This week I’ve invited a handful of collaborators I enjoy and admire to write guest posts that fit the scope of this space: “the art & science of creative action.” This post is from my favorite NY’er, LaToya Jordan, Founder and Chief Consultant of Lead By Design Lab, a consulting practice designed to support leaders in unique, human-centric ways through leadership coaching, team development, and organizational effectiveness.  You can find LaToya on Instagram at @leadbydesignlab and connect with her here.

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I recently experienced a profound realization that will forever change the way I approach work. I discovered that the nature and objective of the underlying work itself can tap into a source of inspiration and motivation that transcends mere “work.” I discovered that when I’m solving a problem that really matters, work is transformed to something else entirely. And that changes everything.

And as a result, I’m learning to be more and more judicious about what work I take on, and more and more liberal with a willingness to turn work down.

As a design thinking practitioner, I work on dozens of projects in some capacity each year. These projects range from leadership programs with mammoth goals of reimagining lines of business to projects focused on leveraging design thinking principles in coaching practices or even hypothetical projects for the purpose of learning. While I enjoy the diversity of the projects, if I’m honest, I mainly find myself most giddy about the support I offer teams as they begin to fully grasp the value and utility of design thinking tools.

Recently though, I entered an engagement where the project itself really sparked my enthusiasm and creativity in a whole different way. I co-facilitated a design sprint where the focus was to help identify new solutions to increase black and indigenous homeowners in this particular part of the US. Whoa!!! I was all-in on solving this problem, as I see the link between homeownership and generational wealth clearly.

The idea that, in some small way, I could have an impact on this issue had me jumping out of my skin with excitement!! My creative juices were bubbling, and I couldn’t wait to speak to users.

For about two months, I worked with a small team of nonprofit leaders as we met with community members to learn their perspectives regarding why they hadn’t considered homeownership. Their insights left me curious, confused, but most of all, inspired to come up with ideas that could move the proverbial needle. The team worked with zeal discussing quotes, throwing up sticky notes on our virtual whiteboard.

In short, we learned that black and indigenous community members needed support and encouragement from other black and indigenous individuals to see homeownership as a possibility. It was so obvious yet so novel at the same time. I understood this need at my core. After all, seeing people who looked like me achieve certain milestones showed me it was possible for me. It’s why people say #representationmatters!

With that core insight in mind, the team ideated and prototyped a “For Us…By Us” concept, where community members would receive tips and advice from those who looked like them. The team’s energy was palpable as we riffed on different ways to make this concept come to life! I found myself watching with pride as the team pushed past groupthink and acceptance of mediocre ideas and dug deeper because of the purpose of the project. At one point, the team became enthralled in a heated debate related to our POV and a key feature of the prototype. One team member kept saying fervently, "but will it make her feel supported and seen throughout the homebuying process. If not, who cares?" It was a question we continued to use to check ourselves as we built out our idea on Miro. 

We couldn’t wait to get back in front of community members to see if our initial concept scratched the surface of meeting their needs. And it did!!! Seeing people’s eyes light up as we shared our prototype during testing gave me goosebumps. We were on to something! All I could think was if this brief test inspired them, imagine what would happen if the concept was in the market? The mere idea of that shifted me as a designer. I wanted to design things that mattered.

The project was eventually placed in the hands of the state agency that sponsored the work, and I began an entirely different project. But I was forever changed by the experience. Inspirational work can show up in many different ways. One key lesson I learned is that solving a problem I care about in a profound, meaningful way creates a higher level of engagement. It’s a new revelation for me but one I’m so grateful to have discovered. There’s no turning back now.

I’m turning work down. No more taking on projects that don’t kindle my passion. As Steve Jobs once said, "It's only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important to you." I couldn't agree more! Having seen the power of purpose to fuel my imagination and drive my engagement, I’m dedicated to use these tools to change the world!!

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