Winfo Issue #22

VANCOUVER THEATRESPORTS
"Sponsored Content"
5 TIPS FOR BETTER MEETINGS
Meetings can be a drag – but they
don’t have to be.
For a lot of us, meetings are a part of
everyday life. The Improv for Business division
at Vancouver TheatreSports have
been helping organizations of all sizes to
transform meetings into super-charged
brainstorming sessions, increasing the
return on the time invested.
They do so through their unique improv-based
approach – an approach
they’ve pioneered and perfected over
the two decades they’ve been working
with organizations across Canada.
Here are 5 quick tips from Ken Lawson,
the lead facilitator for the Improv
for Business Division at Vancouver
TheatreSports, that you can apply to
jump-start creativity and collaboration
in your next meeting.
Tip #1 “Yes, And”
The foundation for a creative and
collaborative meeting is trust; each
attendee should know that they
can contribute ideas freely, without
judgment or obstacles being placed
in their way by colleagues. As a team,
committing to the principle of “Yes,
And”, the core tenet that improvisation
is based on, produces an environment
where all ideas are accepted, supported
and given a chance.
Tip #2 Active Listening
Try this at the start of your next strategy
meeting. It’s an activity we call “Listen
Better, Listen Worse”, highlighting
the importance of being engaged
when listening to other speak.
To facilitate the exercise, start by
having one person speak to the
group on a tic their passionate about
(the Canucks, running, travel, etc.).
Instruct the group who are listening to
really engage, listening intently. After
a minute or so, instruct the group to
“listen worse,” or disengage. They
can change to more passive body
language, start checking their phones,
looking around the room, shuffling
their feet or walking away. Ask the
speaker how they felt when the group
was engaged, and how they felt when
the group disengaged.
The listeners then learn active listening
techniques, such as appropriate eye
contact and using affirmatives and
nodding, which encourages speakers
to continue and forces listeners to be
fully present in the conversation.
Tip #3 Get Rid of the Gadgets
Pretty straight forward. The Improv
Mindset is all about being fully present.
A group of meeting attendees all checking
their phones at various times blocks
that. Leave the phones at your desk.
Tip #4 Take a Breather
Effective two-way communication during
a meeting requires moments of silence.
Pause for a second before you reply to
a question. It allows you to absorb what
was said (active listening) and to organize
your thoughts, resulting in clearer and
more confident responses.
Tip #5 It’s About The Team
Great improv is about teamwork and
making your fellow cast mates look
good. Meetings can be so much more
effective when attendees aren’t overly
protective of their own ideas. The
Improv Mindset is about being open
to change and allowing your ideas to
evolve based on the contributions of
others. Clinging to your own contribution
prevents you from recognizing
other ideas from the group that might
better solve the problem.
If everyone focuses on the “glory of
the group”, understanding it’s not
about having the best idea, but about
collaborating to discover the best idea
and solutions.
Learn more about The Improv Mindset
and how Vancouver TheatreSports
can help your organization with our
Improv for Business workshops.
If you’re interested in receiving an
information pack please email Jeff at
development@vtsl.com.
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