Collaborating with Comedy

COLLABORATING WITH COMEDY

@PAULKGODDARD #sgnola

Whose line is it

anyway?

Viola Spolin (1906 – 1994)

Keith Johnstone (1933 – )

GIFT BOX

(DISCUSS)

YES, AND…

YES, •  Appreciation •  Acknowledgement •  Heard •  Validation •  Encouragement •  Acceptance

AND... •  Adding •  Building •  Collaborating •  Connecting •  Inspiring •  Creating

CRUDE HUMOR

MY BOSS IS A

DUMB-ASS

(DISCUSS)

Status & Safety

•  ‘playful’ insults can help a team work with status more easily

•  we must be able accept our own weaknesses in order to feel safe

•  “Remember teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.” - Lencioni

BLIND OFFERS

Spontaneity •  An offer is the basic unit of

currency for improv •  Accepting an offer allows action

to develop •  Low status players tend to accept

offers •  High status players tend to refuse

offers (unless they feel they can control them)

DELIGHT

Spontaneity

•  Anything which prevents action is called a ‘block’

•  Blocking is a natural response to fear and uncertainty

•  Blocking tends to be aggressive (high status)

•  Good improvisers are able to turn a block into an offer

LAST LETTER FIRST

REALLY Listening R elax, but remain present. E ngage yourself completely into what it being said. Nothing else will distract you from that moment. A llow the speaker to finish before you start. L ose the desire to plan what you say or do next. Be in the moment, something could change. L ink the previous to the current. Join the story together. Y es, and. Confirm and accept.

QUESTIONS ONLY

Perfectionism •  The education system rewards the

perfect answer •  This has led to a fear of

imperfection •  Humans crave quick solutions to

even the most complex problems •  “A wise man can learn more from a

foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.” – Bruce Lee

THE THREE HEADED EXPERT

THANK YOU!

@PAULKGODDARD #sgnola