The power of wow

Wow – the power to be amazed and capable of anything!

You know when you were a kid and could be amazed by the simplest tricks your dad was showing you (like pretending to remove your nose from your face or unscrewing your belly button… these were ones running in the family)?

You had the power of wow! The power to be surprised and stunned by simple things. Magician and leadership expert Andrew Bennett says that when your mind is in this space, it becomes a lot more open, creative and capable – anything is possible!

Although kids are masters at it, it’s also a very important state of mind for businesses. Those that have adopted it in their culture are known for being innovative and integrating continuous improvement in their day-to-day practice. But it’s not an easy philosophy to foster in business as it requires to be comfortable with constant change.

Plus, with how busy and stressed we can be at home like at work, how is it possible to maintain an authentic culture of ‘wow’ (authentic… not pretending to be, but really being amazed and capable)? Or how can we build one?

What is needed is an environment where self-imposed limitations are eliminated. This can be done by:

• Creating a culture where creativity is king – whether that be asking your colleagues for improvement ideas or your kids for their own bedtime stories
• Encouraging input from everyone – juniors to seniors
• Feeding your mind with thought-provoking, diverse and creative concepts
• Taking time to relax and time to think
• Continuously asking yourself questions – What do I want to create through my work, family and personal interests? What do I need to reframe in my life? How can we improve the way we do things?

What tactics or tips have you used in your own life to help develop the power of wow?