It's Not About Right Brain Vs. Left Brain

We use both hemispheres of our brain all the time, but for a moment, let's just be frank and say:

Isn't the RIGHT BRAIN cool?

* Holistic

* Appreciates the Random * Utilizes Intuition

* Gets the Systems Perspective

* Understands Context * Connects with Emotion

* Registers Expression

Our friend Daniel Pink says in a Wired article:

"Until recently, the abilities that led to success in school, work, and business were characteristic of the left hemisphere. They were the sorts of linear, logical, analytical talents measured by SATs and deployed by CPAs. Today, those capabilities are still necessary. But they're no longer sufficient. In a world upended by outsourcing, deluged with data, and choked with choices, the abilities that matter most are now closer in spirit to the specialties of the right hemisphere - artistry, empathy, seeing the big picture, and pursuing the transcendent."

Peter Block on the role of art

“Reform can’t happen without art”

"Art presents a vision of the world that’s always ambiguous. Ok? If its clear its not art. It’s just imitation. If it’s clear, you may see art with enormous skill and it doesn’t touch you because it’s all clear. So the purpose of art is to document the nuance of experience. And what’s radical in this construction is instead of having people who are good at us drawing for us...maybe the community needs to create the graphic display and the people who have expertise in art are guides, the messengers. And I think its wonderful. Reform can’t happen without art."

-Peter Blcok

Collaborative Chautauqua Map

Click on the map to see a larger version of the image created by Avril Orloff, Mary Corrigan and myself at this year's Chautauqua gathering. Lots more information in the following post...

Chautauqua 2010

I just returned from a magical 3 day gathering called 'Chautauqua' held at the Mount Madonna School in Watsonville CA. "What is a Chautauqua?" you might logically ask. The amazing Ward Mailliard is the ring leader and progenitor of the gatherings, so I'll let him explain. The Chautauqua is an "engagement of people who care about learning...and they center around the essential question, of 'What are the conversations that I want to have that will support my own transformation in the learning process?' and, 'How can I engage in conversations that will support the work that I care most about?'" Over seventy people attended this year to explore their individual and our collective learning journeys.

I was fortunate to be a part of an initial conversation that led to the use of art as a central method for exploring learning and transformation at Chautauqua. Here's Ward again:

"I just had an interesting and thought provoking conversation with Mariah Howard who most of you know a gifted visual note taker and, well so much more as a thinker of creative engagement. We were talking about the Chautauqua 2010 (July 6-8) and how we might deepen, extend and connect the trail blazing that happens there" by engaging "the gifts of music, art and technology to create new frameworks of participation at the event and even beyond."

This year was unique in that there were three Visual Recorders present: Mary Corrigan, Avril Orloff and myself. The three of us found a way to encouraging people to make their own visual records, collages, and group drawings while the 'professionals' collaborated on a large Visual Record of the event which you can see in an earlier post. The other stellar facilitators were Peter Block, Barbara McAfee, Vivian Wright and Michael Jones...a dream team of conveners.

It was a fantastic opportunity to experience the power of art as it relates to creating community, deepening our ways of learning, and transforming our individual narratives about the journey we're on.

Visual Record: Trust

A map I created after listening to the reflections from a World Cafe gathering, where several groups dialoged about the nature of trust.

Resume Map

Here's a whole new way to present your resumes to potential clients and employers: it's the Resume Map! In this Map the job seeker hopes to become an Executive Assistant to the Executive Team of The Engage Network. The Resume Map matches each of the various roles/functions required for the position with her requisite skills and experience. This Map will certainly help her stand out from the crowd.

Mount Madonna School School Project: Values in World Thought

On Friday April 2nd I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with the Junior and Senior class of Mount Madonna High School. The students are about to embark on an amazing trip to Washington DC through through their 'Values in World Thought' program. Their teacher and my inspiring friend Ward Millard shares their whirl-wind tour as students interview members of Congress and other important leaders. Ward handed the class over to me on Friday after we collaborated on a design for the day that would support students investigating their concerns, goals, questions, and commitments in support of the trip. To learn more about previous trips to DC and hear interviews conducted by the students, click here.

C4C Map With Embedded Videos!

Click on the link below and then CLICK AGAIN on the lightbulb next to the title of the map, lower right hand side, just to the right of 'The Return" to see a video of both yours truly and Avril Orloff discussing Visual Recording at Connecting For Change. Enjoy!

http://www.mappingtheedges.com/proto/3.connecting-for-change/index.html

Connecting For Change Murals

These murals were co-created with Avril Orloff during the anual Connecting for Change event in Vancouver BC. Please follow this link to learn more about the event and our Visual Recording.

AAA Template: Ideal Team

This is a template I co-created for David Underwood, a Performance Management Executive for AAA in Walnut Creek. David and I had a visually supported meeting about his goals, and a week later I recorded a day long meeting he facilitated where participants filled out the template and shared their ideas. I wanted to share the template along with his glowing review of our work together:

Mariah,

I want to thank you again for your hard work, support, creativity, ideas and guidance on our meeting yesterday. I feel blessed that our paths have crossed. You added tremendous value to the dialogue, and I believe your work will be invaluable to us going forward. I had a lot of fun, and learned a lot from you. For this I am truly grateful. I will now be looking for opportunities to use you in the future and will heartily recommend you to all my colleagues.