I love all things comedy. I, especially, love improv. Beyond giving us a good laugh, improv has much to teach us about leadership.
When I saw that Amy Poehler taught a Masterclass on Improv, I had to watch it.
Amy was an actress on Saturday Night Live. She is now a writer and producer, so she is well versed in what it means to lead on stage and lead off stage as she heads a team of creatives in her production company.
As she taught the components of good improv, I could easily see the parallels to leadership.
Here are 5 ideas that I thought were great take aways:
1️⃣ Keep saying yes
In improv, it is always about helping your partner to advance the scene. You never give your partner a sentence that they couldn’t do anything with.
As Amy says, it's about where we are going together. This is a great reminder for leadership. How do we help each as we work together to find solutions? You support your teammates, not compete with them. "Yes, and...."
From a personal perspective, Amy says this principle has really enabled her to continue to participate in life and take risks. It's easy to withdraw, recoil or play small in life, but what would it be like to keep saying yes?
2️⃣ Be a good listener
To be a great leader is to be a great listener. In improv as in leadership, people feel seen and heard when they are listened to. People feel good when they are listened to. When you are the person that makes people feel good, they want to work with you. You become the sought after leader, teacher, artist, HR manager, friend.
Good listening creates good connection, and good culture.
3️⃣ Find your team
Leadership equals teamwork. Leadership is easier when you can gather a group of people who can work together while utilizing their strengths. Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, reminds us about “putting the right people on the bus.” Put the right people in the right places first in our organizations.
From a personal perspective, you find your community (team) when you find the people who “get you” and where you can be 100% authentically yourself without judgement.
4️⃣ Take up space
Believe that you belong. (I love this one!) You have to believe in yourself that you can lead, take on the challenge, or learn something new.
Adlai Stevenson, an American politician and Ambassador from the 1960’s said, “You can’t lead the cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.” You have to believe you can lead.
There is no shrinking yourself to fit in. However, Amy cautions that when you join something, make sure it needs you. Are you adding value?
This is an important principle on stage and in leadership.
5️⃣ Can’t be halfway in
This principle is about not waiting to jump in, not waiting for something to be perfect before beginning. You will only know if you're good at something by trying and failing. You don’t learn how to lead from the sidelines.
I love Amy’s perspective, if you are halfway in “It limits you from connection, experience and being in the present moment.”
Like leadership as in improv, show up, be committed, and watch the magic happen.
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