Playing Zip-Zap-Zop is one way to Energize Teams
Improv Collab as a Way of Life
I love IMPROV. And I’ve been performing, teaching, playing, coaching, and exploring improv for most of my life. I discovered improvised theater at U 0f Michigan, many moons ago, then went on to Second City in Chicago, to study and create with the best group of talent you could hope for, including Chris Farley, Pat Finn, David Koechner, Clea Lewis. And I've said YES to opportunities that gave me the chance to do all sorts of things, like sketch comedy with Stephen Colbert… prototyping games with Amy Poehler at the beginning of UCB days in NYC... and even creating an all-improvised mockumentary, Unscrewed, and a lot of other stops along the way. And Improv became a way for life.
The craft of Improv – of many diverse people bringing their POVs to create Something Better, allowing the Collaboration to drive results, is a Zen craft in a way. Learning to apply a “YES AND” mindset to your work, to relationships, and to listen, REALLY listen, fully and intently… practicing how to “Live in the Moment” and focus on the NOW, not the past or future… and so many more facets of improv… these are life skills I continue to fall back on. It’s “following your TRUTH” or, as we like to say in Improv, “following the FEAR,” and it’s a way to live life that’s positive, collaborative, and centered on authenticity.
Don’t take my word for it, do your own research. Emotional Intelligence... Human-Centered Design... Empathy Training... Customer-centric Strategy... Growth Mindset...... ALL of these things sync with applied improvisation thinking and methodology and are proving to be invaluable for success.
My current PASSION is for FORD IMPROV - where we are prototyping new ways to apply comedy improv games to help build small teams and better collaborators across Ford. More below.... it's a Volunteer Service Leadership experience like I have never seen, created organically by need of my colleagues, and I am HONORED to be HELPING so many people across Ford. They keep telling friends, and coming back, and asking for MORE... so, we grow! I have brought in SIX improvisation coaches to share different points of view, and I continue to GROW coaches INSIDE Ford too! It's been an AMAZING journey so far, and we are NOW in a COLLAB with the Ford Diversity & Inclusion Team to bring INCLUSION IMPROV sessions every other week to Ford colleagues across the globe.
I love IMPROV. And I’ve been performing, teaching, playing, coaching, and exploring improv for most of my life. I discovered improvised theater at U 0f Michigan, many moons ago, then went on to Second City in Chicago, to study and create with the best group of talent you could hope for, including Chris Farley, Pat Finn, David Koechner, Clea Lewis. And I've said YES to opportunities that gave me the chance to do all sorts of things, like sketch comedy with Stephen Colbert… prototyping games with Amy Poehler at the beginning of UCB days in NYC... and even creating an all-improvised mockumentary, Unscrewed, and a lot of other stops along the way. And Improv became a way for life.
The craft of Improv – of many diverse people bringing their POVs to create Something Better, allowing the Collaboration to drive results, is a Zen craft in a way. Learning to apply a “YES AND” mindset to your work, to relationships, and to listen, REALLY listen, fully and intently… practicing how to “Live in the Moment” and focus on the NOW, not the past or future… and so many more facets of improv… these are life skills I continue to fall back on. It’s “following your TRUTH” or, as we like to say in Improv, “following the FEAR,” and it’s a way to live life that’s positive, collaborative, and centered on authenticity.
Don’t take my word for it, do your own research. Emotional Intelligence... Human-Centered Design... Empathy Training... Customer-centric Strategy... Growth Mindset...... ALL of these things sync with applied improvisation thinking and methodology and are proving to be invaluable for success.
My current PASSION is for FORD IMPROV - where we are prototyping new ways to apply comedy improv games to help build small teams and better collaborators across Ford. More below.... it's a Volunteer Service Leadership experience like I have never seen, created organically by need of my colleagues, and I am HONORED to be HELPING so many people across Ford. They keep telling friends, and coming back, and asking for MORE... so, we grow! I have brought in SIX improvisation coaches to share different points of view, and I continue to GROW coaches INSIDE Ford too! It's been an AMAZING journey so far, and we are NOW in a COLLAB with the Ford Diversity & Inclusion Team to bring INCLUSION IMPROV sessions every other week to Ford colleagues across the globe.
Ford Improv - a Volunteer Improv Collective
We Help Build Trust & Collaboration for Small TeamsWe started in 2018, after I was invited to give a Ford 'Curious Minds' speech on applying Improvisation to improve your life. Called 'Just Say Yes And' this internal 'Ted-Talk' video touched a chord at Ford and I was invited to join a growing band of Culture Enthusiasts to create Ford Improv Club.
Now over 1K strong, and growing with each Ford Improv session that we host, we have moved into Online Improv that allows us to be truly GLOBAL, with members spanning 16 different time zones, from Melbourne to Bangkok, Dubai to Dearborn MI. |
We Help Build an Inclusive Culture Across ALL of FordLeading a variety of applied improvisation workshops across Ford, we have built a grass-roots movement of like-minded people eager to help their teams build trust, to collaborate better, to co-exist with more respect and inclusion.
I am honored to lead this effort, with the help of a core team of 7-8 fellow culture activists, working to share the power of Comedy Improv Training the workplace. 
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We Help All of Ford Play as
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