The case for wonder: Why I wrote Spark Wonder at Work

I’ve lived a life devoted to the pursuit of wonder. I’ve found it in all sorts of places: in the stories of others, in my travels, and in my children. I’ve even found – and deliberately cultivated – wonder in my work.

I believe, to my very core, that wonder has the power to unlock our creativity, and help us work, feel and live better.

Wonder isn’t something that’s prioritised or cultivated in most workplaces. Nor is it something that many of us prioritise in our personal lives.

But we are living in an epidemic of burnout and lethargy. Morale is at an all time low. People are quietly quitting during the week and bed rotting on the weekends. As the weight of the world weighs us down, we’re finding the work-life juggle increasingly impossible to balance. At the same time, businesses are running out of creative ideas and innovative solutions.

I think wonder could be the antidote to all that – and I’ve written a book about how we can introduce and embed wonder in the workplace. It’s called Spark Wonder at Work.

What do I mean by ‘wonder’?

In writing Spark Wonder at Work, I discovered wonder means different things to different people. The Oxford English Dictionary defines wonder as ‘a feeling of amazement and admiration, caused by something beautiful, remarkable or unfamiliar.’ As a verb, it is ‘to feel curious; to desire to know something.’ It’s that feeling of childlike joy as you discovered the big wide world around you.

Until now, the importance of wonder as an emotion and a state has been largely overlooked. But I think—no, I know—that wonder is both a pathway to creativity, and one of its most powerful catalysts.

I know this because, a decade ago, I began building a business entirely from a place of wondering.

I wondered if I could build a business where people actually thrive, that is high performance and also nourishes its people, where they get to do the thing they love every day, and the environment is set up to support them to do that.

I’ve worked hard at cultivating wonder in our business (it’s right there in the name). From little things – like sharing our ‘Weekly wonders’ at our Monday morning meeting – to annual wonder-filled retreats, wonder has become part and parcel of how we work.

For a while, I was quite happy wondering in our own little world and enjoying the benefits of working with a team with wonderful energy.  But, one day, I looked outside our business bubble and realised we’re not the only ones who need more wonder in our working lives.

That’s why I wrote Spark Wonder at Work – to share what I’ve learnt about building a business (and life) wonder, and the ripple effect it has on our entire existence, and for anyone who’s ever thought ‘what if there’s another way?’.

Spark Wonder at Work is a deep dive into the research on awe, curiosity and surprise – all the things that are melded together to create wonder. I explore wonder’s relationship to creativity and share ways into a deeper sense of awe through curiosity, play, and stimulating the five senses.

I hope, in reading this book, that you’ll discover the magic that happens when you find ways to incorporate more wonder into your life – at work, at home, wherever you are.

Spark Wonder at Work is available to purchase online at brookehill.com.au, Booktopia, and Barnes & Noble, and in stores at booksellers throughout Australia.