Tag: improvisation

S6E3: Dealing with Disruption by Using Improv with Jay Sukow

From the desk of Peter Margaritis

“Your mind sometimes hijacks your emotions to think the worst-case scenario in order to protect yourself. You need to reclaim your mind in order to be in control.” Jay Sukow

Jay began teaching for Second City in 2010 and teaches in both the Improv and Conservatory programs. He is also a facilitator with Second City Works, teaching improv to business professionals to drive behavior change. Previously, he was on faculty at The Second City Chicago, iO Chicago, and ComedySportz Chicago. He is the co-host of “Improvcast with Jay and Landon” and currently performs around town with the group Zer0 H0ur with Bill Chott and Jay Sukow, as well as the monthly show Improv Famous. He has over 25 years of experience as a leader.

As an Improv leader and coach, Jay speaks about the dynamics of living the future and having a standard that we can never live up to instead of living in the moment and the “now.” A difference in how we look at the world shifts our focus from our failures into the zone of learning and growing.

We will always have stressors in our lives, and instead of avoiding them, we need to learn how to deal with them because we all have seasons and ups and downs; just because it happens now doesn’t mean that it will be the same forever. However, always having a positive mindset in all situations will lead you to a happy and more content life, both personally and professionally.

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S6E1: Milk Carton Musings and Leadership with Nick Lozano

From the desk of Peter Margaritis

“As much as we need technical skills in the business world, soft skills are even more important.” Nick Lozano

Today’s guest is Nick Lozano who is a technology professional who has a love for digital media. He co-hosts a podcast called >Lead.exe, which is for anyone who wants to level up their leadership skills and enhance their careers. ​ As someone in Tech, you need soft skills because you will have to sell yourself and the business to your clients and potential prospects. So much as we need technical skills in the business world, softer skills are even more critical.

During the initial talks about Tech, Nick brings about the analogy of building a house; you can make it as high as you need to go, as big as you want, or it can be a simple one-room house and still be great. The complex sides of technology can be a headache, especially for someone outside the industry. Nick’s soft skills make it easier to understand the technical side of technology in a fun way.

The audience you present to will determine how you will do your presentation for your message to go through. This is even more so when you have a paid sponsorship and must make the audience get the news across. Sometimes being simple and precise works better than using jargon.

Making mistakes is part of the process, and I know there is room for failure, but the lowest point is if you fail once, learn from it; this is how you gain experience. The downside is that if you are making mistakes and you aren’t learning from them, you are wasting your time and energy. Be prepared for how you will receive feedback, which will broaden your perspective on issues. All feedback is there to build you; the good and the bad appreciate everyone who will give it to you.

Nick humorously shares his story and experiences making this a unique and fantastic interview to begin the year.

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S5E50: Take a Load Off: Stress Relievers for Overwrought Leaders (Part 1)

From the desk of Peter Margaritis

“Stress is not always bad; it can motivate us into positive, meaningful actions.” Peter Margaritis

In today’s episode, Peter Margaritis begins his series on: Take a Load Off: Stress relievers for overwrought leaders. He also shows how Business Improv is the way to go when facing uncertain situations and changes in the business world.

When trying something new, always try it with a beta test on people you are sure will give you honest feedback before taking it to the market. Peter gives an example of how something he hadn’t thought about previously became one of the most successful business decisions for 2020. Something set up to be educational also turned out to be entertaining, enjoyable, and a bonding session to learn.

What makes you happy? What doesn’t make you happy? What stresses you? Stress is part of our everyday lives. It comes from the good, the bad, and the in-between. Stress is an opportunity to make a change and make a positive outcome in the long run. Stress can help you add value to your life and business.

Peter shares some of his tools to manage stress into a positive outcome.

S5E46: New Scripts -Communication and Collaboration for Better Results (part 1)

From the desk of Peter Margaritis

“Excellent, innovative, and effective communication invites productivity and adaptability, making an organization stand out from its competitors.” Peter Margaritis

In today’s episode, Peter Margaritis talks about new scripts, communication, and collaboration for better results. We can be given the same space and business concept but still have different results from our competitors. How does communication affect your business from beginning to end? How we articulate our wants and needs in the industry directly affects the results we achieve and get.

Every organization needs to have a simple, straightforward, effective communication strategy that reduces jargon in the workplace. In addition, laying a foundation of innovation and improvement that inspires internal and external communication enables you to stand out against your competitors.

In the long run, simple processes can bring consistent desired results.

S5E44: Turned Off – Walking Away From Your Inner Critic (Part 2)

From the desk of Peter Margaritis

“Your ability to be vulnerable is your strength, not your weakness.” Peter Margaritis

In today’s episode, Peter Margaritis continues discussing the inner critic. We can learn how to turn off the inner critic, but they are not always so bad. The only people who know that you have done a flop are you, your inner critic, and nobody else.

As we continue to silence the inner critic, sometimes we are so focused on what went wrong that we forget that we are human beings and are allowed to make mistakes. Instead of focusing on yourself, it’s more important to focus on your audience and to whom you deliver.

Vulnerability can be a great way to connect to others. Giving examples from a fantastic songwriter, Peter gives excellent insight on how opening yourself up to others can make you a better connection and relatable, especially in the message you want to deliver.

Sometimes you need to reason with your inner critic instead of silencing them.