Peter Sims

Chris Rock has become one of the most popular comedians in the world and while there is no doubt he’s got great talent – his brilliance also comes from his approach. So, for example, the acts he rolls out on HBO or global tour are actually the result of thousands of little bets – some of which worked, but many of which failed miserably, at least initially.

Consider his approach.

First, he picks small venues where he can do rapid, low-risk experiments with new material. In gearing up for his latest global tour, he made between 40 and 50 appearances at a small venue called the Stress Factory in New Brunswick, New Jersey, not far from where he lives. Rock says, “It’s like boxing training camp. I always pick a comedy club to work out in.”

In front of audiences of say 30 to 40 people, Rock will bring a yellow legal note pad with lots of ideas scribbled on it. In sets that run about 45 minutes, many of the jokes will fall flat, but according to according to fellow comedian Matt Ruby, “There were 5-10 lines during the night that were just ridiculously good. Like lightning bolts. My sense is that he starts with these bolts and then writes around them.”

But it’s all part of his approach. When the material falls flat, Rock will pause to say things like, “This needs to be fleshed out more if it’s gonna make it.”

Believe it or not, Amazon innovates much like Chris Rock. Led by founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s culture breathes experimentation, including to identify unique growth opportunities beyond the company’s core book business – such as Amazon Marketplace and Amazon Web Services.

It’s fascinating. Rock’s approach is both extremely creative and pragmatic simultaneously. He doesn’t over-analyze at first or put all of his hopes into one big idea. Rather, he quickly and inexpensively uses experiments to learn, gather insights, and identify opportunities then rapidly iterates, rigorously tests, and refines his ideas to create a flawless new show. Nothing happens by chance. He learns and pieces ideas together as he goes.

Chris Rock has become the king of comedy, but getting there doesn’t happen in a vacuum. His approach is genius.

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