Let's talk about how improv intersects with real life and business.
CSz Portland’s Ruth Jenkins appears in Season 3 of the ComedySportz Podcast, discussing applications of improv in Speech Language Pathology, her CSz Nickname, her CSz origins and her personal meet cute story that involves 5 Things!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-38-ruth-jumping-jack-jenkins/id1493584575?i=1000673149911
One of our folks suggested we collect our podcast appearances in one place. We said Yes.
Ruth’s Episode of The ComedySportz Podcast - recorded in August, 2024. Ruth talks with Christine Capriolo about the intersection of improv and Speech Language Pathology, plus some great stories about her 35+ years with CSz.
The Man Alive Podcast - Improv for Dating and Relationships with Tiffany Crotty and Patrick Short, hosted by Shana James
Patrick’s interview with Bill Haas on KXRW / XRAY.FM. March, 2022. Music, process, improv and theatre.
The ComedySportz Podcast - recorded in March, 2020. Christine Capriolo and Kyle Hannekin from CSz Milwaukee are doing a great series on the origins and history of ComedySportz and its people. Patrick talks some origin story, some business history, some Applied Improv and about his worst improv onstage injury.
Community Theater Heroes - recorded in January, 2019. There’s a lot of information and stories about CSz Portland and ComedySportz®, and a lot of information on how improv improves lives.
John Cooper’s Bring A Brick - recorded in 2016. Focus on Applied Improv in Business. John Cooper is delightful. There are some other really good guests on John’s series, including Jim Ansaldo (improv for teens on the autism spectrum), Kat Koppett, Marijn Vissers, Drew Tarvin, Cathy Salit and others.
Kevin Benson’s Bold Moves - recorded in November, 2014. Actually from a radio show on KJRB 790 in Spokane, WA. Starts with a few minutes of basic explanation of what Applied Improv is and does; Patrick’s segment starts around the 11:25 mark and runs through about 28:00.
Jordan Carroll’s One Minute Weekly - January, 2018. A bite-sized video presentation with the basic concepts. (Please note: there are some CSz branding issues on this.)
Adventures in Artslandia with Susannah Mars - Summer 2017. This is more about ComedySportz, but it’s fun and Patrick reveals that he is a “Dance Dad”.
YOU are excited to bring in our company to provide improv-based training in Customer Service, Leadership, Design Thinking, Team Building or Communication Skills. You've heard some great things, it looks good on the web, and our conversations have helped you shape some meaningful goals.
And then:
The naysayers start in. It's too terrifying, risky, too touchy-feely, it puts people on the spot, it's abstract, interactive, fun; it's play; it's not serious. Worst of all, it's UNKNOWN.
It's Terrifying.
Anything you've never done before has an element of terror in it. We understand that. Part of our introduction addresses this. You can sit out of any exercise that you are physically or emotionally uncomfortable participating in. You just can't lure anyone else out or comment on what you haven't done. Fair?
It's Risky.
Anything valuable is a risk at some level. But what are you actually risking? A few hours of your team's time? That's valuable. Your reputation? Maybe, but take a look at the list of clients we've served (and it's a very partial list). Every time we engage with a new client, there is risk for us as well, but we are competent enough to take the risk. You are, too.
It's Touchy-Feely
As our owner, GM and lead facilitator, I guide all of CSz Portland's business training offerings. This next bit may surprise you: I hate touchy-feely stuff in professional settings. While we aren't sitting at tables watching Powerpoints, we're not into creepy activities, either. There's a balance between fun and weird, and we tilt heavily toward the fun. I am as inspired by sports teams as I am by the theatre. We're different, and we're safe.
It's On The Spot
Many people associate improvisation with performance and comedy. This is improvisation APPLIED to business. We don't make people perform in our workshops (with very few exceptions, cleared with you beforehand, almost always during advanced work). No one will be put on the spot.
It's Abstract
So are concepts like accounting and marketing, until we decide what they mean. Everything we do is tied to your goals during our reflections. Your team decides what the exercises mean. At a recent Nike workshop, a participant (in the final reflection) said, "I was blown away with how each game was a metaphor for the things we face [at work]."
It's Interactive
Trust your team. We do. It turns out that most people are really smart (and also kind) when given the opportunity to learn in ways that they help control. Education as a top-down model is changing. We're part of that.
It's Fun
How much do you remember from in-class education from your K-12 or even college years? How much do you remember field trips, after-school clubs, drama, music and sports? I think I've made the point. Fun is learning.
It's Play
As children, most of our learning about teamwork and communication came from play. Adults don't get enough of a chance to do this - we're always putting people in leagues, keeping standings and setting up competitions. In Applied Improv, we play. Everything has meaning, and every moment is a fantastic opportunity to learn.
It's Not Serious
We're very serious about what we do. People "play" sports. Think they can't be serious about it? Of course, they can. We find the balance - our work is fun, and we take the meaning and value seriously.
It's Unknown
This ought to scare you (if you've read this far).
We always prepare diligently for our engagements and create syllabi for each client.
In 30 years, I've followed a syllabus point by point maybe 5 times. What happens is that each engagement reveals what is needed to us, and, keeping the goals in mind, we change our plans constantly.
In other words, we don't know exactly what's going to happen, either! We only know that we are competent to improvise within our prepared frame and that every client discovers important things along the way.
If it doesn't, please contact me and I will help.
Based on a presentation by Drew Tarvin - the 10 Disadvantages are his; the replies are mine. Here is Drew's presentation to AIN2016 on this very subject!
Tiffany Crotty and Patrick Short of CSz Portland share thoughts, insights and anecdotes about how improv can help us in our relationships - with host Shana James.
In this interesting and inspiring conversation we discussed...
- How to connect with the person who is actually in front of you, rather than being stuck in your fears or worries
- Relearning how to be a good person- supportive, collaborative, and a great listener
- The danger of making assumptions about people
- The skill of making others look good, that works wonders in dating, marriage, parenting, etc.
- What to do when you think you've made a mistake, or said the wrong thing
Listen to the full episode here:
https://lnkd.in/gnRHqJKs
Applied Improv colleagues Gary Ware and Jeff Henry are interviewed for an article by Jyoti Jani Patel about how play reduces burnout.
Ware says, “It’s due to the low-stakes nature of play. Engaging in playful activities together creates a sense of psychological safety which results in enhanced collaboration, and a more open, communicative culture.”
Sometimes, the word “play” centered on work activities scares leadership. If that’s true in your organization, substitute the word “game” or “games”.
Here’s the full article, and it’s a good one:
I kicked ass at work today on an ass-kicking level not normally achieved by mere mortals. And I owe a lot of that to CSz Portland and CSz Worldwide, and every improv instructor or coach or facilitator I've had, and especially to Patrick Short for opening that door.
I was on a 3+ hour call with my manager and two experienced, senior developers, while I walked through automating a software upgrade with their guidance. I can't even begin to express how intense and stressful it is to have folks watching everything you type, every decision you make, as you go along. They were, of course, there to provide guidance and assistance, but every little step along the way was out there in front of everyone to see and watch as it unfolded, from the big decisions to constant typos to trying to logic my way out of problems as they occurred.
Improv training meant not having a meltdown in the middle of this. Remember to breathe, take your time, listen, and more importantly, don't be afraid of making mistakes. It is amazing how well this translates to the real world.
- John Mechalas
Pause and denormalize
Pay attention to your emotions
Reprioritize
Consider your alternatives
Implement changes
Everybody talks it - how do we actually get there (or do we)?
From the Harvard Business Review:
https://hbr.org/2021/01/work-life-balance-is-a-cycle-not-an-achievement
Just 20 minutes of improv theater can foster creativity and confidence, and help with anxiety, depression, and your ability to tolerate uncertainty.
A great article from Greater Good Magazine:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/item/improv_makes_you_more_confident_and_less_anxious
In this article in Forbes, Lynette Winter and Nir Megnazi talk about how they created a program, at a Fortune 50 company, where Leadership Training became less about teaching and more about community (first) and then coaching.
Here is an excerpt detailing the impact of the program:
With over 250 global leaders across 26 cohorts in a Fortune 50 company, the participants reported an average revenue or cost savings increase of $22.37 million per participant. Reduced attrition yielded a cost savings of $40 million over three years. Participants in the cohorts had a 2.7X promotion rate compared to their counterparts.
Notably, the participants' employees were surveyed and reported a much higher frequency of observed desired leadership behaviors. Consequently, overall employee engagement increased. These compelling business results showed that a leadership development program with community and coaching at the center positively impacts leader behaviors and the bottom line.
Here’s the fun and exciting part of this for us at CSz: we were a part of the front-end community-building in these cohorts. Improv for business is real and it can help deliver real results.
A very nice, concise article that covers the basics.
It turns out there are several mental health benefits of performing this art. According to a 2020 study published in the journal Thinking Skills and Creativity, researchers found that doing just 20 minutes of improv a day can increase creativity, decrease social anxiety and increase our ability to tolerate uncertainty.
Read the whole article here: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/19/1129907651/improv-can-build-confidence-heres-how-to-apply-it-to-your-everyday-life
One important skill needed to succeed in both leadership and improv: active listening
Good leaders and improvisers look to build on ideas to keep the team’s momentum going
They also know how to quickly recover from any stumbles
Jordana Cole is an improvisor and facilitator (previously with CSz) who leads training and development at Custom Ink. Here’s a link to the article - there are some great lessons here!
As a bonus, here’s a link to Jordana Cole’s Masters Thesis, Utilizing Improv as a Tool to Enhance Workplace Relationships.
Photo by Mac Bishop
I'd like to share our recent team building experience. We hired an improv coach (Patrick from CSz Portland) to guide us in a workshop. I had a vague idea of the listening and communication games we'd be playing, but didn't know how advanced we'd get in a two hour workshop. Thoughts of "am I or someone on the team going to say or do something embarrassing or regrettable" were running through my mind before we started. However, in our first activity, these fears quickly dissipated and even felt irrational. The game started easy but became hilariously impossible and resulted in everyone making mistakes. The core lesson: we're human, everyone makes mistakes, don't be so hard on yourself. We tend to believe that others notice and care about our mistakes far more than they actually do. If only we could treat ourselves as generously as we treat others when they make mistakes.
By the end of the workshop, my jaw hurt from smiling so much and it ended up being one of the most rewarding Wool&Prince experiences I've had in ten years. Perhaps it was the last two years of minimal group activities due to COVID or that we went into the event with mixed expectations, or what it actually was — just an incredible shared experience of growth, laughter, and team building.
View Mac’s original post (and learn more about the great clothing) from Wool&Prince here.
Andrew Berkowitz has played and coached with CSz Portland since 2001 or so, and he’s also the founder of Teamsnap, great software for keeping sports teams and other groups organized and connected.
In this article, Andrew talks about how his CSz improv experience has informed how Teamsnap operates.
Here’s the complete article: https://blog.teamsnap.com/editorials/pirate-or-penguin-how-improv-makes-teamsnap-more-nimble-and-effective
The docuseries "ON KEITH: ARTISTS SPEAK ON JOHNSTONE & IMPRO" just launched with the first 3 interviews: Mark Ravenhill (playwright), Deborah Frances-White (“The Guilty Feminist” podcaster), and Dennis Cahill (Artistic Director of Loose Moose Theatre). A new interview will drop weekly over the next 3 months. Co-directors Theresa Robbins Dudeck (PhD, CAI-SP, teacher/facilitator with CSz Portland) and Alicia Robbins have been working for over two years filming these interviews with international artists speaking on legendary impro master Keith Johnstone and his work. If you like what you see, please SUBSCRIBE to show your support! "ON KEITH" will offer great content for improvisers, actors, writers, educators, and all creative humans who want to live more spontaneous, imaginative, and inspired lives!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtfgJfouC4ezkGoYizn34fQ/videos
More info at: https://www.onkeith.com/
Slowly, but surely, Applied Improvisation - the practice of using improv skills to improve business function and culture - is moving into the mainstream.
Now, there’s an article in Forbes. That is mainstream.
Pros:
It’s in Forbes.
It gets some of the concepts correct and acknowledges that there is more to it
It’s a quick read
Cons:
Of course the photo shows someone at the microphone, because even if the writer knows what improv is, the editor and/or designer did not.
It’s a little heavily focused on Presenting. That’s OK, because improv helps a LOT with Presentation Skills - ask us - but there’s way more.
“Improv has become part of our daily nomenclature. It’s part of our culture. We now embrace the unknown and face any challenge with confidence, professionalism, tact and a whole lot of laughter.”
Wouldn’t that be sweet at your company?
Keren Gudeman runs a consultancy called Improv Parenting, focusing on... improv parenting.
She interviewed a bunch of improvisors about how improv has affected their parenting. Patrick Short (hey, that's me!) was one of the interviewees.
Top 5 takeaways?
Listen Actively (NATE SMITH)
Play Detective (JACLYN NOVATT)
Let Go of Mistakes (PATRICK SHORT)
We Are All Storytellers (KAT KOPPETT)
Be Flexible (DOUG SHAW)
Check out the whole piece on Keren's blog.
Happy parenting! Trust me, it's something new every day.
Yes, it's a promotional video.
Here's why it matters:
Have a look and let us know what you think.
Bobsled.
CSz Portland's Patrick Short on the system of improv that can help businesses thrive.
The "action images" are from a recent engagement with healthcare providers and caregivers. Video by Cowan Jenkins.
We focus a lot of attention on our offerings for companies, and sometimes we forget the power of what CSz is doing for kids.
Lots of folks come to us because they have kids who are hilarious, future comedians. Check. We've got you covered. Our classes give kids a focus for their budding talents, and they even get to play in shows for their friends and families, as well as halftime appearances in our Professional ComedySportz Matches.
There's another, possibly more important side to our Youth Education program. This excerpt is from a blog piece on the CSz Richmond site, written by a parent:
"[The middle school years bring] on a tremendous amount of self-consciousness and things about yourself that never bothered before you are now going to doom you to a life of solitude on par with Superman in his icy hinterland. Physical changes make you not want to say or do anything because it will be analyzed and ridiculed by your peers until you are in tears.
‘We got it – the middle school years (and around those years) are horrible! So what…? What’s that got to do with CSz…’
My daughter, Audrey, was running headlong into this cycle. The beginning of 6th grade was difficult as she struggled for self-confidence, identity and to find acceptance. To that end, I would tell you that Audrey is the poster child for why middle schoolers should be with CSz Middle School League. CSz teaches kids that no one is perfect, mistakes are to be expected, and not worry about it. Be brave anyway. That message WILL help every kid at that stage in life where they become most self-aware and self-conscious. CSz breaks those negative norms that middle school kids try to impose on one another. A CSz kid says, “Be negative if you want to. But nope, that's not MY world.’
At first, for Audrey, CSz was just her Friday escape from that world but then she began to realize that those same confidence-building skills she practices every Friday are life skills. She began to bring those practices into everything. Now, she’s teaching those skills. She generous, giving, and hard working as she’s gone from playing tennis to teaching tennis; from helping with plays to being in plays; and from being a good basketball player to being the best teammate."
Greg goes to specify the skills Audrey learned:
Sometimes, these classes can make all the difference. This is a letter we received from the mother of a student who really needed what we have to offer:
"[My son has] blossomed since his first class. He's taken some form of theater arts ever since. I could wax on about how it's helped him develop humor, empathy, dealing with surprise, transitions, how to appropriately interact with others, and built his confidence, but really I just want to tell you that what you're doing is very, very important. Thank you for making this club possible at Grant HS" - LG, parent.
Improv skills are very important in our volatile, uncertain, chaotic and ambiguous world. If our kids learn these skills, they can connect more readily to others and help the team to navigate reduce the volatility. We're proud to do this work and look forward to many more breakthroughs.
Thanks to CSz Richmond and parent Greg Sparrow for their blog piece, and letting us talk about it and reblog it. You can find the original blog piece here.
Reprinted by permission from Caitlin Mendersee.
I decided to take a class. My divorce support group and all the “starting over” books I read said that hobbies would restore my sanity and help me meet new people, friends that weren’t ours. I suddenly remembered that I had wanted to incorporate improvisational acting (“improv”) into my life (think Who’s Line Is It Anyway?). This was one of those ideas simmering on the back burner so many years that the bottom had begun to crust and sear itself into the pan. I took a leap and stirred up the pot.
The first Monday night I was nervous and excited and mostly really happy to be around other adults (as a work-from- home Mom, this is a big deal). Our instructor, Patrick, is an improv guru extraordinaire with almost thirty years of experience performing and teaching improv all over the world. I assumed he would impart some acting wisdom, help us to conjure up comedic one-liners, teach us about scenes and blocking. I had no idea how deep the lessons would be and how far they would branch out into my life.
Lesson #1: Celebrate mistakes
One of the first games we played the first week was called “Zip, Zap, Zop.” We all stood in a circle facing inward and passed the energy around the circle. The first person said, “zip” while looking and pointing at another person in the group, who then did the same with “zap,” and the third indicated “zop.” (The fourth person then begins the cycle again with “zip”).
Within a few turns I said “zop” instead of “zap.” Moments later a classmate was struck with zip and stared straight ahead with wide eyes, suddenly and inexplicably mute. Pat paused the game and said with a grin, “Ok, here is what we do when someone, inevitably, messes up: we celebrate! As a group we join our arms around the shoulders of the people adjacent to us, and we move into the middle together and exuberantly shout ‘AH-OOO- GAH!’” Belly laughs abounded as we partook in this community celebration of inexorable mistakes.
It was a beautiful reminder to take life a little less seriously. Over the next weeks this small and silly practice in class injected patience and lightheartedness into my treatment of mistakes from myself, and very importantly, my sweet three-year- old.
Lesson #2: Live without self-censure
Pat often repeats what he said the first class: “Leave the judge, the critic, and the editor outside the improv classroom.”
The judge tells us that what we just said or did is not “funny enough or good enough” She needs to stay out of the improv room. The critic takes on others, telling them (or imagining telling them), “That was so wrong, what were you thinking?” He doesn't belong in our improv class. The editor keeps me from saying things before they even travel the short distance from brain to mouth, thinking they aren't "perfect". He is responsible for most instances of "going blank", and doesn’t help improvisors, so he needs to stay outside, too - but can sometimes be useful in other areas of life.
It is important in the rest of life to go back and edit, use reason and responsibility, consider the impact of our locution and deeds. We must also cultivate spaces for uninhibited creativity and spontaneity.
Lesson #3: Trust my teammates
My romantic partnership of six years recently slowly, painfully crumbled to dust in my hands. At first I had to rebuild my self; developing independence and personal strength was crucial. What with juggling a freelance writing career, my daughter, dating, friendships, exercise and I don’t know—eating—my life is busy. I am finding that when I try to go it completely alone, I easily spiral into a helpless heap of anxiety.
I came into this class envisioning improv scenes as a canvas for funny all-stars to strut their comedic genius. I quickly learned improv scenes are an act of sublime symbiosis: one teammate picking up where the other left off and only together creating a world.
Learning to trust, to really lean in and depend on other people, has been an arduous but truly magnificent experience. I don’t have to have it all together all the time; my team can step in for me where I leave off. And that is a beautiful thing.
Lesson #4: Commit to my choices
Week four we finally started to act. Patrick led a Jill Bernard character creation exercise, giving us four body areas to focus on: head, chest, hips, and feet. He said to go with whatever our bodies wanted to do when he gave the instructions: “Hips. Positive. Go.” Each person had a unique interpretation of happy hips, some wobbling, some sensual, some bouncy: all intriguing. Pat emphasized that our job was to make very specific choices about who this person was. Who were we channeling? What do they sound like? What phrase do they repeat? Most importantly, Pat said, make a decision and commit to it.
In the improv class sans editor, judge, and critic my choices are momentary judgment calls without forethought. In life my choices ought to be tempered by wisdom and cultivated values. I am learning, however, that so long as I listen to my heart, incorporate wisdom, and draw near to beautiful souls who will hold me accountable to a life aligned with my values, I can jump! I can leap and make choices and at almost thirty years old I am finally learning to commit to my choices. See it through, and let it be what it becomes.
Lesson #5: Let things emerge naturally
I know I am funniest when I am completely oblivious. I think there are people who can manufacture a hilarious moment. These geniuses of hilarity and composers of comedy are enigmas to me. I cannot force funny. I also cannot force life (or people in my life) to act the way I want. Improvised acting reminds me to let things develop as they will.
In the game “Hitchhiker” three people are on a road trip and pick up a hitchhiker who is portraying a specific characteristic (physical, emotional, verbal or occupational). Everyone else in the car must then “catch” the characteristic. One guy entered the car and immediately became extremely paranoid. His demeanor alone was not that funny, but he committed to his choice. Within seconds the three others knew what he was doing and watching four people on a road trip going from neutral to paranoid in three seconds was hilarious. It could have not been so, but it just was. It emerged naturally.
Tonight I will return for improv class number six and it feels a little bittersweet (it's almost over.). Life is a series of improvised scenes. Some work better than others. I’m incredibly grateful for the reminder to laugh at anomalies, create spaces without censure, trust my life teammates, commit to my choices, and then let the chips fall where they may.
The link to Caity's blog is temporarily down. We will re-link when she does.
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