The Improvisation Edge

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THE IMPROVISATION EDGESecrets To Building Trust and Radical Collaboration

At Work

AUTHORS: Karen HoughPUBLISHER: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2011

165 pages



The Improvisation Edge By Karen Hough

FEATURES OF THE BOOK

In The Improvisation Edge, Karen Hough, a professional

actress turned trainer and consultant, provides an innovative,

easy-to-use guide for applying the secrets of theatrical

improvisers at work. Improv troupes build performances from

nothing but trust and collaboration, and Hough demystifies

their secrets for trainers and managers looking to establish

trust and build teamwork among employees.




THE BIG IDEA

In The Improvisation Edge, author Karen Hough

provides four secrets of professional improvisers that

can help organizations build collaboration and trust in

the workplace




INTRODUCTION

In The Improvisation Edge, author Karen Hough provides a

guide for applying the intrinsic collaborative skills and behaviors

of theatrical improvisers to increase innovation and efficiencies

and to build trust within an organization. In addition to being aprofessional actress turned trainer and consultant, Hough draws

on twenty years of theatrical improvisation experience to teach

trust-building and collaboration techniques in the workplace.




YES! SPACE

Yes! Space is an improvisational concept that refers to members

of a troupe committing to a performance by first saying ³yes.´ Yes!

Space consists of three parts: say yes, put the critic on hold, and

make it public.

1. Say yes. Saying the word ³yes´ is foundational in establishing

a collaborative atmosphere and trusting space; additionally, it

brings the speaker into a world of possibilities. Positivity feels

unnatural to humans, who must exert a concerted effort to

avoid reacting negatively to situations.




YES! SPACE

2 . Put the critic on hold : The second step in creating Yes! Space

is encouraging people to silence the critic in their minds. Saying

³no´ is a natural defense mechanism that causes people to reject

ideas that push their boundaries. However, the habit of reacting

with ³no´ stifles creativity, innovation, and productivity. Workplacetraining and academia teach the importance of critical thinking;

unfortunately, the intense focus on identifying problems results in a

propensity to reject ideas, often hampering participation and

collaboration.




YES! SPACE

3. Make it public : All people are capable of creating Yes! Space

within themselves by reaffirming ideas with positive thoughts,

accepting surprises openly, and silencing internal critics. However,

Yes! Space is a fundamentally collaborative experience and the

positive exchanges translate to an open, accepting, productiveorganization.

Employees who work in organizations that value Yes! Space feel

valued because they know their leaders and colleagues

acknowledge and consider their ideas. Furthermore, the positive

reinforcement they receive when they contribute encourages them

to continue to contribute in the future.




BUILDING BLOCKS

The Building Blocks process differs from brainstorming in that the

ideas must grow from previously existing ideas so that participants

construct a bigger idea from related concepts.

J ump in and play : Saying ³yes´ validates an idea; following it with³and´ commits the speaker to collaborating on the idea¶s

development. Hough also emphasizes the importance of ³play,´ a

reinvigorating practice that invites discovery and creates a sense

of renewal. When participants play along by reacting with ³Yes,

and«,´ it opens opportunities for exploration, innovation, andpersonal growth.




BUILDING BLOCKS

Shelve your ego: The success of the Building Blocks relies on the

participants¶ belief that teamwork is more productive than

individual work. Responding with ³Yes, and«´ means the speaker

is committing to exploring another¶s idea instead of their own.

Shelving your ego refers to the act of putting one¶s ideas on hold inorder to explore another¶s.




BUILDING BLOCKS

Bring a block : The final step in utilizing Building Blocks requires

participants to actually bring a block to contribute to a collaborative

effort. The block can be a small new idea or a more developed

one; what matters most is that participants bring something .




TEAM EQUIT Y

T eam equity is the third secret of improvisation and another

concept leaders and employees can apply in the workplace.

Professional improvisers trust members of their troupe to validate

their ideas and provide avenues for exploring them.

Ow n it . In order to achieve goals, all team members must own it. I t

refers not only to desired outcomes, but also to the fellow team

members responsible for achieving them. Members must diligently

define and update their outcomes so they are working toward

tangible goals.




TEAM EQUIT Y

Eq uity, not eq uality means that all members of a team contribute

in ways that complement each other, but not necessarily in equal

proportions. However, a smaller role does not equate to an

unimportant one. To illustrate this, Hough references Judi Dench,who won an Academy Award for her eight-minute performance in

the film Shakespeare in Love.




TEAM EQUIT Y

T ell it like it is refers to honest feedback, which Hough defines as

a gift of insight to think about, utilize, or disregard. Feedback must

always stem from good intentions for aiding improvement.

Theatrical improvisers receive immediate feedback from theaudience, which the actors use to adapt the performance.

Performers also rely on director¶s notes, which can help them

tweak the performance in time for the next show.




OOPS TO EUREKA!

The Oops to Eureka! concept demands that participants

immediately confront mistakes and use them as opportunities for

improvement. It consists of three parts: see it and say it, flip it, and

use it.

See it and say it entails improvisers acknowledging their mistakeson stage when they happen. Improvisers understand that ignoring

mishaps only worsens the situation; instead, it is best to capitalize

on the opportunities that theatrical blunders provide. At work,

leaders and employees often ignore the proverbial ³elephant in the

room,´ meaning issues that prevent focus and productivity.




OOPS TO EUREKA!

F lipping it involves conditioning the brain to see an event as an

opportunity instead of an issue. Flipping it additionally demands

flexibility. While not every mistake translates into a fantastic

opportunity, approaching problems with an improviser¶s mentalitycan change the way a team deals with the unexpected. Adopting

this opportunist mentality can transform a team¶s confidence and

improve its efficiency.




OOPS TO EUREKA!

U sing it means that participants must deal with mistakes

immediately in order to capitalize on them. Improvisers see using it

as a performance imperative; if a mistake goes unrecognized,

rectifying or building from it soon becomes an irrelevantimpossibility. In the workplace, managers and employees can

learn from improvisers to become more flexible, aware team

players who seize problems as opportunities.




OOPS TO EUREKA!

Employees can apply Oops to Eureka! behaviors at work by:

�Responding to the unexpected with ³That¶s funny.´

�Considering how the unexpected event could produce apositive outcome.

�Being proactive in taking advantage of opportunities that

stem from Oops moments.




PRACTICE. THEN CELEBRATE!

Many people are surprised to learn that improvisers are known in

the theater industry as the most over-prepared performers. They

practice by reacting in real-time, collaborating, and adapting, all of

which result in immense group and personal trust. Because good

improvisation relies upon collaboration, practiced behaviors, andsheer preparedness, actors must arrive onstage alert and ready to

react to all possibilities in positive and innovative ways.




PRACTICE. THEN CELEBRATE!

Outside of the performance industry, few professions require

rehearsals, which are essential to achieving positive outcomes.

Hough encourages readers to make a habit of utilizing the

collaborative secrets of theatrical improvisers. Her company

provides safe practice arenas and workshops, but explains thatmanagers and employees can easily apply the same concepts by

becoming aware of saying ³yes´ and reacting with positive

collaborative behaviors.




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The Improvisation Edge

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