Do you have a big idea that is swirling in your head and you just can’t pull it together? Have you sat looking at your screen trying to work on the big idea and things just do not synthesize?  Perhaps, try taking a walk and watch your creativity soar. I had an idea incubating but it just was not coming together. A friend who knows that I do my best thinking when walking said…”Why don’t you take your big idea for a walk in the redwoods?”

Each day for a week, I took my idea on a different trail through redwoods. In sun, mist, rain, I gave my idea time to incubate. The first day I just walked and waited to clear my head and get clear on my goal. I let the redwoods center my mind around my big idea. Then, the ideas started to come together. Each bend in the trail and each grove of redwoods inspired me with creative clarity.

My big idea is to take teams on walks in redwood forests to discover their strengths and to learn how to develop a strengths based culture in their organization. My big idea needed time in the trees for the leadership metaphors of the redwoods to turn into professional development outcomes.

Imagine taking your team for a hike in the redwoods to discover ways to apply their collective strengths to specific goals. What’s possible?  [Read more…]