This sounds okay if we talk about it theoretically but counter-intuitive if we think about it in the business or organizational context. Fine for a life, but not for work, right? Isn’t the shortest distance between two points a straight line? Who’s got time for meandering?

I confess I like to cross things off a list like nobody’s business. I am one of those people who does something that’s not on the list and then puts it on there afterward just so I can get the satisfaction of crossing it off! I like to know the purpose, the destination, and the plan. And sometimes, I’m even lulled into thinking that life and work and everything else would just be so much clearer, so much easier if this principle of A-to-Z could just follow some sequential, simple order. I see a lot of pain and distress inside organizations because of the nature of this conversation and especially our addiction to speed at all costs.

I’m not sure why we persist in this paradox: faster is better, straighter is easier, and orderly is preferred. I suspect it’s because we know that human life is just messy, and we are trying to create some sort of pattern out of chaos. What if this conversation is less about either-or and more about and? In other words, what if your business planning and organizational life had tangible goals and opportunities for creativity and exploration? What if it’s about both things you can measure (like Key Performance Indicators or financials) and things you cannot (like the quality of conversations and the spaciousness for innovation)?

The trick is that you have to actually create the space and time for this non-linear work. You can’t keep planning back-to-back meetings or a triple-booked schedule and expect to be inspired by your working life. Remember: you’ll spend 90,000 hours at work, so the quality of those hours and how you spend them is up to you! Here are some ideas:

1. Set aside time for “Blue Sky” discussions and thinking. Begin with some “what if” questions and envision what’s possible without trying to figure out the details of how it could happen.

2. Do something fun with your team. Typically, when clients ask me if I do “team building,” I never say, “no,” but the best teams are built when a group of people have to accomplish real work together. That said, there’s usually not enough fun and informal interaction at work, which releases people from their ordinary ways of thinking and allows them to get to know each other differently. This can open inspiring conversations and experiences. What sort of “fun” thing could you do or sponsor? And, if “fun” isn’t your thing, it’s somebody’s! Find that person to come up with an idea that would be great at it and let them take the reins.

3. Set aside your own time for non-structured thinking or imagining. Can you walk at lunch? (or take lunch without looking at your computer??) Can you take 30 min at the beginning of the day to journal or listen to something that inspires you? Can you record an audio file of your meandering thoughts to reflect upon later? Do you have a friend who asks, “If there were no obstacles, and you could do anything with ______, what would that look like?”

 An inspired work culture has purpose and creativity: imagination and destination. The journey is worth it!

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Want to talk about building a better team? I’d love to hear about yours! libbywagner@libbywagner.com