When you think of Improv, you may be thinking about a fun way to spend a Friday night at a comedy club. However, improv is not all fun and games. There are valuable lessons you can take directly from improv and apply them to your business.
Improv is all about communication and when it comes to having an engaged workforce, effective communication is key. Unfortunately, people don’t always share their thoughts and feelings well. Leaders may dominate the conversation or employees may be too afraid to share their ideas, leading to disengagement on both ends of the equation.
Here are three lessons from the world of Improv to help you communicate more effectively.
- Instead of getting ready to talk, listen. In improv, you don’t plan what you’re going to say, you respond in the moment, which means you need to listen to what’s being said. There are too many times that people listen only with the intent to reply. This means that they may hear only what they expect to hear, and reply based on those false assumptions. Improv uses a technique that is called the “Last Word Response.” In this activity, you have to start your response with the last word your partner said to you. Sometimes using their last word as a question will encourage them to expand their idea and explain it more thoroughly, thus clarifying what the other person was trying to say.
- Don’t assume you have all the answers. Because Improv is based on unpredictability, you never know what your partner will say next. Using “how,” “why,” and “what if,” questions show curiosity and open up the conversation to new possibilities. Ask at least three questions before sharing your ideas and opinions. By asking open-ended questions, you’re showing a true interest in what the other person has to say. The person who you are speaking with will feel more valued and heard by you.
- Help everyone feel safe enough to contribute. One of the main tenets of Improv is “yes and.” In business settings, this “yes and” technique is known as “plussing”: building on someone’s idea and saying “Yes, and … ” rather than “Yes, but … ” By encouraging an attitude of “yes and” you explore the possibilities and may come up with something even better than your original expectations.
By applying improv techniques at work, leaders can help everyone have more fun and be more creative. Improv gives everyone the opportunity to feel heard, making the team experience more enjoyable that going it alone.
