According to NASA, a black hole is a place in space where gravity is so strong that even light can not escape. This happens due to the immense amount of condensed matter in a small area. One of the reasons that leads to the emergence of a black hole is the death of a star. Because the light can not escape, black holes are invisible and to find them it is necessary to identify the stars around them with the use of special telescopes.
Curiosities about space is something incredible, if you want to know a little more about it, I recommend the documentary Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, with Neil deGrasse. But I want to share something else, what came to mind the first time I read about it, were several parallels about our life and various aspects applicable in the professional environment.
HOW WE WERE BEFORE GRAVITY
You might remember or maybe your family members still have funny stories about the things you did and said as a child. Unusual answers to certain questions, an unexpected observation, an innocent but at the same time very creative solution to any problem and sometimes some embarrassing commentary for adults. Like the stars, children's ideas shine brightly and you can see from far away the spontaneity with which they live. Perhaps for this very reason, because they have lived so little and are not accustomed to the things that we adults already accept, they have this young, innovative and often surprising thought.
THE RISE OF A BLACK HOLE
However, children grow up and in the same ways you remember those funny stories, you also remember those that do not have any bit of grace. Some of us go through severe criticism. Some are taught not to expose their ideas. Just remember the many times you've witnessed parents correcting their children by saying something in public. How many children are taught not to expose their ideas and thoughts? How many children are taught that their words are silly and impossible? This is how you slowly kill a star. This is how a black hole, an adult, appears.
Picasso had already understood this very well when he said: "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist after he has grown up. "
NOT EVEN THE LIGHT CAN ESCAPE
At a meeting, a brainstorm, or a daily conversation in the workplace, many people failed to come up with solutions and ideas simply because they thought they were not good enough. The gravity within us is so strong, that not even the light of our ideas manages to escape. Like a black hole, inside us there can be an immense amount of matter, content that can be used and very well used, but the gravity generated by the death of a star remains very strong.
RESPONSIBILITY IN THE INVISIBLE
With light trapped by gravity, creative people are becoming increasingly invisible. But as difficult as finding them, it is looking inside ourselves and noting that perhaps we are the ones who are holding our ideas and slowly destroying our creativity.
We do not have special telescopes to help us with this task of finding those black holes and discovering the ideas contained there. What we have is the responsibility not to let gravity be so strong that we do not express ourselves. And if we are already accustomed to keeping our thoughts, it becomes a challenge to put them out. It requires effort and practice, but I believe that above all, exposing thoughts and ideas requires courage. Courage to speak things that are going to look silly, but they can surprisingly be a creative and effective solution. I've seen cases like this, both in a corporate environment and in a conversation with a 7-year-old boy.
"Have young people on your team or people with young minds, because they make people around think young" - Tony Fadell
dentifying and helping people with this strong gravity within themselves is the role of each of us. However, the responsibility to create an environment where people feel free and not afraid to put their ideas on the table is primarily you who manage, lead or work with people management. Maybe we are ourselves the main tool for finding great ideas, innovative solutions and especially people with great value within you. Maybe it's us, that special telescope to find creative people.
My best,
Tim Balabuch,
Designer & Cryptocurrency enthusiast
See my last post: Bitcoin Core & Bitcoin Unlimited: Two different currencies?