Project X Discussions

Vision and Creative Tension

I would like to pursue further the ideas on Vision and Creative Tension based on the ideas in Senge's book the Fifth Discipline.  I think for me the life of hard knocks and our human fraility really tested my tolerance for creative tension.  I think I lost my ability to have a vision for what could be some years ago.  I think I discovered that people are often less than perfect and do not always share my vision.  I think it is sad I lost that vision or compromised it. 

Maybe I was being pragmatic and trying adjust my thinking to the possible when things were not going my way.   I think it was a mistake to let go of the vision.   

I would encourage people to hang on to their lofty visions and just allow reality to be the challenge.  We are never aware of the growth, just the pain.  The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  However without that goal, we could be stepping in any direction.  Keep your eye on the goal.  Think strategically and act tactically. 

I think people with vision and belief in themselves create their own opportunities.  People with vision have a tough time but with the vision in their mind, they can weather many storms.  Without the vision, how do you know if you are making progress.  I would also refer you back to my blog on my cloud theory.   

Creative Tension

One of the neatest ideas from Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline was the concept of creative tension.  I think it is in the section on Shared Vision which is one of the five disciplines.  The concept is that reality and our vision are often significantly different and create in us tension.  The picture he uses is using one hand representing vision and the other reality.  An elastic band stretches between hands.  The tension in the elastic band represents the creative tension.  The higher difference between reality and vision the greater the creative tension.

I fear I am not a fellow who can tolerate high creative tension.  I am always saying to myself "Be realistic, Jim."   In comparison, Serge Godin, the founder of CGI, has a great deal of tolerance for creative tension.  He has a vision and still has vision for CGI that I thought was very unrealistic.  I guess he really kept his vision intact regardless of what was happening in the trenches.  Also I think he really knew what was going on but did not get sucked into the details.  He was the deal maker and the charismatic leader. 

I think it is useful to evaluate our own tolerance for creative tension and I think if you do not like what you find, change it.  These days with all the great psychological techniques available, we can change anything we want. 

Some suggestions:

• Team up with somebody who has greater tolerance for creative tension.  Recognize that person is not likely a strong on the operational side.
• Talk to people whom you respect that has more creative tension.
• Focus on the possibilities, rather than on the problems.
• Creative a vision on paper and look at it frequently.
• Talk about your vision to others.
• Create a shared vision with others, not just sharing yours, but one you all share and love.
• Harness the vision energy and produce rapid results.

Keep in your mind my cloud theory which was the subject of another blog post found here.