In 1991, John Cleese gave a talk on Creativity in Management in which he listed 5 essential elements that help us get into what he called open mode. Open mode is the environment that allows us to be creative and receptive to new ideas.
According to Cleese, all creative people need 5 things:
- Space
- Time
- Time
- Confidence
- Humor
Yes, time is on the list twice. It’s that important to creativity. Let’s call them Time the First and Time the Second.
Time the First connects to space. Giving ourselves the physical space and a specific period of time to be creative and think creatively. These elements help us create an “oasis of quiet.”
Too often, when working on projects, we underestimate this creative time in favor of more concrete tasks.
Cleese argues this time is essential and must be scheduled like any other meeting. Even if that meeting is only with ourselves.
Interestingly, he expects our minds to wander onto other tasks. The meeting we need to schedule or the call we need to make. That’s why he argues we should give ourselves additional time and build that distraction into our creative time.
Time the Second is about getting uncomfortable, tolerating that discomfort, and playing with the problem as long as we can. Within reason, of course, given a deadline.
If someone pushes us to make a decision before we’re ready, he recommends pushing back by saying (and I quote):
Look, babycakes, I don’t have to decide until Tuesday, and I’m not chickening out of my creative discomfort by taking a snap decision before then. That’s too easy.
He does not, however, offer advice for what to say after we receive the inevitable call from HR following this statement.
Which brings us to the last two elements, confidence and humor. Confidence isn’t about certainty so much as letting go of the fear of failure. During our creative time, no idea is a bad idea. Working through even lousy ideas can lead us to more creative outcomes.
And, of course, John Cleese would see humor as essential, but he’s not talking about haha funny. He’s really talking about being silly and engaging in play.
How I take time to be creative
I don’t. And that’s the problem. It’s been a month since I posted on my blog after I promised myself that I would post weekly.
Life intervened I suppose. You may have heard that we had an election in the U.S. recently, and it did not go the way many of us wanted.
After an incredibly busy week with 3 work events in 10 days, I did absolutely nothing this weekend.
I thought I might take a walk but decided that I really needed the rest.
Rest is also an essential part of creativity. And I would add it to Cleese’s list.
While I say I did nothing, I don’t mean nothing nothing.
I’ve had the video below in my drafts for weeks. And whipped it back out to listen to Cleese’s full talk while doing the dishes.
Other than the dishes, I finished the audiobook of Danica Nava’s The Truth According to Ember narrated by Siena East. Available now on Libby at the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Then, I cleaned my apartment and did laundry while listening to Eddie Glaude’s masterful political philosophy of leadership, We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For.
I also doomscrolled too much on Twitter. I have decided to remain on the platform because I won’t cede my platform and connections to disabled people at a critical moment.
I also binged Andor, which fits my mood and watched Deadpool and Wolverine, which had too few Easter eggs and too many dick jokes.
And now I must take Peanut out.
Watch John Cleese talk about time and creativity
You can watch part of his talk on why time is so important here: