How to build a space that allows for cultivating meaning (/creativity) and not only transaction?

Most spaces (communities, collaboration rooms, Slacks) operate on an invisible contract of transactionality. A community, for example, has a goal (/culture fit). Its members introduce themselves and exchange respective utility until outcomes.

The opportunity not often taken is to be creative together.

We cannot be clear when we think of a new idea (/are creative). We don’t yet know what we want to say or where our thoughts would lead. These frequent moments ask for open-ended affordances. We need to be allowed to pause in a space that does not have a ticking to-do list.

Interpersonally, we can’t be transactional while being creative. We need to hold space for creativity. And use the energy ‘creative confusion’ allows.

I experimented with a few such containers. Thirdness was a paid members community where a weekly prompt allowed discourse in what I call band practice for solo artists. Critical Business School was a series of monthly workshops (between Aeon and Harvard Business School) where members meet for four 1-hour-long sessions, in prompts and discourse, but no introductions until the last 10 minutes of the final session. The most recent container is On creativity. A book that will never be published, which I am writing as a body of ideas the community can discuss and build on.

The goal of a container is to tend to the air (/energy) between the members, as opposed to program what is said or done, where a facilitator can add another log to the fire or open a window.

The Container Workshop will run over ten 60-minute sessions starting in September.

I recommend this for community builders, innovation consultants, managers, and coaches. Reply to learn more.