When I was young a great uncle made coins disappear then magically reappear in new locations, often as sweets or notes. I remember dearly the curious fun it created, and my clumsy attempts to repeat the trick.
Magic gives us a visceral experience of just how much we miss as we look at the world around us. Psychologists tell us that we miss up to 80% of what’s happening right under our noses. This is both a super power and flaw for us humans.
Super Power – it allows us to deeply focus and pull detail from chaos. All our successful endeavours rely on this ability, both individual and collective.
Flaw – we are easily lulled into thinking we have the whole picture. The blind spots that result can cause massive (sometimes fatal) problems.
Teams that create psychological safety have a deep curiosity about what they might be missing. Finding a blind spot is cause for celebration rather than criticism.
Magic gives us a playful way to explore blind spots.
On 22 February I collaborated with the fabulous Stuart Lightbody for a short workshop. Stuart is an award winning, global touring, sleight of hand master. The wokrshop was about about:
- How we filter
- The stories we tell
- Creating Magical Moments
- How these things can be used to navigate uncertainty and lead well
