100 Ways to Play at Work #3: Mirroring (Verbal)

Photo by Kevin Thom

There’s an improv game called Headlines where someone makes up a newspaper headline, then the next person uses the last word of that headline as the first word of theirs.

“Local cat runs for mayor.”

“Mayor decides to do things based on financial incentive.”

“Incentive is a word that I’ll look up later.”

Now you can play that game with your conversations at work.

“Hey, did you hear that Mittens actually won and is now our mayor?”

“Mayor mittens? I like it.”

“You’re not worried about a cat making our city’s decisions?”

“Decisions are a cat’s specialty, they always know what they want and act on it.”

“I guess. Welp, I should get back to working on my AI.”

“AI is how we business.”

Bonus Challenge: Repeat more than just one word, use the last series words in your reply. (Saw this on some CIA Masterclass.) Again, don’t overdo it, just enough that you feel tickled.

100 Ways to Play at Work #2: Mirroring

Photo by Kevin Thom

If they cross their legs, you cross yours. Take a sip of coffee/water/martini at the same time they do. Also frown at your computer screen for hours and hours making occasional under your breath grumbling comments.

Nothing too obvious, like flailing your arms exactly the same way while they’re talking, but match their energy.

Mirroring isn’t just an enjoyable distraction, it’s also a legitimate way humans connect with each other. Remember, people generally like how they do things, so the more you’re like them, the more they’ll like you.

Not A Bonus Challenge: There’s an improv game called “one voice” where you try to talk at the same time as someone else, but let’s not get too advanced/annoying too quickly.