Ashley Fico, Ph.D.’s Post

Looking for some non-work related entertainment this weekend? Check out one of my favorite podcasts with two amazing people - Jess DeCotis and Nick Koziol! Their podcast has me hooked. If you think terrifying stories aren't for you....give it a try anyway. It's the perfect blend of terror...and humor. I loved being a guest...even though I'm sure my stories rank as "least terrifying."

“What assumptions am I making about this situation?” I find it to be one of the most critical questions to ask in problem-solving. Let’s take a silly example. Consider the following statement: I RIGHT I Were you tempted to read “eye (I) – right – eye (I)?” What assumptions did you make? That the statement should be read from left-to-right? That position of the words was meaningless? What if you changed your mindset to focus on interpreting the statement? Not reading it, but understanding it. Question whether you have to move from left-to-right. Consider the idea that position matters. Try speaking out loud. Ask yourself where the words are located. I RIGHT I “Right between the eyes.” It’s not just a brain teaser. It’s an exercise in cognitive flexibility. The willingness to set aside a fixed mindset and consider information differently. Start by questioning your assumptions of a situation -- the solution might surprise you. Learn more about how InnoQuests LLC uses customized puzzle hunts to help your team master creative problem solving. Sign up for our newsletter (in comments) for ongoing tips. #creativeproblemsolving #creativity #humanresources

I've had a few quiet weeks on here, but we've been busy! One of the most exciting moments? Getting to participate in Geared for Growth! Thanks Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, for the amazing things you do for the community!

Are you ignoring the monkey in the room? If you want to test yourself first, watch the video below. Then, here's why it matters: The video was part of a study conducted by Daniel Simons. He asked students to watch the video and count how many times people passed a basketball. At the end of the video, a person in a gorilla suit walks boldly through the game. Yet, approximately 50% of people never see him. A gorilla. In the middle of a basketball game. It's inattentional blindness. We're so focused on one thing, we miss others. It's an issue for problem-solving. You're so focused on one aspect of a problem, you miss the solution. You ignore a cue that's right in front of you. So, how do you fix it? You change your frame. And, you do that by questioning your assumptions: What am I assuming to be true of this situation? Where am I focusing? Why? Where would someone else focus? Why? Too often, leaders seem to question why problems aren't solved -- or, why their culture is crumbling. But, the answer is right there. The monkey is in the room. You just have to figure out how to see it. #leadershipdevelopment #problemsolving #creativity We'd love to share more with you about tips for problem solving, communication, and leadership in your organization. Register for our newsletter in the first comment.

"But, that wouldn't be said in an exit interview." I was speaking with someone about employee turnover. The statement shocked me. The idea behind it was disconcerting -- That people may perceive providing a truthful reason for departure as "burning a bridge." The truth shouldn't be deal-breaker. It should be a gift. An effective leader should make room for real concerns to be expressed. They should evaluate claims made - consider observations and supporting data. Because the concern just voiced? It could just save your organization. Don't fix what you perceive to be the problem. Fix what's really wrong. And the only way to know? Ask for an honest truth. Create an environment where people are brave enough to provide one. #leadership #communication #humanresources Learn more about our approach to leadership development at InnoQuests LLC.

Bichon Business Lesson #6. Challenges prompt creative thought There's a problem solving mindset that puppies don't seem to have - or, at least, Juniper Rose doesn't. "I can't." Call them limiting beliefs, constraints, or barriers, we've all faced issues that we believe will impede our progress. A challenge arises and we begin to feel stuck - our current actions are inadequate. That's the first step to adaptation -- recognizing that our current frame is broken. Research tells us that limitations actually help us to solve problems. A challenge refocuses our attention. It shows us what's important. Those who understand this shift will start to ask new questions: What am I assuming about this situation? What am I overlooking? Can I add something to change the outcome? Would removing something be beneficial? In Juniper Rose's case, she loves getting into a laundry basket. But, when she was a puppy, she couldn't always do it. She'd pull item after item out of the basket, pawing at the side to climb in. And then, she'd embrace the limitation. Find a new way. Climb on something else and hop in. Grab enough clothes to build herself a little mountain and jump. The idea is the same for us. Acknowledge existence of the limitation. Recognize the failure of your current strategy. Then, start asking questions and experimenting - find a new way into your laundry basket. #creativity #problemsolving #experientiallearning

Why might training programs fail? Many reasons, but among them: They don't start with the behavior. Imagine a standard educational program/training. Information is disseminated. People listen and take notes. They even report feeling positive about the skills mentioned. But, little change results. See? The attitude was created first. The behavior was expected to follow. But, it often doesn't. Here's a possible solution: Start with the behavior instead. It builds on cognitive dissonance. The idea that people hate discrepancies between their public behaviors and beliefs. So, if the behavior happens first, the attitude may fall in line. If the attitude happens first, it is less visible to others. The commitment hasn't happened so publicly. It's easier to back out. To let the behavior fall by the wayside. I've heard it called "acting your way into a new way of thinking." It's a powerful tool. Try it in your organization. Or even, in your life. Act first. Watch the evolution happen. #creativity #leadership #experientiallearning

Most people start with the question. "What does everyone think about using strategy [x]?" The next time you're stuck, try starting with the answer. The optimal end state. Then, work your way back. When designing puzzle hunts, we find strategy questions are often insufficient to start the process. Asking "What does everyone think about puzzle [a]?" is likely to be ineffective. It may not fit an organization's objectives. It may not use the environment selected for game play. Instead, the best puzzles we've created come from reverse engineering. We start with the answer. A wall of photos in a company lobby. A warehouse full of company products. Then, we consider how players will interact with that environment. Will they find something? Count something? Use something? And, most importantly -- why will they do this? How will completing that action meet an organization's objectives for the experience? Once we know the answer, we can build our way back. Create the puzzle that will get players to where we want them to be. It works in other contexts too. Identify the outcome. Solve for the relevant problem. #creativity #problemsolving #leadership Learn more about how customized puzzle hunts designed by InnoQuests LLC can help develop your team's problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills. Get monthly tips for your team through our newsleter (link in comments).

"How is a Starbucks like an airport?" It was our first assignment in a class on stand up comedy. The instructor had written "Starbucks" on one side of the board and asked for our observations. "Expensive." "Distinct brand" "Popular..." Then, she did the same with airports. "Crowded." "Loud" "Hectic..." Then, she asked us to make connections. What could be found in both? What did the lists bring to mind? "I spend half my time at each of them looking for an outlet" "Feels like I'm always waiting in line at one!" The comparisons rolled in. I hadn't thought about the exercise in years. This weekend, I saw it again in a book ("Creativity Rising" by Gerard Puccio and colleagues). This time, however, the connection was between any item and a business challenge. So, one could - for example - list observations about their dog and compare those to a challenge of "how to change my marketing strategy." In the class and book, the ideas were the same -- to challenge oneself to see an issue differently. To find connections of which you weren't aware. To pull lessons from one context and apply them to another. This is also a critical skill for adaptation. Best practices are critical for building a foundation. Or, for responding with excellence to a known issue. But, when an environment changes? You'll need to think outside of the box. Are you ready? #creativity #leadership #humanresources InnoQuests LLC provides tailored training on leadership, communication, and creativity paired with our customized puzzle hunts that provide opportunity to practice skills. Sign up for our newsletter (link on profile) to learn more.

Bichon business lesson #5. Juniper Rose was the runt of the litter. A tiny, 3 pound ball of fluff. Upon picking her up, she was quiet and snuggly. She napped calmly on her 8 hour drive home. One might call her reserved -- passive, even. Then, she met our black lab, Lilly. We joke it was the moment she reinvented herself. Juniper Rose took the house the by storm. Give her a tiny bone? She'd haul out one Lilly's bones - at least half her own size. Provide her with a small water dish? No, thanks. She'd use Lilly's bowl. Over and over, she clearly communicated: "Hi, I'm the alpha now." So often, people think about adaptation as a response to the environment. That may well be the case. But, adaptation can also occur when one merely anticipates an environmental change. Juniper had never met Lilly. And, Lilly was passive and uninterested at their first acquaintance. Nonetheless, Juniper clearly anticipated that she'd need to hold her own in the current environment. So, she changed her behavior to facilitate a more positive outcome. This is a skill of effective leaders. They monitor the environment. They look for anomalies. They start to act - and, inspire others to act - before a change even occurs. If you don't want to be seen as the runt? Change your behaviors. Change others' perceptions. #leadership #communication #humanresources