Ep #383: Improve with Improv - With Peter Margaritis

This week’s episode focuses on the use of improvisation as a valuable training tool for business professionals. Peter Margaritis, author of Improv is No Joke, describes what improv can do for your career and organization. He also introduces the effectiveness of the "Yes, and..." principle in sharpening your leadership and communication skills.What You’ll Learn From This Episode:03:06 What is improv?05:35 Improv in action and the ‘group mind’ mentality09:06 The “Yes, and…” principle as a helpful tool in business discussions11:20 Using improv to bridge the gap for your prospect’s interest16:18 How to get started with improvQuotes:08:43 “The ability to communicate without using words with your team, the ability to be able to adapt on a dime without really having that much thought because ‘I know what everybody else is gonna do. I’ve been working with them for a while, I know their likes and dislikes, and I can deliver something that they might not‘— that just becomes powerful when you have that type of respect and trust for each other.”12:18 “Yes, and…’s about agreement but not always agreeing. It’s actually you telling the person [who’s talking with you] that you’re gonna listen to what they have to say. You’re gonna park your ego and your agenda and you’re gonna actively listen to them. And then when they’re done, add on to that conversation. Not tear down. Move it in a positive way. And that’s powerful.”13:32 “What improvisers do is we are scripted beforehand (…). However, when I walk into that room, I wad that script up in my mind and throw it away. Absolutely throw it away and just spend that time reading the audience, engaging with the audience. And when they take me down another path, I can go off-script and explore that with them, or explore that rejection with them, or explore that thought process with them, all the while knowing that I still need to bring them back to some point. But I’m able to entertain that. And a lot of it really has to do with getting rid of distractions, those internal distractions, that self-talk in our head…”15:27 “I’ve curated about 65 articles that improv, in some ways, shape performers being discussers as a business tool. And the more that we can create a culture (…) that is embracing, that is collaborative, that is respectful and has appreciation for the people and treats them, and allows them to make mistakes and not punishing them, that’s an empowered workforce. That’s an empowered organization.”