The Walkabout

We love our office. And no doubt, we get an awful lot done here, day in and day out. The model of extreme creativity meets extreme efficiency deserves a fun home away from home to make it happen.

But more and more, I’m finding that the big ideas, the truly break-out thoughts that excite you as much as they scare you, don’t happen without bringing the outside in. By that, I mean that it’s hard to force creativity. You can’t just sit at a desk and make it happen.

I’ve found that one of the greatest things I can do is getting out there. Whether grabbing a bite down the street, or walking through the beautiful Rittenhouse Square just down the street from Agile HQ, it always seems that it’s the different locations that spur unique observations about life. And where this kind of freedom of thought leads to more sideways thinking, innovation follows.

Perhaps you’ve been there. I’ve heard artists, writers, and musicians alike discuss how their best ideas hit them at the strangest times. Taking a shower, unloading the dishwasher, sitting on a plane. Going for a walk, working out, enjoying a pint with a pal.

It’s what makes the creative business a never-ending journey. There is no 9 to 5. Creativity is on a continuum, as it should be. For us, the office is more of the place to test ideas, to collaborate, to see how a combination of ingredients (thoughts) can bring us to a bigger idea, a better plan, a true innovation.

More and more often, when we get out as a team, it sparks ideas. From bowling to ping pong, or even just a fun lunch at a new spot or an old favorite, new creative thinking just seems to flow.

We all know that work can be very demanding, and it can be tough to break away from the desk, but from my experience, even a little ‘walkabout’ can get more than your legs moving – it inspires new ways to solve a problem. And when your HQ is in the heart of a robust city like Philadelphia, it’s never a dull walk, it’s a feast for the senses!

Here’s to you mixing up your scenery and seeing how your mind expands as a result.

– P. Madden, Top Cat