The document discusses an alternative approach called the "Gateless Method" for providing feedback and developing ideas. It argues that traditional feedback focuses too much on criticism and flaws, which hinders creativity and learning. The Gateless Method aims to silence the critical mind by focusing feedback only on what is working in a piece of work. It creates a safe environment where ideas can be freely explored without fear of judgment. The method has been used successfully with clients, colleagues and friends to generate new ideas and transform their work and lives.

1. your best ideas
Discover, capture &
communicate
HOW DESIGN LIVE 2019 | Creativity + Design
Terri Trespicio

2. What does it mean
to be “future proof?”
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.

3. Will this matter tomorrow?
Will I matter tomorrow?
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.

4. The fact is, no single idea,
product or design is
future proof.
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.

6. The only thing that can
be future proof is you.
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.

7. Photo by Banter Snaps on Unsplash

8. I’ve spent my career creating content.

9. I work with individuals & organizations to
transform the way they think about, talk
about & communicate what they do.

10. I delivered a TEDx talk that
has nearly 5 million views.

11. You need to deliver fresh,
innovative ideas
consistently.
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.

12. Let’s rethink
future proof
a sec.

14. The future
is terrifying!
It’s the end
of you!

15. This is a
lousy way to
see the future.

16. see the future.
When we change how
we see our work,
we change how we

17. in the present.
You don’t create “in the
future.”
You do it here,

18. “The value we create is directly
related to how much valuable
information we can produce, how
much trust we can earn, and
Seth Godin, The Icarus Deception
how often we innovate.”

19. •Balancing expectations.
•Managing relationships.
•Tapping your own creativity.
•Risking a new idea.
EMOTIONAL LABOR

20. So what’s keeping you from
creating & sharing
your best stuff?

21. Photo by Mikhail Vasilyev on Unsplash
It’s scary to share new ideas.

22. You don’t just need a
better idea.
You need a better way to access
your creative genius.

23. •Come up with ideas
•Meet and discuss
•Offer feedback
How we do it now

24. •Come up with ideas
•Meet and discuss
•Offer feedback
How we do it now

25. Photo by Headway on Unsplash

26. Typical feedback
goes something
like this…

27. “This is good & we love
you…
BUT“This is bad.”
SO
“Please fix it thank you bye.”

28. This is a shit
sandwich.

29. Our traditional
approach to
feedback is flawed.
Fact:

31. Instead of “what is the best
way to give feedback?”

32. Instead of “what is the best
way to give feedback?”
The authors asked:
“What is the right way, the
best way, to help people
thrive and excel?”

33. “Telling people how we think
they should improve
Buckingham & Goodall, The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR, March-April 2019
actually hinders
learning.”

34. 3 Flawed Theories Of Feedback
“The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR, March-April 2019

35. You can’t see what’s wrong
with you (but we can).
“The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR, March-April 2019
“Source of truth”
Flawed theory #1

36. Photo by Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash

37. You are an empty void, and we
will fill you with knowledge.
“The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR, March-April 2019
“Theory of learning”
Flawed theory #2

39. There’s one way to be great and
you’ll be measured against it.
“The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR, March-April 2019
“Theory of Excellence”
Flawed theory #3

41. “Excellence is
idiosyncratic.”
Buckingham & Goodall, “The Feedback Fallacy”

42. There is no one
straight path to
excellence.
There’s only yours.

45. So how do we get
there?

46. creative flow.
…and accessing
By focusing on strengths.

47. Shift the focus from
ourselves/our fears,
and focus on
the work

48. There are a few
challenges.

49. Your brain has a
negativity bias
(so negative
thoughts stick
more).
Rick Hanson, Hardwiring Happiness

50. You’ve been
taught to
believe
criticism is
“good” for you.

51. You’ve been taught to
compete with instead
cultivate creative work.

52. Criticism
shuts down
your
creativity.

53. “Getting attention to our
strengths from others catalyzes
learning, whereas attention to
our weaknesses smothers it.”
Buckingham & Goodall, The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR, March-April 2019
What does work

54. What you focus on, flourishes.
Buckingham & Goodall, The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR, March-April 2019

55. Norepinephrine = not your friend
Source: Dr. Kenneth M. Heilman, professor of
neurology at the University of Florida
A neurotransmitter responsible
for anxiety, low energy and
decreased focus.

57. Photo by Yerlin Matu on Unsplash

58. Retrain the brain
Source: Dr. Rick Hanson, author,
Hardwiring Happiness
Shift the brain from negative bias to
positive by giving it an opportunity to
experience and “record” the good.

59. Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

60. You’ve been told to
Get outside your
comfort zone.

61. You spend most of
your life outside
your comfort zone.

62. Actually, you may want
to stay there.

63. “The Feedback Fallacy,” HBR , March-April 2019
“Take us very far out of our
comfort zones, and our brains
stop paying attention to anything
other than surviving
the experience.”

64. Your comfort zone
is where you’re most
creative, insightful,
and productive.

65. We need a creativity
comfort zone.

66. So how do we do it?

67. Silence the critic.
Free the creative.

68. Focus on
the work

69. The Gateless Method

70. The Gateless Method
An approach to creative work that
silences the critical mind so that you
can access your creativity and
realize potential.

71. The Gateless Method
…Based on Suzanne Kingsbury’s
study of neuroscience, Buddhist
meditation, and literary masters.

72. The Gateless Method
Creates a container of
safety rather than
competition.

73. The Gateless Method
…Build rather than deconstruct.
…Offer resources, not criticism.
…Honor rather than dictate.

74. The Gateless Method
…and silence the critical
mind.

75. The Gateless Method
Retrain the brain to associate
creating & sharing with ease,
pleasure, and reward.

76. How it works.
Sit in a room.
Given a prompt.
Write.
Read what you’ve written.
Group gives Gateless feedback.

77. The rules of
Gateless Feedback

78. FOCUS ON WHAT’S WORKING,
WHAT HAS POWER & ENERGY
We Do

79. JUDGE, CRITICIZE, EDIT,
QUESTION, OR FIX
OTHERS’ WORK
We Don’t

80. LET THE WORK SPEAK
We Do

81. DISCLAIM OUR WORK
We Don’t

82. REFER TO THE SPEAKER
IN THIRD PERSON
We Do

83. MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
We Don’t

84. FOCUS ON THE WORK
We Do

85. USE SELF-REFERENTIAL INSIGHTS
(“THAT HAPPENED TO ME ONCE”)
We Don’t

86. Being a flaw-finder
doesn’t do much for
your potential.

87. Become a heat-
seeking missile for
meaning and energy

88. You can let go of your fear of being
criticized.
You are freed of the immediate need
to analyze the work.
You can explore freely inside the
sturdy container.

89. This is not about praise or
flattery.

90. Here’s what happens…

91. Safety.

92. Alchemy.

93. Ideas.

94. Bliss.

95. Shift.

96. Transformation.

97. Where I’ve used it
(and with whom)

98. • Conference rooms
• Living rooms
• Zoom video conference calls
• Marco Polo app
• In chairs
• On couches
• On the floor
• In the woods
• In a nicely appointed rambling
estate in Texas (Sept & Oct)

99. • Clients
• Colleagues
• Friends
• People who do
the same kind of
work
• People who
don’t
• Writers
• Creatives
• Financial advisors
• Entrepreneurs
• Business people
• Comics

100. • Brand messaging
• Story development
• Websites
• Collateral
• Presentations
• Blogs
• Books
• Podcasts
• TEDx talks
• And more…

101. Picture it:

102. • Engaged innovators
• Better work
• Unleashed creativity
• Stronger team morale
Picture it:

103. It doesn’t just shift your
approach to work.
It can change your life.

104. You start to…
• Associate your work with pleasure
• Let what isn’t useful fall away
• Trust and become trustworthy
• Become less tolerant of toxic assholes

105. what you could achieve if
the critical mind had less
of a hold over your life.
Imagine

108. Photo by Jörg on Unsplash

109. Thank you!
Get the
slide deck,
resources,
plus…

110. My free
guide to
finding your
next BIG idea

111. Text
“TerriT”
to
44222
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.

112. Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.
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113. Your Branding
Bat Signal
Create messaging that
attracts the clients you want
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