Best Wishes for 2009!!

I love beginnings...a fresh syllabus, an unchartered book, a new year. Although I have never been one to firmly establish resolutions each January 1st, I do make it a point to reflect on the past year and set goals for the next 12 months. A personal goal of mine is to become more creative and innovative.

I have been reading a book from the Center for Creative Leadership titled The Leader's Edge: Six Creative Competencies for Navigating Complex Challenges by Charles J. Palus and David M. Horth and have been inspired to start a blog strand labeled Leadership. This book provided an idea that would certainly help with reflection. It is called a visual verbal journal (VVJ) and it is used to track observations and ideas in both words and illustrations. According to the authors, "...a working journal integrates the technical and personal and provides a risk-free place to develop your personal voice and style."

The following are tips for keeping a VVJ:

• Keep it in a notebook separate from other papers in a private, protected place.
• Cultivate an artistic style in your journal sketches and illustrations.
• Cultivate a scientific style in the way you gather and weigh evidence, and create new hypotheses.
• Pick a theme for the VVJ and stick to it. You may want to keep more than one for varying themes: important life lessons or career development.
• Return regularly to past VVJs in order to reflect on ideas and gain insight into your development.

So...what will your first sketch be? Mine...a vessel filled with varying sized rocks, pebbles and water. It is a reminder that there is only so much time in the day. The size of the vessel doesn't change. The large rocks go in first. For me, they represent my family and valuable relationships. People matter most. The smaller pebbles and water will have to fit in as size (time) allows.

I wish all of you a blessed, healthy, fulfilling, and prosperous New Year !