Yes, and…

Hayslett Group’s Katie Little and Michelle Fry attended a Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce luncheon this past Wednesday at Ippolito's on Holcomb Bridge Road. The topic of the luncheon was intriguing, “Improving Your Business with Improv,” and the garlic butter rolls were delicious. As a marketing and PR firm, folks often perceive us as “more creative” than other types of business entities and industries. We certainly exercise our creative muscles daily, but so do most people -- regardless of whether they are software developers, CEOs of hospitals, administrative professionals or any other profession you can imagine out there. Being “creative” means developing and exploring ideas and options in regards to problem-solving. That problem could be how to introduce a new product, how to motivate your employees, how to reduce costs in shipping, etc. You get the idea. Basically, we are all creative, and we all need ways to keep our creative muscles nurtured, healthy and strong.

Improvisation, or “to invent, compose, or perform with little or no preparation”, may seem a little artsy for a lot of companies, but I think some of the basic principles of improv can easily be incorporated in our workplace attitudes, even if we don’t go so far as to stand in a circle and shout out ideas. The following are just a few concepts or “commandments of improv” that were shared with us, and I think they are great concepts to keep near our hearts when we are problem-solving at work:

Trust

Trust your co-workers, boss, whomever you are discussing your problem with. Believe that they are interested in solving the problem too, and that they are interested in your ideas.

Agree on Stage: Don’t Argue

When brainstorming, or thinking through problems, saying “No, that won’t work.” immediately kills any creative juices. Negative comments make individuals feel uncomfortable – that their ideas are “not right”, thereby causing them to clam up and not share. There is plenty of time later to sort out the best ideas and approaches. This is where the “Yes, and…” comes into play as a segue to other ideas.

Listen

In improv, if you are not listening to your fellow actors, it just doesn’t work. You can’t build ideas off each other if you are not listening.

Mistakes Are Good

Know that out of 10 ideas, nine might not be so hot. Who cares? Mistakes come from trying to come up with great ideas. If you don’t try -- no ideas.

Make the Other Person Look Good

This ties into listening. Listen to others and their ideas. Recognize something good in their ideas, and compliment them about it. Build off it. This fosters trust, engagement and confidence, not just in your brainstorming session, but in the workplace in general.

While the presentation was brief, we had a refreshing glimpse of how we could rekindle the creative fires (and interpersonal relationships) at the office. I hope you can use some of these ideas yourself. If you want to learn more about improv for business, the speakers, or the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, check out:

Blank Stage Productions, www.blankstageproductions.com

Speaker and Author of “Improv to Improve Your Business,” Vanessa Lowry, LinkedIn, www.connect4leverage.wordpress.com

Speaker and Author of “Improv to Improve Your Business, ”Jim Hogan, LinkedIn

Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, www.gnfcc.com

"Cheers for Communities" Fundraiser

On April 14, ten local women came together to raise funds and awareness for Communities in Schools of Atlanta, Inc (CIS). The event organizer, Hayslett Group’s Dori Mendel, selected the organization for its positive and local impact on Atlanta Public Schools and Dekalb county students.

The fundraiser event, held at a local Sandy Springs bar, Three Sheets Atlanta, featured a number of silent auction items and raffle tickets ranging from a signed CSI NY Script to private cooking lessons and custom jewelry. Overall, the event pulled in $1,000 in donations for CIS of Atlanta. The money raised will go directly to the organization and assist with special programs such as CIS attendance rewards.

“We all use our networking in everyday life for business pursuits, so I thought, why not leverage our collective connections for a greater cause,” said Mendel. “The turnout and donations from the event exceeded my expectations and underscored the generous and powerful nature of networking.”

CIS of Atlanta was established in 1972, and over the last three decades, it has helped thousands of young people earn high school diplomas and go on to become productive members of their communities. Currently, CIS of Atlanta supports 62 schools in Atlanta and DeKalb County, including 20 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, 22 high schools and one nontraditional school. In Georgia, there are 48 local CIS organizations, serving students in 52 counties and 59 school systems. To find out more about CIS in Georgia, go to www.cisga.org.