Rule #3: Don’t Block

As we walk through the list of rules of improv we come to the third rule; Don’t Block.

This should be obvious, given the other rules; Say, “Yes, and…!” and After the ‘and’, add new info, but unfortunately it often isn’t.

Blocking is when you flat out deny something your partner says in a scene, and stops all momentum.

In an improv situation, it might be when one person says, “Good morning, Jane.” and the other person responds with, “Its not morning, its night time.” or, “I’m not Jane, I’m Judith.”

This may get a laugh, but the laugh is due to the awkwardness of the acting situation. It is at the expense of your fellow cast member (which is against another rule we will deal with later). Blocking is really the exact opposite of rule #1, because it is basically saying, “No.” No, I don’t like what you are offering. No, this will never work. No, I will not do it that way.

Blocking is basically saying, “My way is better.”

This happens all the time in real life, and is a real trap for those of us in leadership. We have spent a good deal of time thinking about and evaluating a situation. We have done due diligence investigating all kinds of options. Often, we may have already thought about what is being offered and dismissed it for reasons we think are very valid. But, it is also denying that others around us may see things that we do not see, which is one of the primary reasons we surround ourselves with a team in the first place.

Blocking kills ALL momentum in a team.

People learn very quickly that their ideas are not appreciated. That they simply need to work with whatever you are suggesting. That you really don’t want any input, feedback, or help. That you are the only one who is able to give any kind of push to the movement of the team, and the organisation.

If an idea truly does not fit, then we need to find ways to help the team see why it doesn’t fit. Having a strong, easily identifiable, and embedded purpose can really help with this. A strong purpose creates an expectation of movement in a certain direction and if what is offered pulls in a different direction it will become obvious, and the momentum will shift away from what was offered. This means that you do not need to be the one who says, “No.”

As your team gathers together to lead your organisation, they need to know they can trust they will be valued in order to bring their best.

Hear them as they say, “Please, don’t block me.”