Matt Abrahams

So if just a simple game like that, other improv activities as well, it just gets you to see, here's what I'm doing.

This is my pattern, my habit.

It identifies the heuristics that we carry around that actually get in the way of our communication.

What I think enables that and what allows you to have that fun is that you're suspending judgment for a little bit and you're just letting things flow freely.

And it is in doing that that you begin to build a confidence in what happens in the moment.

A lot of my work recently has been on spontaneous speaking, speaking in the moment.

And you can actually prepare to be spontaneous.

If you think of an athlete, they do a lot of drills and a lot of repetitive motions.

So when they're in the game, they can respond appropriately.

You can do the same thing with your speaking.

But part of it is that mindset you have to take.

Get out of your own way.

See what happens in the moment.

And that frees you up to do what needs to be done when you're in that interaction.

Yeah, I want to tell you a story that relates to that.

But at some point, I'm going to shout out the word earlobe, and I want to hear how you respond to that.

Because I'm amazed that you get up and ask people to call out body parts.

I did some work when I was researching my recent book where I interviewed the gentleman who's in charge of all LEGO manuals.

I don't know if you've ever built LEGO or not.

Their manuals have no words.