EP. 8 How to Honor People’s Emotions with Brian Fox, Nimble Learning Strategies

In today’s episode of Team Anywhere we interview Brian Fox, Founder and CEO of Nimble Learning Strategies.

Brian uses many of the principles of Improv to connect deeply with the emotions of teammates, since attention, connection, and acceptance are crucial especially right now. 

One of the most important rules of Improv is to Accept whatever is happening, whatever it is.  In today’s challenging environment, the greatest thing a leader or team member can do is to accept and connect to what is going on with everyone else on the other side of the screen and to demonstrate empathy. 

 The Six Rules of applying Improv to Empathy:

(1)   Listen with your whole self – listen to the person behind that little screen with your ears, your eyes, your gut, and your heart.

(2)   Embrace the Silence – you give the other person permission to truly hear themselves

(3)   Accept – Accept what is presented to you, accept the other person’s truth, accept how they see things

(4)   Acknowledge their thoughts and feelings – let them know you heard them

(5)   Appreciate something positive about the person – a value, that they trust you, and always avoid judgment

(6)   Avoid giving Advice – Instead support the person in understanding his/her own situation

Another major concept of Improv is to “Make Your Partner Look Good.”  Today’s Leaders, given technology and separation, must rethink of themselves as Talk Show Hosts!  Great Hosts are purposeful, interested, entertaining, flexible, and create a great mood of candor and fun.

Audio Credit: Show Me the Way, Vendredi 

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