So far in this blog, I’ve been emphasizing how “applying” improv in daily life doesn’t require you to fit the mold of the onstage performer who runs through the Rolodex-of-the-mind at lightning speed and reacts accordingly. Such a performer may be skilled at doing improv, but, as I wrote in my very first post, improvisation involves both skills and attitudes. For the Daily Improviser, adopting the attitudes may be enough - especially if doing so respects your natural strengths and helps you appreciate the strengths of others.
I once experienced a simple yet powerful exercise in a Coaching workshop that reinforced my thinking about the distinction between skills and attitudes, especially as it relates to helping people learn, grow, and change.
At the start of the workshop, the facilitator asked the participants to respond to a simple question: “What are the characteristics of a great coach?”
As the participants called out their responses – “Creates trust,” “Actively listens,” “Shows empathy,” “Asks questions” – the facilitator jotted down their words, quickly filling a flipchart page.
He then started back through the list and asked the participants to determine whether each response represented primarily a skill or an attitude. It quickly became apparent that, except for such items as “provides expertise,” almost everything on the list primarily described an attitude.
The key point, I think, was that learning and behavior change are as much – if not more - about changing your thinking as they are about developing proficiency.
This is great news for the prospective Daily Improviser, especially if you’ve ever watched an improv show and thought “I could never do that,” quickly followed by “Even if I could, I don’t see how I could apply it in my daily life.”
First, examine those thoughts – are they accurate? Do you really lack improvisational skills? How do you know? Like Ducky from an earlier post, are you prematurely rejecting a potential avenue of great benefit to your daily life – an avenue where a hidden talent may lie?
But even more important, ask yourself: How can you apply the improvisational model of ExploreFlexSupport (accompanied by The Now! and The Wow!) to your thinking and attitudes on a daily basis?
I once experienced a simple yet powerful exercise in a Coaching workshop that reinforced my thinking about the distinction between skills and attitudes, especially as it relates to helping people learn, grow, and change.
At the start of the workshop, the facilitator asked the participants to respond to a simple question: “What are the characteristics of a great coach?”
As the participants called out their responses – “Creates trust,” “Actively listens,” “Shows empathy,” “Asks questions” – the facilitator jotted down their words, quickly filling a flipchart page.
He then started back through the list and asked the participants to determine whether each response represented primarily a skill or an attitude. It quickly became apparent that, except for such items as “provides expertise,” almost everything on the list primarily described an attitude.
The key point, I think, was that learning and behavior change are as much – if not more - about changing your thinking as they are about developing proficiency.
This is great news for the prospective Daily Improviser, especially if you’ve ever watched an improv show and thought “I could never do that,” quickly followed by “Even if I could, I don’t see how I could apply it in my daily life.”
First, examine those thoughts – are they accurate? Do you really lack improvisational skills? How do you know? Like Ducky from an earlier post, are you prematurely rejecting a potential avenue of great benefit to your daily life – an avenue where a hidden talent may lie?
But even more important, ask yourself: How can you apply the improvisational model of ExploreFlexSupport (accompanied by The Now! and The Wow!) to your thinking and attitudes on a daily basis?
____________
Answer to Music Trivia Question: Floyd Sneed was the original drummer for Three Dog Night.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment