METHOD TO THE MADNESS

When I start setting up the room with my prompts, it shakes up the room’s expectation a bit. They see play-doh, colorful SPARK cards, sharpies, fidget toys, color construction paper, origami bird, and more.

This is clearly not going to be their usual meeting. Or as some said, the tables looked creative or chaotic. The messiness makes some people uncomfortable. They want direction. Clear directions on what to do next.

But I have a method to the madness. 

Every item I bring and place on the table is brought with intention and I am using each element to change the pace of the room and its energy. I am communicating with the participants, through my items, what they should think more about and less about as they go through the creative mindset activities.

I also know that no matter what the first reaction is, most people eventually get comfortable embracing this intentional messiness. They get used to it but also because they can understand how to use it as they experience it.

This reminds me of situations when we work with people who are created differently and have different interests in creativity. At times, when we do not understand how our colleagues work or think, we feel confused and uncomfortable. Why does he/she process things that way when he/she could have done this way, which I think is easier? Why not just follow the way it has always been done? We ask but do not seek to understand why. What if we took the time to embrace things as they are? What more can we learn from the new environment as a result of it?

You probably have your own method to your madness too.

How would we give space to embrace our brilliant chaos and appreciate others as well? We are all different and it is natural that we think and process things differently. How do we take the courage to appreciate that better?