Hands intelligence in events

Have you ever considered how your hands contribute to your intelligence?

It's a concept that may seem foreign in our screen-centric world, yet, it's an idea that holds immense power and potential. It's time we revisit the wisdom of 'hands intelligence' and harness its power to stimulate mind development.

The hand, my friends, is not merely a tool but a potent instrument of intelligence. By touching, handling, and manipulating objects, we gain valuable experiences that kindle our cognitive faculties. The ripple effect? Enhanced creativity, problem-solving skills, and innovative thinking.

In the events industry, where innovation and creativity are the lifeblood in building experiences for others, the need for hands intelligence becomes even more critical.

But how do we cultivate this underutilized form of intelligence in an era dominated by screens and keyboards? Before we dive in, maybe I should explain myself a little.

Why on earth am I talking about hands intelligence?

I know, you're probably wondering why on earth I'm talking about hands intelligence. What's it got to do with events? What's it got to do with copywriting? What's it got to do with Waves Connects? The truth is, it has everything to do with all of the above.

Recently I was on an outdoor leadership program and many of the activities we did included using our hands and building things (shelters, dens, a small reinder!) using only natural materials.

As I worked with my hands, feeling the texture of the wood, the way the knife or axed slid through the greenwood, or shaping things into a sturdy structure, I couldn't help but notice how focused and engaged my mind was. I was completely present in the moment, fully utilizing all my senses.

You could sit there for literally hours, as I did, making a little reindeer for my kiddo (it's still a work in progress...more on that soon), and in that time, I was lost in the activity and my mind wandered to some work related challenge that I could really focus in on.

In the fast-paced world of events, where distractions are aplenty and multitasking is the norm, having the ability to focus on one task at a time is a valuable skill that can lead to increased productivity and efficiency. Hands intelligence allows us to do just that (and a lot more) - focus on one activity with complete immersion.

The science behind hands intelligence

Studies have shown that hand movements are correlated with brain activation in the frontal and parietal lobes - areas of the brain responsible for planning, executing, and spatial reasoning. In other words, our hands play a crucial role in engaging our brains and improving cognitive functions.

Research has also found that different hand gestures not only facilitate learning but also enhance memory retention such as drawing when taking notes or using hand gestures while speaking.

The development of fine motor skills in children through activities like drawing, painting and playing with blocks has been linked to better academic performance and problem-solving abilities in later years, so why do we stop?

We stop because, life is online. Schools are online. Work is online. Socializing is online. In fact, we're spending more time on screens than ever before*, which means less time using our hands to interact with the physical world.

This is also where the power of face to face events is highlighted - it gives us a chance to step away from screens and stimulate our hands intelligence - shaking hands, talking with our hands, taking notes by hand, and engaging in hands-on activities.

*How many hours does the average person spend on a screen?

According to one article**, the average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes staring at a screen per day and globally, the average screen time per day is 6 hours 58 minutes.

Both adults and children spend countless hours entranced by these screens every day. They're physically present, but mentally? Not quite. It's a concerning trend, one that hinders our ability to simply 'be.'

It also means it can be hard to listen...really listen...to others and to ourselves. We're distracted.

While these numbers may seem alarming, it's important to remember that screens and technology are not inherently bad. It's about finding a balance between digital and physical interactions.

I'm not going to get all holistic on you, my old colleague Tamla would be laughing into her morning coffee if she knew, but, getting your hands crafty is increasingly elusive in our screen-dominated world and through using your hands intelligence, it can bring so many benefits to your "screen life."

The origin of hand intelligence

Just to be clear, I'm not a hands expert, nor a historian, but from top level research, the concept of hands intelligence has been around for centuries, with ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans recognizing the importance of hand movements in shaping cognitive abilities.

Go back further and while we don't know truly how our ancient ancestors communicated, it is highly likely that communication evolved around sign language (and cave drawings), which is considered a vital form of intelligence by linguists.

It doesn't mean ditch your screen, I'm writing this on screen right now. But what it does mean is making time for your hands to reignite your cognitive abilities (and enhance your overall well-being).

Bringing back hands intelligence

So how can we bring back and reignite this underutilized form of intelligence as adults? Here are a few suggestions:

Engage in hands-on activities such as painting, model making, whittling, drawing, cooking, or gardening.

Take breaks from screens and use your hands for tasks like writing or crafting.

Practice using hand gestures while speaking to improve communication skills and memory retention.

Attend face-to-face events and engage in hands-on experiences even if that could simply mean shaking someone else's hand.

If you have kids, get hands on with their activities - it not only helps them develop fine motor skills - you'll have fun too!

It could be as as simple as going out for a walk and picking up a pile of mud and playing with it for the rest of your walk.

By incorporating these simple practices into our daily lives, we can rediscover the power of hands intelligence and unlock its potential for enhancing our overall intelligence.

The impact of hands intelligence in the events industry

Events are all about experiences, and experiences are built through creative ideas and problem-solving. With the rise of technology, event professionals often turn to digital solutions for event planning, marketing, and execution and with the birth of a AI and it's use in events, whilst it can save you valuable time, if you leave things solely to AI, it can also distract your brain for learning, evolving, thinking on the job. It also loses the human touch, as I discussed yesterday with Joe from Bear Analytics.

But what if we could harness the power of hands intelligence in event planning and execution?

Imagine a brainstorming session where participants are encouraged to use their hands to communicate ideas or a team building activity that involves getting your hands dirty while creating something together or as we did with Robert Dunsmore at the MPI's EMEC event in Brighton, start writing words on paper and piecing this together to create a meaningful message or build out your event strategy.

While technology has undoubtedly transformed the events industry, we must not forget the power of hands intelligence in creating truly memorable and impactful experiences - can anyone remember when I used kinetic sand for my first talk at Event Tech Live 10 editions ago? Ok, so maybe only those that attended or know me well, but, I still remember like the...back of my hand (sorry for the pun) and it's one of the few talks I've given in the last 20 years, that I remember almost every detail.

By incorporating hands-on elements into events such as interactive workshops, live demonstrations, and physical activities, we can engage all aspects of intelligence and create more meaningful connections with our audiences.

Harnessing the power of hands intelligence: concluding thoughts

In this world of 'onlineness,' let's take a moment to step back. Recall the power of hands intelligence and realign our team's collaborative strategies. It's time to trade our keyboards for tangible tools, our screens for real scenes.

In the events industry, where every detail matters, let's not overlook the profound impact of hands-on experiences. After all, the hand is the instrument of the brain, and by moving our hands, we stimulate our minds.

** https://www.zippia.com/advice/average-screen-time-statistics/#:~:text=The%20average%20American%20spends%207,of%20screen%20time%20per%20day.