astra domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/studyfoxx/public_html/proactivetraining.com.au/news/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131\n\tGrowing up, I loved stories, poems, and imagining worlds that don’t exist. As I became a professional, teacher, coach, and leader, I mostly thought of imagination and metaphor as the stuff of my hobbies—an escape from work rather than a key competency for it. Through coaching, I’ve been reminded of how short-sighted this is.<\/p>\n
\n\tDan Pink, author of “A Whole New Mind,” believes that “the future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers—creative and holistic ‘right-brain’ thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn’t.”<\/p>\n
\n\tTHE REASON WHY<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tA metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison. So why should we use metaphor and imagination more often at work?<\/p>\n \n\tNo matter our background and training, we can flex these underused creative muscles.<\/p>\n \n\tWHAT LIGHTS YOU UP?<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tIn working with a friend who wanted to start a coaching business, I had two possible approaches:<\/p>\n \n\t1. <\/strong>Tell me who your clients are, your niche, and let’s talk about the business case for your services. Then we can lay out a year 1, year 2 marketing plan, etc.<\/p>\n \n\t2. <\/strong>What’s the new vision like? What lights you up? You love food? Coaching reminds you of when you find a great meal? OK, tell me about that.<\/p>\n \n\tWe took approach #2, and it went like this:<\/p>\n \n\tHim:<\/strong> “It’s like a really cool food truck.”<\/p>\n \n\tMe:<\/strong> “Mmm, keep going!”<\/p>\n \n\tHim:<\/strong> “The food smells great, something new on the menu, creative and unexpected. Nourishing food— just what you want when you go get food on a busy day, with a little spice.”<\/p>\n \n\tHe’s beaming, energized. We both can almost smell our favorite foods. We keep going, designing, savoring, and resisting the urge to overly intellectualize it. He describes the music, the menu, the color of the truck, how well prepared the food was, the delight everyone experienced, and the joy he experienced in surprising people and making them feel welcome. Joy. Delight. Surprise. Quality. Welcoming.<\/p>\n \n\tNow that he has this image, he’ll never lose it. It’s so much more vivid than a mission statement or business plan. He’ll utilize those, too, of course, but when times get tough, he’ll come back to the image, the impact, the unique approach that only his imagination could generate.<\/p>\n \n\tHOW TO GET STARTED<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tAll this talk of metaphors and imagery reminds me of something Sidney Harman, former CEO, Harman International Industries, Inc., once said: “I say, ‘Get me some poets as managers.’ Poets are our original systems thinkers. It is from their midst that I believe we will draw tomorrow’s new business leaders.”<\/p>\n\n
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