the U.S. Government's new approach to tackling hairy problems. Seems the Office of Personnel Management has leapfrogged other agencies to join the innovation society and...wait for it...lead change by embracing the unlimited possibilities of design thinking. 

Kudos to OPM! 

It takes guts, humility, and a driving desire to find a better way in order to embrace the creative, highly iterative and seemingly chaotic 'science of problem solving,' but for those among us willing to take the chance and commit to the process, we are never disappointed.  

So read on, and let the OPM's leap inspire you.  Then, when you, too, are ready to put the raw power of human-centered design to work, just remember: I'm just a click away.

OPM's innovation lab spurs new way of problem-solving

The sub-basement of the Office of Personnel Management's headquarters resembles more a of tech start-up than a federal office building. The innovation lab, as OPM calls it, provides a brightly-lit, open room for employees to meet and tackle the "stickiest" of the agency's problems.

Beyond the new coat of paint and crisp white furniture, OPM is embracing innovation as a new methodology — the science of problem-solving. The approach is called human-centered design, and it focuses on keeping the end user in mind throughout the problem-solving process. Originally applied to product development, the human-centered design can also apply to services — like the ones federal agencies provide.

The hope is the new space and new approach to problem-solving will actually lead to a new culture — one of innovation in government.

"That's not an oxymoron," said Matt Collier, senior advisor to the OPM director and the head of creating the innovation lab.  (Read more...)

Q3 International, LLC: WOOP!

OK, Inspiring Girls and Guys, here we go!

Q3 International is official!  Check out our website at www.q3international.com, share it with your friends, colleagues, and anyone else you think might benefit from knowing that we are open for business. And don't forget to download our brochure (located on the About Us page).  

We know from experience that word of mouth and referrals from those we respect is the most powerful marketing tool, and I believe deeply in your personal power to help us share our message and build our business. Here's a heartfelt thank you for everything you have already done, and appreciation in advance for what each of you will do to support our efforts going forward.

News to Date

Our soft launch in July brought us an inspiring new client and my work line-up for September includes speaking at the Cities of Culture in Nature seminar and China International Friendship Cities conference in Chengdu, China.  

Exciting...check.  A little intimidating...yes.  An adventure to savor...absolutely! 

How IGE Fits In  

I'm going to keep this blog as my forum for personal and professional thoughts and inspiration. That is how it was originally intended, and while I admit that in the past I've used it far more to share personal perspectives than professional insights, for me it's all interconnected and it would feel insincere to create a new blog for professional thoughts only. In addition, our amazing group of Inspiring Girls (and Guys) continues to grow - thank you! - so I feel like we're onto something here. No reason to mess up a good thing, huh? Let's keep the momentum going! (You can do this simply by encouraging your friends and colleagues to follow IGE!)  

IGE Blog will no doubt evolve and the path it will forge remains to be seen, but for now it just feels right to keep it intact and really boost activity. So I'm going with it.   

On a Personal Note

For us to officially be embarking on this journey - one where my professional passions, experience, and expertise are melted together into an entrepreneurial endeavor, feels so right. Q3 International reaches across the world and provides a tangible way to include my family in my goals for giving back in a meaningful way. It feels, dare I say...intensely satisfying!  

It's true that remembering to enjoy every moment while still looking ahead with enthusiastic anticipation is challenging, but staying true to myself means embracing it all with a smile in my heart. It's simply the only way I know to forge ahead. And I'm up for it!

So, as my summer of thinking, and creating, and building, transitions to an autumn of hard work, adventure, and promise, it brings me sincere pleasure to share our exciting news with you and ask for your ongoing support and help in spreading it. 

Thank you for being a part of our adventure!

Kindergarten

Luji started Kindergarten yesterday. The Big K.  

Over the years, I've listened with awe as my friends and colleagues talked about the intense feelings they experienced on their kids first day of kindergarten. In fact, I remember distinctly the deep emotion expressed by one of my childhood friends on her son's first day of school. Yes, I have always listened and hugged and empathized, taking comfort in knowing that I would not react that way when it was time for my kid to go to school. Not me.

Ahem. 

Turns out I didn't even make it to the first day of school. I was a wreck the day before school started. I of course had no idea why I was so off balance all that day. No idea why nothing felt quite settled - except time with Luji which somehow always  seems to bring me back towards center. It wasn't until yesterday morning rolled around that I felt myself let go. Relax. Breathe. 

And then yesterday came and went. Happily. Without a hitch. I didn't even cry. Luji certainly didn't cry, and of course her daddy just beamed with pride. We all smiled. Big. We were too happy and excited for the start of this new chapter to cry. Too happy. Just like that day in China, four and a half years ago, when Luji's nannies placed a perfect 9 month old bright-eyed child in our arms.  We didn't cry then either (which is saying a lot for me!).

Ahhhh.

Thank goodness I got it all out of my system early! It left me free to enjoy the moment and relish the joy of my little uniformed daughter holding my hand and bouncing down the hall to her classroom. That bouncy little body is home to a wise-souled little girl who has an uncanny ability to take everything in stride with her innate, unabated enthusiasm and exuberance.  

The first day of kindergarten turned a page in our lives, just as it has for millions of families through the years. And I think I finally understand how it feels to experience that intense emotion, watching my child take steps into the unknown of school life, smiling as she walks in, takes her seat, and trusts the universe to take care of the rest. I'm proud to be a part of that trust, and nothing means more to me than being a part of her universe.

I understand that it's not about losing that little kid you love or pining for the sweetness of those toddler moments that will never return. For me, it was (and is) about embracing the moment, sharing hugs and smiles, and celebrating the awesome power of one child's hold on my heart. 

We were all smiles yesterday. And I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Luji's Poem: The Sky is Blue

The Sky is Blue

The sky is blue in the day time.

The sun is up in the day time.

The moon is up in the night time.

And when it’s evening it’s kind of bright.

But not as bright as the moon is night.  

Forever. 

And the sunset and sunrise is perfect.

The sun is bright in the day time.

And always.

The sun is the specialist thing in the world.

And forever the sun and the moon will be there.

And that’s all. That’s my poem.

by Luji, Age 5.  July 24, 2012

Coming Around

Some find it funny, some interesting, and some downright confusing that I have been fortunate enough to meet and work with some pretty influential figures around the world in today's business and political environments - and yet I am a huge country music fan.  Yep.  Country music.

I grew up in Utah, and country music was always on in our house.   Johnny Cash. Loretta Lynn. Hank Jr. Tammy Wynette. Those are just a few of the voices from my childhood that echo through my mind on long drives across the desert southwest, or sing me to sleep on flights to Europe and beyond. My husband still revels when those old songs come on the radio and I sing every word.  Even though I haven’t heard them for years! 

Looking back, I realize that taking a break from country music (a long break that started in my teens) was a good thing.  Of course, I never totally said goodbye...Reba and Garth, Tim and Kenny, Martina and Tricia were always there in the background, drawing me in to pause the radio dial for just a few minutes every now and again, even when alternative had my heart and pop and hip hop deserved exploration.  

Now, in my (ahem) very early forties, I have found myself over the last few years coming back around to Country.  And loving it.  Maybe it's because I relate to so many of the songs, maybe it's because I can feel good about my five year old listening (and watching videos - and singing almost every word if it's Taylor Swift, The Band Perry or Kenny Chesney, and lately, Pontoon!).  The songs just make me feel good. They are about things I care about. That matters to me.

For the last few months, one song has spoken to me every time I hear it. And I'm finally getting around to sharing how it makes me feel when I hear it: confident, proud, happy, and in good company.  'Comin Around by Josh Thompson is a typical country song...and the chorus hits home every time. If you know me at all you'll know the significance of these words in my life right now, and in my journey overall.  I hope they inspire you to appreciate your journey as well!   

From ‘Comin Around by Josh Thompson:

I'm comin' around, I'm figurin' out

A lot of things I thought I knew

I never deamed I'd be seein' things

From this point of view 

Still a little ways from slowin' it all the way down

But I'm comin' around