Blog | Brainzooming

Plane Ride Creative Thinking

Written by Mike Brown | Aug 27, 2010 9:50:22 AM

Some of the most creative times for me are on planes - time and time again. On a return plane flight this week, I filled up page after page with notes and diagrams of ideas to help shape current projects... plus this blog post:

  • Diversity is great for better thinking, but simply adding a "newer" version of the same person everyone in your group represents isn't all the diversity you could use.
  • If in an initial conversation someone introduces topic you'd never want to be a part of, it tells you everything you need to know.
  • I had a 90-minute business conversation on this trip that didn't touch on social media. I'm not sure the last time that happened.
  • When looking at a new situation you don't see any growth potential or development upside, it tells you everything you need to know.
  • This crowdsourcing thing may really take hold. I saw a passenger correctly tell the Delta gate agent what our reassigned gate was going to be while Delta was still announcing it was waiting for information.
  • Guys that sound like Foghorn Leghorn are, by definition, funny!
  • If you give people enough time and space to talk, honesty will eventually show up. Be watching for it.
  • Planes aren't creative happy places for everybody. That's fine, but be sure to know where your creative happy places are and visit them often. - Mike Brown

The Brainzooming Group helps make smart organizations more successful by rapidly expanding their strategic options and creating innovative plans they can efficiently implement. Email us at brainzooming@gmail.com or call us at 816-509-5320 to see how we can help make your strategic thinking and planning more productive, even when you're not on a plane!