In business you rarely (if ever) see a memo from the CEO directing management to Use Synchronicity to increase creativity and innovation. It’s possible such a memo would cause the board or maybe the employee council to stage a revolt. Synchronicity got a bad rap in the 60’s and 70’s when it became synonymous with everything from hippies to new-age mysticism. If we fast-forward to the businesses today we’ll see more of them embracing alternative ways of motivating management and employees with such tools as mindfulness and team building exercises, so it may be the perfect time to add synchronicity to the mix.
Synchronicity is often defined as something with an acausal connection or simply two or more events where no apparent cause created their connection. Of course we could get into a deep discussion but for the purpose of this post I’d like to keep it simple. In the business world our best bet to tap into meaningful coincides is in the practice of mindfulness and quieting our own internal dialogue or just shutting off the noise inside our own minds.
Often creative or innovation teams find themselves bereft of inspiration or in equally immobile situations leading nowhere. If this occurs often then it’s time to seriously consider bringing in outside help such as a team to implement Generative Dialogue and all that goes with it. Tapping into a deeper awareness of Synchronicity is part of moving forward in the dialogue process and one that can open doors you may not even have known existed.
Often we have become unaware of the constant noise within our minds and the equally constant noises surrounding our lives. In the 21st century the noise level of advertising, governments, news organizations and of course the internet and all the surrounding devices that come with it now constitute a dramatic effect on our ability to concentrate and regularly tap our creative resources.
But within all this noise and information flow are answers tagged to inspiration just waiting to be utilized. When we quiet our minds and open our awareness to what’s happening each moment we become better able to recognize those cues right in front of us. And a team working together with the same openness can increase its communication and innovation dramatically.
In college my first brush with synchronicity came in a seminar. 9 of us worked on a project, and once we had an outline complete we were tasked with being open for cues or events that might be related to the core of the project. We were never told told to use synchronicity during the time between classes, we were only told to be alert to what was going on around us so we might notice meaningful connections. I remember little about the class but I do remember each of us stumbled upon meaningful information and connections that without our paying attention in a different mode we probably would never have captured.
Lastly, if you get resistance (you will) within your group to exploring mindfulness, dialogue or synchronicity just use my jellybean analogy. Think of walking through a field of lush dark grass, the sun’s shinning and it’s very peaceful. As you walk you’re joined by a friend who shares with you that hidden in the lush grasses are lots of sweet jelly beans. At first you’re skeptical but once you’ve found one or two you realize there are jelly beans everywhere just waiting to be found. The problems, dreams and goals you carry around with you all are connected to maps of information, you’ll want to just watch where your walking or you’ll miss them.
Below I’ve add a list that will help you explore different paths to increasing you own awareness of synchronistic events and cues happening all around you. Slow down just a bit, and you’ll notice some pretty amazing information is available for you to use. Also on linkedin I wrote more about synchronicity and business with a story from my own life, it’s called Synchronicity in Business and I hope you’ll check it out.
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