BizProv Fall 2019 Recaps and Reinforcements

Week 5 Executive Presence

Week 6 Putting it all Together!

The best part of being human is being able to connect with other humans. We’re hardwired for it. We live in tribes and families, work in groups, love as couples and thrive in friendships. The drive to connect is in all of us whether we acknowledge it or not.
— https://www.heysigmund.com/vulnerability-the-key-to-close-relationships/

Hello Ensemble!

You did it! You completed BizProv Fall 2019 Session. I have provided for you the reinforcements from Wk 5 in addition to final notes on the 6 weeks below. We came so far as an ensemble completing six weeks covering the following themes:

  1. Vulnerability

  2. Teaming, Collaboration

  3. Active Listening

  4. Adaptability and Resilience

  5. Executive Presence and Confidence

  6. Putting it all Together!

Week 5 Confidence and Presentation Skills.

Key Concepts Covered:

  • Using language that engages and balances expertise with partnership

  • Reminds participants that a series of slides is NOT a story: We tell the story, and the

  • slides are the illustrations.

  • Bringing confidence to material that may be new or unfamiliar

  • When addressing an audience, use personal stories to connect, use non-verbal communications to engage and connect.

  • It is more engaging when you make someone or something else a hero in your story-at the very least recognize who or what else in a story can be spotlighted-It's not all about you.

Executive presence arises from our mindset, how we act and speak, and how we interact with others. Those with high levels of executive presence tend to succeed because they come across as confident, present, and ready to take on whatever comes their way. Kat Koppett

Practice Tips for continued Learning:

Focus on Mindset: Don't get into your own way.  Practice the mantra "I'm Afraid, but I'm gonna do it anyway!"

Status Awareness: Explore status behaviors and how to make more conscious behavioral choices to build trust, credibility and connection.  Make other's the Hero.

Body, Voice:  It's not all about the words spoken-but how you say them.

Interacting with Others: Focus on listening as a key connecting skill, then learn to infuse authentic listening into all your interactions.

Practice: Practice and get real-time feedback on what you’re doing well and how to keep improving.   

Book recommendation: 

I love this book for presentation skills and Karen is a fellow Improv teacher. This book really helps you connect purpose to everything you do.


Week 6 putting it all together

Until we all hang again-keep your heads up and hearts full. I'll leave you with even more to chew on-I never lie about the vast amount of nerd I have for this work.......

Videos from our last class and the Infomercials we did!

Skyway Infomercial

GenBridge App

Using Improvisation to Build Trust and Collaboration

Trust- At the heart of collaboration is trust. Creating an environment of trust in the workplace is critical when people need to bond together to build something bigger than they can do on their own. It is the foundation to productive and successful teams.  

Active Listening and Empathy-Possessing these qualities will increase trust in others. Practicing how it feels to be heard, to be cared for and being others focused will build trust amongst team members.

Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable-In life and work, we must deal with uncomfortable scenarios and difficult conversations.

Notes on Empathy- the better we know each other, the better the chance we will empathize.

Reference the “Golden Rule” “treat others as you like to be treated.” Today, many organizational experts speak of the “Platinum Rule” treat others as they wish to be treated. The simple act of expressing a desire to empathize goes a long way in building trust. By investing in the act of getting to know others, you can reap great rewards, like trust. “Inclusion begins with “Hello”.

Saying Yes, And

Agreement is about saying "Yes, And." It does not mean that you have to act on every idea someone introduces.  By acknowledging and accepting what someone offers you allow for more ideas to grow and flourish. People appreciate the sheer fact that you took in what they had to say, and you will reap many benefits in return. Saying “No, because” or “Yes, but” is the equivalent of shutting someone “the person” down completely. Saying “No” generates a threat response and creates a form of social avoidance, thus limiting your ability to influence others as they seek to avoid experiencing rejection.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/words-can-change-your-brain/201207/the-most-dangerous-word-in-the-world

http://thelabstrategy.com/insights/jump-then-justify

https://youtu.be/J0XmZW6xYSg?list=PL53nCCeNj-RQDhbjE9LjvnFad-wdB5bw7

Listening

If you want to be liked, loved and respected, listen like your depends on it.

  • Most people think that they are good listeners, however more often than not, we are not really listening, we are just waiting to respond.  

  • I think we also forget that listening is more than hearing the words that someone is speaking, and we are not listening to the whole person.

  • Something like 93% of all communication is nonverbal.  This means that words aren’t as important than we might think. Tone, facial expression and body language are all powerful forms of expression.

  • Research suggest that we remember 25-50% of what we hear.  That means when we talk to our boss or colleagues for 10 minutes, they pay attention to less than half of the conversation.  

  • We all underestimate the power of being a good listener.  

Listening Links:

http://www.jasondyk.com/4-insights-from-improv-that-will-improve-your-listening/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erin-daruszka/everything-i-need-for-my-_b_4179134.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/business/17corner.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-09-29/improv-training-is-making-management-throw-away-the-script

https://www.ddiworld.com/ddi/media/monographs/interactionessentials_mg_ddi.pdf

 

Trust

Unlike saying “No”, unhindered team members trust deeply.  This type of trust is not a predictive type of trust…one that can accurately calculate what someone will do.  Vulnerability based trust, willingness to be wrong, say I’m sorry, or the intentional subornation of personal agendas propels the performance of teams because of the sense of safety and support this generates in a team environment.  Simply put, trusting teams show up authentically, give more of themselves, take prudent risks, collaborate freely, innovate by not holding back ideas, and operate from a position of personal confidence than from personal security. Simply put, their confidence in themselves and their teammates drives discretionary effort.

http://stellarleadership.com/docs/Team%20Working/articles/The%20Wisdom%20of%20Teams.pdf

https://www.cu.edu/sites/default/files/ExecSummaries-Five_Dysfunctions_of_a_Team1%20%282%29.pdf

https://www.ccl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/why-trust-is-critical-team-success-research-report.pdf

Practice Practice Practice

Take an Improv Class. The best way to condition the muscles we don’t work out on a regular basis is to take a local improv class to work it out.  Who knows, you may find a new hobby and one that brings value to your work and life! https://www.fm-magazine.com/issues/2018/feb/improv-class-helps-develop-business-skills.html

Blogs, Videos and Podcast with thought leaders and teachers applying improvisational skills to business.

http://bringabrickpodcast.com/

https://youtu.be/bY1NBW941c8

Book Recommendations:

Applied Improvisation: Leading, Collaborating, and Creating Beyond the Theatre

by Theresa Robbins Dudeck et al.

Link: http://a.co/ha5HfgJ

Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up

by Patricia Ryan Madson

Link: http://a.co/7bbuh51

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video The Social Brain

The Social Brain

Preview YouTube video Improv at Work

Improv at Work