Examples of improv in business

It’s no surprise – learning the practices of improvisation, has transformed the way I work, the way I facilitate, the way I relate to others, my outlook and my approach. Big claims? You bet.

The internet enables us to find others who share this passion for improv. This is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we can find others who share this belief that improv is a fundamental skill for navigating the uncertainty of the world, and a curse because it may lull us into a believing that improv is now mainstream is business. Not yet. Definitely not yet. Using improv in business settings is still at the edge.

So I’m delighted to find this selection of essays about improv in business compiled by Ian Gotts and John Cremer. It is a cracker. If you’ve ever wondered what all the fuss is about, and why you should consider improv – in any context – it’s worth a read. Lots of examples and case studies and different applications of improv.

And if you’d like to explore applied improv – or improv in business, communities and organisations – closer to home (if home is Australia ofc), early bird registration is now open for AIN Downunder, right here in Melbourne , July 12 & 13. More information right here on this website.

April 1st – Lock it in, Eddie.

April 1st is an easy date to remember. April Fool’s Day.

According to that modern fount of all knowledge, Wikipedia, “The earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (1392).”

Then there’s the 1986 movie April Fool’s Day where a group of nine college students staying at a friend’s remote island mansion begin to fall victim to an unseen murderer over the April Fool’s day weekend. And the 2008 video where a year after an April Fool’s Day prank which resulted in the death of one of their set, a group of friends find themselves targeted by someone who is out for revenge. Neither sound very foolish to me.

I’m sure you have your own April Fool’s Day story.

You can also read about the Top 100 April Fool’s Day Hoaxes of all time.

And in late breaking news…(drum roll please)…it’s also marks the first ever Incredibubble Festival “A festival of happiness for the kid in everyone” .oO by the amazing @DrFroth.

This year – 2012 – the day has added significance. It’s the closing date for early-bird registration for AIN Downunder. You’ve been warned.

Make your partner look good

This is one my favourite improv principles. It’s just so obvious – focus on making others look good. It’s about shifting the focus from yourself to others, and being concerned more about the overall outcome – whether that’s a performance, a workshop, a show, a presentation, or a conference

Speaking of conferences, it’s the last three days for super early bird registration for AIN Downunder. You can help make the conference look good by showing up and making us all look good! Go here to register.

It’s gonna be amazing!

When did we lose our urge to play?

I am currently working with a client who is part of a small team. They have engaged me to create a space where they can explore the way they work together. Their hope is to become more innovative and collaborative across the team. Sounds familiar doesn’t it.

In recent conversations I sensed a palpable aversion to playing games. They have been burned in the past by consultants using games that made them uncomfortable. I have probably been guilty of this myself in the past. But for me it begs a broader question … When did we lose our urge to play? More importantly, how do we recapture our natural instinct to move, laugh and work together in new ways?

I’ll be taking a leaf of courage from the AIN Community and apply improv more in 2012.

Geoff Brown

The Way of Improvisation

This 10-minute TEDx talk by Dave Morris captures some of the reasons why applying improvisation will help save the world. Okay, maybe that’s a bit over the top. It could make you happier, and that’s a good thing. Yes?

Exciting news! Melbourne Playback Theatre Company partners with AIN Downunder

This is fabulous news. We welcome Melbourne Playback Theatre Company to AIN Downunder as partners in this inaugural applied improv conference.

For over 30 years Melbourne Playback Theatre Company has assisted some of Australia’s leading executives, top trainees and corporate teams to develop key business skills, including self-awareness, leadership and team work. Corporate training programs utilise the playback theatre form to endorse innovative thinking, active listening, emotional intelligence and creativity that assist in creating cohesive teams, change management and re-energising personnel at all levels.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee…

Excited.

Yay! Registration is now open

And be quick – super duper early bird is available only until the end of January.

Go here to register.

It’s probably apt that my new set of applied improv cards arrived today. I think this one is suitable for a registration announcement.

Excited. Much.

What’s at the heart of applied improv?

This morning I tweeted an article that was shared on Facebook (no, this isn’t a post about social media). This one: Improvisation May Be the Key to Successfully Managing Change, says MIT It seemed to generate a lot of interest.

Applied improv gets me excited like nothing else. I think it’s important to take notice of such feelings and see where it leads. In this case, it’s led to me trying to work out why applied improv has this effect.

My work as a facilitator with groups falls into three broad categories:

• planning, designing, clarifying what we do, and how we do it; what helps, and what hinders
• something’s wrong and we’re not sure what – this often turns up as a request for team building
• capacity building: we need to be better at creativity, innovation, responding, change, presentations,customer service etc

I’ll use a range of processes and tools, and they’ll differ in every workshops. I have a ‘kit bag’ full of activities, questions, processes, games, ideas etc, yet none of them are worth anything much without empathy for the people I’m working with. And while every workshop is different, what’s consistent is that the people in every workshop are living, breathing humans. Their circumstances may vary, their backgrounds, their languages and their culture. They still live and breathe and love, hurt and cry, the same as you and me.

Improvisation and spontaneity touch us all  - we are improvisational by nature, tapping into our emotions and feelings, our experiences, our stories, our relationships with ourselves and others, they way we behave. This is what I think is fundamentally at the heart of working with groups.

Yet we often block that part of ourselves, talking ourselves into being rational, focused, planned and in control. I’d love that as much as the next person. Trouble is, it’s a fantasy. Something always comes up. And we keep on going, we do what has to be done in whatever circumstances we find ourselves and with whatever resources we have. We improvise.

Rediscovering this natural approach to how we are is at the heart of why I’m excited about applied improv. Bringing improv back to schools and education, in government and policy making, in businesses that are thriving and those who are struggling, in the health sector, in humanitarian aid and on-line – in any industry or situation, we can do in life what improvisors do on the stage.

And what better stage is there than life?

(Re-posted from Beyond the Edge)

More minds = opening up

We sat around a table at Hub Melbourne this morning to talk about an Applied Improv Conference for Melbourne next year. Thanks to Ian David from Melbourne Playback Theatre Company, Andrew Rixon from Babelfish Group and Sascha Rixon from Melbourne Uni for showing up – and also to all of you who couldn’t be there in person and sent good vibes anyway.

We talked about how an applied improv conference might differ from an improv conference – relevant because the week before this event, improvisors and performers from across Australia and the world will gather in chilly, warm-hearted Canberra for Improvention – a festival of improv workshops, performances and much more, for improvisors, by improvisors.

We also talked about how this Regional AIN (Applied Improvisation Network) Conference might differ from those hosted in Europe and North America (next year’s world AIN Conference will be in San Francisco 20 – 23 September). After all, we’re about building on offers, moving the action forward and making our partners look good!

I’ve said elsewhere on this site that applied improv is about taking improv out of the theatre and into the world. We reinforced, and built, on that idea by exploring that an improv conference is not targeted at improvisors/performers per se – the target audience are those people who could benefit from improvisation principles and application in their work: accountants, lawyers, social entrepreneurs, those working in health and education, businesses.

Applied improv is about filling the creativity gap, learning how to develop relationships with clients and co-workers (especially in industries that are very procedures focused), confidence and skills in being in front of an audience, enhancing communication and building agility to respond in the face of uncertainty. And creating a thirst for more – to learn more about improvisation, and all its applications.

What do you think?

I’ll be contacting some people who could be draw cards to such audiences. I’ll be putting together a business case to try and attract a partnering organisation. And I’ll be taking a big breath, before showing up, letting go and and jumping in.

If you have any suggestions or comments please email me viv at mcwaters dot com dot au or leave a comment below.

Proposed dates: Thursday 12th and Friday 13th July 2012

Oh, and we also threw about ideas for a name:

• Improv Transfer
• Spontaneous and Able
• Notice. Create. Commit.

Taking shape

A venue – that’s been the sticking point. Where’s a good place for a bunch of improvisors to gather?

The venue can’t be too precious about noise or us moving around lots – and we need spaces in which to lounge, to get into those fantastic conversations that we all love so much. Access to the outdoors would be nice, and rooms filled with natural light. A large space for us all to gather and break out spaces for workshops. Oh, and a bar. And decent catering on-site or nearby. And near transport. Easy access and all that. Parking for those who want to drive, public transport for others. Bicycle friendly. Access to great coffee. Either in the city or city fringe. Not too corporate, and not too expensive!

Well, folks – I think I’ve found just the place that surprisingly meets all those criteria. Woot! Just waiting for confirmation and all will be revealed. Stay tuned!