Applying Improv Skills to Business
Improv actors make up scenes, songs, and entire plays on the spot. To do so, they must accomplish many things at once:
be completely present
think on their feet
listen carefully
get in sync quickly with others
read the room
understand power and status dynamics
engage others
and tell great stories
When they get this right, they create an environment where people are excited to be there.
Leaders in business benefit from this same skill set.
How does Improv translate to business?
Debra Schifrin teaches improv-based techniques and mindsets that are transformational for developing and enhancing skills around leadership, communication, collaboration, innovation, and inclusion.
The improv mindset teaches leaders to be more self-aware, increases their resilience, builds their executive presence, and brings forth the best parts of themselves and others in pursuit of achieving their professional and organizational goals.
Leadership Presence – Engaging Your Audience
Improvisers have the presence, confidence, and emotional intelligence to successfully engage an audience. They invite the audience into a world they are creating, and are able to make the audience feel, think, and care about things they didn’t before. They create a shared experience for everyone in the room, which makes people feel more connected, open, and collaborative.
You can have the same impact, whether pitching products, leading meetings, or heading a company.
Innovation
Improvisers have to create and innovate on the spot in every minute of every show. With the incredibly fast pace of business and tech, creativity and innovation aren't nice-to-haves; they are clear competitive advantages. Busines teams need to learn innovation techniques & processes to get to breakthrough faster. Leaders have to know how to foster innovation at all levels of the organization.
Debra brings to this training her teaching and research from the core strategy course she developed at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Creativity in the Business Ecosystem. To learn more about fostering innovation in organizations, listen to Debra’s guest appearance on the first episode of Deloitte’s podcast, Breakthrough by Design, Breakthrough Bridges.
Collaboration
An improv team starts with nothing but a short audience suggestion and then creates an engaging, humorous, and often moving scene or full-length play. To create a cohesive and impactful experience requires the highest level of collaboration.
Work on the fundamentals of collaboration by building trust and strengthening relationships within your team. Get the best ideas and output from your team by giving them the tools to listen, engage, and collaborate with each other.
Communication
Improvisers must understand and connect with both their fellow performers and their audience. They must respond to the unexpected with agility, spontaneity, clarity, and empathy.
Business teams must connect both internally and with their clients. Being able to think on your feet and actively listen will help you understand what your teammates and clients truly care about, which leads to more effective communication.
Whether you are delivering a speech to 800 people, presenting in the boardroom, or having a critical one-on-one discussion, improv-based communication skills drive greater engagement, connection, and impact.
