There’s a word that, when I use it in front of an unsuspecting room of workshop participants, never fails to produce a specific reaction: veiled horror combined with “oh I think I have an important client call/a gastrointestinal emergency.” That word? Improv. Almost everyone has a strong association with this word, particularly when it comes … Read more
Conversational Agility
A quick video today, talking about the power of “yes and” versus “yes but.” Where do you find the opportunity to say “yes” and invite collaboration? Hey! My book is out! Go here to order Before You Say Anything: How to Have Better Conversations, Love Public Speaking, and Finally Know What to Do with Your Hands! … Read more
Last week I wrote about all the reasons why you shouldn’t wing it. Preparing for your remarks or presentation shows respect for the audience. But what about improvising? Where does that fit in? The big difference between winging it and improvising is this: there are rules for improvising. If you Google “improvisational … Read more
When the plan gets derailed. When what we thought would work, doesn’t. When a vital piece of equipment breaks. When you forget what you’re supposed to say next. When your routine is interrupted, your understanding of the world is altered, and you have to change your plan to keep yourself and others safe, you … Read more
Yes. And. Saying yes to new ideas, even ones that seem like they may not lead anywhere, is how we encourage more and more ideas. Creating a culture that values innovation and creativity means we celebrate every idea, and we do this as an investment in our future. Without welcoming the mediocre and even the … Read more
The first and most important rule of improvisation is “Yes, And.” This means that you accept whatever your scene partner has established, no matter how bizarre, and you build on it. Example: “Isn’t this a beautiful day? I never dreamed we would make it to Saturn!” “Saturn really is gorgeous. Let’s get started building … Read more
My team got to lead one of our favorite workshops today—Better Communication Through Improvisation. We were working with leaders from a hospital, department heads from all over the organization. As so often happens with this particular workshop, when we were introduced and the word “improvisation” came up, a variety of interesting faces and body … Read more
