I just finished attending HRevolution, my fourth. There were a lot of thought-provoking presentations, but my favourite was Lois Melbourne’s “Sally Can’t Doodle, and It’s Your Fault”. I see all sorts of presentations, and I learn a lot from them, but what I liked about Lois’s is that rather than learn something new, she provided some research about creativity that confirmed something I’ve long felt.  I love when I feel like I have a mind synch with someone.

Great ideas come in creative environments. Creativity needs to be nurtured early.

Her point is that if America doesn’t figure out how to return creativity to the classroom, our future leaders won’t be creative about the solutions that are provided. There are not enough inventors. There is evidence that this is already a significant problem in places like China.

Doodling is healthy.

I’m no doodler unfortunately but I do like to do crafts. I purposefully take time off of work every year to do crafts. Build floats, paint pictures, take photographs, arrange flowers, use scissors and glue. Almost every time I do this, I end up take a new approach to something at work.

I think I am going to start encouraging an unrelated creative activity before starting any group work.

Thank you Lois for reminding me of the importance of this.