"You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'" ~ George Bernard Shaw

Photo Credit: Kevin Jordan, Mt. Vision, Above Inverness, CA, November 1, 2025

Greetings -

I hope you, your families and friends are well! 

We recently returned from a fabulous driving trip throughout Southern California. Our itinerary included visits to Palm Springs, Manhattan Beach, San Diego and culminated with a brief stop in the lovely and lively university town of San Luis Obispo (SLO) on our journey back to the Bay Area. SLO is home to one of my favorite (and one of the best, IMHO) old school record stores in the country, the fantastic (and quirky) Boo Boo Records. This was quite the treat for a music dork like me!

In Palm Springs, we had the great pleasure of our daughter's company (she was on Fall break from school). We enjoyed some wonderful family time together in the beautiful (and quite warm!) desert, hiking, visiting the local art galleries, swimming in our rental house pool and tasting the impressive and wide-variety of culinary options that Palm Springs has to offer. Our journey also included some lively and fun visits with friends and colleagues in Manhattan Beach and San Diego. All in all, it was a fantastic trip!

In San Diego, I had the great privilege to attend the International Coach Federation's Converge 2025 Conference to support my long-time colleagues at Creating Futures That Work (CFTW) with their pre-conference session "Innovation Begins With 'I:' Experiential Learning for Leaders and Coaches." Led by CFTW's creative and thoughtful Founder and Director, Harvey Seifter, our half-day, hands-on workshop leveraged arts-based experiential learning to help participants: 1) spark innovative thinking; 2) overcome self-limiting beliefs about what it means to create and how that creativity can be expressed; and 3) (most importantly, I think), see the world through fresh eyes. The results? Folks left the session with learning frameworks to strengthen innovation skills, enhance collaboration and cultivate growth and future ready mindsets.

I have facilitated and participated in workshops like this before and I am still amazed each time at the real-time learning, growth and revelatory power that art-based activities can have on myself and group participants. As one who once held self-limiting beliefs about who can create and what "good" creating looks like, I can attest to the profound impact of opening oneself up to the possibilities and power of creative expression. If you or your teams have interest, please feel free to reach out to me and/or Harvey to learn more. 

Finally, I want to give a big shout out to the other outstanding team members and coaching colleagues that made this possible: Fred Mandell, Anne Game, DeBorah "Sunni" Smith and Suhair Fakhoury. Thanks to you all for a wonderful experience!

This edition considers a variety of points of view on the value of and need for taking on new perspectives. Whether it be changing your position on a previously held belief, reframing a lived experience or creating an entirely new narrative, our ability to effectively navigate the ever-increasing (and, at times, conflicting) demands of our professional and personal lives will likely depend on what and how we see our world. In those insights, we can find signals to fuel learning, growth and innovation for ourselves and our teams.

With respect and deep admiration for you all, happy reading and listening!

Be well, take good care of yourselves, families and community. 
-kj

PS - (Missed a newsletter? Past editions can be found here: https://www.kevinjordan.coach/blog. And if you hit paywall on an article(s), feel free to send me a note and let me know what you need. I have subscriptions to many of the sources that I cite.)

Featured: New Research on the Link Between Learning and Innovation
Our innovation learning journey begins with 'I.' Role modeling this behavior encourages self-reflection, inquiry and ultimately new discoveries about how we can meaningfully contribute and affect change. Doors can then open on how best to support our teams. Recent research demonstrates the positive impact of helping teams develop structured and sustainable behaviors to support their 'learning rhythm.' Fueling the 'passion of the explorer' - a dedicated commitment to learning predicated on curiosity, inquiry and experimentation - can inspire innovative and novel approaches to strategic growth.

Articles
McKinsey & Company: The art of 21st-century Leadership: From Succession Planning To Building a Leadership Factory. "Increasingly, our research and experience in the field suggest that organizations need to shift their leadership approaches in several core areas. Instead of managing with an eye solely on profits and preservation, leaders must also think about how to convey vision and possibilities (innovation) to all stakeholders. Instead of looking at value creation through the lens of scarcity and capitalizing on existing assets, leaders must consider opportunities to co-create with partners. Rather than simply command and control, leaders must collaborate and coach. And authenticity among leaders isn’t just nice to have; it’s expected by employees, customers, and almost everyone along the value chain."

Harvard Business Review: In Turbulent Times, Consider 'Strategic Subtraction.' "In an era when every competitor is racing to add more features, channels, data, and spend, the real differentiator is the courage to remove. Subtraction is neither austerity nor minimalism; it’s strategic design. By carving away the non-essential, leaders create the white space where breakthroughs can grow and position their organizations to be first off-the-blocks when the rebound arrives."

KelloggInsight: Take 5: Feeling Stuck? Try a Career Makeover. "Regardless of where you are in your career, it can be challenging to figure out the next move. Whether you’re looking for a big swerve or just feel stalled in your current role, the choices you make may very well dictate your trajectory for years to come. So, it’s often well worth your while to consider how best to approach the process."

Knowledge at Wharton: Why Women Are Avoiding Jobs at 'Flat' Workplaces. "The lesson is not to abandon flat structures, but to recognize their downstream consequences on who chooses to apply. Startups can retain the agility and openness that such structures can bring, while addressing perceptions that deter women from applying. This may require communicating transparent promotion criteria, clarifying roles, and showcasing inclusive practices alongside any mention of flatness. Addressing these concerns early may help young firms attract a broader pool of talent, avoid diversity debt, and build a more inclusive, fast-moving team — better positioned to scale and compete over the long term."

The Wall Street Journal: See How the Average U.S. Worker Has Changed Over 250 Years. "Today’s Americans earn more, work fewer hours and are more likely to hold a service job than ever before."

Blog Posts & Opinions
Korn Ferry: Don’t Forget Creativity Training. "Future [organizational] survival may depend on a shift in perspective: Rather than doubling down on reskilling people into the next wave of software fluency, leaders will want to invest more heavily in building a culture that supports experimentation, connection, and out-of-the-box ideas—not only in R&D departments and innovation labs, but also across the entire breadth of an organization." 

Experimental History: Face it: you're a crazy person. OR: why your brain needs a boxcutter. "The beginning of that work is, I believe, unpacking. As you slice open the boxes and dump out the components of your possible futures, I hope you find the job that’s crazy in the same way that you are crazy. And then I hope you go for it! Shoot for the stars! Even if you miss, you’ll still land on one of the three moons."

Seth's Blog: Kinds of Reckless. "The recklessness of unlearning. When we deliberately dismantle our carefully constructed expertise and certainties to make space for new ways of seeing and being."

Podcasts 
TED Radio Hour: How taking a second look can change your everything. "A second glance can change everything...TED speakers will make you think twice about robots, history lessons and even wine bottles."

Kelly Corrigan Wonders: On Making. "...Making isn't just a hobby but a fundamental human need that improves wellbeing, helps process trauma, and enhances learning. Susan [Magsamen] and Ivy [Ross] explain how singing to babies releases oxytocin, how arts education closes achievement gaps, and why creative expression matters for everyone from CEOs to doctors to children."

This American Life: My Other Self. "What happens when people create alternate versions of themselves and release them into the wild?"

Arts, Music & Humor Corner
The New York Times: Reuniting the Great Works of the Patron Saint of Artists. "A new exhibition in Italy puts the spotlight on Fra Angelico, whose reputation for piety vied with his undeniable artistic talents."

The Guardian Music Interview: "The Florence + the Machine singer talks about life after devastating loss, performing with Taylor Swift and the double standards for women in music."

The New Yorker: David Sedaris. "Shopping For Clothes in Tokyo."

Reflections
“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.” ~ Robert Henri

"Creativity is part of human nature. It can only be untaught."~ Ai Weiwei

Autumn
by Jane Hirshfield
Again the wind
flakes gold-leaf from the trees
and the painting darkens—
as if a thousand penitents
kissed an icon
till it thinned
back to bare wood,
without diminishment.