Wednesday Wisdom: Improv Your Way to Success

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As a 30-year event organizer, the word planner is who I am. Believing success lies in the details done ahead of an event made me exceptional at my work. Throw in an emergency or two, like when a tornado was approaching a community parade I was managing or the lights went out at a 500-person black-tie event. I rose to the occasion – quick thinking and solution-driven. Although I’m capable of emergency planning, I’d prefer to know what is about to happen rather than wait for something to occur.

Last night’s event, hosted by Wildflowers Armory for the Syracuse Actors Studio, was anything but a prepared experience unless you were one of four talented people reciting their monologues. They excelled at preparatory work and received comments from other actors in the crowd. However, the Improv lesson followed for the 40+ people in attendance, including me.

Led by Glen Allen, a veteran improv actor with experience at Second City Detroit, the audience formed a large circle and performed two improv lessons to sharpen their skills. “This isn’t about perfection, it’s about having fun, not thinking about what you will do or say, but letting it come naturally. Don’t worry, no one here will laugh at you, but with you,” said Allen, with a technology career who does Improv for levity.

We partnered up as the tasks were doled out. My friend Wendy Volpe and I had to improvise being hors d’oeuvres on a tray at a cocktail party. Did the person giving that suggestion know how many times I’ve had to order menus for event planning clients? My first line to Wendy was, “How do you like having a toothpick stuck in your head?” which garnered a big laugh. Thank God!

It wasn’t the easiest exercise in the world, as many of the accomplished actors in the room struggled a bit with improv because they are used to practicing lines repetitively to perfection. In the end, Glen pointed out, “Improv isn’t about perfection, it’s about going with the flow,” which is a perfect antidote for life and business.

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is to inspire you to plan some of your activities, but other times, know it’s okay if they aren’t. Sometimes we learn more flying by the seat of our pants, trusting our instincts, and going with the flow rather than being rigid and stuck in our ways. Is there a way for you to allow some improv into your mind and plans this year? Can you loosen the grip of always needing things to be perfectly planned out?

Throw yourself some emergencies or unlikely scenarios and see what you come up with quickly. You might be surprised that you are great at making decisions last minute. I know for sure, I was ready to say, “How do you like having bacon wrapped around your body,” if the hors d’oeuvres joke came back around to me. The point is to laugh, get loose, and sometimes improvise your way to success.