​

​

Click to watch (10:27) or scroll down to read on…

Hey there, innovation champions!
​

When I was a kid, much as I dreaded the end of summer freedom, I confess I loved the fresh start feeling of "back to school." New binder, new backpack, new pencils and erasers.
​

With the unknown territory of a new teacher and classroom, it was almost as if I could walk into school as a new me!
​

Who doesn't love that feeling? A reboot. A refresh. Like clearing cache or rebooting your computer to see things with new eyes, like a beginner again.
​

September gives us a great opportunity to mindfully adopt that beginner's mindset, just like a kid going back to school. But what if we could aim to do so continuously? What if we could create organizations that learn and adapt as naturally as a child discovering something for the first time?
​

The Power of Beginner's Mind

You know that feeling when you watch a child encounter something for the first time? They don't bring preconceived notions about what's possible or impossible. They just explore, ask questions, and try things.
​

As adults, especially in our professional lives, we accumulate expertise—which is valuable. But sometimes that expertise becomes a cage. We know so much about what shouldn't work that we can't see what might.
​

That's why the back-to-school mindset is so powerful. It's not about becoming naive—it's about temporarily setting aside what we know to discover what we don't know we don't know.

​
Creating a Learning Organization Through Play, Imperfection, and Rapid Learning

Here's where my Create the Impossible™ framework comes in. The three principles—Play Hard, Make Crap, Learn Fast—are essentially a systematic way to cultivate that beginner's mindset at scale.
​

Play Hard: The Foundation of Learning

In a learning organization, play isn't frivolous—it's foundational. When we approach challenges with curiosity and a sense of exploration, we open ourselves to possibilities we might otherwise miss.
​

Play reduces our fear of being wrong, which is crucial for learning. Think about it: kids learn language by babbling nonsense until it gradually becomes coherent. They don't wait until they can speak perfectly before they start trying.
​

The same principle applies to innovation. When teams give themselves permission to experiment without the pressure of immediate perfection, they discover solutions they never would have found through analysis alone.
​

Make Crap: Embracing Productive Imperfection

This principle flies in the face of most organizational cultures, which demand excellence from the start. But learning organizations understand something counterintuitive: the fastest path to excellence often runs through deliberate imperfection.
​

When we give ourselves permission to create rough drafts, to build prototypes that don't work quite right, to test ideas before they're fully formed, we accelerate the learning process exponentially.
​

It's like that first day of school when you're still figuring out where everything is. You're not expected to navigate perfectly—you're expected to learn as you go.
​

Learn Fast: Turning Every Experience into Growth

The third principle is about creating rapid feedback loops. In a true learning organization, every experiment—successful or not—becomes valuable data.
​

This means celebrating the insights that come from "failures" just as much as we celebrate successes. It means asking "What did we learn?" instead of "Who's to blame?" It means treating setbacks as stepping stones rather than roadblocks.
​

The Continuous September Mindset

Imagine if your organization could capture that back-to-school energy not just once a year, but continuously. Where teams approach each project with fresh eyes, where it's safe to try new approaches, where learning happens as naturally as breathing.

​
This isn't about abandoning expertise or throwing caution to the wind. It's about creating space for both mastery and discovery to coexist.

​
Your Back-to-School Challenge

As we embrace this season of fresh starts, I challenge you to identify one area where your expertise might be limiting your vision. Where could you benefit from approaching an old problem with fresh eyes?
​

Maybe it's a product feature that's been "impossible" to implement. Maybe it's a team dynamic that's been stuck in patterns. Maybe it's a process that's always been done "this way."
​

Whatever it is, try approaching it with the curiosity of a first-grader. Ask questions that might seem obvious. Suggest ideas that might seem silly. Create something imperfect just to see what happens.
​

Because the most successful organizations aren't just good at what they know—they're excellent at learning what they don't know yet.
​

And that learning never ends. Every day can be the first day of school when you're committed to Creating the Impossible™.
​

What will you discover when you give yourself permission to be a beginner again?
​

I'd love to hear from you: What's one area where your expertise might be limiting your perspective? Hit reply to share your thoughts—I read every response!

​
Senior Leaders: Ready to turn your team's knowledge into a competitive advantage through continuous learning? Book a complimentary Innovation Strategy Session and let's explore how the Create the Impossible™ framework can transform your organization into a learning powerhouse.

​
​P.S. What's one area where your expertise might be limiting your perspective? Hit reply and let me know—I'd love to hear your thoughts!
​
​

📚 Book Sneak Peek: The Perfectionism Trap

When was the last time your team delayed a project because they were waiting for it to be perfect?

​
Innovation doesn’t come from flawless plans—it comes from scrappy experiments. That’s why Innovation at Work is packed with 52 micro-experiments—strategic interventions that help teams practice imperfection, move faster, and learn smarter.

Want early access? Join the waitlist here, and check the box to join the launch team for extra bonuses!
​
​

🎙️ Unlock Your Hidden Creativity (Podcast Episode!)

I had such a fun time joining Michael Reddington on his I See What You’re Saying: The Disciplined Listening Podcast! We dug into how creativity isn’t just for “artsy types”—it’s the secret weapon for problem-solving, leadership, and innovation.
​

We talked about:
​
✨ Why embracing imperfection unlocks innovation
🖍️ My favorite “Crappy Doodles” exercise
🚀 How to use my 3-step Create the Impossible™ framework (Play Hard • Make Crap • Learn Fast)
💡 How to reframe mistakes as fuel for breakthroughs
​

It was an honest, playful, and practical conversation—perfect if you want fresh ways to spark creativity in your work and life.
​

👉 Tune in on your favorite platform:

• ​Apple ​
• ​Spotify ​
• ​Amazon Music ​
• ​YouTube ​

​
PS: We even snuck in a mention of my upcoming book, Innovation at Work—so you’ll get a little preview of what’s next!
​
​

This Week’s Doodle: The Art of Making the First Mark

Every time I start a new doodle, I face a blank page and make a mark. I never know where that mark will take me—I simply make a mark (an offer), then respond with another mark.
​

Accept and build, or “yes, and,” as we say in improv. Each mark creates new constraints I have to work within. Doodling is effectively solo improv with a pen.
​

This weekend, while leading a workshop on doodling as spiritual practice, I realized how perfectly this mirrors the innovation challenges I see with executive teams every week.
​

Most leaders wait for the perfect strategy, the right conditions, or complete buy-in before making their first move. But breakthrough innovation rarely starts with a master plan—it starts with someone brave enough to make the first mark and see what emerges.
​

The most successful teams I work with have mastered this “yes, and” approach to problem-solving. When someone throws out a half-formed idea, instead of immediately critiquing it, they build on it. They protect those fragile early thoughts the way I protect my inner 4-year-old when she’s holding the pen.
​

Here’s what I’ve discovered through years of bringing creative principles into corporate environments: Innovation isn’t about having the perfect idea from the start. It’s about developing the courage to make imperfect marks and the curiosity to see where they lead you.
​

The constraints that emerge—budget limits, technical challenges, stakeholder concerns—aren’t obstacles to creativity. They’re the very boundaries that give your innovation its shape and power.
​

Your next breakthrough might be waiting for you to stop planning and start marking.
​

Ready to help your team develop their “first mark” courage? My forthcoming book Innovation at Work contains 52 micro-experiments designed to build exactly these innovation muscles. Join the early access list for behind-the-scenes insights and preview content.
​
​

That's it for this week!
​

Creatively yours,
Melissa

​P.S. When you’re ready to build a culture of thriving innovation, so your team can Create the Impossible™, here are three ways I can help:

1) Download my FREE Innovation Culture Assessment to evaluate where your team stands

2) Download the first 50 pages of my book, The Creative Sandbox Way™, to reconnect with your creativity

3) Click here to schedule a complimentary Innovation Strategy Session

Did someone forward this email to you? If you'd like more articles like this right in your own inbox, click here to subscribe!​​