A space to learn and think out loud.
Anything Can Be a Source
I picked up this book back in January, Ordinary Things Will Be Signs for Us, a collection of photographs and art by the pop art nun, Corita Kent. I was introduced to her work over the last few years via blogs and posts from Wendy MacNaughton and Austin Kleon, but until this year hadn’t dove in. Now I have and I’m enchanted.
Corita Kent, also known as Sister Mary Corita, was an artist with an innovative approach to design and education. By the 1960s, her vibrant serigraphs were drawing international acclaim. Corita’s work reflected her concerns about poverty, racism, and war, and her messages of peace and social justice continue to resonate with audiences today. - Corita.Org
"Anything can be a source, even a mistake. The sorcery or the thievery is the art of relating sources into a new solution." - Corita Kent
I love this quote because it’s really in the spirit of what it means to be an artist and a thinker. How to take disparate ideas and smash them together into something new. How to be cognizant of the magic in the world around you, notice it, and then action from what' you’ve collected. This theme is also thread throughout the book, Do Interesting: Notice. Collect. Share. by Russell Davies. I think her and Davies approach appeals to me because Input is a top strength of mine, I love learning and collecting. I also think “noticing” is a good way to practice mindfulness. If you have a hard time with meditating and figuring out how to embody “being in the moment” start with simply noticing what is around you. Make it a game.
“Noticing is good. Storing and remembering what you’ve noticed is great. It turns your noticing into research. You’ll remember more of what you’ve noticed. You’ll collide ideas together, which will multiply the value of everything. And you’ll learn something about yourself, your own passions and interests.” - Russell Davies, Do Interesting: Notice. Collect. Share.
“I think I am always collecting in a way— walking down the street with my eyes open, looking through a magazine, viewing a movie, visiting a museum or grocery store. Some of the things I collect are tangible and mount into piles of many layers, and when the time comes to use saved images, I dig like an archaeologist through my lists and all the piles that I have accumulated, and sometimes I find what I want and sometimes I don’t.” - Corita Kent, Learning by Heart, 1984
In addition to “reading” this book (I’m treating this book more like a museum and taking the time to absorb each piece vs. flipping through a book of photographs), I’m supplementing my self-directed “art history course” on her with some great videos on YouTube, and the Corita Art Center’s website.
“And I think living with people who were also socially conscious helped a lot. I’m sure if I had been a nice proper housewife, I would not have bumped into all these ideas. And of course once they get into you, you start noticing and expanding”. - Corita Kent
More to learn and explore…be amazed by the Pop Art Nun!
Scaffolding Can Help Get You From Here to There
Adam Grant recently published a new book, Hidden Potential, and it’s on my reading list this year. When I don’t have time to read a book just yet (or sadly ever), I will often turn to podcasts or interviews with the author to get the gist of the book. This was a delightful hour and 20 minute interview where Jennifer Garner chatted with Adam Grant. Originally, Rainn Wilson was scheduled to interview Grant, but due to illness Jennifer Garner stepped in with only a few hours of notice (and she hadn’t even read the book!). This unexpected pairing resulted in a delightful hour and I hope to see these two collaborate again in the future.
I write all my notes and transform them into visuals to help me retain information.
Two ideas really stuck out at me during this talk:
1) Take a second look at people when you doubt their potential. Get curious. Sometimes a person’s initial work didn’t meet your expectations, but that doesn’t mean they lack significant talent and potential.
2) The concept of “scaffolding” as a tool for growth. The idea that you don’t need a permanent mentor, but perhaps just a basic structure to guide us in a new direction, such as a prompt or candid feedback. Grant talks about how he wrote a book that his publisher didn’t like, and his publisher advised “Write like you teach, not like you write research papers.” It was that prompt that transformed his approach to writing going forward. If we’re open, we may find the moments in our lives where the scaffolding is present and can help guide us in a new direction.
Solving Problems is a Creative Act
Loose notes from a conversation with Rich Roll and Pixar’s Ed Catmull, “Do your Best Work: Lessons from Pixar on Creativity, Leadership, & Why Story Is King”. I found a lot of the conversation was about asking the questions. So most of my notes are the questions themselves. Questions that we should all take time to think through.
Podcast episode here. Video below.
On leadership:
Leaders should have self-awareness to understand their own power and influence in the room, and shut up or not talk for the first half of the meeting (or not attend at all). Allow the team to brainstorm and make decisions on their own.
When great companies reach a certain scale, suddenly they are no longer great (when it comes to leadership and management). Why?
You commit to doing something with passion and when you’re wrong you change - note / quote from Steve Jobs.
“If you don’t try to uncover what is unseen and understand it’s nature, you will be ill-prepared to lead.”
Teams see things you don’t see. You don’t know everything. That’s why asking questions is so important. And leading with curiosity and humility.
If you lose the confidence of your crew, something has to change (you have to go) or the project has to go.
On creating good environments and enabling the best out of people:
How do we get the most creative work out of this group of people and what is the environment we need to facilitate?
“The Brain Trust”
Implemented group rules such as Honesty, which is a learned behavior (new people may be reserved and the environment has to allow for honesty). No egos.
Creating an environment that is conducive to “the sparks” — that’s the job!
How do you get the best out of people? How do you motivate?
Pixar doesn’t use the world “failure” often. It’s a loaded word. There should be a neutral word for this that doesn’t have fear and shame behind it. Words have subtle effects on people. Such as candor instead of honesty.
How do you keep people from being stuck?
At Pixar, they had people pitch 3 ideas. Also helps them bounce back and forth between ideas.
What is our responsibility for enabling a good and creative environment? How do you make it safe? How do we send that message to people? How do you give signals and show/live the value?
It’s more important for people to feel listened to than believe they were correct.
Grateful when people can come to you about their mistakes. That’s a good indicator you are doing something right and creating the right and safe environment.
Assume everyone is well meaning (“Assume best intent”).
Build on value of trust in people.
After the initial success of Pixar, Ed realized groups are fragile. How do you keep driving success? How does the group work? And realizing it’s not something he can do by himself (team over me, scenius vs. genius)
How do you martial the resources we have?
On creativity and problem solving:
When you see there is a problem, ask WHY.
Creativity isn’t just limited to the “creative” fields. Solving problems and creating an organization that is better for people is a creative act.
The principles of treating people well, learning and growing from them are unified across business and life. It’s also always changing and hard sometimes.
How can you hold your ideals loosely? How can you be a champion to your colleagues? How can you be a better and more active listener? How can you ask better questions to get to better solutions? How does one figure out how to ask better questions? (Pay attention; ask ehy it’s not working; don’t start with an answer).
The problems keep changing. Adapt, change, keep asking questions.
On the intersection of mindfulness and leadership:
A mindful approach and conscious way to lead: “The desire to elevate the collective consciousness of the organization” - Rich.
Everyone should have their version of a “Brain Trust” in their life. Trusted feedback and structure aroiund that is a vehicle for improving your life. A continual searching process.
Most people want to do good in the world. That’s a source of energy. How do you harness the energy of your own people to do something good? Where you both feel good about the outcome? What kind of impact are we gonna make on the world? That’s always the question and the drive.