How Business Improv Expands What Leaders See as Possible

Business Improv might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about leadership. Yet this form of human connection can enable you to discover untapped possibilities for innovation and growth, and respond even more effectively when the unexpected happens. Consider that in this volatile environment, every business transformation brings moments when the picture starts to look different from what we expected. New information can emerge, conflicts between individuals and groups can build, and momentum can stall. Under pressure, it can be natural to quickly close off conversations and rush to judgment about available options for moving forward. But what if there were even more options for expanding what's possible? During our conversation with improv veteran Bob Kulhan, we discuss how business improvisation is one of the ways that can enable leaders to create the richer conversations and human connections that expand possibilities for business innovation and growth. Bob brings the concept to life through his story about how a major corporation applied the principles of business improvisation at a pivotal time for their company. He shares how this produced a significant positive shift in culture and business outcomes. We also discuss three immediately useful ideas for applying the principles of business improv to expand your own thinking about what's possible, as well as narrowing down the possibilities for making decisions under pressure. This includes ways that people can disagree without being disagreeable. Bob Kulhan is the founder and CEO of Business Improv, speaker, and author of the book Getting to “Yes And”: The Art of Business Improv." For nearly three decades, he has performed and taught improvisation internationally. A few of the organizations he's worked with include Chicago's renowned Second City and Improv Olympic, as well as Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and the Australian Graduate School of Management. This week on Growth Igniters® Radio, we discuss: How the principles of Business Improv can be applied to expanding thinking about what's possible in a high-stakes situation How Business Improvisation can deepen human relationships and create support for decisions Disagreeing without being disagreeable Three immediately useful ideas for applying principles of business improv to create more valuable business conversations