Brett Macdonald, Facilitator

It's the end of an era. Be Improv is no more 😭

It was a hard decision, but it was time. I created Be Improv business back in 2017 (wild!), built the website all on my own (with some help from my tech wiz Daniel!), ran my first workshops and began to learn what it takes to build my own business. Many of you have been there with me since it started! Thank you!! 🙏

I will never forget my little Be Improv business days. It was the start of it all! It's sad to see it gone... but when it's time, it's time... 🧡

Now to fully focus on my current business at https://brettmacdonald.ca/! 💪

This was a delight to bring a little play into the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Emerge Committee kickoff event for their Mentorship program!

I love helping to bring laughter and connection into a space first thing in the morning 🤗

Where are my visionary women at? 🙋‍♀️ Join me at the Elevate Retreat! - https://mailchi.mp/133cb65f9506/be-improv-newsletter-sept2023-14170508

I hesitated to share this with you.

There are so many posts of people’s words of the year out there. And for myself I wondered, do I even follow these words each year? And why do I feel the need to share them with the world?

And that's when I realized that these words are not just what I want for my own personal growth this year, these are also what I want to help other people with through my workshops.

.. So let’s do this together!

✨ Let’s stretch beyond our usual comfort zones so that we can flourish and share all the beautiful parts of ourselves that don’t always get to shine!

See you out there in 2025 my blossoming community! 🪴



👉 PS.. and just because I’m always curious, what ARE your words of 2025? 😁

Hey you, want to be my friend? 🙋‍♀️

It's hard to make new friends as adults. It's not as simple as it was when we were kids and would just walk up to someone in the playground and ask, "Want to play? Want to be my friend?" 👧

As adults we're often looking for something deeper. We want to feel needed and heard. Sometimes we even work alongside people for years and never feel overly close to them. We often know the basics (family, hobbies, pets)... but I think we could expand out from that. We are multi-layered-beings who have so much more to share than the basics!

In my workshops I spend a good chunk of time getting people connected. Both through experiencing play together, and also sharing unique things about themselves in creative ways. Opening doors to new conversations. Letting down some walls.

I loved working with various groups within the Canadian College of Health Leaders doing just this! And I'm so grateful that it landed! 🤗

"Yes, and" means you agree with everything!
Um, to this 👆 I say, "No."

I recently heard the statement above and it really got my back up. I believe there is a misunderstanding about this beautiful phrase. It does not mean you that have agree with everything. It does not mean that you no longer have a voice.

So let's talk about what it DOES mean...

✅ Acknowledging the person's idea (I hear you)
✅ Using their idea as inspiration for your response
✅ Listening to respond (see above point!)
✅ Sharing control of the conversation (moving it forward together)
✅ Taking care of each other

'Yes, and' is about listening. It's about valuing the other person's idea. It's about continuing the conversation and moving it forward, as opposed to just shutting it down with a "no" or a "but".

Patti Stiles, one of my favourite improvisors and teachers, wrote in her book 'Improvise Freely'... "Make your partner look good by valuing their offers and using the offers to advance the story. Surprise them with the possibilities of their own ideas." 💫

Now consider that in the workplace. What if (instead of focusing on getting your own idea across) your focus was on valuing each others' ideas, using them to advance your conversations, surprising each other by exploring the possibilities within your different ideas? Imagine the magic!

"Good morning Ms Mac!" 🙋‍♀️

At my last school one of my colleagues greeted me by name every morning. And every morning it made me stop and smile (and greet her back by name!).

I realized what a wonderful feeling it is to be greeted by name. It really made that extra little difference because I knew that it wasn't an off-hand "Morning" comment.. It was an intentional check-in.. I felt seen to be honest! 🥰

👉 What about you, do you greet people by name on a regular basis?

Staying present can be hard. 🙄

At the start of my workshops we play games that help us get present. Because the more present we are in this very moment, the better listeners and collaborators we can be.

But being present can be hard and takes practice. So why not practice it in a fun way where the biggest risk is saying "zap!" instead of "whoosh!"? 😆

It's about being in our bodies, letting our brains relax, focusing on the moment (not the future or the past) and connecting with the person in front of us.

⭐️ Being Present is at the core of improv.

.. And workplace fulfillment...

.. And healthy relationships...

.. And personal well-being...

.. Wait, I'm seeing a pattern here 😉

Thanks for your inspiration and wisdom Susan Messing!

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."
– Benjamin Franklin

My Team Development sessions are based on your team's needs. Whether it be improving communication skills, a collaborative discussion on a topic, or diving into strengths and values, I will design a session that includes a variety of activities and tools to explore your chosen area of growth. 🌱

💫 I believe that before we can get into the content however, there must be a base of trust. We need to create the mindset for the rest of the day so before and amongst the learning, there will also be thread of joyful team cohesiveness and connection.

These sessions are typically a half day (3 hrs) or a full day (5 hrs + lunch). The group size can really vary, from 6 people to 50+ people. It depends on your team and goals. So to set up a Team Development session we will have a thorough discussion around what the best way forward for your team is.

Here are some examples of Team Development sessions I've led recently...

⭐️ Kids Space Childcare Centres 👉 A full day session with a combination of team connection and collaborative sharing around best practices (55 people)
⭐️ Island Health Team 👉 A half day session with a focus on peer appreciation (10 people)
⭐️ UVic Team 👉 A half day session with a focus on using storytelling in their work (10 people)
⭐️ Leadership Vancouver Island 👉 A full day session based on connecting and engaging a team (24 people)

Some of the other tools I used in theses workshops, besides Applied Improv, were Open Space Technology, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, Marcus Buckingham's work in strengths, Harvard Project Zero Visible Thinking Routines and Lencioni's Trust Pyramid.

Do you have a professional development day coming up that you would like delivered in a unique and creative way? Send me a message, I'd love to hear more. 🤗