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The Second City and Audio Platform Vennly Inc. Announce Exclusive Content Partnership

The Second City, the world’s premier comedy theater and school of improvisation announced an exclusive partnership today with Vennly, Inc., an audio platform that enables businesses to seamlessly and securely share audio content to their preferred communication channels.

Leaders: The Frontline in the Battle with Burnout

Burnout doesn’t manifest because employees aren’t working hard enough to prevent it. Burnout is a result of a work environment that doesn’t provide employees with the resources needed to meet their organizations’ expectations.

The Cost of Burnout

Job stress is cited as an increasing source of anxiety for many, and when unmanaged, it causes employee burnout. Check out this infographic on the emotional and financial toll associated with the pervasive problem of burnout.

Humor Me: How Comedy Helps Learning

Comedy has the power to disarm people. You can make the toughest subjects digestible through a comedic lens, even workplace harassment.

[Webinar] Hybrid Work: New Communications for New Challenges

How do you effectively convey key expectations that will keep people safe and comfortable about being in the workplace again?

July 27-28: HCI Employee Engagement VIRTUAL Conference

Join us for HCI's Employee Engagement virtual conference to learn how to create open lanes of communication in the virtual workplace.

The Second City's Commitment

Updates from The Second City.

Engaging Remote Employees With Breakthrough Communications

There are specific risks associated with today’s work environment—data security and inappropriate social media posting, for example—in which it is important to communicate about best practices with far-flung employees.

[Webinar] From Yes And To Thank You: How Improvisation & Behavioral Science Make Work Better

Kelly Leonard to deliver webinar 'From Yes And To Thank You: How Improvisation & Behavioral Science Make Work Better' presented by The Institute for Performance and Learning.

Ethisphere Aligns with Second City Works to Offer Real Biz Shorts

The Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing standards of ethical business practices, announced today a new alliance with Second City Works.

Try These Improv Exercises To Practice Resilience in the Time of Coronavirus

Here are three exercises that can help individuals discover and implement a resiliency practice for themselves and their work teams - virtual or otherwise.

3 Ways To Help Your Virtual Teams Thrive During A Difficult Time: An Improvisational Approach

In improvisation we are taught to play the scene we’re in, not the scene we want to be in which forces us to embrace uncertainty, unease and disconnectedness.

Leaders: The Frontline in the Battle with Burnout

Burnout doesn’t manifest because employees aren’t working hard enough to prevent it. Burnout is a result of a work environment that doesn’t provide employees with the resources needed to meet their organizations’ expectations.

The Cost of Burnout

Job stress is cited as an increasing source of anxiety for many, and when unmanaged, it causes employee burnout. Check out this infographic on the emotional and financial toll associated with the pervasive problem of burnout.

Humor Me: How Comedy Helps Learning

Comedy has the power to disarm people. You can make the toughest subjects digestible through a comedic lens, even workplace harassment.

Engaging Remote Employees With Breakthrough Communications

There are specific risks associated with today’s work environment—data security and inappropriate social media posting, for example—in which it is important to communicate about best practices with far-flung employees.

Try These Improv Exercises To Practice Resilience in the Time of Coronavirus

Here are three exercises that can help individuals discover and implement a resiliency practice for themselves and their work teams - virtual or otherwise.

3 Ways To Help Your Virtual Teams Thrive During A Difficult Time: An Improvisational Approach

In improvisation we are taught to play the scene we’re in, not the scene we want to be in which forces us to embrace uncertainty, unease and disconnectedness.

How 20 Minutes of Improv Can Increase Uncertainty Tolerance

It has long been accepted that practicing improv helps people better adapt to change and think more creatively, but there was little scientific evidence to back it up...until now!

Lennox and Second City Works Collaborating to Make a Difference

Second City Works collaborated with client partners Lennox International, GE, and others to produce Real Biz Shorts Anti-Harassment video content.

How To Stay Resilient During Uncertain Times: Lessons From An Improviser

I’m writing this from my home. I’ll be here for awhile. Doesn’t feel great. But some of my colleagues at Second City Works reminded me that these can also be lemonade days where we try something new and different.

Why So Serious? How Humor Can Boost Your Compliance Training

There is an ever-increasing amount of data and research that shows humor is a vehicle for insight and behavior change. I wouldn't believe us either, so we have proof!

Event Wastes Not And Wants Not At The Second City

ReFED, an innovative nonprofit committed to reducing food waste, wanted to celebrate a year of milestones with their stakeholders in a memorable, entertaining, and uniquely-Chicago way, so they turned to The Second City to host a festive bash for guests.

What’s Feedback Got To Do With Creating An Ethical Workplace?

When building ethical cultures, leaders need to model the behaviors we desire for our employees: we need to operate in a mode of value and respect; we need to be radically candid with one another; and we need to do all of this in a useful and timely manner.

How To Use Improv To Up Your Legal Marketing Game

The tenets and skills of improv aren’t just for the budding comedy star. In a recent National Law Review article, legal marketers were encouraged to “unlock their Yes, And” as a way to stay relevant and agile in the ever-evolving industry.

Future-proof Your Workforce (or How To Not Let Robots Win): LinkedIn's 2020 Emerging Jobs Report

In LinkedIn’s third-annual LinkedIn Emerging Jobs Report, soft skills (or as we like to call them, human skills) are listed as 1 of 3 trends set to define the jobs of tomorrow in 2020.

Why Netflix Practices Failing In Order To Succeed

Stanford University lecturer Dan Klein was recently interviewed by This Working Life regarding failure, Netflix, and why more offices need improv training.

Play The Scene You’re In, Not The Scene You Want To Be In

Kelly Leonard and Anne Libera speak at the Coca-Cola CMO Leadership Summit about how they managed their daughter Nora's cancer journey with deliberate practices that created an ensemble out of caregivers.

Improvised Conversations: Sarah McEneaney, PwC

Sarah McEneaney is a Partner and the Digital Talent Leader for PwC who joins Improvised Conversations to discuss infinite learning, the Digital Accelerator program, and using improv as a lens to practice the human-centered skills centered around the change strategy at PwC.

Ethics And Compliance: A Method For Insight And Action

Humor is a vehicle for insight and improvisation provides a practice in applying that insight into real-world situations. In other words: comedy grabs the attention and improv improves the action.

5 Things To Know from Learning 2019

Members of Second City Works enjoyed a packed three days of learning and development content, got our steps in, and basked in the sunshine at the Woodstock of learning, aka Learning 2019, held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.

How Improvisation Changes the Brain

A recent article in Psychology Today by Clay Drinko, Ph.D., examines the brain activity while improvising (or being totally focused and present) and suggests how we can utilize improv thinking to make our work and daily lives richer.

The Second City and Audio Platform Vennly Inc. Announce Exclusive Content Partnership

The Second City, the world’s premier comedy theater and school of improvisation announced an exclusive partnership today with Vennly, Inc., an audio platform that enables businesses to seamlessly and securely share audio content to their preferred communication channels.

The Second City's Commitment

Updates from The Second City.

Ethisphere Aligns with Second City Works to Offer Real Biz Shorts

The Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing standards of ethical business practices, announced today a new alliance with Second City Works.

Chicago's Mayor Proves Laughter Is Also Contagious

The Washington Post noticed that Chicago's typically very serious mayor Lori Lightfoot has turned to humor (and some famous Second City alumi) to spread the word about, and get people to pay attention to, her stay-at-home orders.

The Second City Does Improv of its Own, Bringing Comedy to Your Couch

The Second City Brings Comedy to Your Couch! New live-streamed entertainment, education & business programming launches online.

[Listen] Private Equity Firm Takes a 'Yes And' Approach

SCW facilitators join the 'Private Equity Funcast,' a podcast hosted by firm ParkerGale to discuss their recent professional development for senior executives to foster growth, teamwork, and innovation. Oh – and don’t miss the end when the crew improvises a song.

LISTEN: Kelly Leonard Talks Improv as Human Practice on A Sherpa's Guide to Innovation

Kelly joins the podcast A Sherpa's Guide to Innovation to talk about the connection between improv and innovation, business skills, behavioral science, caregiving and how the principles of improv are deeply connected to the basic principles of functioning better as a human being.

LISTEN: The Power of Improv Within Corporations

Kelly Leonard joins the #UnlockingInnovation podcast with EX3 Labs to talk about cultivating talent, responding in the face of ambiguity, why improv can help solve problems in communication, and washing dishes with Jon Favreau.

Kelly Leonard talks Improv in Everyday Life in the PPG Paints Green Room with WGN Radio

Kelly Leonard visits the PPG Paints Green Room with WGN Radio to talk about how he got his start at The Second City, what he’s learned from his dad, and how improv can help you in your everyday life.

LISTEN: Using Improv to Enhance Creativity and Connection with Others

Listen: Kelly Leonard recently shared on the Mission Daily podcast why improv is at the core of what makes us human and how we can use the practice to enhance our own creativity and connection with each other.‍

Lights! Camera! Feedback!

Second City Works and Radical Candor bring together learning and development leaders from some of the world’s top organizations to exchange ideas, gather insights and share laughs at a Launch Partner Summit for a workplace comedy online learning program available in early 2020.

A New Orientation Workshop Pushes Law Students to Practice ‘Hearing One Another’

Students at the University of Chicago Law School are learning that active listening in 'Hearing One Another,' a workshop developed by the Second Science Project founded at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in collaboration with The Second City.

LISTEN: Better Your Business with The Second City Works and The Hero Factor

Kelly Leonard, Executive Director of Insights and Applied Improvisation, sat down with Entrepreneur Weekly to explain how improv is helping entrepreneurs follow their fears, hone their pitches, and learn to collaborate.

Improv and Business Share the Same Stage

Kelly Leonard recently spoke on the Outside In podcast, hosted by Charles Trevail to talk about how applying improv to business teaches us to listen and focus effectively, collaborate with others, and be ready for change.

The Act of Improv(ing) You

In a world where rapid change and innovation take center stage, interpersonal skills are now, more than ever, vital in ensuring the success of individuals and organizations.

Second City Celebrates 12 Years of Laughs at the Chicago Blackhawks Convention

Since 2008, The Second City and Second City Works have been proud to participate at the Chicago Blackhawks Convention with a live performance that brings together two of the legendary entertainment institution’s favorite things: comedy and hockey.

Improvising Radical Candor Offers A Fresh Approach to Implementing Radical Candor

Radical Candor and Second City Works continue to grow their partnership with Improvising Radical Candor: Digital, a suite of digital videos and support materials that will offer a scalable way for organizations to implement Radical Candor’s proven feedback framework. 

What Second City Works Taught SNL’s Chris Redd

Chris Redd is a current cast member on SNL, nationally touring stand-up comedian, and budding movie star. But a lucky few might recognize him from one of the professional gigs he did while working for Second City Works as one of our wildly talented performers.

Improvising Radical Candor at ATD2019

Learn more about Improvising Radical Candor at the ATD International Conference & Exposition, the world's largest, most comprehensive event for talent development and learning professionals.

Radical Candor and Second City Works Take You from HaHa to Aha with Improvising Radical Candor

Improvising Radical Candor combines the expertise of Radical Candor with the innovation of Second City Works.

[Webinar] Hybrid Work: New Communications for New Challenges

How do you effectively convey key expectations that will keep people safe and comfortable about being in the workplace again?

July 27-28: HCI Employee Engagement VIRTUAL Conference

Join us for HCI's Employee Engagement virtual conference to learn how to create open lanes of communication in the virtual workplace.

[Webinar] From Yes And To Thank You: How Improvisation & Behavioral Science Make Work Better

Kelly Leonard to deliver webinar 'From Yes And To Thank You: How Improvisation & Behavioral Science Make Work Better' presented by The Institute for Performance and Learning.

The Wednesday Works Break

Every Wednesday, join us for a 30 minute show. You bring the lunch and we'll bring the laughs.

[Webinar] Developing Leadership At Every Level: An Improvisational Approach

Kelly Leonard to deliver webinar 'Developing Leadership At Every Level: An Improvisational Approach' presented by Chief Learning Officer.

January 22-24: HRPA Annual Conference & Trade Show

Second City Works is attending the HRPA Annual Conference & Trade Show. Visit us at Booth #633 to discover the different ways Second City Works can power up your HR department.

October 29: SITE Canada Education Day 2019

Attend our Interactive Breakout Workshop and connect with Second City Works attendees at SITE Canada Education Day 2019

October 27-30: Learning 2019

Second City Works to host 2 sessions and opening entertainment for Learning 2019 in Orlando, FL

October 21-22: People + People Marketing Conference

Second City Work to host the People+People™ Conference at Second City October 21-22, 2019 with Red Caffeine.

October 14-16: Chief Learning Officer Symposium

Second City Works to lead pre-networking edu-tainment and session at Chief Learning Officer Symposium.

October 8-10: I4PL 2019

Visit Second City Works at booth #50 and attend our session, "Improvisation for Leading Through Change" at I4PL 2019 in Toronto, CA

LEADING WITH LAUGHTER: HOW VERIZON USES IMPROV TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE LEADERS

How do you equip leaders to improve their collaboration, innovation, and empathic communication capabilities? Register for this webinar and learn how we brought Verizon our unique perspective on ideation, collaboration, agility, and embracing the unknown.

September 22-24: ILSHRM HR Conference & Expo

Second City Works takes to the stage at the ILSHRM HR Conference & Expo. Interested in learning how the fundamentals of improv can help you become a more effective communicator? Stop by our session or visit us at our booth to learn more.

September 25-27: LinkedIn Talent Connect 2019

Stop by our interactive keynote or visit with Second City Works attendees at LinkedIn Talent Connect in Dallas, TX

September 15-18: 18th Annual Compliance & Ethics Institute

Second City Works is attending the 18th Annual Compliance & Ethics Institute! Visit us at Booth #217 to hear more about how Second City Works uses those same methods to create professional development, content, and events that drive personal growth and organizational improvement.

September 10-12: HCI Learning & Leadership Development

Second City Works to lead session at the HCI Learning & Leadership Development conference

August 27-28: IL CPA Summit 2019

Stop by and visit Second City Works at our booth, keynote, and flash sessions at the Summit19 hosted by the Iillinois CPA Society

August 13-14: Canadian Meetings & Events Expo

Second City Works takes to the stage at the Canadian Meetings + Events Expo. Our own Sandy Jobin-Bevans will emcee Canada's largest and longest running conference for meeting and event professionals.

July 29-31: HCI Employee Engagement Conference

Stop by the SCW booth or session at HCI Employee Engagement Conference July 29-31 in Denver, CO!

July 26 Webinar: All the World’s a Brandstage (Or, This Little Piggy Went to Market Research)

Join Second City Works for an unconventional and interactive live webinar featuring the power of improv and Brandstage on July 26, 2019.