Why the principles of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' could re-energize your team.
Looking for a fun, interactive way to boost employee creativity in the workplace? Have you ever thought about improvisation-based techniques? It might just be a less-structured way to loosen up the status quo and create some team-bonding at the same time.
Why To Consider Improv
David Leonhardt of Ghostwriters for Hire is a fan of its’ ability to challenge: “I love improv! It is both fun and challenging, but it is hard work and can very tiring if you have to do it for long. Improv is all about thinking on your feet and paying attention to the person or people you are working with. You train yourself to be hyper-aware of what they are doing, and to direct your actions or words according to what you observe them doing.”
In the most recent Life/Career Corner, I had a visit with, Lori Pearlstein, former actor, casting director and, yes, standup comedian. This versatile Corporate Trainer has a variety of experiences that contribute to her strength in this role:
Take your choice: There are different types of workshops for teams:
Brainstorming
Presentation Skills/Spontaneous Speaking
Team Building/Conflict Resolution
Training the Trainers/Making the Sale
If you’re still not sure about ‘shakin’ up the status quo, here’s some feedback on improv possibilities from BGDMarketing:
"Creativity is the key to innovation in business. There is a saying in business that creativity and innovation differentiates people from succeeding and failing. One of the troubles that businesses have is their inability to create and adapt to different situations. Employees and staff get used to routines and get comfortable in their current system. The mentality is usually 'If it isn't broke, then don't fix it'. But if creativity and innovation isn't pursued, then the business is unlikely to grow in stature and value. The book 'Who moved my cheese' preaches this. Improv is a great way to stimulate creativity among employees since they tend to focus more on function than creativity to add value to a business. Improv can help to develop solutions to problems, suggest new workflows, formulate new product ideas and even change the dynamic and culture of a business. All of these add to the positive operational efficiency of the business, resulting in increased productivity and value output.”
A New Year is a great time to think about if you and your team are doing the same old thing and if it's time for something to kick-start a refreshing approach to business. Yes, you could watch Whose Line Is It Anyway for some improvisation laughs, but, for a concrete plan that makes all comfortable with the process, you can visit Playworks to decide whether improvisation can contribute positively to your current workplace culture.