THE ART OF COMMUNICATION 4 - OPEN-MINDEDNESS

Most of us like to think we are pretty open-minded. Yet when it comes to communicating with others, we are keen to get across our point of view.

It might well be a good one, but is yours the best point of view for the situation in hand? Are you in danger of pushing forward your idea without considering other people's? Or maybe you are a great listener who tends to get swept along with a confidently asserted opinion and abandon your own?

In improv we use games to increase our open-mindedness. One of the absolute basics is very relevant here: YES, AND.

When an idea or viewpoint is introduced by someone, we run with it to see where it will go, saying “yes” to it. We also add or build from that idea with “and”.

Next, another person may but forward an idea and we run with that one too,

The willingness to go with an idea and see where it reaches is creative and opening for the mind – we have to explore how to make it work in order to find the nuggets within that idea.

At the end of an session like this, we hopefully have certain elements which stand out from a selection of ideas. Everyone feels heard and appreciated too, and a team working together bonds better.

"What a fabulous and informative talk today on Charging for Therapy at the BACP Conference. It is scary taking the next step and having qualified in my late 50s it feels very daunting. Listening to your talk however made me feel more confident in myself and that I can do this! Thanks again for your motivation and inspiration." Heidi SB