Video Interview - Eric Liu - "Imagination First"

by Braden Kelley

I had the opportunity to interview Eric Liu, author of the new book "Imagination First" at a book event last night. I'd like to share a video interview I did with Eric before the event:



Interview - Eric Liu - Author "Imagination First" from Braden Kelley on Vimeo.


If you prefer YouTube, I've split the interview into Part 1 and Part 2 there.

Eric Liu was interviewed on stage during the event by Warren Etheredge and I'd also like to share some of the key insights from Eric's talk at the event:

• We all have the capacity for imagination, but as we grow up we are disincentivized to share it


• We need to teach kids to have respect for limits and to stretch their imaginations by giving them activities with limits and inviting them to create within those limits


• We need to be careful not to strip out the play from education


• "Play matters" - leaning forward versus leaning back


• We should practice imagination in the same way that we practice music, sports, etc.


• There are two main enemies of imagination


1. Expert Knowledge (we know it already)
   
2. Fear (of succcess, of being exposed, etc.)


• How do we sustain imagination in our little pocket of the organization and then how do we infect others with it?


• Next time something bad happens, try saying out loud "How fascinating!", then allow yourself to detach and observe as you work toward a solution instead of getting stuck in a fear loop.


• We want innovation right now, but you don't get the fruit without first planting the seed


• We need to make education speak to students' and teachers' motivations - More "what if?" and less "what is" - More project-based learning


• Out of all of the practices in the book, the most important one is "Failing Well"


• We must learn to fail better each time
  
• True with entrepreneurs
  
• True with politics


• There is an art to failing


• Failure is the real "f" word in our society

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Braden Kelley is the editor of Blogging Innovation and founder of Business Strategy Innovation, a consultancy focusing on innovation and marketing strategy. Braden is also @innovate on Twitter.