An Improv Blog!

It works best if you cap improv workshops at 16 people per instructor, but I am nonetheless often asked, “Can improv team building work for groups of 20+ people?”

Bob Ross first said "There are no mistakes, only happy accidents." Possibly he was inspired by the subject of his painting, Del Close Improvising. Note, some historians claim this painting is a fake.

Ever notice that interpersonal counterproductive work behaviors rarely come in isolation? (Phew! That was a mouthful, but no less true for it.) It is simply true that it is rarely just one team member who is passive aggressive, or late on deadlines, or psychologically checked out. Whole teams of employees, departments, sometimes even entire companies will consistently exhibit these behaviors. Think of… Well, I don’t want to call anyone out. Just think of a large company where

At first glance, a curriculum designed to focus on improv games for agility feels like a natural fit, as improv itself is often associated with quick thinking, situational nimbleness, being light on your feet, etc… And it is true that many improv games lend themselves to agility training. At the same time, so much of agility is dependent on listening, a totally different skill.

Coming up on your first improv class at work and not sure how to get ready for it? This post is for you.

Seven Things is often used as a warm-up game in improv. It is a really great creativity exercise.

A common question I get asked from my clients is, “Where should I hold my improv team building workshop?” The question normally comes up early in the event planning process.

These Thanksgiving team building activities (or games) are designed to be useful as a plug and play exercise in a larger corporate workshop led by a professional improv facilitator or as one time ice breaker or warm up exercises that anyone could lead at a workplace event.

I recently had two new clients reach out about improv workshops designed to hone sales skills.

Murphy McHugh, the accomplished DC based improviser, headed all eight of the workshops. What follows is a free ranging conversation between Radical Agreement (RA) founder Terry Withers and Murphy McHugh which was intended to be centered on the workshops’ effectiveness, challenges and takeaways, but instead became a more general exploration of the magic that unfolds unexpectedly when doing improv.

Two separate clients inquired about an improv workshop chock full of improv games for collaboration.

...not pay attention to the position of the bottles. They toppled over creating quite a scene. I did not let fear take over me. I quickly put the bottles upright while repositioning one as if I had done that on purpose.

When studying improv, or doing anything really, we should always keep the wonderful quotes of Martin de Maat in mind. A nurturing improv instructor who played counterpoint to Del Close’s more chaotic and unapologetic approach to improv comedy instruction, Mr. de Maat’s most famous quote is prominently positioned at the entrance of his old workplace, Second City: “YOU ARE PURE POTENTIAL”.

The point of a presentation is to communicate ideas. The point is not for you to look or seem amazing.

An Elf playing a fun round of the classic improv game, Elf Stealth! A game in which an elf avoids lasers, trap doors and nets. Classic!...

How to evaluate the facilitators and event planning companies that offer to provide improv team building facilitators.

What it looks like when I create an improv based corporate workshop curriculum with the RA team. I included a photo so you could see. I...

So you've decided to bring an improv team building workshop for professional development to your offices? Congratulations! Here are tips to help make it a success!

One of my favorite improv exercises is really just a stupid little children's game. You get a small group of folks together, maybe 8 to...

Last week I revived RA’s monthly Learning & Development Improv Happy Hour. I was running these happy hours the first 6 months of RA’s...