One of the nice things about publishing a blog and being a professional speaker is meeting other authors and professional speakers. Through those connections and conversations, I’ve realized that the weird little quirks that I thought were unique to me are actually shared by many.
One weird little quirk is “ideating while writing.” I usually don’t know what I think about a topic until I write about that topic. For example, in the past, when asked to bid on a custom presentation, I would draft a post or two or three to make sure I have something meaningful to say before accepting. Writing helps me explore an idea, take a stance, and get clarity. My fellow writers say this process works for them too.
A close colleague has a similar process, but she “ideates while speaking.” Her ideas solidify by talking about them, refining them through conversation, and hearing them spoken back.
No matter what process you rely on, often, ideas need to be held to the light, turned over, and tossed around to get some traction. This makes me wonder because we are separated this year, will there be a new idea decline? Maybe.
Association professionals tell me over and over that their members cannot wait to start networking again. Why wait? Is the world missing out on great ideas by holding off verbal and written conversations until we can meet in person? For the writers in your membership, this is a great time to make sure your online community is all that it can be. For the speakers in your community, try some of the new virtual networking platforms and methods.
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