Improvisation as a Bridge to Authenticity: How to Unlock Team Energy

When we talk about improvisation, most people imagine actors on stage — quick, witty, and unpredictable. But for Diana, who was in the role of a facilitator this week, improvisation was not about a performance technique; it’s a skill that can be obtained and deepens with experience.

Recently, she brought this philosophy into a corporate workshop using the VOX CODE Improvisation Deck, a set of 46 creative prompts designed to spark spontaneity and authentic communication. The result? A tired after-work team rediscovered its energy, curiosity, and sense of shared purpose.

“I’ve learned that improvisation isn’t just something you do — it’s something you use,” Diana explains. “In my earlier workshops, the focus was on practicing improvisation itself. This time, I wanted to use it as a means to explore something deeper: the team’s core values.”

Before the session, she customised several card prompts to match the needs of the business she conducted the workshop for. “The VOX CODE deck became my creative partner in planning. I treated the cards not as a strict program, but as an adaptable toolkit. They gave me ideas for exercises that would help the group open up and connect.”

The workshop began with a pair exercise that set a lighthearted tone. Each duo brainstormed four adjectives, chose the funniest or most vivid ones, and used them to play out a short scene: one person was a barista, the other one was the coffee machine.

“It sounds simple, but that’s the beauty of it,” Diana says. “It got them laughing, moving, and letting go of the day’s stress. You could literally see their energy shift.”

Participants who had arrived drained from work, rating their energy “five out of ten”, started to brighten. “By the time we moved on to the improvisation cards, they were engaged and playful. The games helped them drop the masks they wear in daily life.”

The second half of the workshop shifted from action to reflection. Each small team received a random set of ten value cards and was asked to narrow them down to five, defining what each chosen value meant to them.

“The conversations that followed were incredible,” she recalls. “They weren’t forced or theoretical, they were real. Words like love, respect, and authenticity kept appearing. The teams realized how much they already shared in common.”

The VOX CODE cards, once again, acted as a bridge, guiding participants from playfulness into meaningful dialogue. “They helped create a space of trust and depth where talking about values felt natural, not corporate.”

To close the session, the group formed a circle. The facilitator offered a compliment to one person, who then passed it on to the next, and so on until everyone had both given and received appreciation, another VOX CODE card to play.

“It was such a simple act, but deeply powerful,” Diana reflects. “You could feel the room soften. By the end, their energy was not just high, it was warm.”

Looking back, Diana describes the session as one of her most fluid and rewarding experiences.

“This time, I was really in the flow,” she says. “I wasn’t teaching improvisation; I was using it, as a language for connection. The cards helped me tune into the group’s needs and build something authentic in real time.”

Her key insight: Improvisation is a skill, but connection is the art.

Asked what advice Diana would give others working with the VOX CODE deck, she doesn’t hesitate:

“Let the cards be part of the meeting, not the whole meeting. Give participants the chance to draw, play, and reflect. And don’t be afraid to adapt the prompts to your goals. The deck is not the destination; it’s a doorway, into dialogue, energy, and authenticity.”

“This time, we explored the team’s values, and the cards helped release tension after a long workday. They tuned everyone into the same wavelength, unleashed creative energy, and created a space of trust and depth. The conversation about values felt effortless and real.”

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