bea ignite: roger cooper

Using Improv Comedy Exercisesto Develop Leadership Skills

Roger CooperSchool of Media Arts & Studies

Ohio University

Origins

Created Course…

Leadership and Humorfor the Creative Industries

Focus on the role of humor in organizational effectiveness, particularly collaborative, creative professions.

Why Improvisation?

Promotes• Cooperation and Respect (“yes, and”)• Relationship Building (Humor is rarely “jokes”)• Honesty and Trust (“Truth in Comedy”)

How Improvisation ExercisesConnect to Leadership Development• Thinking quickly on your feet• Being in the moment with people• Importance of listening• Value of teamwork/collaboration

How Improvisation ExercisesConnect to Leadership Development• Sense of Humor• Outstanding leaders use humor 2-3 times more

than average leadersHumor Stimulates (and Signifies)• Creativity• Openness• Trust• Spirit of Joy/Play

• Higher Productivity (quality & quantity)

Exercises…

Basic:One-Word Story/Pattern Game

Goofy:Samurai

Intermediate:“Yes” (We’re not Praying)

Bad News

Vegetable

Additional Benefitsof Using Improv

• Open, communicative class• ‘Bonded’ group• Deeper course impact

Leadership and Humorfor the Creative Industries

TextbooksPrimal Leadership: Learning to Lead with

Emotional IntelligenceTruth in Comedy: The Manual of ImprovisationAdd’l media/humor readings

Resourceimprovencyclopedia.org

Thank You!

Roger CooperSchool of Media Arts & Studies

Ohio University

cooperr@ohio.edu