Creative Thinking Skill - a LDP discussion
7 Cups offers a wide range of volunteer roles to choose from. Still just to exercise some creativity...
If you could suggest a role that you believe will be helpful yet isn't available yet, or perhaps can be considered an out of the box idea, what would it be?
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@ouiCherie
@Heather225
@GlenM
Hi Oui! 😊❤️ Thank you for this amazing forum post and asking for us to use some flexible thinking in other roles that could be created. You rock!
I had read a forum post from @GlenM years ago, reaching out to us all and asking us this very same question. 😊 I thought it was quite brilliant at that moment as well.
If I recall, Glen had stated something like....that he understands that many of us may have certain skill sets that might be going underutilized, skills not apparent at first blush if our currently available roles won't give someone the opportunity to show those skills as well as that the currently available roles might not be the right "fit" for each individual.
I like how you as well as he has asked this question. Kind of like a "think tank" of sorts. Come up with a new idea, pitch it and throw your "hat in the ring" 😊.
Even more recently, I noticed a forum post from H ( @Heather225 ) and they were giving everyone the opportunity to pitch new ideas as well. 👍 I enjoyed H's phrasing of it and I can't quote them as I don't recall the verbiage. For me however, it translated to kind of like......come up with the plan, great... but be ready to execute it as well 😊
I find that to be more than fair as I call it "if you aren't part of the solution then you are just part of the problem" lol 😊 Be ready to also prove how you will provide the time and effort to make the dream come to fruition. As Glen says "put your shoulder behind the plow".
As for me, I have been in the "think tank". I have "pitched" some ideas but for those ones, I had to be confident that I had the skill sets to provide the work to help make it happen.
So for this one........I do have an idea. However, I am not claiming that I have any special skill sets to make it work. H is a very busy person. Even Einstein only had 24 hours in their day and left much of their work unfinished.
H brings a great deal to the table and there will be many times when someone can only seek the help of H to be heard, to get traction, to be understood. I feel as if it's really difficult for one person to hear the thought (H), embrace it, investigate, reach out to others that can then make the magic happen, try to get "lift", wait for replies, try to execute a plan with a dry run and then to get back to the original person that needed the help or support.
I propose assistants for H. Volunteers that have shown certain skills, reliability, trustworthiness. For H to hear the original issue, decide if it is worthy, and if so give an assistant a problem so solve and to report back to H with the findings. Do we already have people to help out, well kind of. But maybe not in this unique way that the role is dedicated to report to H and for H to decide who best to choose from to harness their energy and point them in the right direction for the talents provided and the problem at hand. For assistants to not already be overwhelmed with their other roles. This would be their role.
New, unique role. "Many hands make for light work". The assistant would provide the "leg work" report back to H with the findings and then H can decide how to move forward. These could be people that are those to draw from for quick answers, short projects, information gathering, experimentation to see if a concept would work. A small group of intelligent as well as highly diverse people that talents lie in different areas dedicated to this role.
Abe Lincoln "Whatever you are, just be a good one". There is much to be said about the concept of "specialization". (Pulling from the field of Industrial/Organizational Psychology).
*high fives* 😊 and *hugs* ❤️
@SparkyGizmo
Hi Sparky! 🤍 oh... I haven't seen Glen's post about the subject, but would love to read it for sure. H's post is an excellent opportunity if one has the idea, can implement it, and has the time and space for it.
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas A. Edison.
This post is just a fun brainstorm, who knows, maybe they'll come in handy hehe...
A team to support H sounds great, Sparky. But we already have an admin team and the admins have ambassadors. What would distinguish this team?
Wonderful thought, btw, high5 and hug! 🙌🤗
@ouiCherie
I love that quote! Thank you for sharing it! 😊❤️
Thanks for the question! What would distinguish the team is something that I had mentioned above. These would not be people that are currently admin or ambassadors. Admin and ambassadors are truly the best and brightest that 7 cups has to offer. ❤️
They have been chosen for their unique skill sets, special gifts they have to offer, have been put to work and sent in a certain direction and I imagine with pre determined job functions. They too, already have plenty to do and have made a time commitment for their roles.
One must be careful to not over burden our current talent lest they become overwhelmed, experience burn out, job or role dissatisfaction and potentially leave us.
Our biggest resource is our people.
7 cups seems to be changing and evolving as best we can to keep up. If we stay static we get left behind. Might we have unharnessed energy and talent among us that has been unnoticed and untapped?
Might we have volunteers out there that have real world experience, college degrees in certain areas that might love to take on this special and unique role and apply their knowledge and strengths to the betterment of 7 cups? I wouldn't know what our current challenges are. Glen has mentioned that he hopes for us to catch "lightning in a bottle" 3 more times. I imagine H knows what it is that we need. H might know on the daily what it is that we need, the talent and man/woman power to pull it off. Our needs could potentially grow and change daily.
We could potentially have those in our community that have degrees as well as work experience in the area of marketing, sales and specifically b-b (business to business), computer science, motivation (how best to incorporate those techniques in developing our people), those that specialize in "train the trainer" techniques, special knowledge of insurance companies and how to get us connected to more of them to offer our services for less expensive therapy options for their clients as well as mentioning us as a team of listeners to assist them. The list goes on and on.
These skill sets are not required of admin or ambassadors and nor should they be. And so a small team of those with certain skill sets could have the role of assistant to H, smaller projects, mini think tanks, problem solution as talent to draw from when the need arises. Again, "many hands make for light work". 😊
Yes, this is simply a fun brain storming session. I had fun doing so! 😊 I'm sorry if I "missed the mark" and didn't answer correctly or was a bit too "over the top" and didn't provide a trite answer. The question was asked and I had a ball answering it! Weeeeeeeeeee weeeeeee! 😊❤️ (For me, brainstorming is actually really fun 😊😊😊)
I guess if you were looking for something more funny, maybe not doable (or possibly) and a bit more on the silly side, I have a good one for that! 😊 So here goes for being silly and fun........
A role to boost morale could be our Ambassador of comedy. Clearly this would be someone with their "funny bone" firmly intact. We have those here on the site that do professional voice overs for movies, are applying to do so or at one point wanted to. We have those here on the site that can do well over 100 voice impressionations. We also have professional singers as well as up and coming musicians.
How adorable would it be for our Ambassador of comedy to tap into this resource, have a go to list of talent that we have available and have songs created for others on special occasions and sent to them via pm (using vacaroo), a cute impressionist speaking as their favorite character, an uplifting joke etc. Something to represent a mile stone or something incredibly sweet to bring them comfort during a time of need.
For me, I think that would be pretty mood elevating and or flat out hilarious. Hoping this was more of what you were looking for 😊.
*high fives* 😊 and *hugs* ❤️
@SparkyGizmo
I love both ideas. Those are example of creative thinking!💡
The team's concept sounds awesome! I suppose you had discussed this with @Heather225 ? Any thoughts, H?
I'd like to highlight some important points you wrote:
"One must be careful to not over burden our current talent lest they become overwhelmed, experience burn out, job or role dissatisfaction and potentially leave us."
Overwhelmed and burnout are truly not a badge of honor hehe... I just got reminded to review this following exercise by @Hope (thank you!): Evaluate your workload periodically
What do you think? Perhaps this can be a topic of discussion itself? 😊
"Might we have unharnessed energy and talent among us that has been unnoticed and untapped?"
When I took LDP, there's a lesson about "pay attention to those who raise hands" but @ZaatarHoney mentioned something in the same direction as you in this discussion. I guess it is just as important to pay attention to some hidden talents that for some reasons don't raise their hands?
Ambassador for comedy hehe... we do need some good laugh sometimes 😃 great thoughts and wonderful discussion, Sparky! ✨️
@ouiCherie
Thank you very much Oui! 😊❤️ It means the world to me that you liked the ideas, as well as, felt as if they were good examples of creative thinking!
I haven't discussed the concept with H as of yet because again, they are a very busy person who does so much and for so very many. Maybe the "proof is in the pudding" here, lol 😊 and goes back to my original thought process of why this could be a need here on the site 😊 to help them and all of their efforts.
While I love spending time with H because they truly are one of my personal "hero's" ❤️ and time spent with them is time well spent, I am respectful of them and their time as I'm confident that they have so very much to do.
They too shouldn't be over burdened and overwhelmed. I know this, as well as if I pm them, I'd like to think that they would feel in their heart of hearts that if a pm comes in from Gizzie that Yup! it's gonna' be good. 😊 I never want to be like the story of the "Little boy who cried wolf" and that if I reach out to them it's a legitimate and sincere need for help and support. Kind of like a triage moment and there are some things that I feel that only H will understand as well as be able to address.
I would never want to abuse the privilege of receiving a fast response from them because if I do that, then the privilege could go away 😳. As well as I wasn't providing the man power/woman power to drag the concept across the finish line.
So amazing that @Hope has a firm grasp on the concept of not being overburdened, overwhelmed or burning out for roles lest the great talent that we have, leave us entirely! 👍
I agree, that this would be a great discussion, in and of itself entirely! woooooooo hooooooo *high fives* 😊
Oh my goshhhhhhhhhhhh Oui! That is quite brilliant how you brought my thoughts around full circle and included the responses from @ZaatarHoney from a previous forum post! Agreed, there is much to be said for noticing those that "raise their hands" as well as for noticing those that don't. That is flexible thinking. It's good to think of the reasons of why those that aren't raising their hand as well as being highly observant to see the talent with in another. Many reasons why one would not raise the hand.
One reason could be, back to baseline........we might not have current roles that someone see's themselves being a good "fit" for. Or that sometimes people just need a bit of kindness, encouragement, noticing their skill sets, being highly observant and being most patient with them as well as celebrating the gifts that they bring to us. Sometimes it takes others to see the magic and to identify it and call it what it is! True greatness! ❤️❤️❤️
For me, this is a nice moment to tag some of the amazing powerhouses of 7 cups that never raised their hand. Where would we be with out them? Where would we be if someone didn't see the greatness with in them? I take no credit for their greatness, I simply witnessed it and encouraged it! 😊❤️😊
My hat is off to you sweet "non hand raisers". Keep rockin' the house! @Sunisshingingandsoareyou @GoldenRuleJG @Comphi @theriverissinging @richuyulin @Nessa00
Thank you Oui! 😊❤️ This was soooo much fun to spend time with you in this way!
*high fives* 😊 and big *hugs* ❤️
@SparkyGizmo
Hey appreciate you tagging me in this thread, wouldn't have seen it otherwise. Though forums is not the right place for me to go on a discussion about this topic. So to @OuiCherie or any other leaders reading, poke me in DMs if you wanna hear my perspective.
@SparkyGizmo
thank you giz. 💟 loved reading your thoughts - the fun and silly parts too were equally amazing to read. i do get much more of love and appreciation from you than what i give out and deserve, which i am nothing but grateful for. so there's no need to 'raise hands' :p i get so much of it without asking for it, and it's so beautiful because *you* are beautiful 💟
@SparkyGizmo
Edited above to clean up a tag and placing what I think it the correct tag/screen name here
@Nessa00 ❤️😊
@richuyulin
Hi Rich! 😊❤️ No worries my friend! My tag was simply more of a "shout out". It was done more in an effort to *give* ❤️ to you as opposed to asking your opinion, pulling you into the discussion or requiring anything of you.
*high fives* 😊 and *hugs* ❤️
@theriverissinging
River, my sweet friend! 😊❤️ *breaths deeply* Must say, that was a powerful moment for me right there, powerful words from you and you moved me to tears (in the good way). Wow! Just Wow! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you River! ❤️ I cannot thank you enough! You have truly *filled up my cup* and I promise I will move forward in my day on 7 cups and do my personal best to try and fill up the cups of others with your love and kindness being the biggest "well" to draw from today.😊❤️
Please be rest assured that I will counting you in my gratitude moments at the end of the day as I have done quite a few times before with out you even knowing that I had done so. ❤️
big big *hugs* ❤️
@SparkyGizmo ❤️✨
@theriverissinging
❤️❤️❤️
@ouiCherie I think understanding risk management could be very useful, asking assessment questions , specialised courses on mental health conditions and getting a qualification that way ❤️❤️❤️