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Using Inquiry to Drive Innovation with Natalie Nixon
Everyone has experienced a child who won’t stop asking questions. You give them one answer and another “why” follows, and so on and so on. But children are also known for having superior imaginations. Natalie Nixon thinks we should all be a little more like the 3-year-old in the backseat. She argues that we should ask more questions if we want to fuel creativity. In this video, she discusses the different types of questions to ask to spark innovation and why we should lean into (rather than run from) ambiguity.
Natalie Nixon is the founder and creative strategist for Figure 8 Thinking. In this class, Nixon discusses her 3i Creativity Model, a framework you can use to spark your own creativity and maximize the creative capacity of your organization.
Learning objectives:
Combine wonder and rigor to engage in creativity
Cultivate a culture of questioning and improvisation
Treat intuition as valuable data
Create bold mashups
Prioritize CQ development in your organization
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Lessons:
Lesson 1: The Engine for Innovation
Maltese psychologist and author Edward de Bono once said, “Without creativity, there would be no progress.” Natalie Nixon, founder of Figure 8 Thinking, argues that creativity is, in fact, a trait humans need to nurture now more than ever if they want to contribute during the 4th Industrial Revolution, as automation and AI are on the rise. Luckily, she…
Lesson 2: The 3i Creativity Method (Inquiry)
German-American mathematician Charles Proteus Steinmetz is credited as saying, “There are no foolish questions and no man becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions.” Natalie Nixon, founder of Figure 8 Thinking, teaches that developing a practice of questioning and being open to all types of questions are key ingredients to creativity.
Lesson 3: The 3i Creativity Model (Improvisation)
A good jazz ensemble has a natural fluidity, adapting as members shift notes and turning “mistakes” into creative opportunities. According to Natalie Nixon, founder of Figure 8 Thinking, the same is true of successful professional teams. She encourages organizations to model their environments and values after jazz musicians. In this video, she discusse…
Lesson 4: The 3i Creativity Model (Intuition)
American actor Alan Alda once said, “At times, you have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful.” Natalie Nixon, founder of Figure 8 Thinking, says what you’ll find there is embodied leadership. She argues that you should consider your intuition a helpful form of qualitative …
Lesson 5: Remix, Reframe, and Repurpose
When music producers add new beats to an original track, change the tempo of the song, or insert samples from other songs, it’s called a “remix.” Taking something old and giving it a facelift or combining two things to create something new isn’t limited to music, of course — mashups are common in the fashion industry, too. But Natalie Nixon, founder o…
Lesson 6: A Leader’s Guide to Building Organizational CQ
It’s great if the people in your organization have high IQs (intelligence quotients) to apply to problem-solving. And you definitely want them to develop their EQs (emotional quotients) for productive, compassionate interactions with one another and your customers. But Natalie Nixon, founder of Figure 8 Thinking, says it’s also important for the people …
Lesson 7: Design Your Organization for Maximum Creative Capacity
British actor and comedian John Cleese once said, “If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.” Natalie Nixon, founder of Figure 8 Thinking, agrees that people need time to nurture creativity and that play is one of the best ways to fuel that development.
