The Unicorn Fallacy: Improvisation as Human-to-Human Practice
Recently, a colleague of mine was bemoaning the fact that a potential client required that Second City Works provide a list of at least six other engagements that we had worked on for clients in the same industry (in this case, advertising). They were absolutely certain that their industry held such unique qualities that they could only successfully engage with our group if we possessed a sufficient amount of experience working within their work domain. Luckily, that was an easy list for us to provide.?
This exchange got me thinking.?
Second City Works is specifically brought into companies to provide embodied learning programs in these core areas: creativity and innovation, team building and collaboration, communication, agility, resilience, leadership and inclusion. ?
Across each of these areas, a question was framing in my mind. Are?the problems you experience in your work field unique to your work field alone? Or do the problems resemble problems you might have experienced in family dynamics, in condo association dealings, in your past educational systems, in dealing with neighbors, in retail sales experiences, in your interactions with healthcare providers? ?
My guess is your answer would be yes - because we aren’t unicorns. None of us are. The problems we face at work are the problems of human beings interacting with other human beings – often unsuccessfully. And why does that happen? Because we lack skill and practice in things like listening, collaborating, supporting, asking for what we need, setting boundaries. ?
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One of the reasons our improvisational practices at The Second City have become so enmeshed with the behavioral science that is being taught at all the major business schools across North America, is that the evidence supports the idea that human beings are not rational actors. We are prone to hundreds of biases that are the product of evolution. In short, we are hard-wired to spot danger on the savanna – we are running from tigers in a world where we should be running for the bus. ?
Our work focuses on the day-to-day interactions that humans have with other humans in the effort of collective and collaborative work. We provide insight and real-world practices that individuals and groups can use to make those efforts more seamless, pleasing and successful. ?
No unicorns. No tigers. Just humans.?
Making improv and all its benefits accessible. I teach individuals & groups how to play, teach and apply improv, so they can better engage in learning, healing and life. Research-based & Trauma-informed
2 年This article really resonated with me. For decades, I have always found it confounding that when discussing the value of improv with decision makers in different industries, who serve different populations, that instead of focussing on the universal benefits of improv ,they focus on who used it last. I understand they are trying to equate that if it worked for people like us, then it might work for us. It is just so unfortunate that the starting thought is not, " Wow, improv offers all of the social-emotional and neurobiological benefits. Tell me more or show me."