Some examples:

• Two-hour workshops as part of an ongoing leadership, communication, or consulting course.

• Half- or full-day workshops for an academic department to emphasize team building, collaboration, or communication skills. 

• Curriculum development for improvisation courses in scientific departments.

Some examples:

• Two-hour after-hours workshops to emphasize team building, collaboration, or communication. 

• Half- or full-day workshops to build intra- or inter-departmental synergies. 

• Half- or full-day workshops as part of a scientific or professional society event or conference. 

Some examples:

• Workshops to emphasize team building and communication among staff members.

• Workshops to build confidence among the people and communities you serve.

• Fundraising and awareness events where improvisers bring healing laughter to the communities you serve. 

To many, the most important rule of improvisation is “yes, and”, the idea that we agree to an offer and build upon it. This cycle of agreement and expansion relies heavily on trust to produce successful outcomes. The ability to collaborate is extremely important on multidisciplinary teams to find the best solution from a multitude of competing priorities and grand ideas.

Scientists are methodical when it comes to running their experiments, testing hypotheses, and identifying solutions, but an overreliance on rules, specifications, and procedures can stifle ingenuity and make us slow to act in unfamiliar settings. The ability to adapt helps us effectively navigate change and respond to the unexpected.

To effectively communicate to non-scientists and scientists outside your area of expertise, the first step is to simplify the message. Limiting jargon, using examples, and sticking to the main points are helpful to communicate complex ideas to others. The ability to simplify complex concepts is crucial for communicating science more broadly.

Confident individuals view challenges as opportunities and believe in their ability to achieve goals through hard work. Projecting confidence as a scientist is critical for communicating competence and credibility. Improvisation is an important tool for keeping imposter syndrome at bay.

Providing the rationale for decisions allows for greater transparency and enables collaborative problem solving. Explaining the “why” also goes a long way in persuading others to consider a particular point of view. The ability to sufficiently justify an action or idea communicates to others our deep understanding of a topic.

A good story creates an emotional connection with an audience through relatable characters and situations. Using stories to communicate science makes the content more personal and more memorable.