A Few Great Improv Theatre Exercises for Teambuilding In the workplace
We all know what a fantastic instrument improv can be for boosting morale and connections in the workplace. The best way to experience this for yourself is through a 60-90 minute corporate improv workshop from a professional trainer. However, when you don't have enough time for this, these three simple improv games for team building can be taught with only a little expertise. All these improv exercises for business are fast too, so that you may drop them in for a quick boost at the start of a meeting, or even to conclude the day!
1. Three Things One player names any sort of category: "three beer brands", "three famous Italians","three ways you can murder someone with a shoe," etc., before calling on someone to reply. The answering participant has to name three things as quickly as possible; it's more important to just say whatever comes into your head than to be accurate!
After the answering participant has come up with three things, they must devise a new category before calling on someone else to reply.
EXAMPLE ROHAN: "Three...terrible birthday gifts. Thea!"
THEA: "Um...Socks. A bag of bread. A panda bear. OK...three places you've been this year. Naomi!"
2. What's In The Box? One player has the spotlight every round. Someone else starts the game by asking this participant "What's in the box?"; the player in the spotlight may reply to the question however they like, by simply naming an item (which doesn't have to be something which can fit in a box!) . Any other player can then come up with followup questions that the participant in the spotlight should reply as fast and simply as they can.
This is not a guessing game -- the participant in the spotlight should not attempt to be cryptic. They just need to describe the thing in escalating detail, in reaction to every question. And they don't have to be clever, witty, or unique, possibly -- just as relaxed and confident as possible.
EXAMPLE CHLOÃ:"What's in the box?"
MAXWELL:"Duct tape."
BRIANNE:"What color is it?"
MAXWELL: "Grey."
RAOUL:"What was it most recently used for?"
MAXWELL: "Repairing a bicycle."
3. Just A Minute One player takes centre stage, to provide a confident and fluent presentation on a strange subject devised by the host. They do not need to be experts; in fact, they don't even have to make sense! They just need to keep up the façade of expertise, by speaking without hesitating, repeating themselves, or getting off-topic. The host times the lecture; if the participant can keep talking for a full minute, they win a point! However, if another participant spots them making a mistake, then they can buzz in and announce what error was made (hesitation, repetition, or deviation). If the host decrees this challenge to be right, the challenger takes over to talk on the same topic for the rest of the 60 seconds.
EXAMPLE HOST:"OK, Shreya, you've got one minute to talk on the topic of cutlery trays, starting from now!"
SHREYA:"Cutlery trays might look like an important part of any modern kitchen, but in fact they were just introduced in 1957. Previously, people used to throw all their cutlery into a huge pile in a drawer. As it came time for supper, people would have to pick out forks from this pile at random..."
DEREK: "Buzz! Repetition of the word âpile'!"
HOST: Correct, the word 'pile' has been repeated. That means that you, Derek, now have 45 seconds to present on the subject of cutlery trays, starting from now!"
4. Hivemind Corporate Improv Training For more adventurous teams, Hivemind offers improv training for business that can get your team laughing together and connecting meaningfully through these lonely days. Our corporate improv workshops can be delivered in 60-90 minutes.
Our improv exercises for business have been finely honed by more than ten years' experience providing improv games for team building; and currently accessible via an online meeting for only 1/2 our typical price. Find out more about improv for corporations, or email hello[at]hivemindimprov.com!