Getting Beyond “We’ve Always Done It That Way!”

This past weekend, I had practice with my improv troupe.

It had been a few weeks due to holidays and travel.

Usually we start our practice with some fun warm up exercises.

We reconnect with each other being silly. They get the creative juices flowing and help us get into our improv space.

Our coach decided to skip that part of rehearsal and go straight into scene work because we have a show coming up and need as much practice as possible.

I really needed the warm up.

Going cold into scenes, I fell back into old habits. Instead of accepting what my scene partners offered and playing with it, I kept rejecting them.

No, I did not want to go skinny dipping. No, I would not take my clothes off. NO.

Normally I would take an offer like skinny dipping and amp it up in some fun and ridiculously logical-to-my-character way. That’s what makes great improv – and I know it!

Just like you as a leader know change has picked up speed – and you need to do something…

But you (or those you lead) stay committed to the past – blocking change with a “No” disguised with a respectful “That’s not how we do things.”

Yes, we have been trained all our lives to value the past.

AND we’ve got to find ways to get beyond how we’ve always done it. To get ourselves and those we lead beyond the “NO!” with comfort.

Getting yourself and others beyond “we’ve always done it that way” is a linchpin for your success moving into the future.

It is sexy and fun to talk about all that can be with artificial intelligence, medical advancements, drones and more.

However, if you don’t bring others with you, they will slingshot your organization back to the past – making you more vulnerable.

To help you out, I launched a Facebook group that’s going to focus on getting beyond how we’ve always done it.

The goal is to help you personally as well as a leader.

I’ll be going live a few times a week in there to help you play with what can be.

Letting go of the past is not a one-person job.

It’s going to be hard. The community in the Facebook group will be there to cheer you and help pick you back up when needed.

Here’s a link to the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PPUcommunity/

It’s going to be fun, informative, supportive – and did I mention there’s NO charge? It’s my gift to our community.

Feel free to sign up and share with anyone you know who struggles with getting beyond how we’ve always done it!

Hope to see you in the Facebook group soon!

– Cynthia

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