‘That Reminds Me of a Story’ is an example of an unproductive game. Digression in a scene can be useful, especially when creative, off-the-beaten-path solutions are required. But when a long-winded anecdote leads down a side road completely unrelated to the scene, it can be a business buzz kill.
Before I learned to improvise, I wore this game out. It was easy for me – everything reminds me of a story, and I’m good at telling them. I often justified the game by imagining I was ‘bringing the brand narrative to life’. True? Maybe. Maybe I just liked hearing myself talk. Listen, here’s the pertinent truth about telling stories in business meetings, a truth I realized only after I learned improvisation: When someone launches into a long monologue, the scene slows to a standstill. Momentum hits the ditch. Productivity takes a nap. The deliverer of the monologue smothers the back-and-forth communication between players that is essential to a productive, well-improvised scene.
Here’s a demonstration of how the game of ‘That Reminds Me of a Story’ can derail a scene and stop it from achieving its objective:
Tags: Diversion, Games, Improvisation, Issues, Monologue, Productivity, That Reminds Me of a Story