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. I took a break last week. The post two weeks ago Last week’s post was Take the gifts you are given. This week’s lesson is….

Be open and curious

My improv instructor often talks about the importance of being open and curious. He reminds us of how it’s great to come into a scene with something (a feeling, a perspective, an idea of who you are, etc.), how important it is to be open and curious about that present moment with your scene partner, and to be ready to make adjustments to what you came in with based on what’s happening in real time.

A couple weeks ago, I entered a scene with a clear idea of who I was and what I wanted to say to my scene partner. She started the scene in a way that had nothing in common with what I was coming in with. Instead of responding to her opening statement with openness and curiosity, I tried to steer the scene back towards what I wanted it to be. After a few moments, the instructor stopped the scene and pointed out how much better it would go if I dropped my preconceived notion of what it was supposed to be and joined my scene partner in what was happening in the moment. When we resumed the scene with me taking an open and curious approach, it went much better!

While this can feel and be tricky in change management work (project sponsors do have a destination they want us to help them get to, after all), the lesson of being open and curious is a good one. I can come into an initiative with all kinds of preconceived ideas and notions of what the situation is and what needs to be done, but if I don’t hold space for the unique variables and nuances of a particular group of people I’m working with I’m just trying to impose my will.

When I enter a change initiative with a point of view and the openness and curiosity (I might even say humbleness) to be flexible….the chance of a successful outcome increases.

While this approach may give me a sense of control and even might make the initiative seem efficient, it doesn’t really lend itself to a great outcome for the people actually experiencing the change. When I enter a change initiative with a point of view and the openness and curiosity (I might even say humbleness) to be flexible based on what’s happening in real time, the chance of a successful outcome increases.

Closing thoughts

I want to hear from you! Do you usually take more of a “I’m the expert, this is how it’s going to be done” approach or a “From my skills and experience here is the plan I have, please let me know if anything jumps out at you that you don’t think would work in this environment” approach? How have each of these approaches affected the outcomes of your change work?

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