Creating scenarios based on limited, but specific information. Generating ideas or solutions quickly. Listening closely to other people. Accepting what you’re given. Making sure you don’t deny people their voice or views. These are all aspects of improvised comedy, something that I’ve recently found out that I have a real and genuine passion for.
How did this come about? A little under a year ago I decided to enrol on the The Maydays beginners improvised comedy course ‘just to give it a try for a giggle’. It’s not stand up – it’s improvising and creating scenes on the spot, with a limited input from the audience (if any). I’ve got so sucked into this wonderful art that I am now half way through my fourth course, six live shows down and planning on starting a 10 week improvised singing course in April. It’s provided me with an amazing forum to unleash my creative side and has also provided me with a set of invaluable skills that are not only good on stage, but also in business.
Drawing on my own experiences, there’s four things I’d like to share with you about how my improvised comedy transfers to the workplace in my life.
Confidence.
My confidence has increased massively. I can think of a key example of how this shows. Some time back I was called at short notice to attend what was meant to be an informal meeting with two client contacts in a government department. Upon arrival, I was alerted that the format had changed, and we had 10 people present, from different areas of the government and department of health and that I was expected to lead the meeting from the perspective of the site build. Two years ago, I would have struggled and had a fair bout of nerves trying to present ‘on demand’ to this group of people, however I felt confident, took a deep breath and the meeting was a great success with a wonderfull project being spawned afterwards. I put this down to the many situations posed to me in improv where I have had to ‘jump in the deep end’ either on stage or with people I do not know and had to be confident in my surroundings to be able to perform to the best of my ability.
Creativity.
Improv has inspired and rejuvenated the creative aspect of my mind and has it bubbling like it hasn’t for a long time. I’m much more confident in putting forward ideas for pitch materials, attending brainstorms and getting actively involved. I find I’m thinking differently about how I might present and run workshop style sessions. It’s generally made me think more creatively and made me want to get involved in the more creative activities that happen around me in and around work.
Listening & Trust.
Improv forces you to listen very carefully and trust what you are given. You’re given a set of specific words, themes, locations or circumstances (much like a problem a client may have) and you are forced to respond in a way that acknowledges and builds on the inputs you’ve been given, not reject them. If someone needs a sock, there’s no point giving them a shoe. I know in myself and in my day to day work that I am consciously trying to listen to people more, respond more appropriately, and trust what I’m told, as opposed to responding in an ad hoc or generic manner.
Teamwork and interpersonal skills.
Improv definitely grows your interpersonal skills and builds your ability to function as part of a team. In improv, we refer to this as the ‘group mind’ – which is the idea that if you are closely aligned with the people around you, you will inherently and sub-consciously strive to achieve the same goal. I’m sure I don’t need to explain how massively beneficial this is in the day to day workings in a busy agency!
So there it is – my four key takings from Impovised Comedy and how it can benefit you in your working life (and your personal life?). If you think this is cool, and want to learn more about the awesomeness that is improv, there’s a few places online I reccomend:
- Check out Peter Day’s ‘‘What can business leaders learn from rock musicians and improvisational comedians?’ Radio 4 show. There’s some fascinating insights in there and I highly recommend that people have a listen. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00p944k
- Contact The Maydays – they run business workshops as well as general improvised comedy courses
- Ping me a question, via email or twitter or come to one of my improv gigs (also listed on my twitter account)
I’d be keen to hear if anyone out there has any experience of improv, or has an ‘extra curricular’ passion that whilst not immediately obvious, benefits the work they do on a day to day basis?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Matt
9 Comments
Matt i love what impro means to you! thats amazing it has done so much for you both personally and professionally, and what more could you ask from a course that you only set out on for a titter or two.
I too have benefited from it, being an actor in a “do this, wear this ,sell this, say this culture , it allows me to be free of what others want for the job, and lets me be in charge of what comes up, whch is what makes the challenge because its so revealing, and you cant hide behind a script!
And of course it is like a drug and you want more and more and therefore more experience!
go Existential pants!!!
see you there.
So interesting. Just from personal experiences I feel that all learning is innately good – however random or arcane, but it’s exciting and motivating to hear you talk so passionately and convincingly about how your Improv has helped you grow. Good on you Matthingtons.
That’s one of the best descriptions of improvisational comedy I’ve read. You’ve really hit it on the head.
Whilst you’ve made a really excellent explanation for the needs of business, maybe you forgot to mention just how fun it is. I know this is a work blog, but improv is really fun. But this does come through in your post.
Of anything, I’d say that ‘listening and trust’ comes first, with creativity and confidence a very close second. Make the most of what you are given, and go with it. Add your own take. If you go against this basic rule, then you’ll invariably screw up.
Something you forgot to mention is that improv does teach you about patterns. There are ways of behaving and responding in improv which really make it work. Core to this is working together. And however talented you might think the practioners, sometimes they’re following quite basic and predictable patterns. But when you’re entertained, you don’t always spot this.
Following these basic rules makes all the difference. I wonder if the same doesn’t hold true in a business environment.
Go forth, be brave, be confident, accept what you’re given, work with it don’t go against it. Change, adapt and modify it; then give back a ‘gift’ as they say, and see what happens.
I guess its all about co-operation and mutual generosity.
And any article that mentions Peter Day and the Maydays in one go has really got to be acknowledged for being a bit of a genius. ;) Peter Day is a god.
Hey Matt,
You’re not the first person to draw such conclusions from performance-based training and job-related success. Especially in this industry. But you’re the first (that I’ve read) to cover it off in-depth.
The similarities that I share with you aren’t from specifically improv/comedy but more acting/performing as a whole. However, unlike you, I didn’t actually make the connection myself and it took a dear friend of mine to point it out. Having spent my formative years studying acting, dance and direction – having the confidence in not only your ‘performance’ as a whole, but also in the risks you take when defining and refining the direction you embark upon is a key element to success in this (and probably any other) business.
As my friend put it:
“Once I saw you on stage, I realised what it is. You’re not scared. You’re not afraid. You stand there and command the audience as if they should thank you for being there. And they do!”
When we first met I was standing in a pair of shorts and flip flops telling a bunch of network execs how to start an application strategy.. (and they were listening).
It’s something that I’m eternally grateful for .
Good work Matt, keep it up.
Would love to have a beer sometime and regards to Will & co..
James
Thanks James (and to the others that have responded).
It’s great to hear how other people are trying (and successfully) weaving what they love doing outside of work into their work life in a beneficial manner.
Beer sounds great – just ping me a line and i’d be happy to join you!
Hiya Matt
Inspirational! So much so that you have kickstarted my blogging career. Thanks for your motivation. My thoughts are at http://www.joesamuel.co.uk/?p=15.
Hi Matt – you’ve put this very well indeed. I agree with all you say. I’ve found it personally immensly useful as a regular outlet and as a means of regaining perspective after gruelling times at work. It is a definately an addiction but a really good one.
Just come across your piece (as it were) Matt.
I too took a couple of Maydays courses a last year and they have sent me on a course of total change within my life. I have studied improv further with Crunchy Frog in London, which was excellent, and this year have set up an Improv group, started stand up and have started teaching improv too.
I’m looking to create a bit of an improv community with all the groups in Brighton and am running workshops with guest teachers. All this stemmed from taking the plunge and doing a the initial course. Great days.
I’m looking forward to seeing your show in the festival. Have a good one.
Simon
A Fish Called Improv
Hey, interesting to read about how impro changed your life. I am a classically trained actor and was lucky enough to have a very full career playing leading classical and modern roles. But I have ‘retired’ to my home city, Belfast and now teach acting. I decided to try creating a ‘Comedy Improvisation’ course at the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast a couple of years ago and am finding it, and the students I teach, so inspiring. People are indeed finding it life-changing, their confidence has improved and they get such sheer joy and comradeship out of it. I come away with such a spring in my step too and it has developed my own creativity and confidence as an acting coach.
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[...] Improvised comedy – what does it do for me and my job? @ NixonMcInnes: Social media goodness. Tran… “Creating scenarios based on limited, but specific information. Generating ideas or solutions quickly. Listening closely to other people. Accepting what you’re given. Making sure you don’t deny people their voice or views. These are all aspects of improvised comedy, something that I’ve recently found out that I have a real and genuine passion for.” [...]