I just finished reading Tina Fey's book Bossypants. While I picked it up as a good-humor, man she is so cool read I have to give her credit for tricking me into reading a self-help book for your career.
From figuring out who to hire and how to act (or not) in an interview Fey offered a nice spin on how to make it in (show) business as a woman. One section in particular caught my attention and I am going to focus on it here...
Improv Rules And the Workplace
Rule #1--Agree
Always agree and SAY YES. In improv if you decide you are on a train, your partner doesn't change it he or she goes with it. Respecting what your partner created helps innovation and ideas thrive.
Rule #2--Not Only Say Yes....Say Yes AND
You are supposed to agree and then add something of your own. Contributing to the conversation and ideas helps solidify you as a team member and it helps you learn.
Rule #3--Make Statements
Basically, don't ask questions all the time. You put pressure on your scene partner to come up with all the answers. Statements are about confidence. You want to be part of solution.
Rule #4--There Are No Mistakes...Only Opportunities
Improv is essentially going with the flow. If you stop to explain what is really happening you lose the momentum. Not every project is going to go as planned. Learning to adapt makes you better in the long run on the job and helps support a better working environment.