We need more passion

Creativity is hot these days. We need to be creative in order to respond to quite some challenges today: economic, environmental, social,… It’s true, I am a believer. But what we need first of all is engagement. People that don’t just do what they have to do to earn the money but do what they do because they believe they can make a difference. We need passion, people working towards the same goals. It’s what JCI (Junior Chamber International) calls ‘active citizenship’. Knowledge, creativity, networks are important but passion is the secret ingredient that makes the recipy work. To whom do funders give their money? Which leaders are the most followed and listened to? Indeed…

We are working on stimulating creativity but how can you, as an organisation, as a government stimulate passion and evolve from a knowledge based economy to a ‘passion economy’? Is it something that can be stimulated? I believe so. I can see it whenever we run a good conference or event people leave with the feeling they want to do something with what they have seen, learned or with whom they have met. In Dutch we have a perfect word for this: we give them ‘goesting’ to do something. So how can we see this on a broader scale….and how can you keep on stimulating this?

Sir Ken Robinson

Wednesday I assisted at a conference for ‘educators’ organised by Flanders DC and the education department of Flanders.

In 2006 we invited John Cleese at the Creativity World Forum … he didn’t show up. We were saved by Sir Ken Robinson and he truly blew us and the entire audience away with his speech on ‘school kills creativity’. Although he doesn’t move on stage during his presentation, he is one of the most dynamic and enthusiastic speakers I have ever seen. He truly inspires an audience. At that moment, we decided at Flanders DC to invite him again to speak to all ‘educators’ in Flanders.

At the event ‘Innovatie maakt school’ he talked about his new book ‘The element’ and finding the natural talents of children and develop these. This is crucial to develop a passionate workforce. It is not a guarantee any more to find a job if you have a university degree, you have to keep reinventing yourself.

More information on the website of Flanders DC.