Well, as I mentioned last time, improv is the gift that keeps on giving – and in this case it provided me a huge present, neatly wrapped and tied with a bow.
As I drove back to my hotel after Day One of the two-day class, I noticed a storefront by the roadside with a large sign out front: Just Puppies. This being my first time in the Orlando area, I wondered what sort of a business it was - puppy seller, puppy doctor, puppy supply store?
As I absentmindedly considered the possibilities, my attention was suddenly seized by something that immediately revealed the meaning of “puppy pizza”!
The next day, the leadership class continued with great engagement and involvement on the part of the participants – as well as several references to the outcome of the previous day’s Word at a Time Story. As we approached the end of the day (and the session), I launched into a wrap-up speech that I’d sketched out on the proverbial piece of scrap paper just that morning:
“In the last two days, we’ve introduced you to many tools and concepts that will help you be a more effective leader. As you’ve seen, leadership is not about giving orders and trying to seize and maintain control. There’s really no better way to lead than to develop your people, empower them, and then stand back and see what great things they create.
“As we saw with the Word at a Time Story, there’s a lot of benefit to just letting go and seeing what emerges from the combined efforts of a group of people. Even though you successfully made it to the end of the story, though, I know everyone was still wondering: What is a puppy pizza?
“Well, I found out!
“Yesterday, as I was driving back to my hotel, I saw this store called Just Puppies. I have no idea what kind of a store it is – but as I drove by, something very distinctive about the building caught my eye. And then it hit me. Do you know what used to be in that space?”
Immediately the light bulb went on above one of the participants as she answered: “A PIZZA HUT!”
“YES! I’d know an old Pizza Hut building anywhere! So … Just Puppies … Pizza Hut … PUPPY PIZZA!”
As laughter erupted in the room, I concluded by saying:
“So this shows another benefit of letting go and letting things happen: It can just add some unexpected fun to our daily lives! Thanks for a great two days – now go forth and lead!”
So this was really a double gift: One for the participants (to reinforce the points from the previous day) and one for me (to give me the perfect wrap-up for a great two days).
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