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Recently, I discovered a post about the idea of Idea Magnets. Idea Magnets are people who attract ideas and other creative people around their projects and thus, create amazing content repeatedly. Idea Magnets are necessary on any creative team that’s going to grow and enhance organizations. They’re necessary because they bring out the best in others. They also balance inspiration and implementation. Here are eleven characteristics of Idea Magnets:

* They’re always absorbing diverse and interesting points of reference. They collect all the time and this allows them to always have content ready to share and ideas in the bucket.
* They ask rich questions. They understand how questions uncover the real problem and solution.
* They prefer to listen before they talk.
* They generalize opportunities and challenges in an effort to find places from which to develop and create new possibilities.
* They are connectors. They connect people, problems, solutions, and resources. Sometimes these are obvious connections and other times they are far from obvious.
* They drift from foreground to background in group settings. This allows them different perspectives. It also can depend on how they’re feeling, how inspired or engaged they are, or how uncomfortable the setting has become.
* They embrace the opportunity to add by employing an intentional “and then” philosophy that enhances creative thinking.
* They are encouragers of other creative people and ideas.
* They’re active at cheering for others to win.
* They continually stretch what is possible and have a vision for accomplishing the “impossible.”
* They understand when it’s time to change course, stop, or end an idea. This takes bold confidence and leadership. Idea Magnets tend to see this end before the masses.

Have you identified any Idea Magnets in your life? Are there other characteristics that you think would benefit Idea Magnets?