Think Like Leonardo da Vinci

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Arlena Boxton on April 1, 2009 at 11:56am

Hi Robert, I have come to know that everything need not make sense in order to be absolutely vital and beauty is everywhere. We miss so much of it... If you don't think so, try to recall what you see when you're driving a car, as opposed to when you're a passenger in the car. The other day when riding as a passenger I noticed a small art gallery in my neighborhood, and I had NO idea it was there nor how long. Turns out it's been there for months! This was a reminder to me to try to get out of my head and notice my surroundings more (sensazione).

The best example I can think of connessione is when I observed a victory dance after a wrestling match in Gambia. The African men who won their matches all danced around the stadium. Their movements and the dance struck me and made me want to believe in "racial/genetic memories" something I probably would never have entertained before, since the dances and their movements to the beats looked exactly like the dances that African American young people, including my kids, who had never been to Africa, were doing at that time (1990). It was amazing to watch and even more amazing to realize that kind of universal connection between two absolutely different cultures and people who'd never come in contact with one another.

Seeing the dances was a gift to me because it opened my eyes and my mind to the interconnectedness of people, places, things...something you absolutely need to understand I think, in order to be creative and to realize and understand a kind of interconnectedness and the impacts of that, which you wouldn't normally see. For example, I think one of the best things to emerge from social networking is the access and connection to other modalities and ways of thinking of perfect strangers and this notion of becoming "friends" with them. I am struck every day by not just how much we (members of Govloop, Facebook, Twitter) have in common, but just how much we are different in our thinking and exposure and perspectives. I think it is this very exposure to those differences is what makes social networking invaluable - this is what keeps us learning, thinking, open - precursors to being creative.

Now, why did you pick such a subject??! I could go on and on and on...lol.

Permalink Reply by Robert Domaingue on April 3, 2009 at 9:49am

Arlena raises an interesting point about seeing in new ways (as a passenger instead of a driver). We can break our habits of seeing by intentionally driving to work in a different way, or going into a store we would not normally visit (for the purpose of just being exposed to something new). Leonardo sought to understand something by literally taking a different view of it. In his anatomy drawings he would make three drawings of the same object, but from different perspectives. That seems like a very good approach to adopt, for understanding an issue - examine it from at least three different perspectives. Leonardo was ambidextrous. In the spirit of trying to develop both sides of your body, try brushing your teeth and eating with the hand that you normally do not use. How does it feel?

Permalink Reply by Allen Sheaprd on April 7, 2009 at 7:12pm

I try to embrace the new and the old but find is hard or scary to let go. Am I letting go of something valuable? Am I letting go of something that gives control over chaos.

Actually there is one more thing - doodle. Draw. We are visual creatures that love pictures - for they are worth a thousand words.

Permalink Reply by Chris Hoffman on April 9, 2009 at 2:19pm

For a slightly different path to curiosita, I occasionally try to indulge an argument or vantage that I recognize I've already labeled contrary, to which I'm admittedly closed. Otherwise just looking for "new" experiences more often leads to different flavors of the same. We humans are powerfully prone to selection bias, especially subconciously. You may just end up getting different toppings on the same flavor instead truly new experiences and insights without the occasional, conscious decision to stretch yourself.

Permalink Reply by Robert Domaingue on October 15, 2009 at 12:53pm

One of the strengths of Leonardo da Vinci was his Curiosita – insatiable curiosity about life. Todd Kasdan has recently published a book that explores the power of curiosity for enhancing creativity and promoting a more fulfilling life [“Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life” 2009, Harper Collins]. Kashdan feels that there are two profound sources of happiness and meaning in life – novelty and uncertainty. When we try to make sense of the unknown we are actually adding to the intensity of our positive experience and making it last longer than the pleasure we get from familiar routines. We can make meaning in our lives by becoming curious explorers. The opposite of psychological flexibility is rigid thinking. Lack of curiosity can lead to dogmatism.

I was intrigued with Kasdan’s observation that the core of a fulfilling life can be found in two simple processes – triggering intrigue and sustaining interest. “In an experiment people were asked to do something they reported disliking and they were told to pay attention to three novel features when they did it. This small exercise actually changed the way they viewed the activity.”

Kasdan suggests some steps for creating more meaning at work.
1. Discover Your Strengths (as an icebreaker try having people describe an event in their lives that characterizes who they are at their very best).
2. Bring Your Strengths into the Workplace.
3. Find a Secure Base.
4. Take Action.
5. Focus on People as a Source of Support and Meaning.
6. Find a Link between Your Identity and Both Your Work and the Work Team.
7. Become More Curious by Remembering to be Curious.
“Go into work with the mindset of looking for the two or three things that are novel and three things that can challenge you instead of relying on what is familiar and known.”

Kashdan also writes, “A hyperfocus on seeking security, avoiding distress, and sticking to a comfortable routine lessens one’s curiosity and, in turn, satisfaction and meaning in life.” And remember, “play is a training ground for change.”

Could you introduce more curiosity into your life? Have you known very curious people? What were they like?

Permalink Reply by Charlene McTier on July 16, 2010 at 12:18pm

Hi Robert,

I came across your group because I wanted to join a group who used creativity in their work or who thought creatively. When I saw your "Think like Leonardo da Vinci " article, I knew I was in the right place. This book is on our CIO's list. Here are 10 books I hope to read on creativity:

1.Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono
2.The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
3.How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day by Michael J. Gelb
4.A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative by Roger von Oech
5.Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step by Edward de Bono
6.Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius by Michael Michalko
7.Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
8.Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas by Jordan Ayan
9.The How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci Workbook by Michael J. Gelb
10.Discover Your Genius : How to Think Like History's Ten Most Revolutionary Minds by Michael J. Gelb

Creativity and imagination are very underutilized skillsets used in government operations. "Being able to think outside the box" is an important skillset and vision to have. I would like to see more of a creative approach to government operations and basically, I believe this is happening with the social networking phenomena.

Being creative, enables possibilities and change. This is definitely happening.

Permalink Reply by Gary Berg-Cross on July 22, 2010 at 5:42pm

Ah, I wonder how Leonardo might have taken to Twitter.

Then Michael J. Gelb might be able to write a 3rd book on How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: 140 characters to Genius Every Day. :-)