7-minute read
A monthly post generated from reflective thought and experience
“We live in an age of answers.”
Joshua Jay, magician
Never before has information been so easy to access; facts, opinions (so many opinions), and analysis available at the tap of a button. This flood of abundance has seeped into every corner of our lives, making immediacy our new normal.
For leaders, AI and information accessibility present both benefits and challenges. The benefits include faster time-to-market, re-evaluated staffing requirements, and enhanced system efficiency.
Today’s exploration starts with a question: How can leaders keep strong interpersonal relationships in a world that relies more and more on integrated machine learning?
Let’s look for guidance from a discipline whose success depends entirely on interpersonal connection – magic. The world of magic is complex- from the mechanics of illusions to the neuroscience behind deception, it is a vast topic worthy of a book-length manuscript. Here, we will focus on five magicians’ practices that leaders can incorporate into their daily routines.
1) Reading the Room 2.0
“There are basically two kinds of people who watch magic: those who watch passively, and those who want to know more.” Joshua Jay, magician
Swap out “who watch magic” with “in our organization”, and most leaders would agree.
Magicians begin performances by scanning body language, eye contact, and appearance, and build a connection with both the passive and the curious through bookended statements based on observation. (Example: A conservatively dressed, smiling audience member may prompt “You are particular, yet open to ideas”). The bookended prompt invites the audience to confirm, deny, or comment, leading them to believe that the magician understands and sees them.
Leaders can use the bookend statement technique and, by pairing it with an open-ended question, begin conversations that strengthen connections. (Example: You’re on time and look eager. What, for you, is most interesting about today’s meeting?)
Note: When creating a connection, begin with What, Where, How, When, and Who, and rely less on WHY questions, as they can prompt a defensive response.
2) Starting with ‘What if.’
Imagine the first time someone said, “What if we could saw a person in half (and not get arrested)?” What seemed impossible then is now a common illusion. Magicians are expert ‘What if’ explorers and rely heavily on the Socratic method—questioning, challenging assumptions, dialectic process, and active listening.
Questioning
Questioning begins with ‘What if’ to explore what’s possible within the parameters of the outcome sought (sawing a human in half). Often, in today’s fast-moving world, it is tempting to jump straight to solutions (what are the steps for sawing a person in half?). But pushing beyond the expected, to the outer limits of what may be possible (why not a floating sawing illusion?) supports creative thinking as an organizational norm. Ideas are brought down to Earth and prioritized using an implementation/impact analysis.
(Implementation/impact analysis prioritizes ideas by ease of implementation and degree of impact.)
Challenging assumptions
Just because something hasn’t been done yet doesn’t mean it’s impossible. The routines we develop based on our assumptions are comfortable, but they can also be restrictive. Magicians don’t use the phrases below, but people in organizations do.
When these phrases appear, pause to understand their underlying cause.
Phrase: We’ve always done it this way
Root Cause: Need for comfort
Phrase: We tried that, and it didn’t work
Root Cause: Regressive thinking
Phrase: There is no time for something new
Root cause: Fear of more volume, not more efficiency
Be open to the possibility that the root cause might come from you. Are you a corrector (quick to jump into solutions), or a connector (linking people to each other and ideas)? Reflect on your past decision-making habits. Understanding the root cause helps you and others move beyond legacy assumptions to feel more comfortable in uncharted territory.
Dialectic process
(See Design Thinking below for a more detailed process.)
As an institution, magicians are obsessed with continuous learning. Enter the Magic Castle, a dedicated space where they can research, collaborate with peers, and test new ideas. It’s a giant retreat playhouse for magicians. What’s truly magical (no pun intended) is that magicians have a place to gather, be with peers, share ideas, get inspiration, and discuss the evolution of the craft.
Leaders take note. Yes, it can be lonely at the top, so having a group of trusted colleagues improves decision-making, growth, and well-being. You don’t need a castle full of peers, just a few to start.
Active listening
Listening actively allows magicians to adapt quickly to audience needs in real time. Refer to Design Thinking below and use this Active Listening guide as a resource to encourage critical thinking and build autonomy among your team members.
3) Design Thinking
Magicians are expert design thinkers and follow the five-step process of empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test when developing tricks and illusions. It’s an internal/external approach.
Empathize: The human audience is always the focus.
Define: Magicians observe societal trends, including how AI and other digital platforms generate instant magic and evoke ‘wow’ by changing predictable patterns and introducing surprise. They discover new opportunities within predictability.
Ideate: Creating new work starts with ‘What if’. Ideation is a non-negotiable step.
Prototype: Magicians don’t reinvent the wheel with each trick; they refine successful elements from past work—both theirs and others. The creative use of deep research and data collection produces prototypes.
Test: First, practice relentlessly, then, taking the trick on the road by incorporating the new illusion into a rehearsed routine to observe reactions and identify flaws. Magicians are not afraid to test ideas publicly and excel at gathering external feedback from audiences and peers. They rely heavily on peer input and share ideas with colleagues. This feedback refines their ideas for further testing.
4) Storytelling
Magicians engage their audience by creating context and storytelling. They draw the audience into the world they’ve built and guide them toward the intended outcome.
(See Reading the Room 2.0)
Stories are essential tools for engaging others. Clearly outlining a destination and the challenges, and inviting participation, creates the connections that build trust. Without trust, the audience (or employees) has no reason to stay interested.
5) Including Others
“Sir, may I borrow your phone for my next trick?” There is no faster way to engage people than to make the activity personal. In this case, the entire audience is invested because it could have been their phone, and what if the trick goes terribly wrong? For leaders, answering ‘What does this decision mean for me?’ helps employees feel seen and heard. This might seem like extra work for leaders, but it’s a crucial step in building and maintaining long-term relationships.
Magicians are explorers, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to inspire wonder in a constantly changing world. They generate awe through connection, storytelling, and by staying comfortable with constant adaptation. Leaders can do the same. Yes, “We live in the age of answers”.
Magic reminds us of the importance of questions and connection.
Resource: Joshua Jay, “How Magicians Think”, Workman Publishing, 2021.
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