Last week at the Canadian Nuclear Association conference I had the pleasure of hearing Lyn Heward from Cirque du Soliel speak on igniting the creative fire that lives within us all. She did a great job bringing the creative message from the world of Cirque du Soliel to an industry where procedures and regulations rule.

In her speech Lyn talked about The 7 Doors:

Door 1 - Great expectations - what is your potential? She explained we all have the right to have great expectations of our own skills.

Door 2 - Surrender to your senses! Lyn talked about how we fulfill our potential by developing intuitiveness. Take the time to see, feel, smell, touch and hear your environment.

Door 3 - Treasure hunting and creative transformation - this was Lyn’s very creative way of saying recruitment and training. This door is all about how an organization supports its people and finds hidden talents. She suggested that organizations should hire “for who a person might become.”

Door 4 - The nurturing environment - this door reminds employees of the goal and each person’s responsibility in achieving that goal. Lyn said employees must be proud of the product you are making.

Door 5 - How constraints, challenges, differences and consumer expectations become creative catalysts - this door is all about the outside influences that affect our creative process. Things like budgets, limited resources, etc. spark a reaction that demands creativity.

Door 6 - Risk Taking - Lyn suggested that in order to get ahead you have to take a certain amount of risk. She said that complacency is the single biggest risk in business. She asked the audience to think about making mistakes in the context of research and development.

Door 7 - Keeping it Fresh! - This door is about how your highest level of management in your company keeps the employees motivated. Lyn suggested a hard working boss was the number one criteria for success. People work better when they have a hand in the action. Lyn also suggested technology can enhance but not replace human performance.

She encouraged everyone in the audience to pull the hidden talent from each of their employees.

What would your hidden talent be?