So What IS Applied Improvisation?

Greetings, one and all.

Most of us have a rough idea of what improvisation is. This week we sharpen that view and show how the same skills that make great comedy also work tremendously well in business.

Improvisation is essentially split into two distinct camps:

Improv to Entertain and Improv to Solve

We're familiar with the fast, playful work you see on shows like Who’s Line Is It Anyway? The players use practiced skills and techniques to be present, spontaneous, concise and supportive. That’s Improv to Entertain.

And Improv to Solve? It uses the same tools, with a different aim. In the workplace we use improv skills to increase our creativity, adaptability, collaboration, communication and problem solving… all done in the moment. Both improv camps draw from exactly the same toolkits; they just have different objectives in mind.

Now, imagine how much more effective you’d be with a few of those improv habits and skills in your locker.

One beauty of improv is creating curiosity.  And a simple way to practise curiosity is to ask better questions. Questions open topics and prevent single viewpoints from shutting conversations down.

Listening is one of improv’s core skills. Listening creates curiosity. A simple way to practise curiosity is to ask better questions. Questions open topics and prevent single viewpoints from shutting a conversation down.

Four Speaker Archetypes, One Giant Stage Presence

If anything is instrinsically improv, it's bushcraft: it's unpredictable at best and life-threatening at worst

TRY IT OUT! 💘 Questions Only

Objective: To build active listening, quick thinking and curiosity under pressure.

How to play: Two players hold a scene but may only speak in questions.

If a player makes a statement, they’re replaced or lose a point. Scenes often become hilarious and force creative questioning.

The facilitator or host provides the scene prompt.

Tips: Avoid repeating the same question back. Avoid one word questions and instead elaborate with some content.. Run rounds of 60–90 seconds and rotate players

Reflections: Did you care more about the game than the other person? Did you trip up or find a groove?

Download: Questions Only here

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Something improvised...

Improvisation and survival go together, right? Anyone who’s seen Ray Mears or Bear Grylls TV shows will know improvisation means making use of what’s at hand, adapting and solving now. 

In business, knowledge alone isn’t enough; applying it in context, with improvisation techniques is what creates impact.

This is a great quote from Ray Mears: “Bushcraft is what you carry in your mind and your muscles.” Basically, improvisation should be habitual and instinctive.

Will you be putting a few improv skills in your back pocket this year?

Vic and Paul

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