Some ooze charisma, others inspire action — but all of them have gone down as some of the best speakers in history. …

Plus 78 impromptu speech topics to help you practice. — So, you want to get better at improvised or “impromptu” speaking. Maybe you got put on the spot at a dinner party or froze up during a company icebreaker; either way you’ve vowed never to be caught unprepared for a toast again. Impromptu speeches might seem intimidating (heck, prepared speeches…

Faced with burnout and the prospect of putting on a dress shirt, professionals are quitting in droves. What’s a manager to do? — Last year, there were nearly 6 million fewer resignations than there were in 2019. Now, professionals who have been hunkered down for the covid winter are making up for lost time. NBC reports that the resignation rate in March 2021 was 2.4% — the highest in 20 years — and…

Once we’ve reached burnout, it’s already too late. Can play save us from ourselves? — POV: You’re leading a mental wellness workshop with the US Dept of Health and Human Services, taking the brightest minds in public health through an improv exercise called “C’mere, C’mere,” involving swimming to imaginary islands. This is not a fever dream; it’s the position we found ourselves in when our…

The phenomenon that threatens our ability to connect, even as we venture out into the real world. — Quick question for the group: Why do all our words bad? Sorry, let us try again. Help talk good? We’ll be hearing about the impact of isolation in the pandemic for the rest of our days, but one noticeable effect that our confinement and long-term overwhelm has had–at least anecdotally–is…

Toni Blackman shares how she used the “wisdom of the cypher” to help communities connect, listen, and build trust where it was lost. — When we tell you watching Toni Blackman speak feels like looking in a spiritual mirror, we get the feeling we’re not the only ones. Our DNA is eerily similar: FLS+, a joint improvisational entity focused on public speaking, freestyle rap, and organizational dynamics; she, an emcee-turned-competitive-debater-turned-hip-hop-organizer.

Call it a “vibe shift,” a “cultural reset,” or the Great Reinvention. We’re on the precipice of a huge opportunity — and “work” is at the epicenter. — We’re not the only ones feeling this, right? The lifting mandates; the warming weather; “back in office” dates slowly popping up for major progressive companies; resignation rates holding steady at record levels (another 4.3 million in January alone)…

In improv, we talk a lot about supporting others. How we invite others to show up for us is just as crucial. — If you’re reading this, we’re going to make an assumption: you like to do things. Maybe a little too much, even. You might even like to do things so much that you find it difficult to ask for help. You might also find yourself doing so many things that the…

Afternoon walks just aren’t hitting like they used to. Enter ‘afternoon art break’. — A 2021 by Indeed.com showed that 52% of professionals feel burned out at work — but you probably didn’t need to see a stat to know that. Most of us can feel the fatigue of the past two years around us. …