Patricia Ryan Madson, author of one of my favorite books on improv, Improv Wisdom, has been teaching for more than four decades, with a quarter century of experience as a instructor in improvisation. I talked with Patricia about her book and the value of improv in life and the workplace.
To hear our discussion, check out the audio below:
Highlights of our talk include:
- What is Improv Wisdom all about? (0:43)
- Want 40% higher self-esteem? Take improv classes. (7:10)
- Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up. (10:35)
- Raise your hands and say, “Tada!” (16:28)
- The value of stating the obvious. (21:15)
- Improv makes really nice people. (23:56)
- “Mommy! There’s a monster in my closet!” (32:09)
For more, check out:
- Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up
- Patricia’s talk at Google (or Patricia’s YouTube Page)
- Improv Case Study at CERN
- Improv Wisdom Website
- Improv Wisdom Blog
- Patricia on Twitter
- Patricia’s Email: improvwisdom@comcast.net
And last but not least, I’ve transcribed the interview for those who prefer reading to listening (note: it has been edited for clarity). You can find the transcription at:
Note: This is the second Humor Talks interview, a series with some of today’s thought leaders on the topic of humor and fun in the workplace. You can sign-up for the Humor Newsletter to stay up-to-date with new interviews or get all future interviews via Podcast.




