We are living in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous — commonly referred to as VUCA — society. As leaders, we know that in order to navigate the shifting waters our teams have to be innovative and collaborative, our people agile and engaged. Historically, we could plan and execute slowly. Our corporate structures and leadership were not designed to innovate or adapt rapidly, rather they were designed for stability, predictability and a defined hierarchy where everyone knows their place and does their job. Our current reality dictates that we improvise on a daily basis. People and priorities shift rapidly and we are called on to be flexible and creative.

Being based in the Detroit area, I often work with IT people, analysts and engineers to apply creative improv to corporate training. They value order, precision and certainty yet they are now being asked to “be creative” or “take risks.” You may as well ask them to grow another arm. The “just do it” model isn’t working. Everyone can agree on the what — who doesn’t want a high-functioning team? What is missing is the how, as in, “How do we get there?”

Leaders in search of something different are increasingly turning to Applied Improvisational activities to help their teams adapt and move to the next level. In this technique, our company and others like us use the tools and skills that actors and improvisers use to think fast, engage, collaborate and come up with creative ideas. It’s not about learning to perform or be on stage — it’s about applying those tools and skills to the business world to help people learn the how of being flexible, creative, innovative and collaborative.

In a typical improv performance, the ensemble must work together to take audience suggestions and create something from nothing, always trusting that their team members will “have their back.” How do they do that without creating chaos and everyone pushing for their own agenda? They follow some basic rules (yes — improv has rules!) that help them to move forward, take risks and be creative while knowing their “team” will be there to back them up.

Here are three rules of improv that leaders can apply to create high functioning teams:

Rule #1: Yes And

This is the first and most well-known rule of improv. It is also the most misunderstood. Rather than “blindly saying yes to anything and everything,” it actually refers to acceptance and contribution and is the very heart of collaborating and working together toward a common objective.

If a team member contributes a thought or idea and gets dismissed, they are less likely to initiate in the future and more likely to disengage from the process. With an attitude of “yes and,” we accept other people’s offers, ideas and even objections. Embracing “yes and” can give people the experience of creating on the spot. One idea leads to another and another, building higher until something amazing is created.

One company integrated this into meetings with a rule that people had to reply with the words “yes and” before saying what they wanted to say. It started as a lighthearted way of reminding everyone about positive collaboration and turned into something they seriously relied on as their meetings became more productive, fun and collaborative. How engaged would your team be if they were part of creating something amazing every day?

Rule #2: Do Not Deny

This rule is very relevant in business today and can help remove one of the biggest barriers to shifting a culture. In improv, “do not deny” means to accept the current reality as it has been established. If an actor starts a scene and establishes that they are at the beach, everyone who joins the scene will accept the reality that they are at the beach. This allows them to move forward and create from a common place.

In business, refusal to accept the current reality can send teams off in directions that are ultimately doomed to fail. The current reality may not be optimal, but pretending that it is and planning from there is like getting directions on your GPS and plugging in a completely different starting point than where you actually are. So, as is often the case, a team’s directive is to be creative and innovative in a structure that is currently risk averse and values predictability. In fact, people who point those things out may be considered “negative” or “not a team player.” As a leader, acknowledging and accepting the current reality will give you a realistic starting point to help your team move forward.

Rule #3: Begin In The Middle

When you watch an improvisational theater scene unfold, you will rarely see two people come out on stage as strangers and introduce themselves. This is because the magic happens in the middle when relationships and situations are already established. It allows them to avoid the superficial and quickly go deeper into the scene.

This rule is valuable in business when the need for flexibility and agility arises. Often when priorities change quickly, there can be frustration around the idea that time was wasted completing tasks that are no longer needed or that they have to start all over again. This frustration can lead to a lack of engagement when people feel that they are working for no purpose. “Begin in the middle” can help people take something from what they’ve already accomplished and use it to meet the new priority. By beginning in the middle, people are encouraged to use their relationships, established channels of information and knowledge of systems and processes to champion the new objective. And if you are starting from the middle instead of the beginning, imagine how quickly you can get to the finish line.

So if you’re ready to lead a creative, collaborative, agile team (and be known as the “cool boss”), applying these rules of improv can supply the how. Give your team the tools they need to succeed in 2018 and beyond, using improv to improve.