Are you happy now?

As we navigate a constantly changing work, I have one question for you: Are you happy?

If you have found yourself struggling lately, there are a lot of things you can do to boost your positivity. University of California-Riverside psychology professor Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky explains that 50% of our happiness is genetic and 10% is dependent on life circumstances, but the final 40% can be influenced by factors under our control.

While there are a variety of choices that we can make to increase our positivity, Shawn Achor, author of "The Happiness Advantage", lists 5 simple things that you can do everyday to help rewire your brain to focus on the positive:

• 3 Gratitudes - Listing 3 things each day that made you happy trains your brain to look for the positive instead of the negative.

• Journaling - Writing about a positive experience allows your brain to relive it.

• Exercise - Teaches your brain that your behavior matters.

• Meditation - Allows us to process the things that happened during the day.

• Random Acts of Kindness - Inspires others to be more positive which can have a powerful "pay-it-forward" effect.

If you have never tried doing these things, I challenge you to take a 21-day challenge. Harvard research says that at the end of the 21 days, you'll be more positive and your mind will subconsciously continue to do them even if you don't make it part of your daily plan.

Now if you answered the question at the top of this blog with a resounding, “Yes! I’m happy,” my follow up question is this: Are the people in your life happy? If you’re a boss, a parent, or spouse, I encourage you to check in to see how you support the efforts of the people in your life is find happiness.

Growing and growing...

Are you and those around you continuing to grow?

With the challenges of the past year, I've certainly watched my waistline grow. With a newborn and toddler in my house, I am constantly reminded of how fast and amazing growth is. However, as we get older, it's easy to lose sight of the importance of consistent growth in our lives.

My goal for 2021 is to keep a growth mindset versus a fixed one. A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence can continue to be developed. Conversely, a fixed mindset is the thought that you can't learn or solve something, that you are only capable of so much. Studies show that students with a growth mindset do better in school, both on projects and tests, so we know it works.

The bad news is that BELIEVING you can do something isn't enough. The belief then drives you to set goals, work hard, and overcome obstacles. That is really the key to success.

So, where do you want to grow?

This isn't a hypothetical question. I'm really asking you. I read an article on LinkedIn that says simply sharing your goals increases the likeliness that you will complete them, so please take a second to respond. In fact, for every person that replies, I'll donate $3 to the charity of my choice.

I'll go first.

A client asked me to lead a session using Trimetrix DNA. It's an assessment that measures behaviors, motivators, and competencies. To start this year, I've gone through the online class and am now certified to give and debrief these assessments. Now, I'm working with various individuals and teams to help them improve while I improve too.

While this type of work still falls under the education umbrella in which I'm used to, it's a whole new challenge for me to find ways to make this more scientific approach to communication and interaction fun and engaging.

I've got a lot of work to do, but I know I can do it, because I have a growth mindset!

New Year, New Attempt?

Did you make a New Year's Resolution this year?

Bad news: most resolutions don't last.

Strava, a social media app for athletes, studied over 31 million people in 2020 and determined that most resolutions started falling apart by January 12. Several other studies show another large drop in commitment to these resolutions at the beginning of February.

The old quote states, "It takes 21 days to build a habit," but the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it takes, on average, 66 days to form a habit. "On average" is important in that sentence, because the individuals in the study actually took anywhere from 18 to 254 days to make it stick.

Those numbers can be really disheartening, but what can we do about it?

The answer lies with the 2006 Indianapolis Colts.

That NFL team coached by Hall of Famer, Tony Dungy, and lead on the field by soon-to-be Hall of Famer Peyton Manning started off the season 9-0, but then things changed. They lost 4 of their next 6 games. In one game, they gave up 375 rushing yards. (If you don't know much about football, that was the second most ever allowed in the modern NFL.)

At this point, some teams might have cumbled and focused on their mistakes, but not this team. They stayed committed to their goal and to each other. They won their last regular season game, before starting their playoff run which culminated in winning Super Bowl 41 in Miami on February 7, 2007.

So let me ask, how are you doing with your resolution? Are you undefeated so far? Have you had any losses? The game isn't over unless you quit.

University of Scranton psychology professor John C. Norcross study people who successfully kept their resolutions for at least 2 years. 53% slipped up at least once with the average number of "losses" being 14.

No team in the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL has ever gone undefeated on their way to winning a championship. There are always going to be bumps in the road, but keep driving.

"It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."
-Rocky Balboa

What's The Deal With Improv for Business?

Over the past five years, countless articles have been published praising the benefits of improv in the business world. Reputable sources such as Forbes and Harvard are touting the benefits of the artform and its principles for all industries. During a time of uncertainty, change, and disruption, these improv skills are more important than ever.

Here are 5 reasons that your team needs improv:

1. Flexibility

The number one rule in improv is “Yes, and.” Starting with “Yes” means that conversations should begin from a place of agreement. Too often, people see obstacles and think, “I can’t do my job until something changes.” They start with “No.” That is simply not an acceptable answer. Successful businesses find creative solutions to these problems instead of blaming them for their lack of forward momentum.

2. Team Building

This is where the “and” part of “Yes, and” comes into play. Everyone within a given organization should be empowered to share ideas. When a new employee is hired or an existing employee is promoted, there is, of course, a learning curve. They need to listen to their bosses to learn how to be equipped to succeed in the position. As they gain experience over time, however, those employees may develop insights and ideas that are unique from their superiors. If your leadership team is willing to listen to these ideas, the entire company is more likely to improve.

3. Staff Retention

In addition to fostering innovative ideas, embracing a “Yes, and” mentality helps companies reduce turnover. The number one reason people leave their job isn’t money, a chance of upward mobility, benefits, or vacation time; it’s because they don’t feel valued. In fact, 66% percent of employees say they would quit if they didn’t feel appreciated*. We can only offer so many raises, recognition awards, and donuts in the break room, so it’s imperative that all employees feel that they contribute to the success of the organization in a way that is truly appreciated.

4. Customer Satisfaction

Like employees, customers need to feel valued. In fact, a recent survey** determined that 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience. Too often sales people focus on what they are going to say instead of listening to their client’s needs. “Yes, and” is more about listening than it is about talking. Sales people who embrace that mentality are able to listen attentively to their clients and be responsive to their needs in a way that makes clients feel that they matter to the organization.

5. ROI

Improv teaches people how to speak up and how to listen which makes everyone involved feel important. This is fantastic, but it’s simply a byproduct of the process. The biggest result is a higher ROI. If you build a team that feels valued and happy, and is full of great communicators, you’ll enjoy the following:

• Raise sales by 37%***

• Increase productivity by 31%***

• Strengthen accuracy of task completion by 19%***

• Improve customer satisfaction ratings by 50%****

• Escalate returns to investors by up to 47%*****

Improv isn’t just an opportunity to provide something for your staff. It’s a powerful tool that can be utilized to take your team to the next level.

Sources:
*Forbes
**Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand
***Harvard Business Review
****The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
*****Willis Tower Watson

The Value in a Gift

You know how in movies, the drug dealer starts out offering free drugs to innocent people? The logic is that once they get a taste of those sweet, sweet drugs, they’ll keep coming back for more. Of course, the drugs are no longer free. In fact, they are quite expensive, but now that we know how good the drugs are, we will pay anything for more!

Well, it turns out that drug dealers are really good at sales!

Let’s go back.

I have been speaking professionally since 2003, but it’s only been my full-time job since June 2019. I’d made a lot of connections, had plenty of clients, and was speaking regularly.

Then, the world changed.

Right before the world shut down, I attended the National Speakers Association’s Winter Conference called “The Sales Playbook.” I got insider sales advice from a list of successful speakers, such as Jill Konrath, Mark Hunter, Laurie Guest, Sam Richter, Ross Bernstein, Jennifer Darling, Meridith Elliott Powell, Crystal Washington, John Register, Simon T. Bailey, and a few others.

They shared a wealth of knowledge with everything from introductory emails to signing the contract, but the thing that resonated with me most was the phrase “provide value”.

Even once we were all quarantined, Sam Richter shared an email with some advice which also included the suggestion of providing value.

I thought I had been doing that. I had been sharing articles or videos with certain clients. I didn’t just blast a URL to a whole list of people. I sent specific content aimed at the industry or even the specific company that I was connecting with.

Sometimes I would get a quick thank you email, but more often than not, I didn’t receive a reply.

In late April, I had an epiphany.

Some of the people that I’m reaching out to aren’t working right now. Some are working from home and are overwhelmed with their workload. Some are trying to figure out how to pivot their whole business model. On top of all of this, many of these people are trying to navigate these situations while also watching after their own kids because school and childcare are no longer an option.

So what do all these people really NEED right now?

They need to smile, to laugh with their co-workers and have a little fun. They need to unlock their own creativity and find new ideas. They need permission to fail. They need encouragement that they can not just weather this storm, but that they can come out on the other side with new skills that will help them be even more successful in the future.

THEY NEED IMPROV.

I don’t care if they can’t pay for it. I want to help give people the one thing that the world so desperately needs right now:

Hope.

So at the beginning of May, I started offering free 30-minute improv Zoom meetings for groups ranging from 10-100 people. I’ve worked with just about every industry imaginable; business, financial, health care, hospitality, education, manufacturing, construction, nonprofits, associations.

My goal was to provide each team with all of the needs I listed above. At the end of the 30-minutes, my only request was to share my contact with anyone else who might want a free workshop.

The feedback has been phenomenal! (You can see some client’s opinions at the bottom of this post.)

I didn’t try to sell myself. I didn’t beg people to email or call me back. I just put out the offer and then provided something that I thought would help. I figured I might hear back from someone months from now.

Instead, I’ve been contacted by a plethora of people wanting to hire me. I keep hearing the same basic thing, “We are cutting budget costs where we can, but this is something that we desperately need right now.”

There are no words to describe how happy this makes me. Obviously, I am glad to be working, both for monetary reasons and because it’s truly what I love to do, but what truly delights me is that business leaders are recognizing the true power of improv in these uncertain times.

Are we going to get through this eventually?

Yes, and!

Below are quotes pulled from Zoom chat comments after free workshops:

-So much fun!  Thank you!  Loved it!  And I loved the application back to the business world.

-I like that you make us open our minds and to look at things more openly. I will be applying these lessons to our current situation.

-Fun! I wish it would have been longer.  You lifted my spirits. 

-This was a fun and helpful way to end our Friday. I appreciate how engaging (and non-intimidating) the activities were! So many points you made today relate to the way I am at work and home. Very beneficial for us all to hear!

-Learned more in this session than any other session I've attended in my 26 year career!  Thank you!!!

If you know of any company, nonprofit, association, or any other organization that could use a boost right now, please contact me at jonmcolby@gmail.com for more information on a free Zoom workshop!

Ready for Anything: A Lesson in Not Actually Being Ready

I’m embarrassed to say this: The coronavirus taught me an improv lesson.

I’ve been performing improv comedy professionally for almost 22 years. I’ve been leading corporate workshops and delivering keynotes sharing the power of improv for about 15 of those years. 

When people ask me what the benefits of improv are, I practically run out of breath listing off things: creativity, leadership, better listening, nonverbal communication, empathy, team building, decision making, confidence building, adapting to change…

Adapting to change.

If I am onstage with a partner, I’ve got to be willing to adapt. For example, if the suggestion is lawn care, I might start mowing a lawn.

(For those of you unfamiliar with improv, when I say that I “start mowing the lawn”, there certainly isn’t actual time for me to procure an actual lawn mower to use as a prop. I don’t try to build a fake lawn mower like a community theatre production might do. And I’m NOT going to push around a chair pretending it’s a lawn mower, because now I just look like an idiot pushing a chair around the stage. Instead, I just start pantomiming that I’m mowing the lawn.)

As I start my action, my scene partner may say, “Oh, honey! Before we checkout, we should also grab a couple more bags of mulch,” because even though I feel I am clearly pushing a lawn mower, they see me pushing a shopping cart.

Now I have a choice to make. If I say, “I’m mowing the lawn,” in this scene, I look like a crazy person. No one in the history of the world has been mowing an actual lawn and looked at someone 5 feet away and said, “I’m mowing the lawn.” It’s never been done, because it’s obvious. 

I would also be denying my scene partner’s reality. This breaks the number one rule of improv which is simply, “Yes, and…” That means try to find agreement. So, I reply with something like, “Good call, dear. There’s nothing more I want to do with my Sunday afternoon than lay more mulch.” Then, the scene can continue. I never acknowledge that in my mind the lawn mower transformed into a shopping cart.

For an experienced improviser, this is pretty basic. You drop your reality to make things work with your partners.

Early in 2020, I signed a contract to deliver a 2-hour workshop to a company’s leadership team as part of their upcoming annual retreat on March 22. However, in case you hadn’t heard, on March 11 the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. The CEO reaches out to me almost immediately.

“Can you make this work remotely?”

So I took a deep breath to consider what all of my years of improv have taught me and I answered honestly and bravely:

“No, I don’t think so.”

He said he didn’t think so, but he wanted to see if I had any ideas. He continued by saying he’d need some time to figure out how to move forward and would be in touch about possibly offering the workshop once we could meet in person again.

After that phone call, my head was spinning. What was going to happen to a business that relied on in-person interaction? 

I took a few days to feel sorry for myself and then I got to work. Another speaker reached out to me to see how I was doing. He suggested a partnership to offer virtual content during these uncertain times. He had seen me lead a workshop in person and seemed to believe it could be done remotely. Now, it was just up to me to figure out how.

The next several days looked like a montage from an 80’s movie. It was me learning everything I could about Zoom, talking with other improvisors about how these games could theoretically be done, and actually trying some of these games with muggles, a Harry Potter reference we used to describe non-improvisors.

After some trial and delightful failures, we did it. With the help of a lot of people, I figured out a way to deliver an impactful, highly interactive, virtual workshop where people left with the same takeaways and enthusiasm that they would have received in person.

I reached out to that CEO and explained what I’d come up with. He agreed to have me present at his virtual leadership which, fortunately for me, had been postponed long enough for me to prepare for it.

The virtual engagement was very well-received. Since that first workshop, I have delivered, on my own or with a colleague, 11 more times. Each time, the feedback includes something about how much joy they had playing games and learning with their peers as if they were face-to-face.

It’s the same joy that I get performing improv. 

It’s not the way I’m used to doing things, but if I can remember to “Yes, and…” the moment, I can still achieve some pretty fantastic things.