We all know what a great tool improv can be for boosting energy and connections at work. The best way to do this for yourself is through a 60-90 minute corporate improv workshop by a professional trainer. However, when you do not have the time for this, these three simple improv games for team building can be taught with just a little expertise. All these improv exercises for business are quick too, so that you can drop them in for a fast increase at the beginning of a meeting, or even to wrap up a working day!
1. Three Things One player names any sort of category: "three beer labels", "three well-known Swedes","three ways you could murder someone using a shoe," etc., before calling on someone to reply. The answering player should name three things as fast as possible; it is more important to just say whatever comes into your mind than to be accurate!
After the answering participant has come up with three things, they should devise a new category before calling on someone else to answer.
EXAMPLE ROHAN: "Three...dreadful Christmas gifts. Thea!"
THEA: "Um...Socks. A bag of bread. A panda bear. OK...three areas you've been this year. Naomi!"
2. What's In The Box? One participant takes the spotlight each round. Someone else starts the game by asking this participant "What's in the box?"; the player in the spotlight may answer the question however they like, by simply naming an object (which does not need to be something that can fit in a box!) . Every other player can then come up with followup questions which the player in the spotlight must reply as fast and simply as they can.
This isn't a guessing game -- the player in the spotlight should not try 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, either -- just as relaxed and confident as possible.
EXAMPLE CHLOË:"What's in the box?"
MAXWELL:"A roll of duct tape."
BRIANNE:"What color is it?"
MAXWELL: "Black."
RAOUL:"What was it last used for?"
MAXWELL: "Repairing a bike."
3. Just A Minute One player takes centre stage, to provide a confident and fluent speech on a bizarre topic devised by the host. They do not need to be specialists; in fact, they do not even need to make sense! They just need to maintain the façade of expertise, by speaking without hesitating, repeating themselves, or getting off-topic. The host times the speech; if the player can keep it up for a full minute, they win a point! However, if another participant spots them making a mistake, they can buzz in and announce what error was made (hesitation, repetition, or deviation). If the host rules this challenge to be right, the challenger takes over to speak on the same topic for the remainder of the minute.
EXAMPLE HOST:"OK, Shreya, you've got one minute to speak on the subject of cutlery trays, starting from now!"
SHREYA:"Cutlery trays may look like an essential part of any modern kitchen, but in fact they were only introduced in 1957. Before then, people used to throw all their cutlery into a big pile in a drawer. As it came time for a meal, folks would have to pick out forks from this pile randomly..."
DEREK: "Buzz! Repetition of the word ‘pile'!"
HOST: Correct, the word 'pile' was repeated. That means that you, Derek, now have 47 seconds to present on the topic of cutlery trays, starting from now!"
4. Hivemind Corporate Improv Training For more adventurous teams, Hivemind offers improv training for business which will get your team laughing together and connecting meaningfully through these lonely times. Our corporate improv workshops can be delivered in 60-90 minutes.
Our improv exercises for business have been perfected by over ten years' experience supplying improv games for team building; and now accessible through an internet meeting for just 1/2 our typical cost. Find out more about improv for corporations, or email hello[at]hivemindimprov.com!
