Mindful Adventures – Lisa Markwick

“Not-knowing” …the seed-bed of innovation

I just read this interesting article by Douglas Eby (writer and researcher on the psychology of creative expression and personal growth), about the value of a “not-knowing” attitude.  He notes that “not-knowing” allows for access to feelings with out judgment, and hence is a vital component of creativity and innovation.   I totally agree. My concern is that this “not-knowing”  spirit is so counter cultural  that the practice of not-knowing is, especially in leadership,  hard even to imagine, let alone to be encouraged.  Having said that it is also a characteristic of a leader with courage in my book.  It is a core aspect of mindful leadership presence.

How often do we ask questions for which we totally do not know the answer already? What is your own experience of doing exactly that?