Hi there!
Teaching, mentoring is something I wanted to do since I went to school as a preppie in Hungary. Of course at the time it was a very different sort of teaching I had in mind, more traditional with a strong focus on grading. As I went through the school system in three different countries I got to experience various methods and attitudes towards the training of young minds.
Once my daughter was born my focus shifted to looking for ways that best prepare her for life. To ensure she is confident, self-assured, kind, ready to take on the world and to successfully deal with whatever life throws at her.
Through my professional work I took on roles that involved team building, communication and design.
During my personal growth journey I also developed a great interest in children’s wellness.
Tall Poppies was born from my love and gratitude for my daughter, the deep interest in design thinking and the desire to coach other children towards being confident and resilient people.
“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”
– Dr. Seuss
“If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.”
– John Cleese
My inspiration
While working at Sensis, over 10 years ago, I was privileged to receive training from design company IDEO. They use human centred design skills to find the most suitable solutions to people’s challenges, however small or big.
It was life changing for me and although it took a few more years but I ended up working in Service Design. The skills and tools simply blew my mind. They seem simple and easy but still takes practice to perfect them. I mean, it’s a no brainer that we should ask the people we create for what they really want, and understand what they need right?
In most cases it still doesn’t work that way. We more often than not make assumptions of what people around us might want or need, feel or think.
Design thinking tools help to place some structure around creativity. In some cases they inspire blue sky thinking while in other cases they help you narrow down to the smallest part of a problem.
Another inspiration for me has been my curiosity. Kids possess this trait in abundance. My happy place is being in an environment where asking questions is a must, where they can be 100% themselves and us adults can be curious children again alongside them.
“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”
– Edward de Bono
“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.”
– Pablo Picasso