Nick Morgan essentially has spent the last 15 years as a Laughter Coach; he helps groups to use improv, comedy, and laughter to overcome barriers, improve their communication skills, learn how to land a sale, and face their fears. “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people, it instantly connects people, and is the most important thing in our world today,” says Nick, “I would love to get people from opposing sides in a room and take them through some improv exercises because laughter and perspective is just that powerful.”
Intro to Improv
Although Nick has an accounting and finance background, which has afforded him awesome opportunities, the improv and comedy world captivated him from his first introduction in 2002 at a Second City show in Chicago. He was intrigued by the witty, light, educated prose of the actors and how tied they were to each other. Nick immediately signed up for classes and has been a part of many theater groups from Chicago, to Washington D.C., to Toledo, and also began teaching classes. As the Director of Improv at the Toledo Rep and also the founder of his own company called Improvable Solutions Inc, he has a new appreciation for his craft. “I appreciate improv much more now that I’m teaching it. I get to see the transformation people make and the barriers they overcome by using improv and I’m happy I get to be a part of that.” Being present when others have a breakthrough, overcome a fear, or have an “ah-ha” moment is like a rush of emotions for Nick.
Improv has allowed Nick an opportunity to get to know many people; baseball teams, teachers, and sales teams are a few of the groups he gets to teach on a regular basis. Everyone is always terrified when they hear they’re doing improv exercises, however by the end of the session, they are really happy they came and even more connected to the people in their group. These sessions allow people to learn how to be in the moment, communication skills, listening, not forcing a pitch on someone, and even the mentality needed to be a great player on and off the field.
Laughter > Inhibitions
The interesting thing about working with adults is that as we get older we get very serious about ourselves, but once you strip that away, gather a group of strangers in a room, and insert laughter, people can connect easier and more quickly. “The thing I’m most surprised by is that at the end of a class, people are saying how much they love each other, and not in a creepy way, but coming from a very genuine and honest place. When you collectively face a fear and overcome it together, it is easy to quickly establish a connection,” inserts Nick.
All We Need Is Laughter
When Nick looks over his life, all of his friends from various background, and even his wife, laughter is the common denominator of them all. “Laughter has always been here and will continue to be a thing 10,000 years from now. Even across many cultures, laughter is a sign of welcoming.” Laughter is essentially the miracle cure we all need, the antithesis of doom.
Nick is a speaker at TEDxToledo 2017 | OVERCURRENT. Tickets are available now here.
