Improv Tip of the Month: Zip-Zap-Zop

by | Mar 16, 2012 | Improvisation

This month’s improv tip is from Barry Edwards, Improv Contributor

Schedule a meeting in your conference room then let the games begin!Plato once said, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” While he probably wasn’t referring to creating a more engaged and productive work team, it still applies. Facilitated play makes it possible for your team to learn more about each other. Plus a shared fun experience creates team cohesiveness.

Here’s an improv game that is easy for you to facilitate:

“Zip-Zap-Zop.” Your team stands in a circle.  One person starts by pointing to—and making eye contact with—someone else in the circle and says “Zip.”  That person (the one on the receiving end of “Zip”) points to someone else, making eye contact, and says “Zap.”  That person points to someone else, making eye contact, and says “Zop.”  This continues around the circle for a couple of minutes. Encourage people to go faster and faster.

Now take it up a notch: Change Zip-Zap-Zop to colors, so each person points to someone, making eye contact, and says a color.  (Note: the blander the better; the point is not to be clever, but to be fast.) Then change colors to food. Finally change food to the company or team, so each person points to someone, making eye contact, and says the first thing that comes to mind about the company or team.

Zip-Zap-Zop, and its variations, creates energy and connectedness amongst the group. Plus it allows the team to find out more about each other and what’s top of mind about the company and the team.

So … have you scheduled that conference room yet?

Originally published by BossaNova Consulting Group, Inc.
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Barry Edwards

What gets me out of bed in the morning is the opportunity to really engage people—whether I’m coaching an executive, leading a workshop, or facilitating a meeting. That’s because I believe engagement is the key to workplaces that make a difference. I’m also an improvisational comedy performer, teacher, and overall enthusiast. I’ve led dozens of workshops (and written a series of blog articles) on how to bring the art of improv to the business world.

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