I’ve just spent a week in Japan and Korea delivering workshops on design thinking to clients. I’ve been working alongside a new colleague who, in the short time we’ve worked together, has taught me a great deal about my presentation style, the way carry myself, and my inclination (at times to my detriment) to certainty.
She’s also given me some great advice and set me a challenge. As someone who wants to walk the talk of what they do, I think it’s worth sharing. The challenge she set me is one, as design thinkers, experience designers and knowledge workers, we can all benefit from:
- ask at least one open question each day — use the answer as a path to follow to more curiosity and questions, not as the end of the conversation;
- allow yourself to be surprised and delighted by something each day — be present (at least internally) to that surprise and delight; play with it and see where it goes;
- be comfortable each day with not knowing — it’s fine not to know, admit it openly and use it as an opportunity to learn, play and explore.
How good is this advice!?
I’m going to do as she suggests, and I can’t wait to see where it leads.
WOW! Awesome advice. Curiosity is exciting; learning is exhilarating. These questions will make every day a blast! I’m printing this off and posting it on my cubie wall right in front of me. The first thing I’m going to explore is the definitions of design thinkers, experience designers, and knowledge workers, those are new terms for me. Thank you for this post!