Nathan Fielder accidentally solved workplace communication

LAUGHING & DEVELOPMENT

Is your cubicle a cockpit?

Nathan Fielder is a comedy mastermind - and one of my favorites - because he holds up a mirror to our everyday behavior and makes us squirm.

His comedy is awkward, brilliant, and deeply uncomfortable, precisely because it exposes how bizarre our idea of “normal” really is. That’s a belief shared by much of the comedy community.

To boil down the ocean that is The Rehearsal: Season 2: Nathan exposes a sobering data point - the leading cause of plane crashes is poor communication between the pilot and the first officer. That dynamic? It’s no different than you and your boss. One person holds more power, and the other often defaults to silence. But silence is where the danger begins.

Nathan’s solution for the aviation industry? Have the pilot and co-pilot pretend to be characters who are open to honest communication.

Since Nathan is a trained comedian, I suspect he just didn’t want to say what he was really putting these pilots through: applied improv training.

But he didn’t say it - because, as loyal subscribers of this great newsletter already know, Improv is a Dirty Word.

Improv isn’t about being funny. It’s about creating psychological safety so people feel supported enough to take risks, speak up, and yes - even challenge the captain.

Here are three studies that show how improv helps break down status barriers:

• A Pepperdine University study (2023) found that improv training reduced fear of challenging authority - giving employees the confidence to speak up like a co-pilot flagging danger.

• An MBA study published in the International Journal of Management Education (2022) showed showed improv made low-status participants 38% more likely to speak first in group settings.

• A Gonzaga University meta-analysis (2021) confirmed that improv boosts empathy, listening, and adaptability - core skills for breaking through status barriers at work.

Respecting authority is one thing. But being afraid to speak - out of fear you won’t be heard or will be rejected - is a toxic trait in any workplace… let alone a cockpit.

In classic Nathan fashion, he makes a serious point through comedy: most work environments would function better if we all practiced honest rehearsal - not just in the simulator, but in every meeting, 1:1, and Slack thread.

Turns out, all it takes is a little Laughing & Development.

WORKPLACE MEME OF THE WEEK

Disclaimer: These are memes submitted by real attendees from Workday Update describing their year. If you relate to them, please take a lunch break (or a Laugh Break).

My body doesn’t recover like it used to…

TAKE A LAUGH BREAK

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

Since this edition dives into The Rehearsal Season 2, I had to share the scene that had me absolutely hyperventilating with laughter.

The show’s been out since April, so hopefully I’m just resurfacing a gem for fellow Nathan-heads. But if you haven’t seen it yet - don’t watch this clip. Watch the whole show first. Then you’ll understand why this episode might be one of the funniest things to air on TV in years.