This is the Engineering Culture Podcast, from the people behind InfoQ.com and the QCon conferences.
In this podcast Shane Hastie, InfoQ Lead Editor for Culture & Methods, spoke to Ted DesMaisons and Lisa Rowland who spoke at QCon San Francisco on The Improvisor's Code: Engineering Your Best Self
Key Takeaways
- The skills of improve are applicable outside a theatrical setting
- You don’t have to be an extrovert to use these ideas
- These are intra-personal skills as well as inter-personal – they help develop mindfulness and awareness at the individual level
- The study of improvisation gets us good at agility, adapting to changing circumstances
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0m:30s Introduction – Ted
1m:09s Introduction – Lisa
1m:25s Applied improvisation – applying the skills of improve outside a theatrical setting
2m:30s What improve is and what it isn’t
3m:35s Humour as a by-product – the focus is being present, listening effectively and responding in the moment to other people
4m:20s How improve can be used in Design Thinking and more effective communication in teams
5m:00s Why the skills of improve are valuable in areas of creative work and communications, developing and practicing empathy and being comfortable with ambiguity
6m:00s Using improv to improve communications in environments where power relationships can get in the way of clarity and meaning
6m:27s How improv skills can help creative teams come up with better ideas and create a culture of trust and support
7m:40s How to build a trusting environment
8m:20s Start with games and practice failing in a safe environment
10m:25s You don’t have to be an extrovert to use these ideas
11m:20s These skills are valuable in all sorts of environments and with all sorts of people
12m:05s These are intra-personal skills as well as inter-personal – they help develop mindfulness and awareness at the individual level
13m:10s Allowing playfulness and discovery and ways to find common ground even when we disagree
14m:00s The value of saying “yes ” – Keith Johnstone quote:
There are people who prefer to say yes and people who prefer to say no. Those who say yes are rewarded by the adventures they have and those who say no are rewarded by the safety the attain.
14m:40s Ways to overcome the fear and learning to say yes
16m:25s Responding to challenging situations with positivity helps make them less stressful
16m:50s The study of improvisation gets us good at agility, adapting to changing circumstances
17m:20s How to contact Ted and Lisa
Mentioned:
- Anima Learning
- LisaRowland.com
- Stanford University
- Monster Baby Podcast
- Design Thinking
- Ideo
- Keith Johnstone
