Status in Improv: How to Apply It Effectively in the Workplace
This week’s improv workshop was an absolute blast! We went through a series of new exercises such as “story in one voice”, “follow the hand”, and “string of pearls”. Needlessly to say, there is never a dull moment in our improv workshop.
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly our instructor Derek’s introduction to “status” in improvisational theater. It is a concept first explored in the book Impro written by Keith Johnstone, a pioneer in the field of improv. “Status” refers to the power dynamics between characters on the stage.
A Powerful Storytelling Technique
Playing with and shifting status is a powerful storytelling technique, making the scene or story unexpected and more compelling. In the Disney movie “Aladdin”, the main character starts out with low status as a “street rat” chased by city guards. He enters the Cave of Wonders guarded by a powerful genie. He defeats the villainous sorcerer Jafar in the final battle. Through his heroic actions, he continues to gain status as the story continues.
When acting or improvising, there are a number of factors that go into defining a character, including voice, movements, and emotions. Beyond those, a big part of creating that character is his or her status in the scene. There are many ways to convey status in storytelling, including body language, dialogue, and setting.
High vs. Low Status in Improv
In improv, there are two main categories of status: high status and low status.
High-status players tend to be confident and take up a lot of room. They stand up straight, take up more space with their bodies, initiate and maintain eye contact, and speak in a clear voice. In contrast, low-status players tend to be more hesitant, submissive and take less space. They avoid eye contact, fidget, and touch their hair or face while talking. They may also hunch their shoulders and speak in a quiet or hesitant voice.
Being high-status does not mean being snobby or snotty. At the same time, being low-status doesn’t imply someone’s broken. It’s all about power. In improv, status is a way of communicating who has control of the scene. Scene partners are constantly negotiating power, and status is one of the tools they use.
The status of a character can change throughout a scene, depending on the circumstances. For example, a character with high status may become low status if they are faced with a challenge or threat. Conversely, a character with low status may become high status if they achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle.
Societal vs. Situational Status
There are two types of status relationships: societal and situational. Many of us are familiar with the former: societal or social status.
Social status is a person’s standing or importance in relation to other people within a society. It’s determined by a combination of social and economic factors, such as title, wealth, education, occupation, and birthright.
Situational status is the status that a person holds in a particular situation. It can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as the roles that people play, the setting in which they are interacting, and the expectations of the people around them.
Consider the case of the United States President and White House press corp. Every year, the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) hosts an annual dinner to finance all of its work. The dinner typically includes a skit by the sitting U.S. president. Relative to all of the journalists, President Biden holds the highest social status in the room. At the White House Correspondents’ dinner in April, Biden poked fun at his own age, “Look, I get that age is a completely reasonable issue. You might think I don’t like Rupert Murdoch. That’s simply not true. How can I dislike a guy who makes me look like Harry Styles?” He consciously lowered his situational status through self-deprecation. This was a surprise to many people, and it made the joke even funnier.
In improv, whether the improvisers consciously work on it or not, status exists in every scene. It is the way that a performer creates the character, relates to a scene partner and the space, and finally to the audience. It’s a tool that unlocks acting for many people. When needing to quickly establish high status in a scene, American improvisers may decide to speak in a British accent. There is a lot of research* that shows that British accents are perceived as having higher status than other accents. They are often associated with intelligence, education, and power.
* Study by Howard Giles (1970)
Applying Learnings to the Workplace
Status is a complex concept that can have a significant impact on our interactions in the workplace. While social status is relatively fixed, situational status can be modulated. This means that we can consciously control our situational status, depending on the situation.
Increasing Status
When you achieve higher status, you come across as more credible. Others are more likely to pay attention and listen to what you have to say. To raise your status, you can use clear and concise language to command attention. You can take up more physical space, making yourself seen. You can also be setting the tone and drive the conversation.
Decreasing Status
If you are looking for disconfirming information and honest opinions, it’s useful to lower your status. As a leader or a product manager, you may want to consciously lower your status to make others more open to sharing their ideas. Start by being approachable and humble. Be willing to share your own ideas so others can see that you are equals. Be supportive of other people’s ideas. That makes you seen as an ally.
Let’s explore how you can potentially adjust your situational status by adapting to each scenario.
Building Status as a New Hire
Whenever I am new to a team or a company, I set up a series of meet-and-greets. As a new hire, I often start out with a relatively low status. Once I begin to ask the right questions and demonstrate a clear understanding of the team’s challenges and how I may go about addressing them, I quickly increase my status. Additional small wins to demonstrate competence and create a positive impression will also establish your credibility.
Delivering Presentations
When you make presentations to senior executives, you are often of a lower status based on the title. However, don’t let that intimidate you. After all, you are the subject matter expert of the product vision, roadmap, or project status you are presenting. Be confident! You are commanding the stage as a presenter. In that moment, you can assert yourself and be perceived as having high situational status.
This is how consultants come into an organization. They need to earn the perception of high status by quickly establishing themselves. They do this by being clear and concise in their presentations, using strong body language, and projecting confidence.
Asking for Help
When a high-status person asks for help from another, they essentially adjust their situational status down slightly. This can be a way to shift power to the other person and enable them to take control of a situation. For example, a CEO might ask their assistant to help them with a project, or a manager might ask their team for advice.
There are a few reasons why a high-status person might choose to lower their situational status. First, it can be a way to build trust and rapport with others. When someone asks for help, they are showing that they are humble and willing to learn from others. This can make them more approachable and respected. Second, lowering situational status can be a way to get things done. When a high-status person asks for help, they are essentially giving the other person permission to take control of a situation. This can be helpful if the high-status person is not an expert in the area, or if they need to free up their time to focus on other tasks.
Overall, lowering situational status can be a powerful tool for high-status people. It can be a way to build trust, get things done, and shift power to others. However, it is important to use this tool wisely and to be aware of the potential consequences.
You can choose your status in a situation, just like you can choose your words. However, you should be intentional about how you carry yourself. You should always be aware of the status differential in every scenario and figure out how you should adjust up or down. Keep in mind that, you should remain authentic.
Being authentic allows you to build trust and rapport with others. It also helps you to feel confident and in control. When you are in control, you are more likely to be able to influence others and achieve your desired outcomes.
Consider experimenting with how you can adjust your status in different situations and see how it affects your interactions with others. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with it. And the more comfortable you are, the more effective you will be.
