The power of poetry - and why it matters for business
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the April 22, 2021 Newsletter
Do you read poetry? How does the freedom of lyrical writing shape your mind and hone your creativity?
Creative writing serves many purposes. Poetry - even more than narrative fiction - conveys tradition and history, culture and belonging. Perhaps this is why my childhood in the British colonies (and former colonies) held so much of it! My parents each read aloud to my sister and me, and I was sent to LAMDA classes and exams from when I was five. I credit that early experience of recitation and facing an audience with making me a fearless public speaker.
Poems and poets have shaped my life's direction and been steadfast companions. The UN declared 1979 to be The Year of The Child and a marvelous poetry anthology was published, with selections from children around the (English speaking) world. I am now on my second well-thumbed copy of I Like this Poem, with the first preserved in tissue paper! I found my faith through the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins. I met the woman I count as my best friend in an English Literature tutorial at university, and we forged our bond in a weekly Shakespeare reading group - the only way to keep up with the pace of the course was to read aloud. In grief, Mary Oliver has been a balm to my soul.
The framework of poetry is a wonder to me. I love that there are rules - and they can be judiciously broken. It is, to use one of my favorite phrases (that my coaching clients will know well), both specific and spacious. So what does this mean for the world of work?
Good poetry refreshes us. It challenges us to think in new ways, to get creative, to learn. Just as design thrives within constraints, poetry brings rigor to language. Within the lyrical framework of a poem, we are challenged to get to the point... indeed, to have a point! The best poets move us, intrigue us, persuade us, and build our capacity for empathy. Desirable communication skills at any time, but particularly vital as we navigate our post-COVID transitions.
Embracing complexity, flexing with change
To succeed professionally (and personally) takes a careful cocktail of skills, knowledge, and mindset. When any one of these attributes is lacking, we are at risk. We must stay curious to thrive - even more so in times of change.
Poetry can build change resilience. The nature of poetry challenges certainty, provokes re-consideration, and stimulates imagination. Encouraging us to consider what could be, not just what is, poetry makes us more flexible and creative. This can increase our confidence in breaking away from the "how it's always been done" trap to see alternatives - to innovate. As discussed in this Fast Company article, poetry can actually stimulate areas of the brain that tolerate uncertainty!
The meaning of a poem can shift over time, depending on the context and the reader. Reading poetry encourages us to explore possibilities and probe for deeper meaning. Useful skills in the business world, when taking things at face value can mean missed opportunities. Harvard Business Review explores poetry as Systems Thinking - making the complex simple. An innovative viewpoint, when we are often taught to think of poetry as complicated or difficult!
The power of precise communication
MacNeice's Autumn Journal (excerpted at right) has been one of my favorite poems for decades. Written as the Second World War was approaching, it ranges across the personal and political in 24 sections, each of about 80 lines. My copy is dog-eared, and this is always the section to which I return. The precision and variety of the language have rewarded repeated reading.
Accurate and careful communication is powerful and satisfying. It inspires confidence - and it simply inspires! The best communicators have a broad vocabulary and know how to wield it effectively. Whether in the spoken or the written word, we are drawn to those who can convey meaning efficiently and effectively, especially if they can also convey empathy and conviction.
We can develop our vocabulary at any stage of our lives, through reading an eclectic selection of sources and styles, through puzzles and crosswords, and through stepping outside our linguistic comfort zones to intentionally challenge ourselves. If you're curious about your own vocabulary, take this quiz. In addition to a mastery of vocabulary, the most talented communicators also possess eloquence. Poetry and fiction are the best sources to build those skills, as explored by Forbes.
As you build your own skills, knowledge, and mindset, consider the power of poetry. The Poetry Foundation is a wonderful resource. You may even find joy on the journey.
“One forgets words as one forgets names. One's vocabulary needs constant fertilizing or it will die.”
Evelyn Waugh