International Women’s Day is always a time for reflection, celebration, and renewed commitment to gender equality. This year, I had the privilege of attending a thought-provoking panel discussion at Brighton University on Women in Leadership. The event brought together an inspiring group of women…
Navigating Chaos with Improv: VUCA and BANI in Business What do Improv, VUCA and BANI have in common? You’ve heard of VUCA, but have you heard of BANI? In fact, first of all, have you heard of VUCA? What is VUCA? VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. It…
There is much talk at the moment around workers returning to the office. Some people love it, some people hate it, and a whole lot of people just don’t know what to make of it. The McKinsey article “Returning to the Office? Focus More on Practices and Less on…
Does Improv Help with Pitching? Short answer: YES. This week, I’ve found myself in one of the most surreal situations. I’m currently working on a pitch for AndAlso at the Create South East Showcase while simultaneously running a high-level training program for a company whose staff needs…
Psychological Safety in Teams & Improvisation Training On the face of it, improvisation might seem like it’s all about recklessness and risk-taking. Yes, we practice getting comfortable with failure, celebrate mistakes, and embrace uncertainty, but lately, I’ve been reflecting on what safety and improvisation have in common. This idea first…
Bringing Your Whole Self to Work: Lessons from a Portfolio Career In recent years, I’ve noticed a recurring theme in the organizations I work with: the idea of bringing your whole self to work. It’s the notion that all the glorious, weird, and vulnerable aspects of who you are outside…
Improv Training for Executive Teams: The Secret to High-Performing Leadership Several years ago, my comedy troupe, The Maydays, were asked to perform in a ‘high-performing teams’ showcase for a large corporate event. The lineup of high-performing teams included us, a shadow gymnastics group, a jazz trio, and Britain’s Got…
How to be creative? The answer is obvious How to be creative? We all want to know the answer. And so, what a funny word obvious is. It can mean clarity, but is often used with criticism. I certainly have associations with being on the wrong…
Your team works hard, they support each other (and you) and hit their targets. So now you want to do something for them. Maybe you want to reward them for their efforts, work on a new strategy or create cultural change. Maybe you work remotely and just want…
Some people just don’t see themselves as creative. Indeed, whole departments and sometimes industries think they are creative. Ask any accountant. For them, creativity is a bad word. But creativity is not only for painters and writers. It is not magic. Creativity is just what you do when…
We all want to be creative. To see and do things in a new way. And we want our teams and companies to be more creative. Often, we need them to be. After all, doing what you have always done will just produce what you have always produced.
“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” John Maynard Keynes One meaning of the word ‘improvisation’ is ‘what you do when things go wrong’. When a plan falls apart, you improvise, right? The groceries didn’t come! Quick, what can we…
