Reflection on the First Year of the Origamic Transformation™ Journey
In early 2024, I publicly launched Origamic Transformation™ to demonstrate my long-term commitment to its development. The journey, in turn, has profoundly enriched myself during this period.
The idea of using origami as a tool to facilitate exploration and development had been germinating for some time before the launch. While I’m more enthusiastic about the concept than the actual folding itself, the breadth and depth of the origami world are truly captivating.
Some origami enthusiasts focus on creating tiny, intricate models that demand precision and dexterity, while others prefer complex, realistic models that challenge their skills. Some prioritize speed, and others dedicate themselves to designing innovative models and pushing boundaries. The possibilities are endless.
My goal is to use origami as a gateway to transformation – individual or organizational. While many practices could serve this purpose – martial arts, clay modeling, painting, dancing, cooking, writing, and so on – origami holds a unique appeal that I believe resonates with many.
The first year, 2024, progressed more slowly than anticipated. Progress included:
- Establishing a web presence for Origamic Transformation™ as a hub and central resource.
- Launching the “Origamic Journal,” a regular blog to document our journey and learning.
- Incorporating elements of the methodology into client work (often without explicitly mentioning origami, and sometimes without any folding involved).
- Conducting a public leadership workshop to test ideas and gather feedback.
- Refining the process through a series of private testing sessions.
However, spreading our efforts across multiple projects of Zensiblo resulted in insufficient time and energy dedicated to Origamic Transformation™, limiting its impact and potential.
Reflecting on the past year reveals valuable lessons learned through the iterative development of the Origamic Transformation™ process:
- The crucial role of patience: Patience doesn’t equate to slowness; it allows for organic development, enabling ideas to mature and resonate with others. Rushing through a favorite music playlist by doubling the playing speed might save time, but it sacrifices the enjoyment and emotional impact. Similarly, origami requires time, effort, and precision, particularly during design and folding, demanding both inner calm and external patience.
- The value of feedback: After creating an origami bat that I found satisfying, others perceived it as a bird. This highlighted the risk of becoming too absorbed in my own perspective. Similarly, in the leadership workshop, I made several assumptions about leadership’s definition, values, and approach without explicitly stating them. While the feedback was positive, we learned the importance of explicitly verifying assumptions and ideas.
- The significance of unfolding: The Origamic Transformation™ method also prompted a re-evaluation of change and transformation. Just as unfolding a paper crane is necessary before folding a butterfly, change often requires letting go of previous structures. Old creases (beliefs, practices, and habits) may hinder progress, necessitating conscious effort to unfold and move forward.
- Exploring possibilities beyond the fold: Many perceive life as offering limited choices, but this is often an illusion created by our inner needs of simplifying life. Learning new things, altering routines, or exploring new hobbies are always possible. The limiting belief of lacking time and energy is almost always a untrue. Applying this to Origamic Transformation™, I realized that origami, typically considered a solo activity, could be used to foster teamwork and collaboration. A simple “hold that thought” strategy helped us design several collaborative tactics.
Looking ahead, I’m enthusiastic about refining the Origamic Transformation™ methodology. The feedback and experiences from 2024 have been invaluable and encouraging. Future directions include:
- Expanding workshop offerings: A series of workshops focusing on leadership and team dynamics, personal growth, and career/life transitions, all incorporating the Origamic Transformation™ process will be designed and tested.
- Embedding in other transformational work: Incorporating the facilitation process into our other projects whenever appropriate, such as values transformation using the Barrett Model, leadership development via FEBI, and Process (Re)Design projects.
- Collaborating with other practitioners: Connecting with trainers, educators, and facilitators who share a passion for using creative practices in personal and professional development to enrich the Origamic Transformation™ experience and explore new dimensions.
This year (2024) marks the beginning of the Origamic Transformation™ journey. As I continue to develop my ideas and explore the intersection of origami, creativity, and change, I believe transformation is about the process as much as the outcome. Through patience, feedback, and openness to new possibilities, I hope to inspire more people on their own transformative journeys.