[MUSIC].
[SOUND].
All right.
Good morning, everyone.
We need to get a little audience feedback here.
So we need somebody to give us a word to start out an exercise.
So whatever comes to the top of your mind, just shout out a word.
>> Sandwich. >> Black.
>> Crocodile.
>> We'll go with black.
>> [LAUGH].
>> Black.
>> Is.
>> Always.
>> Funny.
>> When. >> It.
>> Bounces
>> Off >> The.
>> Wall.
>> [SOUND].
>> Alright, thanks guys.
Now, those of you who are familiar with the world of
improv probably recognize that exercise.
For those of you who aren't, the game we just played is called Prophecy, and
it involves getting a suggestion from the audience, a word.
And then each member of the team builds on that word,
until you build some sort of wise saying.
And what we'd like to do today, is expand your definition of the world of improv,
and show you how improv can actually apply in your communication strategies.
So, we're gonna pull some tips from this book, Improv Wisdom by Patricia Madson.
And our team, Jenn, Donna, Simone, and I,
Dave, will walk you through six different strategies or what Patricia calls,
mantras from the improv world that you can use in everyday communication.
Now, when you think, of Improv, you probably think of these three things.
Right, don't prepare, just show up, and say yes.
Now don't prepare is pretty obvious right?
I mean, Improv is all about rolling with punches, going off the cuff, and
just seeing what happens.
But there's a deeper meaning here for communication, where it really
involves being in the moment, and really paying attention to what's happening now.
Not thinking about what's coming next.
For just show up, it's also, again, a little obvious.
But whenever you're having some sort of communication,
whether it be delivering a presentation at the front of G101 or
having a difficult conversation with your boss.
You need to physically be present to start that exercise and finally say yes.
It's important to note here that this is yes and,
often we hear people say no, but it's really in the form of yes but.
Yes but, is really a blocking exercise that involves,
that allows you to control the situation.
Yes and, really allows you to be more support, supportive and open.
So we would encourage you as you communicate more with others to
show that support and that willingness to engage by using the phrase, yes and.
>> Yes, and be average.
Thanks Dave.
By a show of hands, how many people here consider themselves to be perfectionists?
Yeah, that's what I thought, me too.
Giving presentations can be a high stake situation.
We want it to be just right.
Often our reputation, our credibility,
even potentially our career advancement could all be on the line.
And what ends up happening is that we put this pressure on ourselves to be perfect,
to do it, to knock it out of the park.
And what ends up happening is that it jinx us.
We end up psyching ourselves out.
It's a paradox, right?
The moment when you've worked your hardest and
you've put in the most effort, the results are disappointing.
Patricia Madson in 'Improv Wisdom' suggests a better approach.
Be average.
Take the pressure off.
Don't walk into a presentation thinking, I've gotta make this work.
This is gotta be the best.
Or I have to be creative.
Instead, dare to be dull.
Be nothing special, and cultivate an ordinary mind.
>> [LAUGH].
That's ironic right?
But here are the two steps you need to take in order to embrace this philosophy.
Number one, give up one being perfect.
You're going to make mistakes.
So just accept it.
Number two, stop trying to think differently.
Often when we're trying to be creative,
we think that we have to be outside of the box.
Really, being inside the box is just as useful.
Sometimes the best solutions are the ones that are right in front of us.
So, the next time you're giving a presentation,
I want you to forget about being perfect, and I want you to embrace being average.
>> Yes.
And be, pay attention.
[BLANK_AUDIO]
Paying attention is important.
Because your presentation is about the audience,
it's about your conversation with them.
And when I think of the phrase,
pay attention, comes to mind as total listening.
Listening not only with your ears, but with your eyes too.
And this is what we do every day because life is attention.
What we experience in this world greatly depends on what we decide to focus on
in the moment.
And this includes when you present and when you're on stage.
So, to create that bond with the audience, to make that conversation go,
you have to be a detective.
That is, look at, ok, who's holding eye contact with me?
Who's smiling?
Thank you.
[LAUGH] Who maybe writing their notes right now.
>> [LAUGH].
>> Who's looking at their computer and what is the general mood of the audience?
Because just like I believe, your team at talk, you gave different tips for
reaching out to the audience.
Some things may be appropriate.
And you could gauge that appropriateness based on what the audience's feedback is.
Yes, you're doing all the talking, but
your audience is communicating with you, too.
So what I want you to do is to pay attention by totally listening
to the audience with your ears and your eyes, and be a detective.
Because you can make a much more powerful presentation and your audience
could walk away remembering what you said if you create that dialogue and
just pay attention.
>> Yes. And face the facts.
Thank you.
Another key mantra in improv is that a little titbit that the player before you
throws into the stage, simply now becomes reality.
So for example, if I were to tell Simone that this is a dog,
Simone would have to simply accept that this is indeed a dog.
This very simple kind of improv mantra can also apply to ourselves when we
give speeches.
As much as J.D. and Burt tried, over the course of this quarter,
it may simply be that sometimes I forget to take a power pose.
>> [LAUGH].
>> Or sometimes, as much as I may have practiced,
I end up doing a little bit of up talk.
>> [LAUGH].
>> But the thing, fact of the matter is we have to embrace the wobble.
Because scientifically quite literally,
our muscles only get stronger if we embrace that struggle.
Another way of applying face the facts is in our professional lives,
because if there's one thing that we can count on.
The facts that may come our way can be an unexpected or expected.
It can be positive or negative, but they are facts.
They are in fact our reality.
And the best way to face those facts is instead of trying to contort or
avoid them, is to look at it directly in the face and then move forward.
So, whether it be you find yourself on the stage with your next improv troop or
perhaps it's simply that next Thursday you'll be giving grace at
Thanksgiving dinner, the next time you give a speech or
next time you make a decision remember to face the facts.
>> [COUGH].
>> Yes and improv is wise.
[LAUGH] Thanks Jen.
So today we've taken you through six different mantras, six different
ideas that you can take from the world of improv and apply to your communications.
And before we let you go,
we want to make sure that we don't leave you with the wrong impression.
So coming into today, if I would've asked you what improv's all about the first
thing a lot of you probably would've gone to is being funny, it's about comedy.
Well yes, and it's about more than just that.
So we hope today that we have expanded your definition of what improv is, and
shown you how you can apply that in other situations.
The other thing is we don't mean to suggest that you should never prepare.
There's a fair amount of preparation that went into this presentation.
[LAUGH] We would hope that if you have to
have surgery at some point that your surgeon is well prepared for that.
>> [LAUGH].
But, we do believe that there are elements of Improv that will allow you to roll with
the punches, and just be more effective on a day to day basis in communicating.
So remember to be average, to face the facts,
and to pay attention so that you can.
>> Just show up!
[MUSIC]