A Spark of Creativity as the Original Seed of All Human Advancement

In our increasingly fast-paced, interconnected global economy and world community, every issue we face is becoming more complex. Whether these issues are local or global, whether they relate to health care, the environment, governance, poverty, science, technology, or international relations, the challenges we face in this increasingly interconnected and multilayered world are becoming more complicated. That being the case, the only way to effectively address these increasingly complex issues is to develop in our populace a corresponding increase in creativity. To paraphrase Albert Einstein, if we are to solve the problems we have created, we must think at a higher level than when we created them.

Speaking of a higher level, the impact of creativity in our society and culture is even more profound than one might expect. Specifically, throughout the history of mankind, it is creativity that has driven innovation, invention, transformation, and progress, whether relating to ideas, inventions, advancements in medicine and technology, or social change. 

Stated differently, creativity is the original seed of literally every single advancement in civilization and humankind. Any idea, innovative theory, or approach to a problem was conceived and driven by a spark of creativity. It is that spark of creativity that allows us to look at an issue or problem in a different way, leading to novel solutions and transformational advancements. 

From early man figuring out the usefulness of the wheel to Johannes Gutenberg inventing the printing press in the mid-1400s, to Ben Franklin, with his kite experiment, discovering electricity in the 1700s, to John Roebling designing the suspension bridge mid the 1800s, to 

Alexander Fleming discovering penicillin in the early 1900s; all these discoveries and advancements started with a spark of creativity. That spark resulted in a higher level of thinking, turning an idea into a ground-breaking theory, innovative invention, or game-changing discovery. That initial creative spark eventually produced social, cultural, economic, and scientific progress. The creativity that drives out-of-the-box, next-level thinking is literally the fuel that powers civilization’s progress. Without those sparks of creativity and next-level thinking, we’d still be living in caves. 

If the above is true, our response should be to reconsider the fundamental purpose of our educational system. Yes, math, reading, science, and technology are vitally important subject matter and should be supported and emphasized accordingly. However, that emphasis should not come at the expense of starving the subject matter that spurs and sparks all innovation in those fields. That subject matter is music and the arts. We can expose students to all the math, science, technology, etc., concepts in the world, but innovation and advancement in those fields will never be realized, reached, and leveraged without sparks of creativity. In other words, while we should be investing in the solid fuel that drives and feeds knowledge, all that investment is fruitless unless we invest equally in the subject matter and curriculum that sparks and ignites that fuel. 

Clearly, the development of a creative workforce is key to our nation’s future economic, scientific, and geopolitical success. That being the case, why is it that when school budget cuts are necessary, music and art programs are often the first activities cut? A more effective and strategic approach would be for educational and community leaders to reconsider which subjects and activities are best suited for encouraging and developing the creative potential of students. Everyone has the seeds of creativity within them, and those seeds can be developed and nurtured. Thus, a major, if not the major, focus of our educational system should be a commitment to instilling in our populace a greater capacity for creativity and fully leveraging those resources that most effectively develop those talents and characteristics. 

My Book’s Been “Banned”: Disappointment or an Unexpected Badge of Honor?

This isn't Florida or Texas, so I was a bit surprised when informed that my request of a local bookstore (that will remain unnamed) to stock my most recent book, The Journey of an Old White Dude in the Age of Black Lives Matter: A Primer," was denied. The reason cited was that "We have a diverse customer base, and it is critical to us that all of our customers feel safe and welcome in our space. We work to ensure that no titles jump out to them as potentially aggressive or alienating." 

I’m not exactly sure who they believe the title might offend. Perhaps it could be that being written by an “old White dude”, might imply that it is an inherently racist book. On the other hand, they might be thinking that it might offend progressives and people of color because they believe the majority of writers on the subject of racism should be POC. That, however, is a point that I agree with and fully acknowledge. But there is only so much that POC can tell white folks about these issues, and I explicitly explain that I am writing specifically as one old White dude directly to other White folks, with a profound sense of respect and humility.

While I understand not wanting your customers to feel uncomfortable, but we're talking a bookstore here. Bookstores are full of books. Books are about stories, ideas, philosophies, and theories. They are written to entertain, inform and yes, they sometimes challenge readers with controversial ideas or topics. And yes, taking on the issue of race in America can be challenging, particularly for us White folks. But the fact is, honest discussions of race should make us a bit uncomfortable. As I write in the book, it's not necessarily a bad thing to be challenged and uncomfortable because feeling that way is the first step in the type of honest self-reflection resulting in growth that can eventually lead to behavioral change and progress. That's what books have the capacity to do. 

Further, we can’t keep books on racism written by Whites off the shelves because we are afraid people might get the wrong impression. We must be able to have discourse on racism from authors of all backgrounds and ethnicities. The burden of educating America on issues of race should not belong to POC alone. White folks must also share that burden.

So here is the rub. Clearly, they didn't read the book. They denied it based solely on the title and a brief description. Of any institution or business, a bookstore should be the last to judge a book by its cover. 

If they would have read it, they would understand while yes, the book challenges the reader on contentious issues, in the end, it is a hopeful book. It is about possibilities and opportunities for progress. As I wrote in the Preface:
"We are all on a continuum regarding awareness, knowledge of, and commitment to racial justice. For each of us, it is a highly personal journey. My hope is that, wherever you are on that continuum, reading this book will help you move along that path, to impact in a positive way, your understanding of, and commitment to, racial justice...."

"…Despite contrary claims, I believe we Old White Dudes have the capacity to understand, evolve, and do what is needed to meet that challenge. 

“We can do this!"

Perhaps it shouldn’t bother me that this store declined to carry my book. After all, there are plenty of other places to purchase it. Maybe it’s simply evidence that the issues covered are hitting their mark in challenging people to learn, grow, and evolve on issues relating to race in America. After all, that is the reason I wrote it.

So rather than being angry or disappointed, I am choosing to wear the fact that it is provocative enough to be "banned" as an unexpected badge of honor. 

Connecting the Dots: Music and Mental Health

As has been well documented, we are facing a mental health crisis in America, with rates of depression, anxiety, isolation, and suicide rising in virtually every age group and demographic, particularly among our youth.

This is not particularly surprising as there are many prevalent and, apparently, growing contributing factors contributing to this public health crisis. These include bullying, academic pressure, family problems, and social media harassment. In response, schools are being challenged to implement suicide prevention policies and to develop strategies, guidelines, and resources to address the issue.

How about this for another strategy and resource? Music and the Arts!

From treating depression and anxiety disorders to managing stress to helping veterans fight the effects of PTSD to aiding in the treatment of various mental disorders, the healing potential of music relating to psychological issues and problems is enormous.

One of music’s greatest impacts is how it can elevate an individual’s mood resulting in a more positive outlook and increasing self-esteem. Music is often linked to moods and thus can make individuals feel a variety of emotions, from happy, calm, energetic, or relaxed. As a result, its potential as it applies to psychological impact is virtually unlimited. Music therapy can also be instrumental in recovery programs for substance abuse disorders as it can help individuals deal with the emotional problems associated with such disorders.

Dr. Raymond Bahr, puts it this way, “Half an hour of music produces the same effect as ten milligrams of valium.”

And leave it to musician Bob Marley to highlight this benefit with one of his simple, straightforward universal truths, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

Another powerful benefit of music is that involvement in music groups can create a sense of “belonging” and community. Clearly, a major contributing factor to mental health issues and suicide is that the individual feels alone or like an “outsider”, which can contribute to feelings of depression.

Daniel Pink, in his book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing” cites the work of Roy Baumnester and Mark Leary, social psychologists who in 1995 developed the “belongingness hypothesis”. This is the notion that humans are always searching to feel a sense of belonging to a group in hopes of developing meaningful relationships with others. As a vehicle to provide opportunities to belong and connect with others there may be no better activity than group or choral singing. People who sing in a group report far higher well-being than those who do not or those who sing solo. While singing can lead to feelings of vulnerability (Is my voice good enough?), it also generates feelings of trust and togetherness in that everyone in the group is taking that risk regarding vulnerability together. In short, group singing builds community. Group drumming also offers the same benefits.

While efforts to encourage schools to develop various suicide prevention programs are certainly laudable, the question is, why do we continue to cut programs in our schools that have proven effective in addressing the various contributing factors to suicide? When school funding shortfalls develop, why do we continue to reduce or eliminate music and arts programs? These are “ready made” programs for treating depression and isolation.

So let’s connect the dots.

We have a rise in depression, anxiety, alienation, and suicide rates for teens.

As a result, schools are facing increased pressure to develop programs and initiatives to address these issues.

We know of a known entity (music and the arts) that research tells us is effective in addressing various causes and symptoms that contribute to depression and suicide.

Yet we continue to reduce or eliminate school programs in music and the arts.

What is wrong with this picture?

Is it possible that the decline in exposure to music and arts programs in our schools has contributed in any way to the rise in depression, alienation, and suicide rates in youth? There is no way to know this for certain, as there is little if any, research directly related to this potential relationship. That said, it sure seems like a logical series of factors, indicators, and impacts.

That being the case, perhaps a first step might be to simply connect the dots and begin to reconsider our investment in school music and arts programs as it applies to our educational and public health needs and priorities.

Every Day is Father’s Day

The first words our first child heard were my wife’s who, in the middle of a C-section procedure, called out, “Get a chair; my husband’s goin’ down!”

After regaining my senses, I was able to shake off this utter failure in my first test of Fatherhood because I was to be the stay-at-home parent. I’d have plenty of chances to redeem myself.

That said, there were challenges and moments of insecurity. As much progress as we’ve made regarding gender roles, the stay-at-home Father remains an oddity.

Some think you no longer have a “real” job. While they talk about work, you offer a detailed primer on the finer points of changing one child’s diaper before the other crawls off the bed or in the general direction of a deep body of water. Talk about the pressures of a real job!

And there was more than one occasion when, standing in line at the grocery store, one child precariously “surfing” on the seat of the cart, the other safely “caged” but wreaking havoc with the groceries, when a grandmotherly type would remark, “Oh, how nice. You’re babysitting.”

My response? “It’s called parenting.”

Another challenge was maintaining your Fatherhood self esteem in the face of “Super Moms”. Super Moms have everything under control – always on time, kids impeccably dressed, lunches nutritionally balanced, diaper bag fully outfitted, all of it color coordinated including a Ziploc bag of freshly baked snack time cookies for their child’s entire class. “How do they do it?” I’d wonder. It was enough to make any Dad feel inadequate as a Mom.

And then there were the weekly “playgroups” where stay-at-home parents would meet, children in tow, for coffee, snacks and some adult conversation. Always with wonderful spreads of food – symmetrically sliced fruit and a wide selection of breakfast items, often including three selections of quiche, all in a spotlessly organized house. My menu consisted of two items – coffee and frozen pizza.

Fatherhood entails is a lot of doubts and second-guessing. Often, there are no right answers. You do your best and move on. But I never once doubted that pizza- centered menu because being able to creatively “doctor up” and cook to perfection, a frozen pizza is an essential parenting skill. And it’s a skill that keeps on giving as your children don’t fully appreciate it until they are teenagers.

Fatherhood also provides countless moments of joy.

Dropping them off at school comes to mind. There is great joy in cranking up Little

Feat’s “Fat Man in the Bathtub” as you approach and slowly make your way through “car line”. Windows down, volume up, van rockin” and everyone singing. All at 8:00 AM! Now fully jazzed up and bouncing off the walls as they exited the van, I’d wave and say, “They’re yours now. Back at 3:00. Good luck.”

Fatherhood taps your every emotion - from intense heartache when your seven year old is retching into the toilet due to the flu and all you can offer are comforting words and a cold, wet washcloth pressed to her forehead to bursting pride when your son does something thoughtful and kind for a complete stranger. And there is tremendous pleasure when you realize your daughter’s guitar skills have far surpassed your own and, in her sly way, she let’s you know it.

There are bittersweet tears when they go off to college and you realize they’re grown up. But there is also great satisfaction when you begin to see the lessons you’ve taught come to fruition. Ultimately, that’s what Fatherhood is about – giving them the tools and instilling in them the values and perspective to make their own way in the world. While it’s difficult letting them go, ultimately it is their life to live.

And it happens so fast. One day you are passing out in the operating room and the next day your son is not only beating you in H-O-R-S-E, but trash talking as he does it!

There is however, comfort in knowing that Fatherhood is constant and forever. Once a Father always a Father no matter where you are or whatever stage of life you maybe in.

Yes, there is nothing more difficult than being a Father. But there is nothing better.

That’s why whenever you see kids giving their Father a hard time, get their attention, point your finger and say, “Look at him. He’s your Father. You only have one. Take care of him!”

Because every day is Father’s Day.

John is Father of Wallace (28) and James (25) Gerdy.

Diversity Equals Maturity and Strength

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our ability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences.”

— Audre Lorde

Good sports coaches understand that maximum success requires fully leveraging and utilizing every player’s full range of talents. Each player has a different and unique skill set. The challenge is recognizing, analyzing, encouraging, developing, and utilizing that broad talent set for maximum team results. 

This principle was reinforced by one of my coaches at Davidson, Dave Pritchett. He often spoke of coaching the team “from the 13th player up.” He paid more attention to the last guy on the bench than he did the best player. He understood that to maximize team performance, each team member was essential, regardless of how much playing time they received.

I had a unique view of this principle. My oldest brother, Greg, also played basketball at Davidson. While I was considered the best player on my team, Greg was the last guy on the bench on his. Our experiences were quite different. We both contributed to our team, albeit in different, unique ways. Regardless, we both loved playing basketball for Davidson College. Greg’s experience gave me an appreciation for how every player on a team or every employee of a company has an important role to play and that maximizing team or company performance depends on everyone fulfilling their individual roles to the best of their ability.

 It’s like a tasty Louisiana gumbo. You will not create a good, thick, spicy gumbo using only two ingredients. Gumbo requires many spices complimenting each other and coming together to create a great taste. Another example is your neighborhood. A broad cross-section of people with different interests, backgrounds, and talents creates a more interesting and dynamic neighborhood. As with a basketball team, gumbo, a business, a non-profit organization, neighborhood, community, or country, a diverse whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

This makes sense. If you spend all your time with people who look like you and have had similar life experiences and, thus, tend to think like you, your growth potential, whether personal or as a business, will be limited. If you surround yourself with like-minded people, you are not as likely to be challenged in your beliefs or ideas and, as a result, have less opportunity to learn and grow. If everyone thinks the same way, the thinking of the collective will become narrow and ultimately ineffective in our increasingly complex and diverse economy, society, and world community. Not to mention how boring life would be if everyone were the same. 

“It is time parents teach young people early on that in diversity, there is beauty, and there is strength.” Maya Angelou wrote that.

Enough said.

Leadership as a Lifelong Craft

It’s often said that great leaders are born.

I disagree.

While there may be some for whom assuming leadership positions seems to come naturally, becoming an effective leader involves too much for it to simply “happen.” There are too many skills, habits, and necessary knowledge required to be an effective leader. Like other skills, disciplines, or occupations, it is a craft that must be continually sharpened with much thought, effort, and practice.

Throughout my basketball career, I was often appointed or voted team captain. Being team captain implies that your coaches and/or teammates think you might have some leadership skills. There is a level of trust or belief in team captains that they will assume a leading role in the development of the team.

Why was I chosen? Most likely because I was the best player as far as skill level and physical ability. Sometimes, such decisions, particularly on sports teams, defer to that trait. The larger question was whether it was deserved. Regardless, it was something thrust upon me even though I knew very little about how to be an effective leader.

All leaders have their own style. Some are very vocal. Others are quiet and prefer to lead by example. I fell into the latter category, believing that actions spoke louder than words. To that end, I made sure to work harder than anyone else on the team, improving my skills, spending the most time in the gym and weight room, both in season and out. If my teammates saw that effort, surely, they’d be inspired to do the same.

Because leadership styles are so individualistic, the challenge is how to leverage your unique talents and personality to maximize your impact and effectiveness as a leader. It starts with being yourself. If you are not authentic, genuine, and true to your core beliefs, values, and personality, people will see through you and therefore be less inclined to follow your lead.

While leading by example is the foundational principle of effective leadership, I’ve come to understand that leadership requires much more than that. It requires effective communication skills and a sensitized awareness of the various personalities of teammates as well as the team’s culture. It requires more than simply worrying about your individual attitude and efforts. Effective leaders take the time to engage with their teammates to determine how they are doing mentally, physically, and emotionally both on and off the court.

In fact, a case can be made that thinking that simply working hard on your own game or skills will inspire others to follow is, to a degree, selfish. It is selfish because it requires only that you work on improving yourself. That’s the easy part of leadership. The more difficult part requires that you “invest” in others to find out what motivates them and makes them tick. The most fundamental responsibility of a leader is to make his or her teammates, staff members or volunteers better. Leadership is about giving of yourself to inspire others to follow and do the same. That requires a lot of time, thought, effort, emotion, humility, empathy, and, ultimately, love. Being an effective leader is difficult work, requiring sacrifice in that you are taking your focus away from yourself and investing in others. Effective leaders must be selfless because, at the end of the day, people don’t care how much you know or do until they know how much you care.

I sometimes wonder what I would have done differently as a team captain all those years ago. Given the benefit of time and experience, I’d like to think that I would have been a much more effective leader. And as a result, our team would have won a few more games. Or, at a minimum, performed more effectively and efficiently as a group and done so with passion and commitment. Regardless, the point is that becoming an effective leader is a lifelong journey driven by an unquenchable thirst to continue to learn and improve. As leaders, we are all works in progress.

So, are leaders born? In some cases, perhaps. But for most, becoming an effective leader is an ongoing process. It doesn’t simply fall into your lap. You must work at it. In short, becoming an effective leader, like any skill or talent, is a craft that must be contemplated, tended to, and honed over time.