July 8, 2015 The Surprising Way Improv Comedy Can Help Your Workplace
When I first attended a class put on by the Brave New Workshop improv troupe, I was skeptical. How could improvised theater help me, a businessperson? Wasn’t it just for the ultra-creative types and class clowns? It turns out, my skepticism was hugely misplaced.
As I went through several different activities, I began to understand the value of such training for myself and everyone I was with—no matter the personality type. The skills we were learning through improv comedy helped us adapt to new situations, be creative, collaborate with others, and have the confidence to express ourselves, even if we weren’t entirely certain of the next move. These are all essential attributes of a good leader or confident team member.
One exercise especially stuck out in my mind:
We were asked to split up into groups of two. One person pretended to have a box filled with something useless or negative (worms, old gym socks, garbage, etc.) and they were supposed to give that box to the other person and say what they had. For example: “Here, Margaret. I have a box full of old banana peels for you.”
The recipient would have to take the box of useless items and respond in some kind of positive manner, such as: “Thank you, Susan. I will take these banana peels and use them as compost in my garden.”
This exercise works on a few useful skills:
- Turning a negative into a positive
- Quickly adapting to an uncomfortable situation
- Connecting in a positive manner with another person
After the workshop was finished, I felt energized, confident, and ready to take on anything that was thrown my way. I highly recommend using improv workshops as a way to boost your business (and life!) skills and help your team connect on a deeper level.
Contact me if you’d like to hear more about my improv experience!
Tags: brave new workshop for business, improv and business skills, improv and improved interactions, improv and teamwork, improv workshop
July 1, 2015 #WhatDoesItAllMean (Decoding Hashtags)
Last week, I attended an interesting and educational webinar on hashtags. The webinar was put on by members of the Insights® Discovery team. Through this session, I learned some valuable bits of information that I’d like to pass along to you. Here are a few of my key take-aways.
The Basics:
- Hashtags are your friends! Use them to make your social media posts more search-able and to connect with other people in your industry
- Do your research: Know which hashtags are currently popular in your field.
- #Don’tgooverboardwiththelength Hashtags that are too long are often overlooked
- Do get creative and have fun with hashtags in your social media
- Do connect with others in your online community who are using the same hashtags (i.e. #coaching #writer #workingmom)
- Don’t hashtag every word! It seems desperate and amateur.
- Know what’s trending and take advantage (some hashtags are used frequently like #tbt for “Throwback Thursday,” in which you’re encouraged to post an old photo)
Events:
- Create a specific hashtag for any event you host and actively encourage attendees to use it. Don’t be shy! Project your chosen hashtag on your powerpoint or print the hashtag on pieces of paper that you put at each chair.
- If you’re attending an event, see if there is a specific hashtag associated with it. (i.e. #AWP15 for the 2015 Assoc. of Writers Program conference)
- Live tweet (or use whatever your preferred social media platform may be) and use the given hashtag
- Connect with other people at the event by looking up the designated hashtag and starting an online conversation
My main take-away: Don’t be afraid of hashtags! They aren’t something “the kids are doing these days.” They are a useful way to make connections and network in your field. Do a little research and then dive in!
Happy hashtag-ing and don’t forget to #havefun
Tags: a guide to using hashtags, decoding hashtags, don't be afraid of hashtags, hashtag basics, hashtag insights discovery, hashtag webinar, hashtags and social media strategy, using hashtags effectively, UXL blog
June 24, 2015 Capitalizing on Your Diverse Workplace with Insights® Discovery
Your workplace is diverse, whether you know it or not. You may all be similar in appearance, but what about your interests? Work styles? Ways of thinking and doing? Diversity goes beyond ethnicity, gender, culture, and age. It also has to do with diversity of thought and behavior.
Such a mix of perspectives can be healthy for an organization, but only if it’s leveraged correctly. If the minority voices are constantly silenced by the majority, then any diversity your organization may have will not be used effectively.
Understanding and accepting differences in others is fundamental to the success of an organization. It’s what leads to great idea-generation, creativity, and an energized workplace. As a leader, your goal should be to encourage all voices to be heard, and all individuals to be valued.
But where to begin? Insights® Discovery (a tool for understanding and developing unique personalities) provides us with a great model to follow to embrace workplace diversity. Here are their five steps:
- Build Self-Awareness: Every person brings a unique set of knowledge, experience, capabilities and behaviors to the table. Organizations can and should help their people fully understand themselves and recognize their individual capabilities. We can’t really begin to understand and accept others, unless we know ourselves.
- Gain Understanding: As individuals, we need to understand ourselves, understand others, and be understood by others. This means approaching diversity with an open mind—a willingness to learn about your co-workers and how they think and perceive the world.
- Adapt and Connect: Organizations should help their people adapt and connect to get the most from their teams. Adapting and connecting helps you achieve better engagement and interaction with others. Yes, connecting with people who think differently than you may stretch your comfort zone, but you’ll probably be surprised by how much common ground you share.
- Find Value in Diversity: Insights calls this phase “Moving from frustration to fascination.” Instead of being frustrated by others’ differences, learn about them. Appreciate what they bring to the table and how it adds richness to your work experience. Make your work environment an inclusive one in which differences are appreciated and valued.
- Leverage differences: The best teams are comprised of a diverse group of people who can bring out the best in each other. This can only happen through honest, open dialogue and a work environment that encourages diversity of thought and perspective.
HOW can you make your workplace open and inclusive? Stay tuned for next week’s blog!
Want more information on how Insights® Discovery can help your workplace? Contact me today!
Tags: build self-awareness, diversity of thought, insights discovery diversity, Insights Discovery Team, Margaret Smith, workplace diversity
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- Posted under Better Business, Insights Discovery, Teamwork, Thrive at Work
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