The Power of Improv

Earlier this year, I had the honor and privilege of attending a trip to Atlanta with the NMGZ Community, and it is not enough to say that it was an incredible experience. This community includes our future leaders and innovators, and I am grateful to be amongst them.

During this trip, we had the opportunity to visit Coca-Cola, Communications 21 Media Group, Home Depot, Team One, and UPS. Hearing the executives discuss their journeys and goals for their companies offered me an insurmountable amount of knowledge that can help further my career. 

We also had the privilege (and surprise) of attending an improv workshop at Dad’s Garage Theater.  This activity was a nice break from corporate offices and settings, and I got to know my fellow peers in a nonprofessional setting. Initially, when we arrived, we thought we would be watching an improv show. However, we soon realized that we were the stars of the show. The improv workshop started with a simple game where everyone would introduce themselves to someone, and whomever you were introduced to, that is the name that you introduce yourself to others. It did not take long before five people had the same name. The improv experts conducting the workshops informed us that this is common since people get distracted either trying hard to memorize their previous name or listening to another conversation. I learned that multitasking is a myth. No one can fully give 100% to more than one thing at a time. You tune in and out of things and prioritize what you need to. This taught me that we need to slow down in life and stop trying to juggle everything all at once. 

The other exercises were also applicable to the professional world, such as the power of “yes and." A lot of times we find ourselves saying “yes, but” or “no;” however, by saying "yes, and" we open ourselves up to more opportunities for new experiences and knowledge. With this in mind, I will continue to be open-minded, and I can’t wait for another opportunity to join the community's many field trips led by Bill Imada.

Until next time.