Class Notes on Creative Thinking Skills

Dec 13

Wings of Change students highlight hotel operations

Highlight the Essence

It goes without saying that the world is complex. It is easy to get lost in the mess of it all. Here’s some good news: often what we feel is complicated can be boiled down to something very simple. The purspose of highlighting the essence is to affirm what is important. What is the vision? What do you value? When you can do this, you can better work toward that goal, wish or desire.

Why vision matters

Companies that stand the test of time do so because they are visionary. They have a driving purpose. At Wings of Change, the vision is transformation through vocational hospitality training among young adults. Because of the vision, every decision is made toward that end. We are resolute in working toward change through the social enterprise model of vocational hospitality training and small hotels in emerging markets. It is in starting with a vision, the essence of what we do, that we are able move forward with unwaverying clarity and confidence.

Get clear on criteria

Knowing what we want to achieve helps with decision making. When I as a teacher ask the students what are the essentials of what you do in your area of hospitality, it’s easy for them to abstract what is important to them, to their work, to who they are becoming as professionals.

Work in the direction of intention for results that matter

By affiming the goal, wish or challenge, how we get there will emerge through continued focus, trial and experience. The path becomes more clear the more we stay focused on the vision. Of course, another great way to learn is to actually practice and yes, by visioning yourself doing the work, and by being the professional that you see yourself becoming. And, it always helps when the learning is fun. Always.

Getting there is the journey of a purposeful life.

Wings of Change is a purposeful business. Doing good is what we are about. With this essential guiding vision, the work, though hard, has a certain ease to it. Students are committed, teachers from around the world are committed and the leadership is driven by an unstoppable vision. More than passion, which is self-directed, purposeful busineses have an external attribute that truly is essential for the best of humanity to co-exist and thrive.

Tanya Knudsen is a creative consultant, educator, polyglot and PhD candidate for creative leadership. Her quest is to ignite creative thinking, our super power and highest order thinking skill to maximize creative potential for everyone. This blogpost series is from Creativity Through English, a course Tanya teaches at Wings of Change in Nosy Be, Madagascar.

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Tanya Knudsen