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CPSI Conference #3

First lesson of the day: Strategic Play is the name of a company as well as a process for using Legos(TM) to facilitate the creative process. In this class we used a fixed and measured set of Lego(TM) bricks and accessories to learn to work through concepts and communicate them. We experienced sample situations where we put together structures and abstract shapes to represent ideas we had in our heads that using the learning aids (they're not called toys) helped draw out of us. What was fascinating was how 5 of us at the table interpreted one set of directions…

CPSI Conference #2

Talk about spontaneous creativity! I've experienced a very tip-of-the-iceberg improv experience and I think the ice is broken. Quickly! I've been hugged (and those of you who know me well know that I have a low tolerance for a lot of hugging!) I've identified myself as a super-hero (Speedo…because my foot is heavy on the accelerator). And horror of horrors…I volunteered before knowing what I volunteered for and ended up the only Black person in a foursome with three White guys having to do a rap…and I was one of the worse rappers in the group! What fun. What did…

CPSI Conference #1

Have you ever been both scared to death and excited about going into a totally new situation that you put yourself into for your own good? That’s how I felt earlier today as I landed in Buffalo NY for the CPSI (Creative Problem Solving Institute) Conference…the 52nd annual one at that. I had no idea something like this has been around for so long. I didn’t know who would be attending; how many people to expect; what they would be like; how I would be accepted; and more. I might seem confident and sure of myself on the outside, yet…

“Unleash the Possible!” – @ The CPSI Conference

Day01 of CPSI (Creative Problem Solving Institute) Conference 2013 "Unleash the Possible!". Ice-breaker / mixer session included four of us volunteering for what we had no idea. Since this is a creativity conference, we had to get creative on the spot. Turns out we had to do a rap that had to include 3 specific items – (1) exuberant enthusiasm, (2) the animal giraffe, and (3) the words "stretch your mind". Now that we've looked silly in front of everyone, we have little more to lose the rest of the conference. Great way to step out of our comfort zones…

An Elephant Ate My Idea

There is an adage that tackling a big challenge is like eating an elephant…you do it one bite at a time. While I cannot fathom eating an elephant, I've had to tackle big challenges more times than I can count. Your big idea might seem like eating that elephant…a lot to tackle all at once. Try tackling your big idea as a series of smaller ideas. Each small idea, once complete, adds up to the big idea over time. Take that book you've wanted to write. After years of "wanting", your hands are still empty. So chop that 250-page book…