Finding Yourself In The Plan

1
Finding Yourself In The Plan

• The Creative Process

2
Problem Solving vs. Creating

• Either our Actions are Motivated by
• Our Circumstances
• Problems
• Unwanted Consequences
• Conflicts
• Lack of Resources
• Conflict of Interest
• Reacting Against or Responding to Circumstances

3
Problem Solving vs. Creating

• Or, our Actions are Motivated by
• Our Desires and Aspirations
• To Bring Something Into Being
• To Accomplish Results
• To Build
• To Innovate
• Creating

4
Problem Solving vs. Creating

• Problem Solving
• Taking Action to have Something Go Away
• Creating
• Taking Action to have Something Come Into Being

5
Problem Solving?

• Problem Solving Leads to Structural Conflict
• The Intensity of the Problem is the Driving Force
• Actions you take to Reduce the Problem Reduce the
  Force
• Reducing the Force Decreases your Motivation
• Structural Conflict Leads to Less Action
• Two Tension-Resolution Systems are Competing
  Against Each Other
• Two Mutually Exclusive Events

6
Problem Solving?

• Structural Conflict Gives Rise to Oscillating
  Behavior
• Things Break, You Fix Them, They Break Again

7
Oscillating Behavior

Hungry
Eat
Zone of Indifference
Overweight
Not eat
8
Creating

• Bring About New Results that Matter to You
• Actions you take Enable a Result to Exist
• Creating a New Outcome is the Driving Force
• Actions you take to get to a New Outcome Increase
  the Force
• Increasing the Force Increases your Motivation
• A Deliberate Shift Away from a Problem Orientation

9
Creating

• Creating Leads to More Energy
• Feedback in a High Gain Loop
• A New Structure that Supports You in Effectively
  Achieving Results

10
Overview of the Creative Process

• Conception
• Vision of Desired Result (End Result)
• Current Reality
• Take Action
• Adjust-Learn-Evaluate-Adjust
• Build Momentum
• Have a Place to Go
• Completion
• Living with Your Results

11
The Creative Process

• Using Discovery A Structured Way to Create

Have
Dont Have
Keep
Desired Outcome
Want
Problem
Avoid
Dont Want
12
Clarify Your End Results

• Ask Yourself These Questions
• What does it mean if you create that?
• What does that lead to?
• What are you really after?
• What is this in service of?
• Is this an action step towards something else?
• Is this what you want or what you consider
  possible?
• Avoid Describing Things as What You Dont Want
• What do you want to bring into being?

13
Turning End Results Into Action

• Structural Tension

Vision Result you want now
TENSION
Seeks Resolution
Current Reality What you now have
14
Why Structural Tension?

• Structural Conflict (Problem Solving)
• If Conflict is the Driving Force, the Situation
  will Lead to Less Action and Less Momentum
• Worse, then Better (lessen the intensity)
• Structural Tension (Creating)
• If Creating is the Driving Force, the Situation
  will Lead to More Action and More Momentum
• Actions to Enable a Result to Exist
• The More You Create, the More You Want To Create
• Tension has Nothing to do with Relationships

15
Using Structural Tension

• Organize your Actions In Support of Desired
  Results
• Make Choices vs. Decisions
• Decisions are Operational
• Choices are Strategic
• Start with your Vision
• The End Results from Discovery
• Define Your Current Reality
• Generate Action Steps
• Make These Doable

16
Current Reality
Have
Dont Have
Keep
Desired Outcome
Maintain, Protect, Use, Enjoy More of the same
Want
Problem
Avoid
Not Enough, Fix, Get Rid Of Just as soon
as If only I had enough of
Dont Want
Current Reality
17
Your Vision
Have
Dont Have
Keep
Desired Outcome
Want
Problem
Avoid
Dont Want
Current Reality
18
Creating Your Vision
Have
Dont Have
Just suppose
With increased funding I could
Want
Dont Want
Vision
19
Creating Your Vision
Have
Dont Have
Just suppose
With greater technology support I could
Want
Dont Want
Vision
20
Creating Your Vision
Have
Dont Have
Just suppose
With greater access to competency-based training
I could
Want
Dont Want
Vision
21
The Path of Least Resistance

• Use the Creative Process to Find Yourself in the
  Extension Strategic Plan!
• The Path of Least Resistance, by Robert Fritz