How are human resources and employment law like improv comedy?
It may not seem like an obvious comparison, but that’s exactly what Suzanne Lucas, also known as the “Evil HR Lady” showcased at CBIA’s Nov. 2 Employment Law Conference.
The renowned writer, trainer, and speaker shared her unique perspectives, humor, and a little Swiss chocolate with the hundreds of people in attendance.
“When we are talking about real life, we improvise all the time,” she said. “We have our calendar all scheduled out. And then things go to hell in a handbasket.
“We’re going to talk about improv comedy as a skill.”
She explained that there are six key principles in improv:
“We’re going to apply these to employment law and HR,” she said.
Lucas there are times when employees will have questions or issues that have real, concrete answers, like “When do I get my paycheck?”
However she said that sometimes, questions often require a more creative answer.
“In human resources and employment law, it’s always something different,” she said. “And it’s often something unexpected.”
That’s where the principle of Yes, And comes into play.
Lucas said that in improv and comedy, Yes, And means “whatever happens, you have to agree and go forward.”
Lucas used the scenario of someone telling her she was holding a cat.
“Of course I’m holding a cat,” she said. “I am a middle-aged divorced HR...
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