Hello all! We are in a series called What does improv have to do with change management? In this series, I’m sharing some of the lessons I’ve learned so far from improv class that have direct application to my work as a change management practitioner. Last week’s post was Emotions matter. This week’s lesson is….

Use fewer words, say more with less

My improv instructor has talked a lot (yes, I get the irony here, lol!) about how talking too much gets in the way of an effective scene. He’s even gone so far as to say that words f*ck us up. As someone who identifies my communication style as more New York Times than USA Today, this has been challenging! However, I am learning about many other ways to communicate, including facial expressions, body language/movement, space, voice tone, vocal volume, etc.

While we may not have access to all these additional tools during change initiative, the overall lessons are valuable. First, using lots of words to describe a change, how valuable it will be, why it’s necessary etc. may be doing more harm than good. In short, less may be more. Second, it’s helpful to remember to be open to the wide array of ways of communicating. I know I can get hyper focused on certain communication vehicles (email, newsletter, SharePoint site, for just three examples). However, there are a myriad of ways of communicating. My job is to not be tied to particular vehicles, but rather to be open to whatever works best for the particular audience I’m working with.

Using lots of words may be doing more hard than good….Be open to the wide array of ways of communicating.

Closing thoughts

I want to hear from you! What has been your experience with using to many/few words throughout a change initiative? What are some of the less traditional communication vehicles that have worked well for you?

Please post your thoughts and comments below. Let’s help each other become the best change management practitioners and enthusiasts we can be!

Thank you for reading. Until next time, take care and keep up the good work!

Mike