Improv Is a Dirty Word

LAUGHING & DEVELOPMENT

Improv is a Dirty Word

We’ve probably all seen “improv” acting as a punchline in a movie, TV show, or even from a comedian themselves. I get it - bad improv is brutal and makes me want to crawl out of my skin.

But good improv? It’s a symphony of human connection and comedy.

I’ve talked to hundreds of people about bringing improv workshops to their companies, and they almost always fall into one of two buckets:

1. They’ve done it and love it.
2. They can’t imagine themselves - or their team - ever doing it.

For that second group, I usually have to stake my reputation (and sometimes my friendships - thanks, Greg) that not only will their team enjoy it, but it’ll end up being the best team event they’ve done in recent memory.

I think the common misconception around improv comes from people not knowing the difference between performing and practicing.

If you are performing improv comedy and people are paying to watch, you should have some hours under your belt, know what you’re doing, and have structure so the audience can follow and laugh along the way.

But with practicing, there’s zero pressure and tons of laughs. It’s supportive, hilarious, and at times, completely unhinged. It’s collective, chaotic fun.

Improv is like playing in a play parachute as an adult - everyone’s in it together and what goes down inside the parachute stays in the parachute.

These days when I’m helping a company plan a team event, I tell them not to even call it “improv” - the word’s got too much bad PR. Here are some alternatives:

• Using Humor for Professional Development

• Team Building with Laughter

• And the namesake of this newsletter: Laughing & Development.

Improv is the ultimate form of play.

Plato once said, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” (He was really into wrestling, so maybe he meant suplexes - but if body-slamming your coworkers is off the table, improv is your next best option).

Play on, playas.

WORKPLACE MEME OF THE WEEK

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TAKE A LAUGH BREAK

Disclaimer: No offense is ever meant—just a laugh I couldn’t keep to myself.

In honor of the NBA Finals going on this week and seeing Tim Robinson’s Friendship for the second time this month, feast your eyes on the origin story of basketball’s greatest theme song.