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more about play, improv, life

want more productive dialogue?

4/3/2017

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I've facilitated a few improv workshops for classes in the Environmental Dispute Resolution program at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. The program recently hosted a conference on fostering productive dialogue. In reading an account of the conference, I noticed repeated themes around communicating and listening. Speakers mentioned a number of soft skills that support effective communication, including authenticity, clarity, vulnerability, empathy and curiosity.  These are all qualities that are developed in the practice of improv. Although it is fun to bring out interesting characters in a comedic improv performance, the core of the practice helps actors to access and express their whole, authentic selves.
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through spontaneity we are re-formed into ourselves...the moment frees us from handed down frames of reference, memory choked with old facts and information, and undigested theories and techniques of other people's findings. Spontaneity is the moment of personal freedom… In this reality the bits and pieces of ourselves function as an organic whole." Viola Spolin, the mother of improvisation training
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How does our team get something new?

8/12/2016

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Outside-the-box thinking, innovative products, ideas and approaches - these are gold to growing, adaptive organizations. The problem is that leaders often don't know how to help their people get there. You may know the saying, "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." So how do we get something new? Roger Chandler of Intel shares his insights on applying principles of improvisational theatre to get quick results from collaborative teams:
  • Listen - clear to the end.
  • It's not about you, it's about the team. Co-create by saying "yes" to your teammate's idea and adding something more
  • Planning too far ahead may blind you to opportunity
  • Own up to mistakes and find the opportunities that they hold
Check out Roger's post to read more on how improv has helped him to be an even better creative team member.

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