A number of months ago, my son Jonathan sent me a Forbes article titled: “Why Improv Training is Great Business Training,” by Jesse Scinto. Along with the article, Jonathan wrote, “See Mom, you and I are doing the same work!”
As his avocation, Jonathan has been a member of the Comedy Sportz team in Milwaukee for about a year. When we talked about the experience, he told me that the discipline of improvisation is “presence.” It’s not only about wowing an audience (although that is great fun, too), it is also about being totally connected to what is happening onstage.
Scinto writes, “The premise is simple. Improv performers don’t know what will happen onstage until they’re up there. …They must be present in the moment, listening carefully, and contributing freely.”
Isn’t that what we expect of leaders and employees within our organizations?
Principles of improv can strengthen Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to be aware of and manage one’s emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of others. Why is this important? Because emotions drive behavior.
The competencies demonstrated by leaders with high EI include: authenticity, emotional self-awareness, optimism, empathy, communication and adaptability. We see these competencies played out in improv.
In the Library Garden blog, the author writes, “Improv is not stand up comedy. … Stand up is generally written, memorized, practiced and polished. It’s also (usually) a solitary activity. Improv is spontaneous, free-flowing and created on the spot. It’s also (usually) a team sport.” It is a lot like life! We are expected to respond in the moment without a script.
As members of the audience at Comedy Sportz, we witness the spontaneous, free-flowing actions of each of the players. We recognize their ability to be quick, responsive, and aware of the dynamics around them. There are lessons we can learn that can accelerate our capacity as leaders. In an article in U.S. News & World Report by Vicki Salemi titled: “4 Improv Principles that Could Skyrocket Your Career,” the author offers the following:
- “Yes, and…” is one of the main improv principles. It is about accepting and building on what’s offered. It is about appreciating every idea as a gift. “Yes, and…” implies acceptance in the moment, yet focusing energy toward the future. In a business context, that is a desired attitude that leaders assume when listening to ideas shared by employees. All too often, though, the opposite is true. An idea is shut down before it has a chance to develop.What are the opportunities we have if we assume a “Yes, and…” attitude as leaders?
- “If, then…” is another improv principle. In business we might say, “If this is true, then what about…?” The opportunity is to expand our thinking and our creativity based on what we know and what we don’t know and to create a roadmap for actions going forward.
- “Your partner is a genius.” We do our best work when others believe in us. We do our best work when we can count on one another; when we can rely on the unique gifts of the people we work with, trusting that their best work impacts us all. As leaders, we have the opportunity to communicate our belief in others. That discipline will lead to improved performance. Who doesn’t do better when her boss believes in her?
- “There are no mistakes.” In improv, there are no mistakes or bad ideas. There are only choices. In improv, everything is an opportunity. If in the workplace, we could create that kind of environment for our employees, I suspect the levels of creativity and risk taking would increase, leading to greater business success.
We recognize the competencies of Emotional Intelligence played out at Comedy Sportz: authenticity, self-awareness, optimism, empathy, communication and adaptability. The result: amazing teamwork, audience laughter, appreciation and delight!
“Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection.” – Jakob Smirnoff
Yes, Jonathan. I do think you and I are doing the same work. Thank you for being such a good teacher.
-Karen Vernal is the president of Vernal Management Consultants LLC, a Milwaukee-based leadership and organizational firm dedicated to “igniting the spirit and skills of leaders.” The company is one of two firms in the nation to be certified in Emotional Intelligence through the Institute for Health and Human Potential. For more information, visit www.vernalmgmt.com
