Does this sound familiar? You sit down to work on a task, and suddenly your mind starts to wander. For a long time, I saw this as nothing more than an unnecessary distraction. Now I’ve discovered something different: those moments are often when fresh perspectives and new ideas emerge—ideas I might never have come up
Innovation doesn’t happen by accident.It needs spaces where people feel safe to think differently, challenge assumptions, and explore new ideas together.A well-designed innovation workshop creates exactly that kind of space one that brings structure to creativity and connects people through ideas. So how do you make it work in practice?Here are ten practical tips to help you unleash creativity,
I know multitasking doesn’t really work but sometimes I still fall into the trap.I know that switching tasks too often breaks my focus, drains my energy, and scatters my attention.And yet, it happens again and again. Usually, I notice it when the task in front of me feels heavy or slow. That’s when another task
Empathy is not a soft skill. It brings depth to ideas and makes true innovation possible. We often talk about putting people at the center. But in daily practice, it too often remains a slogan: methods dominate, time pressure kills listening, and emotions are dismissed as “unprofessional.” Yet empathy is not about being nice. It
Ideas don’t always arise from thinking. Sometimes, they emerge in the in-between. Maybe you know this moment:Suddenly, there’s an idea.An image or a sentence. Something that felt out of reach before and now seems completely natural.And I ask myself:Why now?Why not when I was actively searching for it? What I’ve learned:Such impulses rarely come under
In the morning, before the day starts, I sometimes take three minutes.Not always. Not perfectly. But often enough to notice the difference: I sit down. No technique, no timer.Just the question:With what attitude do I want to go through the day today? Not: What do I have to accomplish?But rather: What do I want to
How Dynamic Facilitation Helped an NGO Team Reconnect Recently, I supported an NGO team caught in a deep-seated conflict.It wasn’t just about different perspectives there were tensions, hurt feelings, and misunderstandings.A classic moderation approach would have failed here.So I turned to Dynamic Facilitation. What makes this approach so powerful? 1. Naming emotions brings clarity and
Improv Techniques as a Catalyst for Innovation A few days ago, I attended an improv show with the Frizzles Improv Theater in Cologne, and it reminded me once again how important it is to embrace the ideas of others instead of shooting them down.Thanks to ImproCologne for the basics of improvisation, which I love to
Are you empathetic? Empathy in the workplace and at management level is a recurring topic of discussion. Especially during the pandemic, we have learnt how important it is to feel safe and in good hands. And yet I keep coming across interesting comments: ‘Empathy is only for softies or wimps.’‘Empathy is wishy-washy.’‘Empathy, okay, all well
How long can you maintain your focus without thinking about anything other than the task at hand?
