Possibilities Infinite

Denise R. Jacobs STC Summit | Columbus, OH 24 June 2015

@denisejacobs

@STC_Summit #stc15 #infinitepossible

Get the slides here: Creativedo.se/stcsummit-ip

Here we are!

One of the best groups of folks

Best shoes!

Best compliments!

Photo by Derek Kearney

From dev & tech writer à Creativity Evangelist

à Founder + Chief Creativity Evangelist http://TheCreativeDose.com/

1,1,2,3… https://www.flickr.com/photos/bdunnette/143567420

It’s the new Black http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

IBM CEO Study, 2010

https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/31670.wss

Time Magazine Creativity Poll, 2013

http://business.time.com/2013/04/26/the-time-creativity-poll/

Survey of 684 Developers https://www.flickr.com/photos/ter-burg/8812567121

http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3135103537/

We have it. Then (somehow) we lose it.

This is Water. https://www.flickr.com/photos/seotaro/2101165162

“In the beginning, there was the word…” – The Bible, Genesis 1:1

Truth. http://www.wordstream.com/images/persuasive-landing-pages-words-have-power.jpg

Words have Resonance Photo: Denise Jacobs

You are Torchbearers https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmcnabb3/2397614214/

“Communicators change the world.” – Nancy Duarte, STC Summit 2015 opening keynote “Resonate”

Rampant curiosity Passion for accuracy

Analytical Critical thinking

Learn quickly Can distill complex information & data

Gifts of technical communicators

“Technical communicators touch every product, process, and service on this planet….” – Kit Brown-Hoekstra, former STC President, STC Summit

2015 Opening Address

Now it’s time to value yourself

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcgraths/3277839203

“The new scarcity: the time, energy, and brainpower of bright, creative people.” - Mary Poppendieck, “Think For Yourself”

How to move forward?

The Dark or the Light

It starts with One http://www.flickr.com/photos/33498942@N04/6009639079/

The pattern of nature

We are part of this pattern

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124263610@N08/14201837570/

The Golden Ratio https://www.flickr.com/photos/gdvan/14910785913

Everything comes from this divine unfolding

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rammorrison/2718543921

Constantly moving forward & reinventing

What direction should you go?

Making one solid choice is the beginning

The paradox of choice

http://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/2279939232/

CHOOSE https://www.flickr.com/photos/buttersponge/4955768144

Non-Creative or Creative?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/ & http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3135103537/

Who here is creative?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kosmotesto/3794445313/

“Creativity is all about making connections and seeing patterns.” Bruce Nussbaum, Creative Intelligence

Child, please. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mahalie/276780530/

My response:

Internal fears = Inner Critic Photo: Denise Jacobs

In Tibetan, creative = “Natural”

https://www.flickr.com/photos/norte_it/2340805781

Creativity ≠ Trying to be Creative http://www.theprofessionalcreative.com/take-the-first-step-to-become-creative/

Trying ≠ Practicing

http://www.wallpaper4me.com/images/wallpapers/do_or_do_not_w1.jpeg

“Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda

“If I try to be creative, rather than just accepting that I am creative, I fail.” Andrew J. Epstein

Not about effort

More like breathing http://www.flickr.com/photos/guiniveretoo/1573049301/

Like breathing, you can build http://www.flickr.com/photos/miguel77/2728104156/

Get in tune with the process https://www.flickr.com/photos/flavijus/566174947

What’s your creative frequency? http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sine_waves_different_frequencies.svg

Listen/tune in

Filter out the background noise Photo: Denise Jacobs

Tune into resonance Photo: Denise Jacobs

Frequency: Occurence https://www.flickr.com/photos/joelanman/367425390

Frequency: Practice https://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/275200051/

Challenge/Homework: Ten Ideas a day https://www.flickr.com/photos/evaekeblad/15294401442

“Deciding for creativity does not guarantee that creativity will emerge, but without the decision, it certainly will not.” – Robert Sternberg

Decide upon Creativity –Choose it.

Then, amplify your creative

frequency.

Fixed or Growth Mindset?

Mindset, by Carol Dweck

http://mindsetonline.com

Which looks more familiar?

Fixed mindset https://www.flickr.com/photos/bethscupham/7328405210

Perfection Talent Ability

Accomplishment Comparison

Fixed Mindset focused on

“Maybe I don’t have enough talent.” “What if I fail?” “If I don’t try, I can protect my dignity.” “It’s not my fault. It’s something/someone else’s.”

(Sounds an awful lot like the Inner Critic, no?)

Perfectionist?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/

Growth Mindset

Learning Willingness to fail

Curiosity Expansion

Being self-referential

Growth Mindset focused on

Based on love of learning

How do you change from Fixed to Growth? http://www.flickr.com/photos/f-oxymoron/5005673112/

1) Listen for your Fixed Mindset voice http://www.flickr.com/photos/theory/3193684632/

2) Recognize that you have a choice https://www.flickr.com/photos/cjsmithphotography/6804513809

3) Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice

“I can learn to do this with time & effort.” “Most successful people have had failure along the way.” “If I don’t try, I automatically fail.” “If I don’t take responsibility, I can’t fix it.”

4) Take growth mindset action

Growth Mindset actions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onegiantleap/4124211492/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/959867550/ &http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/959864706/

Adopt a beginner’s mind

Release the Tyranny of the Expert

https://www.flickr.com/photos/64540855@N07/5878418781

Rediscover the familiar https://www.flickr.com/photos/77654185@N07/8428225936

Re-learn something from a friend https://www.flickr.com/photos/ribbitvoice/2339351666

Learn something entirely new http://www.flickr.com/photos/13723940@N04/2648317554/

In my own life: learning Improv Photo: Denise Jacobs

Learning from experience is key

“I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures…I divide the world into the learners and nonlearners.” – Benjamin Barber, Sociologist

Approach everything with openness and eagerness.

Increase your knowledge

and expand yourself.

Blocked or in Flow?

Creative blocks?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99301367@N00/8497106802/

Fears https://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_lin/3193080175/

Creative Flow http://www.flickr.com/photos/7730492@N03/4958540694/

Is @ the Sweet Spot

Enjoy + Good at + Feeling Empowered http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/3310336516/

= Empowered Play (aka Flow)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8216666102/

Your brain on Flow https://www.flickr.com/photos/arselectronica/13994747444

Flow banishes the inner critic

How do you reach Flow?

Get in touch with your brilliance

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathan_hamner/3386076488/

Clear goals

Uninterrupted, focused time

My Father built airplanes in his spare time Photo: Deloria Jacobs

(Instill the Headphones Rule) https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/9824922293

Helps create space for ideas

https://www.flickr.com/photos/creativedc/2939649520

Risk/Challenge http://www.flickr.com/photos/librarianavengers/2495352933/

Balance between skill and challenge

Immediate feedback http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8124124586/

Find your Flow to dispel fears and experience

continuous creative growth.

Taker or Maker?

…Has little regard for their potential to

shape the future or ability to take action

on issues that truly motivate them.

A Taker…

…A maker’s work is characterized by morality, creativity, craftsmanship, and purposed problem solving. They view their work through the lens of service.

A Maker…

“….Makers choose their work based on impact and happiness.” – Jason Cavnar, "Why developers should start choosing conscience over profit"

http://venturebeat.com/2013/02/18/developers-choosing-conscience-over-profit/

Become a passionate problem-solver

http://www.flickr.com/photos/argonne/4435608143/

Make “Bug” Lists https://www.flickr.com/photos/acerriteno/3484407240/

Cultivate a healthy disregard for the impossible

Be clear on your “Why” http://www.flickr.com/photos/zlz212/198759134/

Whom are you helping? http://www.codefevermiami.com/

Infuse meaning https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/5932362950

Choose bigger, more creative problems to solve

Cultivate a culture of creativity around you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters,_Inc.

Like folks at Pixar

Make things that matter – to both you and others.

PROGRESS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/harryharris/381154280/

What do you get?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlaughland/3475448568/

Life is complex and so are decisions

Two tracks

CREATIVITY GROWTH MIND

FIND FLOW BE A MAKER

Guidelines; stars to navigate by http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/9255191990/

“Clarity brings about purpose, purpose brings about action, action brings about change.” Joel Yeo

CREATE LEARN

FLOW CONTRIBUTE

Mobilize a dormant creative confidence

http://www.flickr.com/photos/badastronomy/4179773749/

Realize that we are Master Creators

While we can’t predict the future http://fusible.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/crystal-ball.jpg

Because of the unknown

http://hub.salford.ac.uk/energymonitoring/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/01/known-knowns1.jpg

“We are the creators of the future.” Umair Haque, “How to Have a Year That Matters”

And if predicting the future is a comfort

Making them should be easier

http://www.cdmdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Choices.jpg

Critical

Not creative Fixed mindset

Blocked Taking what you can get

All too familiar with this

Love is the compass

Creativity is your True North

CREATIVITY GROWTH MIND

FIND FLOW BE A MAKER

All of space-time started with a singularity

Just as the Universe is expanding, so are we

We are constantly reinventing ourselves

Now you have more tools to help

Remember: Words have POWER

THIS. Photo: Denise Jacobs

Move beyond

Photo: Denise Jacobs

“Technical communicators build a better world. ” – Kit Brown-Hoekstra, former STC President, STC Summit

2015 Opening Address

“The Fierce Urgency of Now”

The choice is clear https://www.flickr.com/photos/matias3000/253871344/

Claim your power. Choose

http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

Get the slides, y’all! Creativedo.se/stcsummit-ip

My upcoming book!

Banish Your Inner Critic

DeniseJacobs.com/InnerCritic

26 Effective Techniques for Unleashing Productive Creativity

Please take the Creative Blocks Survey

Creativedo.se/creative-blocks-survey

THE CREATIVE DOSE A Creativity + Innovation Collective

Work Better. Create More. Create Betterness.

Creative Thinking & Problem-solving Applying an Innovation Mindset

Creative Collaboration Team Communication & Cohesion

TheCreativeDose.com @thecreativedose

“Untitled” by Americo Morales

Photos: Deloria Jacobs

My posse’s in Columbus!

Photos: Deloria Jacobs

My posse’s in Columbus!

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Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/

And finally…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27620885@N02/2609974180/