Ratha ([info]papertygre) wrote,
@ 2007-12-09 21:43:00
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Entry tags:leadership

A quote about leadership
John Kinde, Humor Specialist:

An amazing thing I’ve learned after presenting improv workshops for more than ten years is this: There is no such thing as a weak improv player. There are only skilled improv planers who are not skilled enough to make the weaker players look good. When a worker has substandard performance, the question is: Are YOU good enough to lead, motivate, and work with them. You are responsible. Make them look good. Bring out their best. This isn’t a gimmick. This is a reality of life. The responsibility and power lies with you. Lead by example. What would the world be like if everyone was present for you, if everyone listened to you, if everyone treated you like a genius, if everyone agreed with you, if everyone trusted you. What would it be like if each of your employees experienced that kind of world. It’s your job to be the "someone" who creates that experience for them. Every choice you make affects other people.
(emphasis mine)


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Inspiring!
[info]deeptape
2007-12-10 04:31 pm UTC (link)
And how are you liking SoCal?

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Re: Inspiring!
[info]papertygre
2007-12-11 01:21 am UTC (link)
so far, vera nice-a.

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[info]urlgirl
2007-12-10 08:12 pm UTC (link)
Beautiful, and timely for me. Thank you :-)

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[info]candid
2007-12-11 12:28 am UTC (link)
There is no such thing as a weak improv player. There are only skilled improv planers who are not skilled enough to make the weaker players look good.

This totally isn't true. It would be a lot closer to true if it were "there is no improv player so weak that a very skilled improv player can't make him look good [with potentially a lot of effort]". (Even then it's still probably not true.)

My version has the added benefit of being relevant to the world of business. In particular, his lesson is a terrible one:
"When a worker has substandard performance, the question is: Are YOU good enough to lead, motivate, and work with them.
Even when I am "good enough" to "motivate and work with" the malcontent in my organization, it's probably not a good use of my limited time and energy.

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[info]papertygre
2007-12-11 01:20 am UTC (link)
I guess as someone with real improv experience you know what you're talking about.

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[info]candid
2007-12-11 01:27 am UTC (link)
Perhaps, but the way it's stated even his business lesson doesn't strike me as a good one. I mean, sure, it's good to try to motivate people to perform better, and sometimes you can motivate poor workers to perform better, but sometimes people are simply bad fits and/or bad workers, and no improv analogy can fix that.

I should start the "improv theory and business" blog I've been thinking about. I just need a name.

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[info]zyrain
2007-12-11 02:47 am UTC (link)
Who's bottom line is it anyway?

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[info]triple_entendre
2007-12-22 02:35 am UTC (link)
I think you've just made it clear that you're the malcontent.

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[info]zyrain
2007-12-11 02:55 am UTC (link)
A similar message that I've heard before is people act how you treat them, and fulfill the expectation that you set. For example, if you trust people, and act like trust is expected from them, they are more likely to trust you.

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