What is applied improvisation?
What is improvisation?
There is a common view that improvisation is the last resort of the unprepared amateur.
I see if differently.
As a performer, trainer and improv coach I see improvisation as a highly refined system for observing, connecting and responding. Thanks to Jill Bernard for that definition!
Simply put, life demands that we improvise well. To do otherwise is to get stuck, repeating the patterns of the past.
What is applied improvisation?
Applied improvisation uses practical teaching methods that were discovered in improvised theatre and developed into experiential learning tools in the worlds of business, education and more.
It takes the principles and skills improvisers use on stage and hones and applies them to:
- teamwork
- leadership
- interpersonal skills
- storytelling
- creativity
It doesn't aim to help you perform improv on a stage (take a straight improv class for that! See my public classes at
Here and Now People).
Instead the focus is on developing confidence and flexibility to have full, rich and meaningful interactions and honing and refining the skills and mindset needed to work in high performing teams.
To put it another way: it's yoga for your social skills. Noisy group mindfulness. A workout for your teamwork. A way of exercising your humanity. A mindset for thriving in uncertainty.
Done well it feels light but goes deep.
As you'd expect, training that use improvisation is focused on learning by doing. It blends well with other forms of learning and is supported by reflective discussions, individual and peer coaching, breakouts and practical applications to your context. On top of that I use a variety of visual aids and ways to support different learning styles.
The joy of applied improvisation is that it can easily be integrated with whatever you are focusing on. I've run sessions on marketing, membership engagement, team work, strategy activation, leadership skills and bringing psychometric profiles to life. The possibilities are endless (so far in my experience at least).
How is it applied?
Training with applied improvisation helps people to:
- build and maintain positive relationships
- develop teams with high trust and effectiveness
- be authentically present in the moment
- enhance creativity and flexibility
- improve courage and confidence
- bring humour and play to work
- develop skills for storytelling
- have courageous conversations
- stress less, smile more :-)
As you can probably see by now, the skills that improvisers use on stage can be honed and applied to off-stage situations.
Applied improvisation pioneer Kat Koppett puts it like this:
"We all make performance choices every day, and when we learn to make them consciously and deliberately, rather than unconsciously and habitually, we vastly expand our ability to connect, influence and lead.”
How do you coach applied improvisation?
It's a science and an art. I take it seriously and deliver it playfully.
As an experienced facilitator working in the corporate world I make sure that it always feels fun, safe, relevant and doable.
In a class you'll experience a mix of exercises, games, activities with opportunities for reflection and application.
There's usually a lot of energy and laughter, but don't be deceived by appearances, the learning feels light but goes deep.
Are there any guidelines for improvising?
Yes, there are skills and principles you can learn to help you handle the unexpected. With practice you can get better at using them. That's why people take improvisation classes!
When you see a skilled improviser at work, anywhere in the world, they will be using these simple guidelines: listen, accept, build and commit.
The opposite practice would be to
ignore, resist, reject, hold back. And we see that in the world, and in our interactions with other people already
It's lots of fun too. Rather than being deep and heavy it feels light, and there is laughter and surprise as people learn to ditch the script, let go and focus on each other!
You can download a guide I created about
The improvising mindset to find out more about these principles and how they can become a mindset, a lens on the world, that is useful in everyday life.
"Improvisation is one of the two or three cardinal skills for people to learn in future."
John Kao
Don’t be deceived by appearances though, it offers profoundly rich learning and the ripples will last a long time.
Interactive training programmes that bring the power of improv and story to life and help you apply them in your workplace.
You’ll be learning by doing and finding your learning edge by discovering principles for free-flowing creative collaboration.
Short sessions using improv-inspired activities to develop the ‘soft’ skills for outstanding creativity and communication.
Training with improv and story is a killer combo that builds more teamwork, teamplay and flow in day-to-day work.
One-on-one personal training sessions to help you navigate your world with more flexibility and productive flow.
Using simple activities we'll go on creative adventures to grow your confidence for listening, leading and spontaneity.
Over the years I’ve got around a bit. Here are some of the clients who have helped me learn my craft as a facilitator, consultant and trainer.
Neil Prem | Executive Director
Dave Hampton | Co-founder
Simon Biggs | CEO
Liz Barnard | Service Manager
James Cretney | CEO
Sally Butcher | CEO
Steve Roche | Director
Lindsey Walker | Co-founder
Suzanne Hawkes | Theatre Director
It's about being half a shade braver and making human connections at work.
Comes out every few months.
Thank you!
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