Laugh Your Way to a Better Workplace

Today, organizations seeking to improve the communication, teamwork, client management, and other soft skills of their employees are finding that to improve is to improvise.

Improvisation, the art of communicating and reacting in an unscripted environment, is a performance technique whose teachings have proven valuable in the workplace. And the average participant need not be an aspiring actor to enjoy a romp in the world of improv.  By creating a comfortable environment and engaging in fun, informative activities, improv training can help your team build trust, confidence, and expand their skills in communication, decision-making, and supporting the success of the team - all key improvisation concepts that can be used daily in the workplace.

Say ‘Yes’ to Impress

“As two people begin a scene, each is going to have a different idea of what is going on. This is the challenge, and part of the fun, of improvisation.” explains Andrew McMasters, Artistic Director of Seattle’s Jet City Improv and co-founder of their parent organization, Wing-It Productions. “One of the cornerstones of improvisation is the concept of ‘Yes, And’. This means that when Person A introduces something to the scene – who they are, where they are - Person B accepts it and adds to it, ‘Yes, we are stranded in the desert, And we see a soda machine up ahead.’”

‘Yes, And’ can also be an important lesson in business. It encourages active listening and provokes others to add to an idea or solution, rather than dismiss it. “It’s the opposite of ‘Yes, but,’ which we hear so often in business,” says Bill Boyd, a veteran communications consultant who is now director of strategic communications at Group Health. Boyd recently solicited Jet City Improv’s professional development team to join his management seminars for client Virginia Mason. “We wanted to incorporate improv to provide lively and fun ways to hammer home the points of the training. Throughout my presentation, as I focused on a specific point, the improvisers were able to engage the audience, showing them how that point can be applied and involving them in activities that let them implement their new skills.”  Exercises ranged from classic improv warm-ups, such as “wordball” and “categories,” which help expand brainstorming and problem solving skills, to games like “Seven Sentence Story” and “Dr. Know-It-All,” which encourage collaborative thinking and troubleshooting.

“Many of the skills we teach to corporate clients are very similar to those we teach new improvisers. We start with a similar foundation,” explains Lauren Domino, Education Director of Jet City Improv and Wing-It Productions. “The difference is your end goal. Do you want to be a better presenter? Do you want to think on your feet more quickly? Do you want to improve your team and communication?”

“Yes, And how can we help you achieve those goals?” adds McMasters.

To learn more about the professional benefits of improv training or the Jet City Improv Corporate Communication and Creativity Training Program, please contact Lauren Domino at 206.352.8291 or via email at education@jetcityimprov.com.