I’ve come a long way in my personal development, but still have a way to go. That’s why when I read this article by Bryce Christiansen, Tina Fey’s Rules For Improv…And Your Career, I knew I had to go to an improv class. In improv, there is no place to hide. There is no script, no director, no costumes, no lighting, no set – nothing but you, your partners, your wits, and an idea shouted from the audience. It sounds a lot like starting a business.
I have zero experience with theater or acting, so the thought of getting on stage wasn’t exactly comfortable for me. Fortunately, one of my coworkers is a theater grad and he said that he’d love to go. So we headed to class at the Onyx Theather, which by the way, has a fetish store as its lobby. Viva Las Vegas!
What I Took Away From the Experience
- Changing your natural way of thinking and interacting with others requires purposeful effort and practice.
- You can’t be judgmental and creative at the same time. Turn off the judgmental inner voice.
- Improv requires openness, trust, cooperation, a sense of giving, and a complete lack of selfishness. Does this describe you or your workplace?
- You have to go wherever the scene takes you. It might not be where you want to go, but go anyway. If it doesn’t work, it will be obvious. The point is to go there together and come to that conclusion together. You can review later and adjust the next time.
- You help your partner and the scene by saying, “yes, and” to everything your partner says. When was the last time you saw this type of thinking in your workplace?
- Asking questions or saying “no” brings the whole thing to a halt. It’s an inertia thing. You have to stop what you’re doing, come up with something new, and try to get the scene and your partners to go in that direction. Very tough to do on the fly. In business, saying “no” makes people shut down and stop participating.
- Saying “yes and” would be a great way to improve brainstorming sessions.
- Doing something new is good for your brain – try it!
While most of us aren’t actors or artists, our work requires an awful lot of creativity and cooperation. Imagine how powerful it would be to walk into your next meeting, presentation, or sales pitch with the improv mindset. Next time, change your goal from the perspective of winning and losing to one of cooperation and mutual benefit. And sign up for an improv class – it’s a lot of fun!
Thank you Bryce (and Tina) for your article and for giving me a new perpective and new hobby. I hope this article encourages others to try a new way of thinking and working together. Leave a comment or contact me on Twitter telling me what you are doing to help grow and adapt – I’d love to hear about it.
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