Category Archives: Comedy

I like to laugh.

Why I write blog posts… Practice, Practice, Practice – Real-Time Critical Thinking

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Someone asked me the other day, “Why do you bother writing a blog? No one reads it.”  So I thought about it for a few minutes, triple checked my visitor numbers to save my ego from shrinking too much, and I figured out exactly why I bother to write blog posts.  It’s practice.  Or as the book I’m reading currently, The Talent Code, would call it – “Deep Practice”.

critical-thinking

So here’s the thing, I have but one skill in life that differentiates me.  I’m usually able, through real-time critical thinking, to piece together needs or parts of a story to understand the larger vision for an idea.  Literally my old boss called me “the ideas guy”.  I honestly don’t have many unique ideas, almost everything I build out is a conglomeration of many different ideas and needs of stakeholder all rolled into one vision.  That’s what I do.  The thing about real-time critical thinking is that it doesn’t come naturally, it’s a talent I have because I constantly argue… with myself.  All day long I read and absorb as much information about as many things as possible, I read a lot of tweets and blog posts.  Unfortunately reading a bunch of information only arms you with the weapons for real-time critical thinking… it doesn’t exactly teach you how to use them.

There are only three ways I’ve found to actually learn how use real-time critical thinking – all of them are basically practice.

1.  Debate with the people around you.  The trick here is you need to work with smart people with diverse backgrounds, otherwise you won’t learn much in terms of point of view.  For example the Social Media team and entire E-Commerce team at Walgreens is filled with a ton of smart people, motivated by different things, with different perceptions of the world.  It’s a great group to talk to… but the key to it isn’t team brainstorms or over crowded meeting, it’s all about small group conversations.  The one’s that pop up by the coffee machine, or in my case the once that happen when I seemingly randomly walk around to people’s desks and pick their brains.  There’s debate to be found outside work as well (remember my point about diverse backgrounds), my girlfriend works in HR, I spend a lot of my free time with a friend group made up of Insurance Actuaries, most of my college friends work in health care or engineering, and I always have an open invitation to grab a beer with anyone if they’re willing to “talk shop”.

2.  Arguing with yourself is useful.  When I read articles I usually pause a number of times as I’m reading and take the points of the article and walk through all the different arguments in my head.  Most of that time this leads to me taking 20 minutes to read a blog post that should probably only take 3 minutes to read.  On the other hand it makes the information much more valuable to me… not only do I know the data, but now I know how to use it. (in theory)  Think of it this way.  If I give you all the variables (you read the blog post) but no equation what good are they?  The self argument is where I find myself discovering the sets of equations that the variables fit into.

3.  Blogging is the last part of this practice model.  If you’ve very read my blog, it feels a lot like I’m just talking.  (not exactly top class literature)  Often there are a few spelling or grammar errors too.  The reason for this is my writing style, which I learned while writing comedy sketches at Second City’s workshops, it’s basically improv writing.  Meaning you literally write your train of thought.  (Usually you don’t stop you thought to fix spelling or grammar…  Although, I am trying to get better with that.)  So for me, blogging is a form of deep practice where I can pick a topic and write on it… forming an argument and a point of view as I go calling on all the inputs I’ve had access to.  Working the brain muscle that also is used in meeting rooms and brainstorms, where real-time critical thinking is so important to getting the group past a white board of random thoughts.

So that’s my long way of explaining the purpose of my blog.  For those who read it and enjoy the content, thanks.  For those who don’t read it, no worries.

Thanks for Listening,

Zach West

“Yes, and…” Great Ideas Don’t Start with the Word “No”

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For the past year or so I’ve taken classes in improvisation at both The Second City and the IO theater.  (Think improv comedy, ask for a suggestion and create a 20 minute scene from the suggestion.)  In the time I’ve spent at both institutions of improv there has been one very clear rule behind being successful… “Yes, and…”

Now I doubt you’re reading this to learn how to perform improved scenes, but stay with me through this example.  When you’re exploring a thought, say in a scene someone says “Hey Mom, I’m so sorry about forgetting your birthday.”  You can’t really respond with… “I’m not your mother.”  (I mean you can, but it would crush the momentum established in just one line of dialog.)  From that one line you were given a  bunch of resources to work with. (in improv we call them gifts) You are now this person’s mother, it was just your birthday, and you’re emotional response to this person is based on being forgotten.  That is why you say “yes” to the resources/gifts you are given.  Of course you can’t just say “yes”, because then your partner on stage would have to supply the scene with all its resources/gifts.  You have to add “and…”.  The “and…” is where you take your resources and heighten the scene with more information.  (Information about your emotions, your wants, your partners status etc.)  So now that we’ve walked through “Yes, and…” lets show how it works to make “better” ideas.

Brainstorms

People always talk about wanting to do some “brainstorming”.  “Thinking outside the box” is often the line of corporate jargon used.  Here is the problem, lots of people don’t realize that a brainstorm is just like the improv situation above.  First someone has to establish a list of resources to get the ball rolling in some direction.  Then as a group you have to take turns saying “yes” to the basic ideas people through out there and then exploring the basic idea further by adding to it.  Here’s an example: “I like the idea of Facebook voting on which charity gets X, and we could have the amount of X that is given to the charity determined by the number of check-ins on foursquare.”  (Here”s where that campaign came from-  Check Ins That Make A Difference )

Dealing with Restrictions

So brainstorming is great… except I don’t know about you, but when in the history of the world has everything been in the scope of possibilities?  So for the rest of us, who have a list of goals to achieve or red tap to deal with, here is how I use “Yes, and…”  Restrictions are resources.  Restrictions are gifts.  Restrictions allow you to focus, but they don’t mean you can’t imagine.  Think for your budget as a gift, think of your goal as a gift, if you accept them all you are responsible for is the “and…”  It’s like a math equation (sorry to bring Math into it) -

a(b-c)+3d=Awesome Idea

In a brainstorm, you have to define a, b, c, and d.  (That is 4 different chances to get it wrong.)  If you have a list of restrictions maybe now the equations looks like this -

Budget(Length of Program-c)+3(Social Media Platform)=Awesome Idea

You know your budget is $X, you know your program has to run the week after Christmas because that’s when your sale is, and you know that your company is big on Twitter so that’s the Social Media Platform you need to use.  So now all you have to do is come up with what puts them all together.  (And guess what?  There are a lot of things that do.)  Now with your new equation you go back to the brainstorm to figure out what “c” is.

While there is no true formula for a Great Idea… every great idea is the product of an equation that balances a number of inputs with one great output.  An output and group of inputs that require you to say “Yes, and…” to develop.  No great idea started with “No”.  (And for those playing the advanced version of this game, if someone only says “Yes” but never seems to heighten… that’s just another way to say “No”.)  Great ideas come from real collaboration… Yes, and…

Thanks for listening,

Zach West

The Difference between being Good and Great

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salvador-dali-melting-clocksWhat is good?  What differentiates it to be great?  I’m not sure I can exactly describe it, but I know it when I see it.  Here are some examples…

GOOD

Getting the answer to the question you have

GREAT

Questioning the answer you get in pursuit of a better one

GOOD

Creating “up to the minute” reporting to the exact specification of your boss

GREAT

Actually understanding what your boss is using the report for

GOOD

Seeing a success of another and repeating it

GREAT

Using a success of another as inspiration for something different

GOOD

Going on a diet to lose weight

GREAT

Actually following the diet, and remembering you need to exercise too

GOOD

Knowledge

GREAT

Wisdom

GOOD

College Football

GREAT

Pro Football

GOOD

Today

GREAT

Tomorrow

GOOD

Donating money to charity

GREAT

Volunteering your time to charity (however odds are good they need the money too)

GOOD

Taking a class

GREAT

Actually using what you learned (I’m looking at you Pottery 105)

GOOD

A realistic painting of a clock

GREAT

A few clocks melting in what looks like some sort of desert location (Thanks Salvador: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Persistence_of_Memory)

GOOD

Knowing your ABCs

GREAT

Being able to read

GOOD

Knowing what 10% of 5,000 is

GREAT

Understanding how the % was equated, and what that information means to your results

GOOD

Betting on Football

GREAT

Playing in a money league of Fantasy Football

GOOD

Star Trek

GREAT

Star Wars (OK so maybe this is my opinion, but honestly Star Wars is awesome)

GOOD

Having an opinion

GREAT

Having a cause

GOOD

Breaking a record

GREAT

Doing something worth recording for the first time

GOOD

TV

GREAT

HDTV

GOOD

Saying “Yes”

GREAT

Saying “Yes, and…”

 

That’s all for now…

Expect this post to be updated regularly as new examples make themselves known.  Also feel free to comment and add your own examples.

Thanks for Listening,

Zach West

The Most Beautiful Thing is Understanding

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I am not some great philosopher, but there are a few things that will get me to put that hat on.  The subject of a “moment of understanding” is one of those things.

Think about it; the last time you got a joke, the last time you figured out why an idea was a good one, the last time you learned something all at once in an “aha moment”.  For me there is nothing more awesome then “getting it”.  The moment when you finally understand, to me, is like the buddhist concept of enlightenment.  Something to strive for each day, and then more importantly something to share.

One of the things I love doing is telling a good joke.  (Jokes to me are meaningless enlightenment, but they still give the sensation of understanding.)  I’m not sure that the point of a joke is always to get a laugh, but for my money there is no better human emotion than understanding displayed through a laugh.  Nothing offers up more energy to a room than a group together understanding, and showing that they understand together with a laugh.  With that in mind, that is how I speak/teach when I’m at conferences or in classrooms.  My check back into whether the group is with me is humor.  When the group is engaging with my presentation with some laughter here or there I know the room is understanding.  And like the article title says, understanding is the most beautiful thing.

So at this point, even me the writer is trying to figure out where this post is going.  Honestly, what is the point here?

-Look for the moment of understanding.

-Cherish it.

-Embrace it as a part of what you do. – (Once you find it, don’t forget it.  Too many people fail to realize that understanding is the most important form of engagement.)

So moral of the story is in two parts; enjoy the artistic beauty of understanding and don’t forget that understanding is the most important form of engagement.

Thanks for listening,

Zach West

Don’t Argue! You never know who your audience might be…

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Over the past year, I’ve been lucky enough to take classes at The Second City in Chicago.  Most of what I’ve taken has been focused on the art of improvisation.  What I didn’t know when I signed up was how awesome the impact of what I learned in class would be, and how it would become a part of every day life.

So one of the first things you are taught as an improviser is to avoid arguing on stage.  From an improv perspective:

-It is not interesting to watch

-It gets old quick

-It forces the audience to unconsciously take sides

-It doesn’t usually lead the scene any where

So with that in mind, cut to your everyday at work.  How often do you find yourself in arguments?  I know that is how I was until I started to hear my instructors from The Second City in my head as I began getting argumentative.  Then as I started to look around and watch other arguments I could see something different.  Turned out the reasons not to argue on stage are pretty close to the reasons you should bother arguing at work.

-It distracts others while not adding much to their day.

-It gets old quick

-It forces the audience to take sides (and at work you never know who that might be)

-It almost never leads to a solution, but rather another meeting.

Am I saying just agree to everything… NO.  Just be constructive about it.  Agree with the other side first, and explore that whole side in a positive way together… then invite your counter part to explore your side completely and in a positive way.  Then if you still can’t figure it out, send it up the latter to a decision maker.  (that’s what they are paid for)

Seriously don’t argue… it’s just not that important… and if it was you’d be willing to explore both options fully.

Thanks for Listening,

Zach West

Social Media is like Prom and Google can’t get a date

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The other day Google launched a new “social tool” the “+1″ button.  It got me thinking about Social Media as a whole, and I realized something… it is basically high school.  And what better way to represent high school than the prom.  (Enjoy)

Here are the characters:

Facebook- obviously the popular kid, probably a jock.  Everyone loves to be seen with Facebook, from his good looks to his game winning touchdown in the state finals.  Every kid, and teacher for that matter, knows and like him.  Everyone just feels like they really connect with him, and know everything there is to know.  (Granted there’s a lot a jealousy and gossip out there on him, but that’s what being popular is all about.)  And if you’re wondering, he’s dating the prom queen… from last year.

Foursquare – probably the closest person to whom most normal people are like in high school.  He’s got a small group of friends that he keeps up with.  They’re real close, and are always going everywhere together.  Prom is going to be weird for them, because it means they’ll have to go to college soon.  And his group is very tight-knit, so talking about what’s going on in different places is going to be weird.  (You know, like when one of the people you follow on Foursquare moves to a different city and all their updates are like ehh… because you have no idea what their talking about…)  Foursquare meet his date in P.E., and was worried she might say no, but she said yes.  Most people at school don’t know him, but the one’s that do are always around.

Twitter- Let’s be honest, twitter is the kind of a pot head, edgy, cool kid.  Everyone knows of him, but most people have no idea who he really is.  The people who he does hang out with are always coming back for more.  (Some people think he might be a drug dealer.)  During prom, odds are good twitter is going to slide out back for a smoke and just talk about prom, actually going in isn’t his style.  Let’s be honest, most people what to hang out with twitter, they just don’t know him well enough.  And twitter has a date; she’s from the school across town.  (A few people think she might be in college.)

LinkedIn- Student Council President, she’s running the Prom.  She got the money together, picked out the themes, and totally does not have time for a date.  (Did my best not to make her a member of Future Business Leaders of America, but let’s be honest she runs that club too.)

Google- Nerd Alert… Google is that guy who is totally a walking encyclopedia.  He knows like everything, accept how to have a normal conversation with a girl.  He’s always trying to use lines that he sees the other guys use and the line never seems to work.  And yes, you got it… Google’s got a blue tux ready to go.  However he’s having trouble finding a date.  I mean he’s asking girls, just not getting any yeses.  Of course, that won’t stop him.  He’ll just go stag.  (Of course fast forward to the 20 year High School reunion… Google is rich and running a 90+% Profit Margin business… so maybe it’s worth it not being the cool kid.)

Microsoft- Coolness by association.  Microsoft hangs out with Facebook, not to mention he’s the richest kid at school.  Has the hot new car, and his date is going to a $200 a plate dinner before prom.  Oh and his date, she’s Facebook’s date’s hot friend.

Yelp- Gossip Queen… Ever see the movie “Mean Girls”.  (Thank you Tina Fey that was an awesome movie.) Remember that book that they wrote all those mean thing in.  Well Yelp and her friends publish that book at this school.  And you better believe she’s going to be reviewing this year’s prom.

So now if you’re wondering how prom went… well I’ll leave most of that to your imagination, but here are the highlights.

-Facebook was the prom king, and LinkedIn was prom queen.  (LinkedIn rigged the voting.)

-Google got drunk because Twitter’s date spiked the punch.  Google actually kissed a girl that night.

-Microsoft was there.

-Yelp got here story… she saw LinkedIn rig the voting.  (Yelp thought she should have been queen.)

-Foursquare had a fun night, filled with memories.

-Twitter got high.

Thanks for listening,

Zach West

If you have social networks that you think were at prom please share!  A 7 person prom is kind of lame.

Why people do what they do?

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So this is the first post on my fancy new blog.  So what should I talk about, what should I share, and who in their right mind would read it…

My name is Zach West.  By day, I like to think of myself as an internet professional,  I work for a website.  By night I do my best to play/watch sports, chase girls, and I fool around with the idea of being and improv comic.  So while that is the everyday boring description of my life, here’s the fun truth about this blog…

As long as I can remember I have always wanted to understand “Why people do what they do?”  I’ve chased the question for years and I think I’ve finally figured it out.  Each person is completely different, and has a completely different set of reasons for what they do.   So with that in mind I’d like to invite you to read my blog as I talk about the stuff I see everyday, and how it relates back to my favorite question of “Why people do what they do?”

Thanks and I hope you like it,

Zach