How can you develop your creativity and curiosity as a social impact leader?

A book that transformed my way of exploring my passions and identifying projects to work on was the "Artists Way by Julia Cameron". I am in no way someone who considers themselves an artist - but I do believe we are all creative and this book prompted me to engage with my creativity and in turn, made me a better social impact activist. It made me learn how to try different approaches to ideas, how to be curious and how to think outside of the box. Exploring your passions is a gateway to learning about different challenges that our society faces and positions you right in the thick of identifying the solutions with creativity and innovation.

Conociendo a tu equipo, y eso se consigue mediante comunicación y escucha activa. Y por supuesto siendo ejemplo, si no eres como líder creativo, las personas que trabajan contigo tendrán miedo de serlo. Se el espejo de lo que esperas de tu equipo

One way is to explore your passions outside of work. When you are passionate about something, you are more likely to be curious about it and to think about it in new and creative ways. For example, if you are passionate about education, you could visit different schools, read books and articles about education reform, or talk to teachers and students about their experiences. Another way to develop creativity and curiosity is to challenge your assumptions. Don't take things for granted. Ask yourself why things are the way they are and what could be improved. For example, if you are working to reduce homelessness, you could ask yourself why people become homeless in the first place and what could be done to prevent it.

eek out and collaborate with diverse voices. One of the best ways to boost your creativity and curiosity is to expose yourself to different perspectives and experiences. This means networking with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and disciplines. It also means being open to feedback and new ideas, even if they challenge your own assumptions. By collaborating with diverse voices, you can learn from each other's strengths and insights. You can also spark new ideas and approaches to solving problems. This is especially important for social impact leaders, who need to be able to think outside the box and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges.

Yes totally agree ...think about activities that you can engage in that can allow for skills transfer. When I was a data capturer, my attention to detail left much to be desired...I eventually, left that position with the belief that I had no attention to detail. I took a year's sabbatical and went to Korea to teach English to kindergarten and one of the activities I would give my children to keep them occupied after they had completed their was something called hidden pictures. They loved it ...and I found out that I enjoyed it as well. Little did I know that I was training my brain to pay attention to the detail in a fun and non stressful way. This skill has become invaluable to me now.

Seeking feedback is an important way to understand diverse perspectives and develop ideas for social impact work. During my tenure at the Asia Society, I spoke with school leaders and educators to understand critical issues and needs during the pandemic. By having those conversations, I was able to gain a better understanding of how I can better serve them. Speaking with stakeholders with an open mind will spark your creativity; and give you a better understanding of how to move forward with programs and initiatives that better serve your community.

Feedback is the bedrock of community-centric solutions. For social impact leaders, collaboration isn't just about generating innovative ideas; it's about ensuring solutions are grounded in the realities and needs of the beneficiaries. Engaging diverse voices ensures our strategies are inclusive, holistic, and poised for lasting impact. This collaborative ethos ensures that our initiatives are not top-down but are co-created with the communities we serve.

The biggest lesson I learned professionally in my 20s was saying - "I don't have the answer for that right now. May I go learn more about it and come back to you once I have more information". This was such a great tool for embracing uncertainty for me and keeping me curious and honest enough to learn, seek feedback, ask questions and become wiser.

One of the biggest lessons I learned about failing is how to change my perspective and my attitude. The fear of failure can be crippling, especially if you're a perfectionist. So remember the following acronym (which I learned during a Tony Robbins talk) Fail stands for First Attempt In Learning.

In the intricate landscape of societal challenges, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Embracing uncertainty allows social impact leaders to remain adaptable, while viewing failures as learning opportunities ensures continuous improvement. More than just a mindset, this approach encourages grassroots experimentation, allowing communities to play an active role in shaping interventions and solutions.

As we're deepening our curiosity and awareness of others, we also need to be curious and aware of ourselves. Learning new things is stressful, especially when those new things include perspectives or ideas that make us feel uncomfortable. If we're not aware of this stress and discomfort, we may create barriers for ourselves that limit our capacity to listen and grow. So noticing how our bodies are talking back to us and exploring why we might be reacting as we do is key.

Reflective practice allows social impact leaders to remain grounded in the face of complex challenges. Reflecting on our actions ensures that we remain aligned with our core mission of creating positive change. By staying attuned to our emotions and thoughts, we can approach challenges with empathy, ensuring our solutions are not just effective but also resonate deeply with the beneficiaries.

Continuous learning is essential in a constantly evolving world. For social impact leaders, this isn't just about personal growth but about ensuring our solutions remain relevant. Whether it's understanding new societal challenges, adapting to technological advancements, or learning from community feedback, continuous growth ensures our strategies remain adaptive, innovative, and impactful.

Keep in mind that to stay sharp and nurture interesting perspectives, you should never limit your learning to your professional field. The best way to do that is to keep a running list (on your phone?) of topics that come up during your daily interactions and that you realize you know very little about. Once in a while look at the list pick one topic that intrigues you and make digging into it a proper task. you don't need to become an expert, basic-level knowledge is enough. You'd be amazed at the creativity, lateral thinking, and new ideas this sparks in your own field.

La curiosidad es tu aliado cara crecer Para inspirar busca distintas perspectivas, involucra al equipo haciendo tormentas de ideas y buscando soluciones diferentes a los problemas del día a día. Conecta con personas diversas para mantenerte actualizado y poder encontrar pensamientos diferentes con distintos puntos de vista