Colour seems to be the popular form used to associate different thinking styles, specifically as it applies to communication, creativity, and interpretation. Today, business owners and professionals are asked to work in teams, think outside of the box, have a vision, take ownership of a project, and above all, be great problem solvers and communicators. Here are three key tools used by business trainers and coaches today: 1.Actor’s improvisational techniques: • Imagine that you are a jellybean in a jar with other jelly beans. What color would you be? Now, here’s the problem: Do you want to be at the top of the jar where you might be eaten first? Do you need to manoeuvre or communicate your way to the bottom, and perhaps be the last to be picked? Or is the middle better? • This fun exercise works well when I’ve use it in improvisational classes on actors to stretch their imagination outside the box. These actor’s training skills in improvisations are also specifically transferable for business people to learn how to think and speak spontaneously. It does not matter if your idea is totally “off the wall,” the participants are digging out those latent creative ideas. 2. Lateral thinking skills: • Attributed to Edward de Bono as a technique for problem solving in a parallel way, at different angles, rather than following the time-honoured reasoning method. This is used when someone wants to move from one known idea to creating further new ideas. • De Bono’s the “Six Thinking Hats” model is offered as a training tool for businesses to find new ways to solve problems. Each thinking hat has a different color which represents different emotions and thinking strategies for a team member to use on a problem. • This unconventional thinking focus has participants look to challenges from different angles as they wear a specific hat color to result in many creative solutions, streamlining processes, or new product lines. 3. TrafficTM communication system: I had the opportunity to interview, Heather Clarke, President of Beacon Communications Inc, Canada about her system: • This method puts people’s thinking styles into the three main groups based on the traffic-light colours of red, yellow, and green. The three types of thinking styles break down into: conceptual thinkers (10%); detail-oriented thinkers (20%); and process thinkers (70%) • The system allows one to explore not only what their thinking and communication style might be; but significantly, how to respond to others who may have a different style from you. • Heather Clarke coaches a number of executives and businesses who need better ways of connecting with those who work for them, with their customers, and their suppliers on a daily basis, in order to get the best out of people. • The foundation is for people to understand themselves and why they operate, talk, write, work on projects, and generally communicate the way they do naturally. And, at the same time they need to understand and embrace those people around them who may communicate in a different style, instead of being afraid of the difference. • The workshops provide an opportunity to tap into all the thinking styles within them to exercise their thinking. Then they can experience that moment when they finally “get it” as to how someone with a different style is approaching or communicating on the same problem or situation. • Traffic allows one to de-personalize what another person may say or do. They begin to understand why others operate their way, which is not to get you angry, but because that’s the piece of their thinking persona that they use. To sum up, improvisational classes today are being attended by more business executives and professionals to loosen up their traditional mindset. These exercises help the decision-makers and team players practise creativity which has usually been the domain of the theatre performer. Lateral thinking styles give fresh solutions to problems. Other methods such as TrafficTM honours your own thinking styles as a valuable tool that you bring to the table, as well as acknowledging what others bring; and that diverse styles make for a great team when clarifications and solutions are needed. A drama coach will help you to stretch your thinking style with improvisation. So, what colour of jellybean are you?
Article Source: http://www.bizymoms.com/expert-advice
Did you enjoy reading this article? Check out Speech & Drama Coach, Brenda Smith, for her varied techniques in coaching business people in improvisation and performance skills. Visit www.voicepowertraining.com for a variety of workshops and one-one coaching for you to have Voice Power success. Download her book: “Ten Steps to Unlocking Your Voice: a supercharge method to Power and Profit,” or contact her at info@voicepowertraining.com. Also, be sure to check out the links page on her we