This presentation covers the benefits of including improvisational comedy training in the workplace to develop both the leadership skills of the organization and the individual, including an improv activity demonstrating the concept of "Yes, and..." This presentation was given February 26, 2018, in the BUS-Z 494 class Wells Honors Seminar in Leadership in the Kelley School of Business, taught under Professor Sheri Walter. Special thank you to Professor Jennifer Riley Simone and Dr. Farnaz Tabaee for their work in furthering improvisational comedy training in business.

2. Improvisation
in the
Workplace
Holly Michaels, Kristen Pimley,
& Julia Wasserman

3. Does humor and
improvisational
training have an
effect on leadership
development and
perception?

4. Presentation Agenda
What is
Improv
Comedy?
Improv +
Organizational
Leadership
Comedy +
Leadership
Improv +
Individual
Leadership

5. What is improvisational
comedy?
1

6. ““Spontaneous decision-making
within boundaries, based on
available resources, focused toward
solving problems, realizing
opportunities, and discovering the
future as it unfolds.”
Tabaee, Farnaz. Effects of improvisation techniques
in leadership development. Diss. Pepperdine
University, 2013. Text.

7. Rules of Improvisational
Comedy
1. Say “Yes”
2. Say “Yes, AND”
3. Make statements
4. There are no mistakes
(only opportunities)
Forum, Forbes Leadership. “Why Improv Training Is Great
Business Training.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 June 2014.

8. Improv Activity
“Yes, and” Prompts

9. How does
improvisational training
relate to organizational
leadership?
2

10. Workplace Benefits
Ability to
manage
uncomfortable
conversations
Improved
listening skills
Ease in rapid
thinking and
negotiation
Ability to adapt
to uncertain
circumstances
easier
Kelly, Kip. “Executive Development Blog.” Leadership Agility:
Using Improv to Build Critical Skills, UNC Executive
Development, 2012,
execdev.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/blog/leadership-agility-using-i
mprov-to-build-critical-skills.

11. Improv in Organizational
Development - A Study
Improv
Training
Corporate
Development
Midwest Improv
Community
Improv Facilitators Improv
Develop Evaluate
Corporate Training & Development
Implement

12. Improv in Organizational
Development - A Study
Develop a culture
of self-awareness
and being
others-focused
Embrace Change Encourage
Innovation
Buras, Nicole. Improvisation in Organizational
Development: Basic Interpretive Examination of the
Improviser Facilitator in Corporate Training and
Development. Diss. Northern Illinois University,
2015. Text.

13. How does
improvisational
training relate to
individual leadership?
3

14. Effects of Improvisation
Techniques in Leadership
Development
3 Months 67 Leaders
Tabaee, Farnaz. Effects of improvisation techniques
in leadership development. Diss. Pepperdine
University, 2013. Text.

15. Effects of Improvisation
Techniques in Leadership
Development
Tabaee, Farnaz. Effects of improvisation techniques
in leadership development. Diss. Pepperdine
University, 2013. Text.
52% Decline in Stress
81% Managing Mistakes
65% Team Building
75% Better Communication

16. 100%
indicated the benefits of improvisation
techniques in business
Tabaee, Farnaz. Effects of improvisation techniques
in leadership development. Diss. Pepperdine
University, 2013. Text.

17. Tabaee, Farnaz. Effects of improvisation techniques
in leadership development. Diss. Pepperdine
University, 2013. Text.

18. How can we apply this
immediately?
1. Are the possibilities we are not
considering truly “not realistic” or can
there be a way to implement them if given
the opportunity to do so?
2. Can we simplify our processes by
eliminating steps that have outlived their
added value?
3. Can we say “Yes, And…” instead of “No”?
4. Have we taken a competent risk today?
5. Have we celebrated our failures today and
learned from them?
6. Have we accomplished anything that we
need to celebrate?
Tabaee, Farnaz. Effects of improvisation techniques
in leadership development. Diss. Pepperdine
University, 2013. Text.

19. Professor Jennifer Riley Simone
“Leaders are consistently called upon to think on their feet,
whether to react strategically to a crisis or manage an unexpected
question from a customer, investor or reporter…
Learning improv provides leaders with the opportunity to improve
active listening, quick processing and overcoming the fear of
looking foolish - aka embracing risk. Curveballs are commonplace
in the business world. A leader trained in the ‘yes, and’ thinking of
improv is well-prepared to strategically manage those surprises.”
President of Fresh Figs Marketing
Visiting Lecturer for BUS-M 344

20. How does humor relate
to leadership?
4

21. Positive Humor Can Increase
Employee Effectiveness and
Encourage Positive Leader Perception
Method of Analysis
◎ Meta-Analysis
used to explore the effect of humor
on role in organizational and
employee effectiveness
◉ k = 49
◉ n = 8,532
Jessica Mesmer‐Magnus, David J. Glew, Chockalingam Viswesvaran,
(2012) "A meta‐analysis of positive humor in the workplace", Journal of
Managerial Psychology,Vol. 27 Issue: 2, pp.155-190,
https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941211199554

22. Jessica Mesmer‐Magnus, David J. Glew, Chockalingam Viswesvaran,
(2012) "A meta‐analysis of positive humor in the workplace", Journal of
Managerial Psychology,Vol. 27 Issue: 2, pp.155-190,
https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941211199554
Humor used appropriately
can lead to...
◎ Enhanced work performance,
satisfaction, workgroup
cohesion, health, and coping
effectiveness
◎ Decreased burnout, stress, and
work withdrawal

23. “Supervisor use of humor is
associated with enhanced
subordinate work performance,
satisfaction, perception of
supervisor performance.
Jessica Mesmer‐Magnus, David J. Glew, Chockalingam Viswesvaran,
(2012) "A meta‐analysis of positive humor in the workplace", Journal of
Managerial Psychology,Vol. 27 Issue: 2, pp.155-190,
https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941211199554

24. Together, with the constantly
changing business environment and
the upward trend of innovation, the
skill sets learned from improv comedy
will improve the ability of both
organizational and individual leaders
to keep up with the innovation.

25. Thanks!
Any questions?

26. Appendices

27. Effects of Improvisation Techniques in Leadership
Development (Demographics)
K

28. Effects of Improvisation Techniques in Leadership
Development (Demographics)
K

29. Effects of Improvisation Techniques in Leadership
Development (Results)
*Measured using a Likert scale of 1 (Don’t know), 2 (Not beneficial), 3 (Unlikely beneficial), 4 (Beneficial), 5 (Likely beneficial), 6 (Highly beneficial).
K

30. Effects of Improvisation Techniques in Leadership
Development (Results)
K

31. Effects of Improvisation Techniques in Leadership
Development (Method)
K
1. Pre-Workshop
a. 1.5 hour Pre-Pilot Test Course + Evaluation
b. 6 Expert Panel Review + Evaluation
2. Pretests
a. Stress Levels
b. Knowledge of Improv
3. 1 Workshop for each 6 Groups
a. Observation, field notes, informal conversations
4. Postests
a. Satisfaction surveys
b. Interviews (1 month & 3 months)

32. A Meta-Analysis of Humor in the Workplace
● Employee humor was found to relate negatively to
burnout (r ¼ 20.23, k ¼ 13) and stress (r ¼ 20.25, k ¼
17), and positively to health (r ¼ 0.21, k ¼ 9) and coping
effectiveness (r ¼ 0.29, k ¼ 4).
● Employee humor was also found to positively correlate
with work performance (r ¼ 0.36, k ¼ 3) and workgroup
cohesion (r ¼ 0.20, k ¼ 3), and negatively correlate with
work withdrawal (r ¼ 20.16, k ¼ 9).
● Results also suggest supervisor humor positively relates
to subordinate job satisfaction (r ¼ 0.39, k ¼ 5) and
workgroup cohesion (r ¼ 0.42, k ¼ 3), and negatively
relates to subordinate work withdrawal (r ¼ 20.31, k ¼ 3)
● Supervisor humor also positively relates to subordinate
perceptions of supervisor performance (r ¼ 0.45, k ¼ 10),
as well as subordinate work performance (r ¼ 0.21, k ¼ 5)
and subordinate satisfaction with supervisor (r ¼ 0.16, k
¼ 6).
J

33. A Meta-Analysis of Humor in the Workplace
Research limitations/implications
● clarifying the humor construct and determining how current humor scales tap this construct
● exploring the role of negative forms of humor, as they likely have different workplace effects;
● the role of humor by coworkers; a number of potential moderators of the humor relationships,
including type of humor, job level and industry type;
● personality correlates of humor use and appreciation
Study Results
● underscore benefits of humor for work outcomes, encourage future research, and offer managerial
insights on the value of creating a workplace context supportive of positive forms of humor.
Inclusion in Database
● To be included in our database, a study must have reported a relationship between
supervisor/employee humor and at least one relevant correlate.
● Seventeen studies reported relationships between supervisor sense of humor and at least one relevant
correlate.
● Thirty-two studies reported relationships between employee sense of humor and at least one relevant
correlate.
J

34. Improv Facilitator Participants
H
Buras, Nicole. Improvisation in Organizational
Development: Basic Interpretive Examination of the
Improviser Facilitator in Corporate Training and
Development. Diss. Northern Illinois University,
2015. Text.