Leadership is like improv
Dear leaders and learners,
My friend Ken loves improv.
I hate it.
My skin crawls. Fear bubbles into my throat. I steal short breaths. My shoulders hunch and my chest constricts.
Improv is a form of sketch comedy that centers creativity and teamwork above all else to create an experience. But it doesn’t have to be restrained to comedy. Just as professional football players or boxers take classes in ballet and dance to gain an edge in their field, there is a lot to be learned from improv that is applicable in our roles as leaders. (Ken Miguel-Cipriano, 2024)
Ken and I were co-planning the launch of a nine-month leadership cohort, and I agreed to Ken's suggestion that we model improv together for the leaders. We then invited them to practice the three rules of improv.
Was it perfect? No. Was it illustrative? Yes.
Improv is a gorgeous medium for expression, ah-ha's, humor, and human connection. It's less intimidating and more accessible when we aren't performing it on a stage. Although, isn't life a type of stage?
The three basic rules of improv are few, simple, and very effective.
.jpg?width=493&height=493&name=Leadership%20is%20like%20improv%20(1).jpg)
Rule 1: Yes, and…
Release your need to control, and come from a place of abundance! Say yes to what your partner is creating and add to it.
(Do not take away from it, limit or shrink their point, or say "no.")
Rule 2: It’s all about the team!
When you build or add to the scene do it for your team or partner. It’s about creating something with and for your team.
(It’s not about you looking good, or you being funny. Don’t build for yourself.)
Rule 3: Don’t think!
There are no mistakes in improv, everything is used to build the scene. React. Breathe. Trust.
(Don't get stuck in theorizing, proving your idea is better, or strategizing.)
The three rules of improv are deeply connected to leadership, learning, and liberation.
Do you see it?
In a world that values shutting down the opponent, winning an argument, and proving you are right, practicing Yes, and... is magic. It opens up conversation toward collaboration. It reinforces that no one person knows all of the answers. Collective wisdom is always better.
In a world that values climbing the ladder, working the hardest, never resting, working when you're sick so you don't look lazy, and proving that you're the smartest, practicing it's all about the team is a fascinating way to be in community. It requires knowing the others on your team, perceiving how they'll receive your concept, and it opens space for us to create something amazing together.
In a world that values logic, brilliant thoughts, wise or snappy quips, and minimizes feelings as weak, feminine, and less valuable than thoughts, practicing don't think! opens possibility for something new, different, beautiful, embodied, wise, and expansive.
Very early in my career my new boss asked me what I believed about leadership. I shared with him that I thought leadership was like improv because it's a "yes, and..." He was shocked and disappointed in me. I soon learned that he vehemently disagreed; he thought leaders should always show strength, be the most knowledgeable, never demonstrate vulnerablility, and always posture as the expert to show the perfect pathway to everyone around them. He couldn't build trust with his team to save his life. The core beliefs of our leadership practice were in stark conflict and ultimately couldn't coexist. Unfortunately, I learned about the kind of leader I didn't want to be.
What do you believe about leadership?
Have you practiced any of these three rules of improv? How did it go?
What learning opportunities are there for you in these three rules of improv?
I'd love to hear about it.
I invite you to try one (or all three!) of these basic rules of improv. They're pretty magical. Practice them with your leadership team. Give them a try in a 1-1. Let your team know you're practicing it, and invite them to try it too.Fellow leaders and learners, I wish you courage, rest, and beloved community along the journey.
Together we catalyze a brave, bold, and liberatory future.
Deanna Rolffs (they/them) is a strategist, facilitator, coach, systems thinker, and Process Consultant who works with executive leaders and teams at the intersection of organizational theory, leadership development, justice, and equity. Their process consulting approach focuses on organizational transformation via thriving teams, brave leadership, equitable systems, and inclusive communities. Deanna served as a Senior Consultant with Design Group International since 2018, became a Senior Design Partner in 2021, and launched L3 Catalyst Group in 2023.
Comments