Empty your cup through improvisation techniques

There are many stories that illustrate well the role of unlearning in our lives. My favorite is the old Chinese parable of the Master and the Learned.

Once upon a time there lived a Zen Master famous for his wisdom. People flocked to him to seek help and benefit from his teachings.

One day a scholar came to the Master. "I came to ask you to teach me zen." - he said. It quickly became apparent that the Disciple was full of his own opinions and knowledge. He repeatedly interrupted the Master with his own stories and did not listen to what the Master had to say. The Master calmly suggested that they drink tea.

The Master poured his guest a cup. The cup was full, and he kept pouring until the tea spilled on the table, on the floor, and finally on the Scholar's robes. The scholar shouted: "Stop! The cup is already full. Can't you see?" "Exactly," replied the Zen Master with a smile. "You are like this cup - so full that nothing new will fit. Before I can teach you, you must empty your cup."

This is more difficult than you might imagine. When we reach adulthood, we are so full of information, opinions and beliefs that we don't even notice them. We may think of ourselves as open-minded, but in reality everything we take in is filtered through many assumptions and then classified to fit the knowledge we already have.

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If we don't unlearn outdated patterns of thinking or habits of action that no longer serve us, we become less and less flexible over time. We get locked into hard structures. We don't revise our own beliefs. We stop accepting what is different, interesting, new. We lose our openness and willingness to experiment.

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Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way. As it turns out, there is a method that specializes in developing flexibility and cognitive openness. It is ... applied improvisation.

Improvisation techniques enhance flexibility and openness

Applied improvisation is a workshop method that draws on stage theatrical improvisation. During impro performances, actors and improvisers face constant uncertainty and change, as each sentence uttered changes the ad hoc emerging plot. It is the audience that gives the artists roles and actively influences the events on stage. Therefore, improvisers must quickly empty their cup by adapting to the rapidly changing conditions during the performance.

In applied improvisation workshops, we take stage techniques and tools out of the theatrical context and apply them to business practice, because we find that they are just as effective in this context. After all, teams, employees and managers must now operate under conditions of uncertainty and change - just like improvisers on stage.

Therefore, the use of improvisation techniques in a business context is becoming increasingly popular - not only among large companies, but also in MBA programs around the world.

How does improvisation help unlearn old patterns?

First, improvisation can increase our tolerance for uncertainty. It is a skill that ensures that during unplanned situations we are not overpowered by fear or stress. This preserves our intellectual potential and, instead of a habitual stress reaction, we can create new solutions on the fly that bring us closer to our goal. By tolerating uncertainty, we are able to act effectively even if we were not ready for a given development. We retain our flexibility, agility and initiative.

The second area where improvisation can help us is to weaken our inner critic. This is that voice that constantly judges our actions. When we try new behaviors we may hear in our head - "this will definitely not work out," "you're not up to it," or "stop - you'll only fool yourself." This is when the voice of the inner critic inhibits us from changing old, established patterns of action. If we weaken this voice we become more open to experimentation and less judgmental. This makes us more willing to try new things increasing our openness.

Third, by practicing improvisation, we can develop deep listening skills. Sometimes we listen to someone just waiting for the moment when we can say a "prepared" answer beforehand. Other times, we interrupt when someone says something that doesn't fit into our worldview. This approach closes us off to other perspectives. When we listen deeply we recognize that everyone is right, and we can learn about our interlocutors' perspectives with curiosity, even when we disagree with them. This is the kind of listening that is developed through many impro exercises. It allows us to admit other approaches and perspectives, and we can revise our beliefs and state of knowledge - constantly updating it.

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In conclusion, the ability to unlearn our old beliefs, thinking patterns or habits of action will affect how well we adapt to an ever-changing reality. We can reinforce this process through applied improvisation workshops that develop our tolerance for uncertainty, openness and listening skills making us remain flexible and improving in the constant change that surrounds us. This is the key to constantly evolving. We won't do it if we don't have room in our cup.

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