In a time of accelerated change and increasing polarization, one leadership principle continues to prove itself as both timeless and transformational: Great leadership starts with listening.

It’s not just about hearing words—it’s about truly understanding the perspectives behind them. When we listen without the need to immediately respond, correct, or defend, we create space for empathy, stronger collaboration, and better decision-making.
This kind of listening is particularly vital in industries working toward genuine and authentic inclusion. Diversity efforts cannot succeed without the ability to hear and value different voices, especially those that have historically gone unheard.
In my book, Listening Without Agenda, I draw on lessons from my work as an actor, entrepreneur, and leadership facilitator to help teams and leaders move beyond transactional conversations. I show how techniques from the world of professional theatre—where active listening is a core skill—can help organizations foster deeper trust and uncover solutions that a traditional top-down approach might miss entirely.
When leaders begin by listening—truly listening—they shift the dynamic of every interaction. They model curiosity. They build credibility. And they unlock the potential of their teams.
This isn’t just a soft skill. It’s a strategic advantage.

Let’s Make This Practical: If you're a leader, try this today:

• Reflect back what you heard—not just the facts, but the feeling.
• Ask someone on your team a high-gain question.
• Resist the urge to offer your view. Find out more. Ask more. Discover more.

You may be surprised by what unfolds.

📘 “Listening Without Agenda” is now available wherever books are sold. https://www.improvmindset.com/listening.html
​
How are you practicing leadership through listening? I’d love to hear your experience—drop a comment below.

“…there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” 
Hamlet, act 2, scene 2.

I had a chance to see Eddie Izzard’s one person Hamlet. It is an amazing performance, watching her do every character at once, sometimes simultaneously. 

I have read, performed and studied Hamlet for years. About 30 to be exact. Every time, I hear something new. Perhaps it is because I am in different stages of my life, and different parts resonate with me now that didn’t at other times.

This one got me thinking:
         Act 2, Scene 2
         “…there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

In my work, we talk a lot about emotional intelligence. All I could think of was Jack Canfield’s theory:
          Situation+ response =experience

The situation is what it is. We can’t control it. What we can control, is how we respond to it. THAT is what shapes our experience. 

How we think about something, and choose to respond is what makes a situation good or bad. It is our thinking that makes it so.
​
Thank you Shakespeare for the eternal lessons of life.

If you're leading a team, managing change, or navigating conflict, how you think about challenges shapes how you respond—and how your team grows.
Through engaging, interactive workshops, I help professionals develop emotional intelligence and an improvmindset, and practice communication skills drawn from 30 years of performing and being an actor.
Want to bring these lessons to life for your team?

Let’s connect. Reach out to book a workshop that transforms mindset into action.
#LeadershipDevelopment #TeamWorkshops #EmotionalIntelligence #ImprovMindset 

Hey look! I had an AMAZING interview with Jason Cavness!

Conscious businesses are built on intentional leadership—and one of the most powerful (and often overlooked) skills is deep listening.

Real listening isn’t just waiting for your turn to talk. It’s tuning in beyond the words, picking up on what’s not being said, and responding with awareness.

Let’s say a leader notices a normally reliable team member seems off. Instead of assuming or brushing it aside, they check in. Through a real conversation, they learn the employee is dealing with a personal health issue and struggling to keep up. Because the leader listened—really listened—they can adjust the workflow, rally support, and keep the project on track before things spiral.

Want to build this into your leadership training? Try this:
🔹 Ask yourself, “What did you hear?”
🔹 Then go further, “What wasn’t said?”

Deep listening saves time, energy, and resources while strengthening trust. It’s a game-changer.

Are you ready to level up your lsitening skills and leadership presence? Let’s connect. Contact 

​#ImprovMindset
#ListenwithoutAgenda
#Leadership #DeepListening 

The past two years have created a lot of isolation and distance. It has also brought many people together, in ways that would have been previously unimaginable.

My last workshop for a client had participants in Singapore, London, Johannesburg, Mexico City and all over the United States. I've adjusted to waking up at all different hours to accommodate all different time zones. As much as we have been at home, adjusting to virtual work and figuring out how to look good on Zoom while in sweat pants and slippers, we've had the opportunity to connect with people in places all over the world. I can now count these people as friends. I get to hear how their lives and situations have been in upheaval due to COVID, and they get to hear about what is happening here in the US. They have expanded my understanding and knowledge of our connected  human experience in ways I would have never imagined. We share stories of our lives, families, joys, sorrows and recipes. 

​We have all lost something  in our lives from this pandemic. Let's also look at what we have gained: a global understanding, an international reach, and new friends. For this, I am grateful.

​Happy New Year everyone. I hope to see you all face-to-face soon. 

I just came back from my first in person workshop since February 2020. I had no idea what to expect in this new world: would people be shell shocked from being isolated, would they be closed off and protective, would they be willing to open up and be available?
Within the first few minutes of the workshop I realized something magical was happening. Everyone was craving the personal attention. They needed social interaction. They missed the company of people. The camaraderie. The friendship, The companionship.
As we begin the slow crawl out of covid hibernation, what does your team/ company need? How essential is the need to connect, to share, to collaborate?
I was not sure where people would be, or how they would react.  I was amazed and overjoyed to see the desire and exuberance that this group had to be connected and see each other.
Let’s embrace what we have gone thru. Let’s celebrate. And let’s gather. Safely.

And let’s learn what communication is like in this new pandemic world.

You might have heard of OMG or ROFL.  Well, here’s a new acronym to help with your communications at work: LARO 

What does it stand for? Listen, Acknowledge, Reflect and Offer.
 
When you are in a work meeting, and people are blocking the forward motion of the conversation by saying ‘yes, but that will not work because of…’ or ‘we don’t have the resources for that…’ or ‘that’s a bad idea…’, they have lapsed into CRITICALthinking rather than staying in DIVERGENT thinking. CRITICAL thinking is about evaluating, DIVERGENT thinking is about problem solving and solutions. There is a time and place for both methods, however, shutting down creative problem solving at each turn is not a useful strategy.

Try LARO to keep the conversation moving forward:

 - LISTEN to the objections that people are bringing up. 
 - ACKNOWLEDGE they are bringing up a valid point. Critical thinking is necessary for strategic planning. 
 - REFLECT back what you hear. This allows the person to know that you heard them, and understand what they are saying and feeling. 
 - OFFER alternatives to move them into the possibility of problem solving. Use sentences like:

• “What if (blank) was not a factor… What could happen then?”
• “What if we had the resources…. What could we do?” 
• “What if we tried it, what might happen?”

 Try it! Report back. I’d love to know how it works for you.

A key lesson I learned in Improv was “make your scene partner look good.“

Sometimes that’s a hard lesson to learn, or to understand fully. Many organizations I have worked for had a Superman philosophy: "Without me, this whole place would collapse!" That idea doesn't allow space to make the rest of your team shine - instead it charges ahead with a 'take no prisoners' attitude.

Understanding that it is generally not about you is an opportunity for growth. In a sustainable team culture, everyone focuses on:

• the mission (why we are here, and what we are working on),
• the organization (what do we believe in, and how does that manifest in our work),
• the task at hand (what am I doing today to work towards these goals).

These items are bigger than the individual. As a team member, you are a part of the larger machine. You have a role to play. You need to bring everything you can to the table, and accept and build on the things that other people bring to the table. Together you can build something bigger than any one individual can create on their own. You can build brilliance.

Isn’t that the lesson you want your entire company to embrace?

Email Andrew or more information on workshops and presentations.