The Greatness of Improv: Unlocking the Power of Collaboration and Creativity

July is all about the practical application of recognition through fun, fabulous and funky ways of bringing recognition into your workplace, classroom, church or home! This week, we have a really fun one for you. If you like improv, you will love this way to spark appreciation through communication, connection and creativity!?

Improv Greatness

Something you may not know about Sarah is that she went to a performing arts high school and graduated with a specialization in drama and technical theatre. Her drama teacher didn’t like lesson plans, so he defaulted to improv whenever he ‘forgot’ to plan a lesson. Turns out, that was such a gift. Who among us doesn’t need to “think on our feet”? It sure comes in handy as a speaker!

So, we thought we’d create an improv-inspired recognition exercise. One of our collaborative partners, Kate Munro, is the genius behind this exercise. She is a facilitation queen! We hope you enjoy it!

This exercise is great because it:

• Encourages team members to recognize and verbalize their own positive traits
• Fosters a supportive and collaborative environment using the “Yes, and…” improv principle
• Enhances creativity and quick thinking
• Builds confidence in public speaking and self-expression
• Reinforces the value of each team member’s unique contributions

Materials:

• A list of everyday objects (optional, in case participants need prompts)
• A timer or stopwatch
• A comfortable space for team members to stand or sit in a circle

Instructions:

1. Introduction (5 minutes):Begin by explaining the purpose of the exercise: to recognize and celebrate positive attributes within each team member.Introduce the “Yes, and…” concept from improv, emphasizing how it encourages acceptance and building upon others’ ideas.
2. Main Activity (20-30 minutes):Arrange the team in a circle.The first person starts by “making an offering” of an object to their colleague, saying something like, “I offer you a lamp.”The receiving colleague then reflects on the object and relates its positive attributes to themselves, speaking for one minute. For example:“I am a lamp. I illuminate everyone around me. I shine brightly inside and out. I provide warmth and comfort to others. I adapt to any situation, whether a dim corner or a bright room. I have different settings to suit different needs, just like I adjust my approach depending on the team’s requirements…”After one minute, the next person receives a new offering from another colleague, and the process repeats until everyone has had a turn.
3. Wrap Up (5 minutes):To conclude the activity, thank everyone for their participation and emphasize the importance of recognizing and celebrating personal strengths.

Debriefing Questions:

1. How did it feel to describe yourself using the attributes of an object?
2. What did you learn about your colleagues that you didn’t know before?
3. How did the “Yes, and…” approach impact your reflections?
4. Did this exercise change the way you perceive your own strengths? How?
5. How can we incorporate this positive recognition into our daily work interactions?

Adaptations and Alternatives:

• Virtual Adaptation: Conduct the exercise over a video call. Use the chat function to share the initial object offering, and each person can then take turns speaking.
• Written Reflections: If some team members are uncomfortable with speaking, they can write their reflections and share them via a collaborative document or read them aloud.
• Pair Activity: Instead of a group circle, split the team into pairs for more intimate sharing and then regroup to share highlights.
• Extended Attributes: Encourage participants to describe how the object’s attributes help the team or contribute to their role.
• Theme Variation: To tie the exercise more closely to work contexts, use thematic objects related to a current project or goal, such as office items or tools used in your industry.

How do I use recognition in training and orientations?nbsp;

As you can see from this creative exercise, there are many ways to use recognition to spark fun, fabulous and funky conversations in training, orientations, retreats and meetings. We have our FROG Effect Workbook Volume 2 coming out in 2025, so this July, we’re giving you a sneak peek at a few of the dozens of gems we’re creating for you.

Would you like to submit an idea, receive advance notice, or win your copy? Take 2 minutes to share your information here!

In the meantime, feel free to forward this exercise to someone you know would love to try it!

Here are more interesting tidbits that you might like to sample:

• Tina Fey’s 4 Rules of Improv & the Sweet Spot of Healthy Workplace Culture
• What Exactly Would Having a Great Workplace Culture Mean to You?
• Multigenerational Workforce: Leveraging an Employee Experience Lens

Disclaimer/Humble Brag Moment: 100% of this content was human-generated (by us folks here at Greatness Magnified). We are committed to authorship integrity and will inform you what percent, if any, is AI-generated.