As a proud self-implementor, we have been trying to take our commitment to become a Great Game™ practitioner seriously for the last couple of years. We’ve been to the workshops, (Get in the Game™, MiniGames™, High-Involvement Planning™) and getting a lot out of each one we've attended. We’ve been training our staff in the business of business, instructing them on how to read financial statements, and have opened our books. We’ve done a few Mini-Games and are even reading the new books (which are extremely helpful for giving us insights and motivations into how to better implement The Game.)

Many of our favorite funny celebrities got their start in comedy with the famous improvisational theater group Second City in Chicago, Illinois. The rules for improv turn out to be great guidelines for anyone involved in various types of team-based work. Using the rules to improvisational comedy may seem like a strange way to improve your culture and business, but the foundations of effective improv are also the foundations for effective communication and teamwork: creativity and innovative thinking, active listening, open communication, trust, reciprocity, engagement, effective leadership, responding to mistakes or failures ... the list goes on.

I remember vividly that moment, after many months of management team discussions, when we finally pulled the trigger. We knew that committing to practicing the Great Game of Business would be transformational for our business, but like any change, it was new and scary. We were all very excited, but also nervous and dare I say a little apprehensive. What if the time commitment is too great? What if our team members don’t embrace this new way of thinking? What if it just doesn’t work? BUT WHAT IF IT DOES!?

“Alright, stop. Collaborate and listen.” - Robert Van Winkle Amy’s Ice Creams is back with a brand-new invention. As open-book management businesses, we know that when we harness the wisdom of our team, stick to an empowering vision, and measure progress, no problem is too hard to solve. But ask yourself this, “what problems should your team focus on?” There is a plethora for company leadership to choose from, but sometimes the right issue is hard to find.