Quad Cities Women Connect Workshop with Tina Bakehouse

Yes And Leadership: Effective Communication Leads to Connection with Others

with Tina Bakehouse

At the end of this workshop, participants will: 

1) identify Robert Poynton’s Yes-And triangle and discuss key rules of improvisation and learn how to apply each rule in professional contexts; 

2) use their imagination to generate new ideas; 

3) engage in spontaneous communication and practice presenting without preconceived ideas; 

4) have the ability to take risks and overcome fear of failure of being judged.

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Growing up on a farm in southwest Iowa, I found fun in performing, teaching, and learning. Using my front porch as a proscenium stage, I created radio talk shows with my tan 1980s Fisher Price tape recorder and orange sponge microphone. I composed scripts with my siblings and acted them out annually for my parent’s anniversary. I practiced monologues and speeches for high school competitions. Now, with my enthusiastic passion for performance, I’m transferring what I loved as a child into my adulthood career (with updated technology, of course).

Then, in 2007, I lost my voice. My voice was completely gone. More than laryngitis, it was vocal polyps, just like Julie Andrews. This vocal condition was due to stress, strain, and overuse. I met weekly with a speech pathologist for vocal therapy and saw a throat specialist who gave me two choices: surgery to remove the polyps, which could permanently change my voice, or complete silence for six weeks. I chose silence. In those six weeks, I realized the importance of listening and being fully present with others. I also realized how my vocal and nonverbal presence defined who I am and influenced my communication with others. After lots of therapy and rest, my voice recouped, and I left the high school teaching arena after six years of teaching speech and English.

Following 10 years of collegiate teaching at Creighton University, including starting a communication center for one-on-one coaching and consulting, I decided to try something new: leave education and work as an outreach and communication coordinator for a nonprofit. Burnout sneaked in. I made a difficult decision to jump out of a plane (figuratively) to try something new (again) by working for a bank as a Chief Creative Officer. Then came an international pandemic. From this social isolation, I committed to creating my own story by helping others share their stories with confidence and communicate more effectively, both in business and interpersonally.

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Quad Cities Women Connect is a community of organizational leaders dedicated to improving women’s leadership competencies by engaging women in the Quad Cities region through sharing best practices, connecting people and providing professional development opportunities.