5 Tips for Business Success in the World of Improvisational Comedy
On the surface, improvisational comedy may seem to have little related to business. Improv comedy is a form of theater where a group of performers consider the stage with nothing prepared ahead of time and use audience suggestions for instantly create comedy (as affecting the TV show, "Whose Lines are It Anyway?"). Industry is...well, business.
In reality, business and improv have a great deal in common. An improv comedy show is a fast paced, unpredictable affair where anything can happen and things always change. Today's business environment (especially today's *small* business environment) is another fast paced, unpredictable place where anything can happen and things always change.
By using the same principles that lead to success with an improv stage, businesses can maximize their productivity, reduce their stress, and flow with all the unexpected changes that inevitably occur.
Here are 5 quick tips from your world of improvisation you could apply to your own business:
1) Take calculated risks
An improv show is inherently risky. One never knows what the audience are going to do or say, so you never know what other performers will do or say. Performers who play it safe never succeed. Industry is the same way. Playing it safe is a sure way to let the competition goinf too soon.
2) Focus on what you can control
When the unexpected happens (and will also), your first instinct could be to focus on the things away from your control. You might focus on what some other person did, on what your rivals is doing, or regarding how you wish things were different. The only method get anything done will be to focus on and control the single thing you can control: yourself. It's not possible to control what happens, however you can control how you react to it.
3) Say "Yes, and..." instead of "Yes, but..."
People like to say "yes, but..." to pretty much everything. They say it along with other people, to new opportunities, and many of all to themselves. To achieve in improv or business, we all need to stay open minded, keep ourselves advancing, and keep creating new opportunities. The only method do this is to say, "yes, and..." instead of "yes, but..."
4) Stay in the moment
One thing that kills improv comedy performances is the place the performer focuses over-time on where he's going that he loses site of where he's. Having goals plus a plan is great; slavish adherence compared to that plan is deadly. Be sure you stay in the moment and take note of what is going on around you at the moment. This will improve your communication and productivity, and let you to react quickly for the unexpected.
5) Have fun
Bottom line: you should not perform improv comedy discover having fun. You can work devoid of fun, but why might you want to? To be clear, by having fun I don't mean goofing off or playing pranks. Enjoying yourself simply means enjoying what we do. Life is way too short to not have fun, but having a great time is also a good business principles. Folks who enjoy themselves are more productive, better business friends, and better leaders. There is a time to be serious, but, to quote Stephen King, "Ask yourself frequently, 'am I having a great time.' The answer needn't often be 'yes,' but if it certainly is 'no,' it's time for a new career or project."
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There it is. Five ideas from your world of improvisational comedy that may make your business more productive, less stressful, and more fun!