{"id":5251,"date":"2024-08-05T13:52:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-05T12:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/leaders-club\/?post_type=article&p=5251"},"modified":"2024-08-07T13:57:56","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T12:57:56","slug":"why-listening-to-tina-fey-will-make-you-a-better-leader","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/leaders-club\/articles\/why-listening-to-tina-fey-will-make-you-a-better-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Listening to Tina Fey Will Make you a Better Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n 5 Aug 2024 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Why Listening to Tina Fey Will Make you a Better Leader<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Leadership & Culture<\/a> <\/div>\n
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https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/leaders-club\/articles\/why-listening-to-tina-fey-will-make-you-a-better-leader\/<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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The renowned actor and comedian is a devotee of improvisation, which can enhance your leadership abilities if you can develop an improv mindset.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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By Luke Whitworth<\/h6>\n
It has been more than a decade since writer, actor, producer and comedian Tina Fey compared the world of improv to sport.<\/h6>\n

\u2018I became immersed in the cult of improvisation,\u2019 she wrote of her career ascent in Bossypants <\/em>in 2011. \u2018I was like one of those athletes trying to get into the Olympics. It was all about blind focus.\u00a0I was so sure that I was doing exactly what I\u2019d been put on this earth to do, and I would have done anything to make it onto that stage.\u2019<\/p>\n

Fey had a point, and the ability to improvise is also an essential leadership asset.<\/p>\n

\u2018Improvisation thrives at the pivotal intersection where planning and strategy meet execution,\u2019 wrote Bob Kulhan, another highly regarded improv comedian, in his 2017 book Getting to \u2018Yes And\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n

A recent Leadership Skills Series session used Kulhan\u2019s premise to explore how improvisation can enhance your leadership. Here, we explore some of the elements that emerged during the discourse.<\/p>\n

How does the ability to improvise elevate performance in both individuals and teams?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are three elements:<\/p>\n

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  1. Improvisation develops collaboration skills<\/strong> by raising an individual\u2019s self-awareness of how they interact with others when there is a need for collaboration.<\/li>\n
  2. It can build people\u2019s confidence and personal impact<\/strong> when they are speaking up and sharing ideas.<\/li>\n
  3. Listening: improvisation can build people\u2019s openness to different perspectives and strengthen their active listening skills<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How do the principles of improvisation correspond with the skills required for effective leadership?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    This is where it is useful to visit The Four C\u2019s of improvisation<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

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    1. Creativity:<\/strong> this is fundamental when seeking to foster a growth mindset. Improvisation instantly allows you to step into a space of creativity because you can\u2019t really engage in improvisation without thinking in a more playful and open way.<\/li>\n
    2. Critical thinking:<\/strong> this encourages you to tune in and listen to what someone is saying without any kind of noise around what you\u2019re hearing. You are able to listen to what someone is saying with an open mind, which allows you to think differently about what they\u2019re saying.<\/li>\n
    3. Collaboration:<\/strong> it is essential in improv work to want to work productively with others. \u2018We are equal and are going to collaborate around this technique; sharing and building on ideas.\u2019<\/li>\n
    4. Communication:<\/strong> be curious when listening to what someone else has to say and do so without judgement.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The role of psychological safety<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Google initiated its two-year Project Aristotle in 2012 with a view to better understanding what makes teams successful. The organisation studied 250 attributes in their 180 teams and learned that psychological safety is by far the most important factor in determining a team’s performance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      Psychological safety can be defined as \u2018a shared belief that it is OK to speak up candidly with ideas, questions, concerns and even mistakes\u2019. It is a driver of innovation, creativity, engagement and productivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Additionally, an improvisation mindset is fundamental to how we might create a psychologically safe environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      It can allow you to have more open conversations. If there is a feeling of being able to speak up without being judged and critiqued, you are likely to witness a higher level of participation and engagement in your teams<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      We know that teams function better when there is a mutual feeling of respect and security<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      Psychological safety increases people’s willingness to be open and accountable<\/strong>. This can lead to getting more ideas on the table and increased contributions from across the team.<\/p>\n

      Common signs of psychological safety:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      • \u2018It is safe to ask questions.\u2019<\/li>\n
      • \u2018I can ask for help.\u2019<\/li>\n
      • \u2018We all contribute.\u2019<\/li>\n
      • \u2018I can be myself.\u2019<\/li>\n
      • \u2018We can make mistakes and talk about it.\u2019<\/li>\n
      • \u2018Everyone in our group takes responsibility for what we do.\u2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Tina Fey\u2019s rules of improvisation<\/strong><\/p>\n

        In Bossypants<\/em>, Fey outlined some of the improv principles that have supported her work and career:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • The first rule of improvisation is to agree<\/strong>. Start from an open-minded place, always agree and say \u2018yes\u2019.<\/li>\n
        • The second rule is to say \u2018yes, and\u2026\u2019<\/strong>. You are supposed to agree and then add something of your own. If you are really listening to understand what the other person is saying, you start to see creativity take place and the building of ideas because you are engaging your brain to think in a more creative way.<\/li>\n
        • Make statements<\/strong>. Whatever the problem or challenge might be, your role in this particular communication is to be part of the solution.<\/li>\n
        • Remember:<\/strong> there are no mistakes, only opportunities<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Questions to help you become a \u2018Yes, And\u2019 leader<\/strong><\/p>\n

          Kat Koppett, the author of Training to Imagine<\/em> and herself an esteemed improv specialist, suggests a series of questions that can help people in sport to reflect on becoming a leader in improvisation:<\/p>\n

          Firstly, \u2018what can I notice here?\u2019 <\/strong>What am I tuning into in terms of what others are communicating? Pay close attention to what others are communicating verbally and non-verbally. What are your senses telling you about how the other person is showing up?<\/p>\n

          Secondly, \u2018what can I accept here?\u2019<\/strong> This is really important, especially for leaders who are often looked up to as the ones who have the answers. Let go of your personal agenda and allow others to influence your thinking.<\/p>\n

          Thirdly, \u2018how can I build on these ideas or perspectives?\u2019<\/strong> It\u2019s important to consider that the goal is not to debate competing ideas but to co-create something.<\/p>\n

          LASER: a five-pillar approach to using improv in the leadership space<\/strong><\/p>\n

          Neil Mullarkey is one of the world\u2019s premier improv actors and, in 2023, he released his book In the Moment<\/em>. In it, he details some practical skills to help leaders demonstrate the behaviours that help create the conditions for teams to be more creative.<\/p>\n

          There are five:<\/p>\n

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          1. Listen<\/strong> \u2013 be curious, notice what is being said and what is not being said.<\/li>\n
          2. Accept<\/strong> \u2013 accepting is not the same as agreeing, be aware of your own agenda.<\/li>\n
          3. Send<\/strong> \u2013 listen-to-link, build momentum with the other persons idea or perspective.<\/li>\n
          4. Explore<\/strong> \u2013 remain curious and explore your \u2018filters\u2019 and assumptions.<\/li>\n
          5. Reincorporate<\/strong>\u2026 an earlier idea and build on it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n
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