
In a recent study conducted by Ron Friedman and ignite80, researchers found that only 8.7% of teams qualify as high-performing, with trust-building behaviors being the key differentiator. Essentially, trust is the secret sauce of high-performing teams. The study highlighted five key identifiers that were consistent among these high-performing teams. The researchers noted that teams that displayed trust:
Were intentionally collaborative
Were proactive in sharing information
Were able to share credit among multiple team members
Engaged in productive disagreement
Were proactive and creative in addressing tension and resolving conflict
But here's what's fascinating: this list of identifiers reads like a lesson plan for an improv class. Applied improvisation – the intentional application of improv principles to business (and other) settings – offers a structured yet playful pathway to developing these crucial team behaviors.
Let's look at each of the five key behaviors identified in high-performing teams and explore how applied improvisation serves as a blueprint for cultivating these behaviors on your team:
Intentional Collaboration
High-performing teams don't leave collaboration to chance. Perhaps the most significant skill gleaned from an applied improvisation workshop is collaboration. Participants are introduced to a "yes, and" style of creation that makes space for all ideas to be heard and cultivates an incubator where the best ideas can be collectively nurtured and rise to the top.
Proactive Information Sharing
High-performing teams maintain transparency without managerial prompting. In improv, this behavior is cultivated through the principle of "make your partner look good." Improvisers quickly learn that success comes from the continued sharing of necessary information. When business teams practice improv exercises, they develop a heightened awareness of what information others need to succeed and build habits of proactive communication.
Credit Sharing
The research shows that elite teams naturally distribute recognition. In our team dynamics workshops, participants are led through a series of "energizers" that highlight the value of spotlighting the people around you versus craving the spotlight for yourself. Applied improvisation dismantles the notion that we can be good at everything and that everything is "for us." It allows team members to focus on their specific knowledge and skills in a way that serves the entire team. Unscripted's workshops unpack this concept in our principle, "Bring a brick; we'll build the cathedral together."
Productive Disagreement
High-performing teams view disagreement as a path to better decisions rather than a threat to relationships. Improv training uniquely prepares teams for this mindset through exercises that teach "embracing failure" and "finding the game." When teams learn to treat challenges as offers and practice turning constraints into creative opportunities, they develop resilience and adaptability in the face of conflict.
Proactive Tension Resolution
Elite teams take initiative in addressing interpersonal tension. Applied improvisation builds this capability through exercises that require immediate adaptation to unexpected situations. The improv principle of "be changed by what happens" teaches teams to address tension in real-time and view relationship maintenance as an ongoing, active process.
Beyond Individual Behaviors
What makes applied improvisation particularly powerful is that it doesn't just teach these behaviors – it creates an environment where practicing them feels natural and enjoyable. Through structured and intentional participation in myriad activities and exercises, teams experience the immediate rewards of trust-building behaviors rather than just intellectually understanding their importance. This is one of the many things that sets Unscripted's team dynamics program apart from traditional "team-building" activities and training programs. While throwing axes can be fun and an escape room is exhilarating, the value diminishes the minute the event is over. A communication, collaboration, or leadership seminar might be educational, but there is no application. An applied improvisation workshop for team dynamics has lasting impact. The skills, concepts, and mindset developed over the course of a workshop go back to the office with you.
Consider a typical applied improv session: Teams might participate in an exercise where they collaboratively tell a story one word at a time. To succeed, participants must:
Actively listen to others
Share leadership dynamically
Make quick decisions while considering the group's needs
Address mistakes with humor and resilience
Build upon others' contributions
These same behaviors, when transferred to the workplace, create the foundation for high-performing teams.
The ROI of Improv
While some might question whether "playing games" is the best use of valuable time, the research is clear: high-performing teams don't emerge by chance. They're built through intentional practice of specific behaviors. Applied improvisation offers a unique advantage by making this practice engaging and memorable rather than another theoretical framework to be forgotten.
As organizations continue seeking ways to develop high-performing teams, applied improvisation offers a proven methodology that directly addresses the behaviors that matter most. Through structured play and guided reflection, teams don't just learn about effective collaboration – they experience it, embody it, and ultimately transform it into their default way of working together.
This blog was written with AI editing assistance
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