Kate Downing Khaled | Founder & CEO
I don’t care how exciting your insights or data might be.
Even the most actionable or groundbreaking ideas can lose their charm when hidden in a 100+ page strategy report. The key to bringing those ideas to life is in cultivating a beginner’s mindset with your team.
Take our recent collaboration with a regional food access organization, for example. To help them envision their bold role in the food justice movement, we built miniature terrariums together. If you are scratching your head, stay with me.
Centering community interactions around playful, movement-, or art-based activities isn’t precious or cute. In fact, it’s a critical step in developing a seriously transformative strategy. As Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Play and experimentation are essential requirements for innovation.
A beginner’s mindset fosters an atmosphere of joy and inspiration, leading to the most remarkable innovations. Research shows that a playful environment can boost creativity by 20% and increase innovative thinking.
Whether it’s building terrariums, painting a group mural, or engaging in a movement session, the goal is to embrace — and harness — a beginner’s mindset. This fresh perspective is what unlocks those game-changing solutions to long-standing problems.
Maintaining curiosity and an open mind in a world that often prioritizes groupthink, routine, bureaucracy, profit, and professionalism is nearly impossible. This is where art and play come in. These experiences help create an environment where everyone feels like a beginner — and that’s where innovative ideas flourish.
When planning your next meeting or focus group, consider your community’s unique needs and limitations, and use them as a springboard for creativity. Choose art- or play-based activities that match, ensuring they serve as vehicles for sharing ideas and stories, not just add-ons.
By embracing a beginner’s mindset and incorporating engaging activities, you’ll attract the right people and spark more meaningful conversations and solutions.
Do you know someone who’s gearing up to gather community insights? Make sure they’ve downloaded our workbook, packed with step-by-step guidance for sparking equitable and empathetic moments of genius in your community. Share our new workbook right here!
