Brett Macdonald, Facilitator

03/31/2026

⭐️ Facilitator & Applied Improv Folks! ⭐️

I am helping to bring this really great opportunity to Vancouver Island, from May 31st-June 5th! We'll spend the whole time together at the beautiful Pearson College (Metchosin). 🌊

(This is not something I'm facilitating - I'll be attending too!)

This is going to be led by the wonderful Ted DesMaisons (San Fran) and Raymond van Driel (Netherlands). It's going to be 4.5 days of training in the world of applied improv! It's going to be like "play camp for adults" for the whole week 🤩

This is a training for:
- facilitators/trainers who want to learn about using improv
- improvisors who want to learn more about workplace facilitation
- coaches who do group coaching and want to learn the magic of improv!

I'd love to tell you more.. let me know if you want more info!

Join global improv leaders in Vancouver Island to upgrade your facilitation game. 4.5 transformative days of play, learning, and connection!

03/15/2025

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/! 💪

03/12/2025

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 🤗

01/08/2025

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

01/05/2025

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? 😁

08/14/2024

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! 🤗

08/06/2024

"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!

07/30/2024

"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?