A Surprising Way to Improve Self-Awareness and Act on It — Improv
There are so many ways to improve self-awareness. Therapy, personality assessments, astrology, honest friends, reflection, meditation, to name a few. I’d like to add improv comedy as a great way to improve self-awareness AND act on that awareness.
Think about it, self-awareness is great, but unless someone has a venue for making improvements and changes based on that self-awareness then it’s just awareness. It stays in our head and can actually create anxieties because if we have this awareness of what we’re capable of and not capable of, but we have no path or understanding of how to change it then we’re just then sitting in our awareness and self limitations and doubts.
This is what’s especially powerful about the techniques we use at Improve — there’s the ability to develop self-awareness AND then practice new choices and new capabilities and practice those weaknesses right then and there. In Improve, we act on that new self-awareness and to take that self-awareness and then get to some sort of action so that we leave there with less anxiety. It’s a powerful tool for any type of coaching and working with ourselves and other people because we learn those insights and then act on them, so we can start to build new habits, choices, behaviors. We increase our self-awareness and then we’re able to practice the things that come up.
For example, in an improv scene I become aware that whenever someone comes to me with a problem I tend to look down, cross my arms, and go into problem solving mode. Our Improve sessions provide the venue to make that observation. Now, that information about my tendencies is something I’m aware of, and now that I know that I tend to respond that way, I can make a new choice that might be more effective in getting toward my desired outcome (which, say, in this example is connecting with others and building trust, in addition to solving problems). Then, we get to do that scene again and when someone brings a problem to me, I practice making a new choice — looking at them, keeping my arms open, and rather than jumping into problem solving mode, instead ask them if they are ready to solve the problem or if they’re just wanting to vent.
So then I leave that Improve session being aware that this is a habit for me (that when a problem is brought to me, my natural inclination is to physically close off and jump into problem solving mode), and with a new way to handle it, and confidence in showing up in this new way (after practicing it during the session). My body has felt what it’s like to handle it in that new way. Emotionally I know what it feels like to handle it that way. Instead of leaving that session with anxiety around what I’m aware of and need to change, I get to leave the session feeling empowered because I got to practice the change and build confidence around showing up in this new and improved way.
This is why improving with us at Improve is effective, and I’d argue more effective than reading books or watching lectures or many other ways of building self-awareness. We need to practice in order to improve. It’s as simple as that!
Want to explore more ways to improve leadership and life? Visit chooseimprove.com
