Trip down to memory lane…
When I entered the first classes of my MBA as a former art student, the difference in dynamic and content from my previous master-education couldn’t be bigger. The shift from art history to balance sheets, replacing typography with capacity planning and last but not least, shift from introverted thinking into assertive group dynamics. And yet, both masters stimulated my mindset in a completely different but inspiring way.

Photo by Max Burkhalter, Courtesy of the Art Students League of New York

Where the MBA dynamic stimulated high pace, high focus on numbers and people management, the master in arts changed my way of observing and accelerated divergent thinking.

The missing link between art and business
After 20 years of professional experience in both creative and technology environments, I can say that it would be great to have a touch of art in more companies. And I’m not talking about putting artwork on the wall or organizing brainstorm workshops. 

I see people going the extra mile in their work and (virtually) running from one meeting to another. The break and talk at the coffee machine is replaced by changing to another meeting or switching tasks with one click. We have become highly efficient, but  what’s the impact on our wellbeing and problem solving skills? How about meaningful connections with other people? Are we truly listening to each other or is our mind already with another task that’s waiting on us while we pretend to pay attention. Is it fair to expect from ourselves to be always striving for focus and output? Are we giving the best version of ourselves when we are ‘always on’? 

Research demonstrates that short breaks are boosting our concentration and therefor outcome. – Source: Microsoft Worklab

Let’s get back to art class. And let’s add a touch of art into a (digital) meeting. I invite you to take into the account the power and create a momentum for observation. It’s what they call in theater-settings, ‘the golden second’. If you want to be good in drawing, the essence is to start observing and pausing before doing. Mindfully. 

And I believe that, what makes you good at drawing, will also help you to be good at your job.

How about if we practice the observation of art class into our meetings? Will those meetings become more effective? Will people connect more? Let’s find out.

• To start
  • Push the pause-button for a minute and pay attention to your breathing. Breathe in, breathe out.
  • During that minute, note what we see, note what we feel. Let go of judgment.
  • Take time to observe.
  • Continue.
  • Then, take a step back, observe from more distance, reflect, think about what you see.
  • Continue again.
• Before conclusion
  • Flip the perspective. Turn around 90 degrees (by a matter of speaking) around where you are. Try to look at it from another perspective. Observe again. A great methodology for this, is the approach of the 6 thinking hats by De Bono
  • Repeat