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One of the major issues in today’s corporate
work environment is the “lack of trust and
team work”. Businesses have to be ever so
focused on the “Bottom Line” because of the
competitive pressures facing them from the
global community; including, corporate
downsizing, restructuring and downward price
pressures on products and services. As a
result of these new business drivers, we
have lost our sense of trust in our
Employers and our fellow Employees.
Theses observations were made evident in the
many companies that I have consulted with
over the years. Workers want to trust, build
and be part of a team, but feel there is a
huge chasm with management in this area.
When people go to work and don’t trust
colleagues and senior management, the work
atmosphere is filled with a negative vibe,
much of it unspoken. Some of the detrimental
issues that a work environment devoid of
Trust and Teamwork can exhibit are:
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Uncertainty |
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Negativity |
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Need to control others |
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Hiding of mistakes |
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Fear of losing one’s job |
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Indirect communication |
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Lack of cooperation and
collaboration |
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Suspicion (upward and downward) |
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Reluctance |
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Zero creativity |
This is where Improvisational Comedy can
help. I needed a break from the “Corporate
Rat Race”, so I enrolled at The Players
Workshop of The Second City to learn
Improvisational Comedy. While attending the
classes, I learned some valuable insights
into human behavior that could improve and
enhance Trust and Team Work in the Workplace
by utilizing Improv Games and Exercises. One
of my favorites, which I still use today, is
Gibberish.
Webster’s Dictionary defines Gibberish
as:
gib-ber-ish - [jib-er-ish,
gib-] –noun
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Meaningless or unintelligible
talk or writing. |
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Talk or writing containing many
obscure, pretentious, or
technical words. |
—Synonyms
1. Nonsense, foolishness, babble, gabble,
drivel, gobbledegook.
Gibberish Improv Exercises
Gibberish Commands
How it Works
Players start in pairs. Have each play issue
a command to her partner, in Gibberish.
Players can't move on until the command is
understood and executed. Simple things will
do, like 'pass me the salt, please' .
The idea is not to mime the command, but to
try and make it obvious for the way the
command is issued, and the environment that
has been set.
Translate Gibberish
How it Works
This is best played with an odd number of
players. Everyone in a circle. The first
player gives a gibberish word to her right
neighbor, who translates the word. The next
player provides the next gibberish word, and
so on.
Variations
The receiver can provide both the
translation, and a new gibberish word.
You may want to add the origin of the
language along with the translation.
Notes
Any gibberish word might be translated as
'banana' of course, but that is not the idea
of the exercise. For your translation, use
the first thing that comes to mind. You may
be inspired by the whole sound of the word
(it might sound like something 'known'), or
parts of the word (only the vowels, or only
the consonants), or by the intonation of the
'giver', or even by her expression or body
language.
Gibberish Expert
How it Works
One player is an expert on a subject, often
provided by the audience. Furthermore, he's
from a foreign country (perhaps also
supplied by the audience). The expert gives
a lecture in Gibberish and a second player
translates.
Variations
Have the expert tell a story, instead of
giving a lecture.
Just Gibberish
How it Works
Play a scene, completely in gibberish, no
translations provided. The scene should be
perfectly clear to the audience - we should
be perfectly able to translate every
gibberish sentence, and the story should
make sense.
Notes
• This will only work if the stories are
extremely simple, and if the Platform is
made clear right from the start.
• Some players tend to do this as a scene
without words, but that is not the idea of
the exercise.
Improvisation Strengthens Trust in the
Workplace
When you hear the word “improvisation”, many
people think about the funny antics of
comedy improv that they have seen on a
television show like “Whose Line is it
Anyway” or at a nightclub. Most people are
unaware of the power of improvisation and
its ability to bring positive results to
even the most negative of people. The
guiding principles of improvisation are all
based in Trust and Cooperation. By trying
these gibberish exercises in the work
environment, you can have fun and increase
the level of Trust and Teamwork. |
