Countering "Blocking" - for a business school communications class

[Dave Watson - bulldogmi]

The past 5 years I've been living in Prague. Mainly, I have a consulting business but I also teach business school courses.

I've been asked to teach a course for Management Communications. The Czech Republic's entire management style is based on "blocking" therefore, I thought it would be great to do some improv exercises to prevent blocking.

However, my IMPRO book is in storage in the US (and Amazon doesn't really ship to CZ).

Can anyone recommend any basic games and/or exercises to help out in the management communication class?

[Dave Watson - bulldogmi]

The recommendations were helpful. Blocking is an item that's very difficult to overcome w/ Czech managers.

[Sue Walden]

Hi! This probably comes waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay after your program, so I hope it went well. And... here are some thoughts I've had recently about "blocking", which applies more to us as improvisers and facilitators, than your group with with their "yes, but" style of communication.... some good ideas posted below to deal with that.

My thoughts are that the only one who can truly block me is... myself -- my attitudes and perceptions; my internal critic and editor. After all, if I am in a "yes, and" mindset, then whatever you offer me is usable.. unless I judge it as NOT usable, NOT helpful, NOT in alignment with what I think is happening. If I accept your offer as usable material (yes!)l, I will find a way to use it.

The game, Good News/Bad News is a good one for developing the mental muscle to perceive options and possibilities no matter what "obstacle" (block) shows up.

What do you think about that?

Sue

[Paul Z Jackson]

In pairs, Player 1 makes a mimed physical offer (doesn't need to have anything in mind), player 2 accepts the 'gift' by naming it. ('Thanks for the typewriter'.) Player 1 adds an additional detail: 'Yes, it belonged to my grandfather'. End the scenes there, until players get comfortable with this rhthm, then they can continue turn-taking with any scene until it reaches a more natural end.

[Leif Hansen]

Well, a real basic one is to do "Yes and, Yeah but". Have the first person in a circle suggest a product that the group might develop. The next person starts their sentence with "yeah, but..." and gives a reason why it won't work or why another idea might be better. (ie "Let's make a new soy-based chocolate cereal!" 2. "Yeah, but theres research coming out that soy might cause cancer". 3. "Yeah, but everything causes cancer these days." #4 "Yeah, but chocolate will be perceived as too sugary." etc.

Then, have the group try a new product with "yes and" and as you can imagine the product gets built up quickly and the energy ends high. Encourage them to feel free having fun and making outrageous product changes, etc.

Cheers,
Leif