Motivation – Part II
Yesterday I began a discussion of the term and concept of motivation. Today, as promised, I want to continue that discussion.
Early this morning I was listening to a Ted Talk by the architect Joshua Prince-Ramus. He says of his profession:
“We actually created an artificial schism between creation and execution, as if you could actually create without knowing how to execute and as if you could actually execute without knowing how to create…
So, what do we architects need to do? We need to stitch back creation and execution. And we need to start authoring processes again instead of authoring objects. Now, if we do this, I believe we can go back 50 years and start reinjecting agency, social engineering, back into architecture. Now, there are all kinds of things that we architects need to learn how to do, like managing contracts, learning how to write contracts, understanding procurement processes, understanding the time value of money and cost estimation.”
He and his colleagues put this concept into effect when designing the new Dallas Theater Complex. He describes the concept:
" We created what we like to call superfly. (Laughter) Now, superfly, the concept is you take all the freedoms you normally associate with the flytower, and you smear them across flytower and auditorium. Suddenly the artistic director can move between different stage and audience configurations. And because that flytower has the ability to pick up all the pristine elements, suddenly the rest of the environment can be provisional. And you can drill, cut, nail, screw paint and replace, with a minimum of cost.”
Not only did they create a facility which allowed the artistic director to do all sorts of creative projects they created a space which can open to the space outside the building, which can invite large machines or animals into the space, change the configuration of the seats, but also easily adjust the space to be rented out of events thus creating an additional source of revenue.
All that was required was a different relationship with concept of architecture and the clients for whom they were creating a building/space. Suddenly they were back to getting excited and not just doing a job.
Another example is Natasha Tsakoos whose Ted Talk discussed her creation of “A multimedia theatrical adventure.” She describes “Upwake:”
"Upwake" lasts 52 minutes and 54 seconds. I project 3D animation on all the four surfaces of the stage which I interact with. The use of animation and projection was a process of discovery. I didn't use it as a special effect, but as a partner on stage. There are no special effects in "Upwake," no artifice. It's as lavish and intricate as it is simple and minimal. Three hundred and forty-four frames, four and a half years and commissions later, what started as a one person show became a collaborative work of nineteen most talented artists.”
…
"Upwake" tells the story of Zero, a modern-day business man, going to work with his life in a suitcase, stuck between dream and reality and not able to decipher the two…
So this is, relatively, a new show that we're now beginning to tour. And in Austin, Texas, I was asked to give small demonstrations in schools during the afternoon. When I arrived at one of the schools, I certainly did not expect this: Six hundred kids, packed in a gymnasium, waiting. I was a little nervous performing without animation, costume -- really -- and make-up. But the teachers came to me afterward and told me they hadn't seen the kids that attentive. And I think the reason why is that I was able to use their language and their reality in order to transport them into another. Something happened along the way. Zero became a person and not just a character in a play. Zero does not speak, is neither man nor woman. Zero is Zero, a little hero of the 21st Century, and Zero can touch so many more people than I possibly could.”
Obviously this is no small feat – to hold the attention of 600 young people in a crowded, uncomfortable auditorium.
A very good friend of mine emailed me this morning. Recently his ex-wife with whom he shares three children from approximately ages 10 to 15 have been having a difficult time adjusting to the fact that their mother in a very short span of time started dating a man, married him and is now pregnant. They are, as to be expected, very unhappy. When they expressed that to her she accuses them of being brats, selfish and disrespectful. He says that he wanted them to consider their mother’s emotions and feelings. This is always or frequently a touchy situation for children. He and his current wife spent a lot of time introducing the children to their relationship and gave the kids a lot of opportunity to express how they were feeling. The children adore his current wife. I suggested that he begin to look at the situation as an opportunity to teach the children how to deal with emotional situations over which they have no control. At this point he got sucked into children seeing it as a negative situation. While he will still have to allow them time to vent, he has an opportunity to help them. Rather than convincing himself that they are not motivated to accept the new situation with their mother, he can reframe it. I know this family well and they will do well with this approach. He and his wife will use music, dance and theater as teaching tools.
Language is, as we know, very powerful. Motivation is one of those vague words which has little meaning in and of itself. I have no idea what is meant by the use of the word. It is normally used as a way of blaming someone rather than accepting responsibility for the fact that we may not know how to effectively teach or be helpful. I suggest that we avoid the use of use of such vague, blaming terms which are not conducive to problem solving.
Written July 28, 2016
Yesterday I began a discussion of the term and concept of motivation. Today, as promised, I want to continue that discussion.
Early this morning I was listening to a Ted Talk by the architect Joshua Prince-Ramus. He says of his profession:
“We actually created an artificial schism between creation and execution, as if you could actually create without knowing how to execute and as if you could actually execute without knowing how to create…
So, what do we architects need to do? We need to stitch back creation and execution. And we need to start authoring processes again instead of authoring objects. Now, if we do this, I believe we can go back 50 years and start reinjecting agency, social engineering, back into architecture. Now, there are all kinds of things that we architects need to learn how to do, like managing contracts, learning how to write contracts, understanding procurement processes, understanding the time value of money and cost estimation.”
He and his colleagues put this concept into effect when designing the new Dallas Theater Complex. He describes the concept:
" We created what we like to call superfly. (Laughter) Now, superfly, the concept is you take all the freedoms you normally associate with the flytower, and you smear them across flytower and auditorium. Suddenly the artistic director can move between different stage and audience configurations. And because that flytower has the ability to pick up all the pristine elements, suddenly the rest of the environment can be provisional. And you can drill, cut, nail, screw paint and replace, with a minimum of cost.”
Not only did they create a facility which allowed the artistic director to do all sorts of creative projects they created a space which can open to the space outside the building, which can invite large machines or animals into the space, change the configuration of the seats, but also easily adjust the space to be rented out of events thus creating an additional source of revenue.
All that was required was a different relationship with concept of architecture and the clients for whom they were creating a building/space. Suddenly they were back to getting excited and not just doing a job.
Another example is Natasha Tsakoos whose Ted Talk discussed her creation of “A multimedia theatrical adventure.” She describes “Upwake:”
"Upwake" lasts 52 minutes and 54 seconds. I project 3D animation on all the four surfaces of the stage which I interact with. The use of animation and projection was a process of discovery. I didn't use it as a special effect, but as a partner on stage. There are no special effects in "Upwake," no artifice. It's as lavish and intricate as it is simple and minimal. Three hundred and forty-four frames, four and a half years and commissions later, what started as a one person show became a collaborative work of nineteen most talented artists.”
…
"Upwake" tells the story of Zero, a modern-day business man, going to work with his life in a suitcase, stuck between dream and reality and not able to decipher the two…
So this is, relatively, a new show that we're now beginning to tour. And in Austin, Texas, I was asked to give small demonstrations in schools during the afternoon. When I arrived at one of the schools, I certainly did not expect this: Six hundred kids, packed in a gymnasium, waiting. I was a little nervous performing without animation, costume -- really -- and make-up. But the teachers came to me afterward and told me they hadn't seen the kids that attentive. And I think the reason why is that I was able to use their language and their reality in order to transport them into another. Something happened along the way. Zero became a person and not just a character in a play. Zero does not speak, is neither man nor woman. Zero is Zero, a little hero of the 21st Century, and Zero can touch so many more people than I possibly could.”
Obviously this is no small feat – to hold the attention of 600 young people in a crowded, uncomfortable auditorium.
A very good friend of mine emailed me this morning. Recently his ex-wife with whom he shares three children from approximately ages 10 to 15 have been having a difficult time adjusting to the fact that their mother in a very short span of time started dating a man, married him and is now pregnant. They are, as to be expected, very unhappy. When they expressed that to her she accuses them of being brats, selfish and disrespectful. He says that he wanted them to consider their mother’s emotions and feelings. This is always or frequently a touchy situation for children. He and his current wife spent a lot of time introducing the children to their relationship and gave the kids a lot of opportunity to express how they were feeling. The children adore his current wife. I suggested that he begin to look at the situation as an opportunity to teach the children how to deal with emotional situations over which they have no control. At this point he got sucked into children seeing it as a negative situation. While he will still have to allow them time to vent, he has an opportunity to help them. Rather than convincing himself that they are not motivated to accept the new situation with their mother, he can reframe it. I know this family well and they will do well with this approach. He and his wife will use music, dance and theater as teaching tools.
Language is, as we know, very powerful. Motivation is one of those vague words which has little meaning in and of itself. I have no idea what is meant by the use of the word. It is normally used as a way of blaming someone rather than accepting responsibility for the fact that we may not know how to effectively teach or be helpful. I suggest that we avoid the use of use of such vague, blaming terms which are not conducive to problem solving.
Written July 28, 2016
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