Happier Valley Comedy to Unveil Team-building Business Program

NORTHAMPTON — After years of using improvisation to help Western Mass. businesses work better, Happier Valley Comedy’s founder and president Pam Victor notes that, “if it weren’t for people, business would be easy. People are always the tricky part of working together. People need support working as a team with more joy and productivity.”

With that in mind, Victor’s company, Happier Valley Comedy, is unveiling a new team-building program with an interactive information session called “Creating a Crackerjack Team THROUGH LAUGHTER” on Friday, March 16 at 33 Hawley St., Northampton. And, yes, participants will be greeted at the door with their own box of Cracker Jacks.

According to ClearCompany, 97% of employees and executives believe lack of alignment within a team impacts the outcome of a task or project, and 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures. Victor is teaming up Stephen Butler of Butler Associates to flip those stats for the businesses of Western Mass. with a program that demonstrates how companies can strengthen team communication and collaborative skills and boost more efficient decision-making and flexibility with change using the tools of improv and experiential training.

“The sessions offer lessons and skills that are readily transferable to workplace settings,” said Stephen Butler, who also works at Amherst College as a trainer and OD specialist. “Perhaps of equal importance, the sessions are filled with laughter, which enables the learning to happen in an atmosphere of exploration and fun.”

The March 16 information session includes participatory demonstrations of team-building improv exercises, handouts about the value of improv training for professional development, a question-and-answer session, and review of a case study in how the program has benefited a local business.

The session will be led by Victor, founder and president of Happier Valley Comedy, where she runs the THROUGH LAUGHTER program and a full-curriculum improv comedy school, as well as producing regular improv shows in Western Mass., and Butler, an independent consultant and trainer with more than 40 years of experience designing and leading trainings.

The event runs from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The fee is $25 per person or $50 total for two or more employees. Participants must register in advance, as space is limited. For more information, visit www.happiervalley.com/creating-a-crackerjack-team.html.