Takeaways from the seventh TEDxMacatawa conference.
One afternoon with a pen, notebook and an open mind can spark a new way of thinking if you’re ready to embrace potential from a new perspective. How about the perspective of thirteen unique voices? At the seventh TEDxMacatawa conference, our Holland community showcased the innovation, passion, and humanity behind actions that have the power to build a stronger tomorrow. Among the many visionaries who took the stage, I found Harle Battjes, Charlie Duistermars, Dr. Josh Wymore and Cort Corwin’s talks especially compelling, and I’m eager to share their advocacy.
Exploring ‘What If’ with Harle Battjes
Throughout my life, I’ve turned to the wisdom shared by TEDx speakers during moments of contemplation, asking myself, “What if?”
Driven by the wonder behind possibility, Harle Battjes invited Holland to rethink the concept of “Trailer Trash,” highlighting untapped potential that fosters community ownership. What if we transform what’s already tangible? I was particularly moved by her ideas for converting a pond into a nature preserve or a garage into a tool library.
By showcasing within-reach ideas, Harle inspires many to see beyond the obvious and harness the power of creativity for the common good.
Off the Shelf Impact: Charlie Duistermars’ Mission
At 13 years old, Charlie Duistermars is a Mac and Cheese connoisseur and a humble force for good. His love for Jesus fuels his mission to increase food access in Ottawa County’s food deserts by donating thousands of boxes of Mac and Cheese to mobile pantries. Recognizing potential is one thing, but turning a vision of action into reality is a contagious force that compels us to think beyond ourselves and embrace our responsibility to the community. Take a leap of faith and follow your heart–especially when it calls you to support others.
Humility: Dr. Josh Wymore’s Key to Leadership
What are you doing for others? The answer is personal, but critical when understanding your strengths, according to Dr. Josh Wymore. Among your strengths, is humility a top contender? By seeing our strengths and limitations, we can truthfully find our place as leaders without fear of blindspots, but rather motivation and willingness to collaborate with humility. You don’t need to have all the answers, and boy was that reassuring to hear. What matters is our capacity to show up with respect and cultivate teams with a strong foundation of empowerment.
We Need More Edisons: Insights from Cort Corwin
An oft-quoted definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results, right? Cort Corwin’s fresh approach to creative intention challenges tired concepts to inspire innovation. In a world demanding bigger, better, faster and stronger in every market, it’s critical to reconnect with our creative intelligence and understand our creative behaviors to guide the work we do.
Not sure where to start? Cort suggests taking from his own experience and inviting 30 eight-year-olds to your office and listening to every idea.
Doing so helped his team to reconnect with the depth of imagination we seemingly lose after childhood.
Cort said we can categorize these creative behaviors into delivery and discovery divisions, aligning with the DISC profiles—an insightful personality assessment that reveals how we operate within teams. Both delivery and discovery behaviors are essential: delivery engages the analytical side of our brains, while discovery taps into the creative side. Which side resonates with your thinking? When we balance people possessing these skills among teams, we create a harmony of analytical and creative thinking that welcomes innovation. As a writer with a strong ‘I” DISC profile, I find Cort’s philosophy on creative intention eye-opening and perhaps even proactive in addressing burnout among fast-paced teams. Understanding your unique role within a team built for creative intention fosters purpose and helps people find meaning in their work–and passion is the best driver of success.
Listen Fully
Perhaps listening is the key to inspiration, and welcoming a fresh approach is exactly what we need to reignite creativity or action when stuck in a rut, navigating adversity, challenging skepticism or even embarking on addressing injustice. What may seem like simply a conference is actually an opportunity to lean into the passions that define our forward-thinking community and expand our viewpoints. When Dr. Josh asked, “What is the best hour of your week?” I unexpectedly realized I was exactly where I needed to be.
