BE A CATALYST FOR THE UNEXPECTED

Nearly all the best things that came to me in my life have been unexpected, unplanned by me.

....Carl Sandburg

I have a very low tolerance for routine. So obviously, I would love change, chaos and embrace the unexpected.

Humans however seem to be creatures of habit. When you got up this morning, you probably followed the same ritual you have hundreds of times before, with perhaps the only variable (or rather should I say hopefully) -- a change in the clothing you wear. You drive, or walk the same route to work, on auto-pilot? This normalization causes us to often zone out and not pay attention, and thereby the creative side of our brain..well, it stays asleep.

When you go to a meeting with your colleagues at work, are you in the same meeting room? Do you sit in the same chair? Do you sit beside the same people? If you remember the movie Groundhog Day, everyday the protagonist (Bill Murray) woke up, it was a total repeat of the day before. Somewhat of an infinite loop, which he can eventually break, but by becoming different, inspiring.

Some of you may be saying "hey, I have so many other things that are bouncing around in my life, that a little routine is welcome." OK, but I'm not talking about a massive change-up here, just a few tweaks along the way, that may result in exciting new vistas. Sometimes a little, goes a long way, and can perhaps create a wonderful unexpected outcome.

As a leader, do you always have the same meeting routine with your team? Why not just throw away the agenda for once, have your team change chairs to somewhere else in the room and beside someone else and then ask them to share with the group, one thing that no one else in the room would know about them. Could be a hobby, something from their childhood or whatever. You'd be amazed at what you discover and each time I've done this, it has created a closer bond amongst the team.

Are you feeling that innovation is lacking in how you and your team are approaching the business? Why don't you  get a "real" physical dictionary or go online to one of the many random word generator sites? With the former, have someone call out a page and once at that page, someone else call out a number less than 25 and there you have your word. The random word generator somewhat does the same thing without the number calling. Take that word, and no matter how ridiculous it seems in regards to dealing with your current situation, ask the team the consider the elements of that word and how it could be used to be innovative in the current scenario. Again, you will be amazed at the results.

Oh, and when you are looking to hire someone new on the team? Don't go for the has experience in the same industry you're in. Try something different. Someone from a totally different perspective on your team can create wonderful, unexpected ideas and results.

And personally? Change the route you drive or walk to work. Even slightly and pay attention to the signs, to the people, to the sounds. You may run into someone you hadn't seen for a while, or if you go into a different coffee shop, you might meet someone new. A sign in the window might create an epiphany for an issue you've been pondering. 

If you are in a relationship and always go out on Friday night, try to get together another time. Go out for breakfast, or have "high tea" at one of the many places that offers such. You can also use the approaches which I suggested for the work-place...why not? I'm sure that even if you've been together with your partner for many years, there is probably things you don't know about him/her. 

These are just some suggestions...there are many other ways you can shake things up. And all of a sudden you are crafting the unexpected. You are putting yourself into a non-routinized scenario that can be a catalyst for the unexpected.

But please, don't make the unexpected the expected. That is, when you change your route to work, and you decide I'll keep going this way. If you decide for no reason at all, to bring flowers to your partner, well don't do it monthly around the same-time. The unexpected then, well becomes your routine...arrgghhh!

To be creative, to be innovative, both personally and professionally,  is hard work. As I noted at the beginning, as humans many of us have this need to develop routines, and habits. And I'm not saying that everything should be changed at once in a "big bang" type of way. Small things, every day, can unexpectedly result in the unexpected!

Variety's the spice of life, that gives it all its flavour 

....William Cowper