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By Mahra Alshamsi, MC/MPA, Edward S. Mason Program, 2025

Recently, we participated in a joint cohort session alongside fellow CPL fellows from the Black Family Fellowship, Emirates Leadership Initiative, Equity Fellowship, and Zuckerman Fellowship. I must admit, the session took me by surprise—in the best possible way. Titled “Building Connection and Working Well with Others,” I initially expected it to be a standard leadership workshop, perhaps incorporating a few group exercises. However, what we actually experienced was a highly interactive, energizing, and genuinely refreshing exploration of collaboration and connection.

Facilitated by Adam Barak Kleinberger, the session focused on how leaders can utilize improvisation to foster stronger connections, present themselves more authentically, and respond to challenging situations in real-time. It was about learning to trust ourselves and others, staying present, and leaning into moments of uncertainty with a little more confidence and ideally, a little less overthinking.

We kicked things off with a few warm-up activities designed to stretch us out of our comfort zone and into the room. One of the first exercises we did was using the phrase “Yes, and…” to build on each other’s ideas. Sounds simple, right? However, that small shift—replacing the usual “Yes, but...” with “Yes, and”-completely changed the tone of our conversations. It forced us to listen more actively and to stay open to what was coming next, instead of jumping to correct, disagree, or redirect. It was a reminder that collaboration isn’t about being right, it’s about building something together.

Later, we paired up for a nonverbal mirroring exercise, where one person led and the other followed, copying their movements silently. It felt awkward at first, but after a minute or two, something clicked. We stopped trying to be perfect or precise and just started to flow. The exercise forced us to really see the other person, to pay attention in a way that felt different than normal conversation. It brought this awareness that much of our connection with others stems from body language, tone, and presence, rather than just words.

There was also a group storytelling activity where we took turns adding one sentence at a time to build a story. That one turned out to be hilarious and sometimes didn’t make sense, but it drove home an important point: you don’t have to know the whole plan to participate meaningfully. Sometimes, your job is to contribute your piece and trust the rest of the group to carry it forward. That mindset of letting go of control and embracing uncertainty is something I genuinely want to adopt, especially in leadership roles where things rarely go as planned.

Throughout the session, Adam was a fantastic facilitator. You could tell his background in conflict resolution, and improv gave him this unique ability to make everyone feel safe, even while pushing us out of our comfort zones. There was a lightness to the way he moved through the material, but also depth. The exercises might’ve seemed playful, but the lessons were real: build trust, stay present, listen deeply, and don’t be afraid to show up without all the answers.

One thing that really stuck with me was the idea that leaders don’t always need to show up with authority or strategy. Sometimes, we need to show up as people. When things get tense or messy, which they sometimes do, being able to stay grounded, connect, and adapt on the fly is essential. That’s the kind of leadership that builds trust and gets people through tough moments together.

I left the session feeling more connected, not just to the people in the room, but to the kind of leader I want to be. It was a reminder that leadership isn’t only about hard skills or polished presentations. Much of it is about how we present ourselves in real-time, how we respond, how we relate, and how we create space for others. And sometimes, the best way to practice that is to play a little.

Facilitated by Adam Barak Kleinberger, Ombuds in the , the session focused on how leaders can utilize improvisation to foster stronger connections, present themselves more authentically, and respond to challenging situations in real-time.