Ep80: “Yes, And” and Beyond: A Conversation with Improv Pioneer Bob Kulhan

Stand up in front of a group. No script. No prep. No rules. This is improv… in a way. It’s not quite as scary as that, even though that set-up is likely to send many an introvert running in the opposite direction. And in fact, what looks like a completely spontaneous improv situation actually DOES have rules, and there are ways to prepare yourself. Sure, there’s no script, but life doesn’t have a script, so who needs one?

I’ve spoken several times over the years about the power of improv and how it can be a transformative tool for introverts. In this episode, I talk to one of the first people to put the principles of improv together with the world of business.

Bob Kulhan is an Adjunct Professor of Business Administration for The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University as well as an Adjunct Professor of Business for Columbia Business School, Columbia University. He also is the CEO of Business Improvisations. BI is a world-class leader in developing experiential learning programs for businesses.

Bob and I start by defining improv (it might not be what you think!), then talk about how it has grown to be an exciting alternative to traditional professional development offerings. He also offers some basic improv principles you can use to make networking more enjoyable, as well as tips for getting yourself off the mental hamster wheel.