209. Van Lai-DuMone – What If? The Power of Curiosity and Play

“Pause and pay attention. When you hear that whisper or feel that tap on your shoulder of curiosity, it’s an idea waiting for you to bring it to life. So pause and pay attention. We live in this world where we’re always busy. We’re so busy and we often are not pausing and paying attention to those curiosities.”

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction to Van Lai-DuMone and Her Work
• 01:10 Van’s Journey: From Refugee to Entrepreneur
• 04:52 The Power of Creativity in the Workplace
• 08:58 LEGO Serious Play: A Hands-On Approach
• 12:22 Generosity in Creative Workshops
• 14:35 The Importance of Small Steps
• 17:15 Experiencing Generosity: A Personal Story
• 21:44 The Ripple Effect of Generosity
• 24:47 The Impact of Tippie and Humanitarian Efforts
• 26:09 Transitioning Veterans: The Honor Foundation
• 30:00 Creative Problem Solving in Veteran Transition
• 33:56 Curiosity and Personal Growth
• 38:50 Understanding the Immigrant Experience
• 42:50 Encouragement to Embrace Curiosity

Episode Summary:

In this engaging conversation, Shannon Cassidy interviews Van Lai-DuMone, founder and CEO of WorkSmart Advantage. Van shares her inspiring journey from being a Vietnamese refugee to becoming a successful entrepreneur focused on creativity and leadership development in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity, small steps, and the power of generosity in fostering a positive company culture. The discussion also delves into the innovative LEGO Serious Play methodology, which encourages collaboration and creativity among teams.

Van’s personal stories highlight the impact of generosity in her life and the ripple effect it has created in her community. In this conversation, Shannon Cassidy and Van Lai-DuMone explore the profound impact of humanitarian efforts, particularly through the Honor Foundation, which aids veterans in their transition to civilian life. They discuss the importance of creative problem-solving and the role of curiosity in personal growth. Van shares insights on the immigrant experience, emphasizing the need for patience and generosity. The conversation concludes with practical advice on embracing curiosity and recognizing the potential of ideas waiting to be realized.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Creativity is innate in everyone and can be harnessed in the workplace.
• Generosity plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth.
• Taking small steps can help bypass the brain’s fear response.
• LEGO Serious Play is an effective tool for team collaboration.
• Curiosity drives innovation and problem-solving.
• Workshops can create environments where everyone feels safe to share ideas.
• The journey of entrepreneurship often begins with personal experiences.
• Generosity can lead to significant community impact.
• The power of asking ‘What if?’ can lead to transformative possibilities. 
• Curiosity is essential for personal growth and exploration.
• Journaling can be a simple yet effective way to capture ideas.
• All ideas matter; there is no wrong idea in creative thinking.
• Ideas are living entities that need a human partner to manifest.
• Taking time to pause and pay attention to curiosities can lead to meaningful outcomes.

Guest Bio:

Van Lai-DuMone is the founder of worksmart Advantage, a progressive team and leadership development consultancy that utilizes creativity, play, and curiosity to evolve mindset, skill sets, and behaviors in the workplace. Her work is built on the foundation that we are all creative, good ideas can come from any level of an organization, and by cultivating idea sharing in the workplace, everyone has a chance to have their ideas heard. And when that happens – company culture, performance, and innovation can skyrocket! She shares her work in a TEDx Talk titled, ‘What if? The Life Changing Power of Curiosity’ and her book ‘What if Pigs Can Fly? A Practical Guide to Follow Your Curiosities to Achieve Impractical Possibilities’. 

Van studied Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and earned her MBA from Pepperdine University. With over 20 years of corporate and start-up experience, Van actively works to rewrite the way we apply creativity in the workplace, inviting clients to think with their hands and use creative tools like LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY to disrupt traditional training methods. Her clients include gamechangers such as Google, LinkedIn, and Pandora.

Resources:

• Van’s Free 3-Day Curiosity Journaling Challenge
• Van’s Book/Shop Link
• WorkSmartAdvantage.com
• WhatIfPigsCanFly.com
• The Honor Foundation
• Van Lai-DuMone on LinkedIn (in/vanlaidumone)
• Van Lai-DuMone on Instagram (@worksmartadvantage)
• Van Lai-DuMone on YouTube (@worksmartAdvantage)

Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:

• R.O.G on YouTube
• R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
• R.O.G on Spotify

How diverse is your network?
N.D.I. Network Diversity Index

What is your Generosity Style?
Generosity Quiz

Credits:

Van Lai-DuMone, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 210, Host, Shannon Cassidy.