Finding the Larrikin in You

We'd got complaints. It was not going well…

This is the final of 3 dispatches on BodyChance's escapades within the corporate corridors of power. I write the story of our triumphant return with a new, re-engineered BodyChance group experience.

I was the re-engineering.

Turns out, it was a bit of a ladies club.

A group of common-friend bank secretaries had latched on to the BodyChance classes as a bit of fun and distraction. Their last teacher had nearly spoiled all their fun. If they weren't in the group, then their usual routine was a tedious progression of numbers, that needed to be assessed, manipulated, reordered and spat out in reports, that chugged along upstairs, and most likely never saw the light of day again.

Their BodyChance group had to bring a little fun to their day, so I started cracking jokes, asking them secrets of their workplace, whispering naughty stories and becoming a conspirator against the dreariness of their banking life.

And showing them Alexander's discovery while doing all that.

I remember Marj once being asked about a superb teacher of hers. He moved beautifully, and was quite articulate, yet he seemed to struggle finding students.

"Steve is so good Marj - why do you think he has so few students?'

Marj looked thoughtful, then unexpectedly cracked:

"He needs a little pep!"

What's "pep"?

It's jolie de vive, hotspur or - as we say in Australia: "aving a bit of the larrikin in ya."

When you run groups - are you prepared to look stupid?

Are you ready to do some silly things and fall flat on your face?

As Marj said, you need a little pep. When you're modelling behaviour you are asking others to explore - such as taking risks, feeling different and making mistakes - to grow your Self in front of the group is part of parcel of being an effective teacher.

All part of my new 8 part online series on teaching methodologies, starting July 19th.

How To Teach Groups - Online and Offline.

Picture credit: Pixabay.com