(2 min read)
“They are all introverts.” That is what Lisa told me when I gave a workshop at the wonderful RF Technologies last month. It was about improvisation, public speaking and how your body language affects your mindset.
And sure enough — as soon as I arrived, I saw it: tense shoulders, shuffling feet, cautious eye contact.
But do not worry, I thought. We will start gently. And with a touch of humour.
(Naturally, with a little healthy stress on my part as well.)
And then it happened:
the tension faded, their expressions relaxed and, before I knew it, laughter was rolling through the room and creativity was bursting out.
What a joy to see how quickly people can blossom — as long as you create space.
That is also one of the reasons I have been on stage as a stand-up comedian for several years: to create space for myself.
But that is not easy:
simply being myself. Not perfect, but present.
And yes, that sounds cheesy. Just like the quotes “Just be yourself!” or “You do you!”
But honestly? Sometimes there is something in them after all. Even if I first want to roll my eyes at them. 🙃
Having a blackout yourself? No problem!
I am a firm supporter of the “practice what you preach” method, which is just as well, because I had a blackout at the beginning. Just like that: everything gone. The funny thing was that this was precisely what I had forgotten to say: “Improvisation is the art of not thinking.” It is that simple. Improvisation is not about perfectly planning every word or making the greatest number of jokes. It is about having the confidence simply to be yourself and go along with what happens. That is liberating. That builds confidence.
That is why I incorporate improvisation into my workshops. I loosened up the participants with improvisation games. After all, play has no purpose, no score and no performance pressure. The only thing that matters is the moment. And what did we discover? That supposedly introverted group worked incredibly well together.
They immediately stepped outside their comfort zones, and the quietest people began cracking jokes as if they did it every day. Even Bernard, the CEO, did not remain in the background. He gave his team all the space they needed, but took the lead himself at exactly the right moments. What a wonderful atmosphere!
What I learned myself (and from my bare feet)
I learn something from every workshop too. One thing keeps recurring: I always want to cram in too much. As if I want to teach people to improvise, breathe and present in ninety minutes — and process their childhood traumas as well. Easy, Barbara. So everything can be a little more spacious. Room to breathe. Room to play. Room for sweaty armpits. (Or no, perhaps not that.)
Then there was another unexpected moment: at one point Lisa asked — a little cautiously — “May we take off our shoes?”
Not everyone was itching to do so (literally), but I thought: yes, why not? And it was lovely.
The sun was shining, the floor was warm, and I suddenly felt completely grounded. (In my head you can now see me skipping barefoot through a meadow of flowers, pursued by lambs. In slow motion. Naturally.)
What am I taking away from it?
I was simply myself. Including the stammering and blackouts. And yet it clicked. Everything fell into place. The group — despite being full of self-declared introverts — ended up laughing and playing. I was not empty afterwards. On the contrary. I felt recharged. Satisfied.
As a chronic overthinker, I like to replay conversations afterwards. (With better answers, obviously.) But ultimately, it is not about what I say, but about what I give people. That one quote stays with me — and not in an annoying Pinterest way: “People forget what you said, but they never forget how you made them feel.”
New motto: less preparation, more trust.
It is about how you enter a place. What you project. That Friday made it clear to me once again. With or without shoes.
Every month I write about what moves or surprises me in my search for more playfulness and authenticity. Next time, I will tell you about my comedy show. And how I genuinely felt: I am allowed simply to stand here. Like this. As I am. Every time my own jokes are well received, it gives me an absolute feeling of acceptance. And that is why we do it. Right? No? Really not? Of course it is! Until next time!