GLN 2025 - Flow - CuriousAbout

[Paul Terlemezian]

The format and outcome of a CuriousAbout is designed to allow for the discovery and application of curiosity to accelerate successful business outcomes.

Our guest will be Judy Glick-Smith, Ph.D.

Our panelists will be:

• Brent Darnell
• Kellie Huff

The session will be facilitated by Paul Terlemezian.

The format is:

1. Open conversation (5 minutes)
2. Format review and panelist self-introductions  (1 minute each)
3. Judy will describe her situation and indicate the type of advice she is open to (e.g. presentation, conversation, transformation.) (5 minutes)
4. Questions from the panelists (10 minutes)
5. Each panelist may make an offer to help – or decline to help. (5 minutes)
6. Judy may ask questions or make a counter-offer. (5 minutes)
7. Open conversation (10 minutes)

Zoom details:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85383220879?pwd=mXpWalPwlyaYtyASPOrBHrY1E...

• Meeting ID: 853 8322 0879
• Passcode: 764101

[Brent Darnell]

Can't wait for this one.  I have loved the idea of flow for decades and also teach it in our leadership courses.  

[Judith Lee Glick-Smith]

A bit of background

My premise is that when people learn to maximize their ability to live and work in flow, community grows, people care for each other, and people are better able to navigate our VUCA world together.

What do I mean by "flow?" 

• Flow is a state of optimal experience characterized by a deep sense of engagement, fulfillment, and immersion in activities. Initially researched and conceptualized by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow occurs when individuals encounter a perfect balance between the challenges of a task and their personal skills. In this state, people experience heightened focus, a loss of self-consciousness, and a sense of control over their actions, leading to peak performance and personal satisfaction.

• Flow is universally applicable, occurring across different cultures and types of activities, from creative pursuits to sports and daily tasks. Understanding flow introduces the potential for enhancing productivity, creativity, and overall well-being.

• Flow is a feeling that is unique to the individual.

• Flow is neither positive nor negative.

• Flow is present-based. Flow is neither future oriented nor is it situated in the past. Flow happens in the present.

• Flow impacts well-being in a circular way. Flow facilitates well-being, and having a sense of well-being facilitates the ability to work and make right decisions while in a flow-state.

The characteristics of flow

1. You have clear goals and are receiving immediate feedback within the moment.

2. There are many opportunities for decisive action.

3. Awareness and action merge

4. You focus on the task at hand.

5. You feel in control of your actiions.

6. Awareness of the self disappears during the task and feels stronger following task completion.

7. There is temporal distortion. Time sppeds up, slows down, or has no meaning.

8. The experience is autotelic. That is, you do the work for the sake of the work.

For more context, visit my Substack at judithglicksmith.substack.com.