Three lessons from Improv
Today’s the start of World Creativity Day – kicked started by Leonardo daVinci’s birthday. You can find out more here, learn what’s happening here and follow them on Twitter here.
How will you be getting a little more creativity into your life?
Me? I’ll be taking another lesson in my improv class. I’m absolutely loving it. And floundering all over the place too.
(Seems like improv is easier in theory than it is in practice…)
Let me share my scars with you. Here are 3 things I’ve learned so far…
1. Work with who’s in front of you
My default reaction to not knowing what to do is to make up a third person and talk about them. (They always seem to be called Bob. I think that’s because of this).
My teacher keep gently calling me back to the person in front of me. Bob isn’t there. My partner is. Work with them, be present to them.
2. Set context
Or as my teacher keeps saying: explain (and fast) the Who, Where and What. Who are you, Where are you located, What’s going on.
What that does is move the scene from abstract to particular, and it is in the details that things come to life.
I know that in my corporate world, conversations often hover in the abstract. In fact, one of the three coaching moments from our Coaching for Great Work course is to “define the challenge” – in other words, get clear on the Who, Where and What. Keith Johnson, regarded as the father of improv, keeps saying to his students: “I need to see it. Show me, show me, show me.”
3. The scene is what’s funny, not the joke.
All of us novice improv-ers are trying hard to be funny, and typically we resort to jokes and puns. These tend not only to be lame, but they also tend to disrupt the moment – sacrificing the longer term plan for a short-term pay-off.
When we trust the scene and how it unfolds, the humour is deeper, more subtle – and just more funny.
What have you learned recently? Let me know in the comments
Thanks for posting this! I took improv classes for few years and it changed the way I approached life. Your posting reminded me of some of the lessons that were starting to slip away, and reminded me that I had actually written those lessons down too! May they be of any interest: http://librarygarden.blogspot.com/2007/07/ive-been-meaning-to-get-to-two-posts.html.
Good luck with the improv, have fun, and fail spectacularly! (or at least be willing to)
I’ve been doing Improv for a couple of years and love it. And yes, there a lots of lessons you can apply to career and business.
Here are links to a couple of articles I’ve written on using improv rules to manage careers. If you’re familair with Keith Johnstone’s work, I’m sure you’ll recognise the points!
How To Thrive During Uncertain Times (using the rules if Improv)
http://www.6figurecareermanagement.com/recession-downturn/how-to-thrive-during-uncertain-times/
Penelope Trunk, Meaningful Careers and Improvisation
http://www.6figurecareermanagement.com/personal-stuff/penelope-trunk-meaningful-careers-and-improvisation/
Great post. The ability to mprov is certainly one of those across the board skills that come in handy whether you are on stage or in a board meeting. Good luck with the rest of your classes!
the real lesson: Sprung! should have become world-famous.
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