Connecting Multidisciplinary Points of View Through Metaphor with Jennifer Shinkai
Featuring guest
Jennifer Shinkai
In this episode, we explore the power of metaphor as a communication tool with Jennifer Shinkai, founder of the Ikigai podcast and Make March Matter community. We dive deep into how metaphor serves as a powerful facilitator for divergent thinking, particularly in diversity and inclusion workshops. Jennifer walks us through both the practical how-to and the compelling why behind using metaphor to open new perspectives in team communication. We learn how metaphor functions as a structured approach to going wide and broad before converging on solutions, similar to Design Thinking methodologies. The conversation reveals surprising results when metaphor is applied in workshop settings, demonstrating that if we only have conversations the way we've always had them, we'll only yield results we've already seen. We conclude with a real-time test of metaphor skills, showcasing its immediate practical application.
Themes of Inquiry
- Metaphor as communication tool
- Divergent thinking techniques
- Diversity and inclusion facilitation
- Community building
- Design thinking methodology
In this episode, we explore the power of metaphor as a communication tool with Jennifer Shinkai, founder of the Ikigai podcast and Make March Matter community.
Episode Summary
In this episode, we explore the power of metaphor as a communication tool with Jennifer Shinkai, founder of the Ikigai podcast and Make March Matter community. We dive deep into how metaphor serves as a powerful facilitator for divergent thinking, particularly in diversity and inclusion workshops. Jennifer walks us through both the practical how-to and the compelling why behind using metaphor to open new perspectives in team communication. We learn how metaphor functions as a structured approach to going wide and broad before converging on solutions, similar to Design Thinking methodologies. The conversation reveals surprising results when metaphor is applied in workshop settings, demonstrating that if we only have conversations the way we've always had them, we'll only yield results we've already seen. We conclude with a real-time test of metaphor skills, showcasing its immediate practical application.
The Guest Biography
Jennifer Shinkai
Jennifer Shinkai is a multi-faceted professional who wears several hats in the business and community space. She is the founder and host of the Ikigai podcast, where she explores purpose-driven conversations. Jennifer also founded and leads the online community Make March Matter, which has grown to over 400 members. As a diversity and inclusion workshop facilitator, she specializes in using metaphor as a powerful tool for team communication and divergent thinking. Her work focuses on helping teams explore new perspectives and break through traditional conversation patterns to achieve innovative results in multicultural environments.
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