Copy

 High Wire Acts 

Next Level Leadership Inc. for Women's Advancement
Feb. 2015

When's the last time you did something just for fun? For engagement, collaboration, and innovation, a little joy can go a long way. 
           
This issue, we focus on the Play Time section of the Healthy Mind Platter by Daniel Siegal and David Rock.
Why High Wire Acts? 
A steep cavern opens up for women when they reach senior manager levels. Click Here for our documentary short on helping women leaders cross the high wire!
"Discomfort is a very underrated feeling."
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus

“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” 
-
Dwight D. Eisenhower


"They made me do silly things."
- ELP Fall 2012 Graduate 
 From CEO Brigid Moynahan
Over the years, work from the world of theatrical improvisation has become an integral part of our leadership training programs. We have our leaders work with various exercises that require extreme presence and a willingness to take risks in a conscious way. Here’s why:
Improvisation benefits:
  • “Yes…and…” is the first rule of improv. By accepting and adding to ideas freely, you flex the muscles of collaboration and innovation
  • Puts brain in "towards" state. We are 31% more productive when in a positive mindset (See The Happy Secret to Better Work)
  • Develops a habit of valuing and seeing strengths
  • Creates a “pattern interruption” that stimulates focus on task with greater capacity. (These are recommended every 90 minutes.) In the room, the energy grows quickly in a game engaging your body, spontaneity, and connection skills.
  • Builds a habit of ease and stepping forward in the face of risk; this, in turn, creates smarter risk taking
  • Encourages leaders to speak up and take action, even when it isn’t perfect. (See Women Find Your Voice.)
  • Enables leaders to create positive contagion to increase success, hope, trust, and engagement.
Improvisation games remind us of forgotten muscles desperately needed by the Corporate Athlete and leaders in a world of extreme change. Excited about the possibilities? Take a drop-in class at any improvisation school. For those in NYC, we recommend the Magnet Theater. It will let you experience the benefits live and ensure that you have a great day.  
Click here to share your thoughts on improv for leadership on the blog!
A conversation on improvisation, spontaneity, and transformation with Grace Tshanakas
ELP 2007
IT Executive, Fortune 100 Healthcare Company
When she first walked into our Executive Leadership Program for Women in 2007, Grace would have told you she was the last person in the world you’d find taking an improvisation class. Today, she relies on skills honed in improvisation as she engages colleagues from around the world, while she is leading major change. 
"Improv training taught me to build upon whatever questions are asked. This allowed me to relax and respond to questions--to engage easily in that back and forth dialogue. It’s helped me approach things from the perspective of, “I’m going to have fun with this,” as opposed to having to be so serious. Improv has helped me significantly when presenting in front of audiences. I’m much less inhibited about getting up on stage and speaking."

Click here for her fascinating conversation with Brigid.

Play: Your Brain's Happy Place
The ideal brain state for insight is relaxed and slightly happy. When the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), or the To-Do-List portion of the brain, is less active, we have mental space for creativity. Scientists studying the brains of jazz musicians and freestyle rappers have found that these artists have mastered the art of tuning down their PFC. By engaging in novel, fun activities, free from goal-directed tasks and thinking, new insights and inspiration can emerge.
The Joy of Falling

A recent study found that 12 to 19-month-olds fell 17 times per hour when learning to walk. The fast pace of development in childhood can seem to come to a standstill in adulthood. But new studies in neuroplasticity paint a picture of potential new brain development  up until the very end of life. To continue development, we look to the youngest individuals. Check out Brigid's grandson, Charlie, for a lesson on moving from fear of failure to joy of falling.

More on work and play: 
Your Brain on Improv Ted Talk
The Benefits of Humor from PBS
Connect, Then Lead from Amy Cuddy 
Well-Being Boosts Employee Engagement from Gallop
The Surprising Science of Why You'll Get More Done by Having Fun from Fulfillment Daily
How a Stuffed Giraffe Changed an Organization 
 One of our recent graduates, Susan Clarke shared an unforgettable story of how an  accessorized giraffe helped her to lead a cultural change in her organization. Here it is:

“About 10 years ago, I was looking for ways to drive cultural change. Specifically, I wanted to create a culture where employees felt free to 'stick their necks out' to do the right thing. We purchased a 4’ stuffed giraffe, named her Bea A. Leader, and began a circulating award, recognizing folks for driving value and showing integrity on the job. Each winner was publicly announced, with details of their winning actions. My thinking was that it might increase the behaviors that we were acknowledging. Bea became very popular and circulated for years, gaining some form of personal memento with each winner (my favorite is the MOM tattoo on her hind quarters, made with a Sharpie…irreverent but personal).”
pastedGraphic.png“When you are in compliance, you have to be engaging…and engaged. Stuffed animals help,” says Susan. When asked if Bea did indeed help foster a culture of “sticking necks out," Susan says she had members of large functional teams call out gaps in the processes their team owned. “This is an uncomfortable space in an organization that works in silos and hasn’t historically valued continuous improvement. Their examples helped create a safe place for candid discussions regarding process.”

“My belief is that people naturally want to perform well and many begin to identify with their roles or the processes they manage. Driving change in these environments is hard, because change feels threatening and personal. Finding a fun way to reward the team for positive change, while reinforcing their value, made change more palatable.” 

Things took a darker turn when the beloved Bea went missing. Read the full story here!

"Know what makes you happy. Something that fulfills that need, that's what you strive for."
-- Erica Heverin, ELP 2012

To learn more about ways candidates are succeeding thanks to our women’s leadership programs, visit www.the-next-level.comWe love to hear from you! Contact us at (973) 783-7676 or TNL@the-next-level.com.

 
Share
Tweet
Forward to Friend
Facebook
Facebook
Twitter
Twitter
Website
Website
Email
Email
Google Plus
Google Plus
Copyright © 2015 Next Level Leadership, All rights reserved.