APPLIED IMPROVISATION - PART 3/3
EXERCISES & MORE

APPLYING IMPROVISATION
characters, jobs, work

How do you APPLY,
APPLIED IMPROVISATION

Making Applied improvisation work.

In part 1 of this Applied Improvisation series of articles we explored some of the basics of what Applied Impro is. 

SEE PART 1 HERE

In part 2 of the series, we looked at getting, assessing and keeping a client.

SEE PART 2 HERE

In  this final episode, let’s look at what to do and how do do it in a way that works for the team you’ll be working with.

MAKE THE WORK RELEVANT

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE!

Improvisers see how improvisation relates to the Professor in front of students, the Engineer solving problems and Marketers creating engaging stories.

Those same Engineers, Professors and Marketers might have a more difficult time equating a fast paced storytelling game into relevant tactics for improving their work. 

My first suggestion is to avoid referring to performance and  entertainment. Bring in relative phrases from their work. Ask relevant questions about their experiences and overlap the lessons of the exercises with their experiences.

You might sound more impressive referring to being on “stage”  entertaining an “audience“, with your great “scene“, but you will be more effective talking about “The Client” in the “office” and the positive “outcomes” of interaction.

Don’t tell them that they are doing comedy or are playing a “wacky theatre game”. It’s the quickest way to make them disengage with you. 

Share your tactics for more engaging presentations. Express the ideas that will open up possibilities to improve the office work environment. Offer them tools to aid them in creative problem-solving. 

black corded telephone
LET'S TALK
meet, relationship, business
people raising hands with bokeh lights
Yessssssss, and....

THE BASICS

By no means exhaustive, here are some ideas to get you started to find clients to work with.

  • Blocking & Accepting

    Defence mechanisms for most people revolve around control. If we have little, we want to assert more. If we have none we hide under a rock so we aren't noticed or throw that rock at someone to show strength.

    Whether it's issues with group dynamics, productivity, creative development or relationship with clients the skill of accepting ideas should be high on your list of skills to help them develop. There are plenty of games out there. Here are a couple to get you started.

    Try exercises like YES LETS, (Keith Johnstone, Impro for Storytellers) or-
    Leave the Room For The Same Reason the basics of what Applied Impro is.

    Leave the Room For The Same Reason


    Remember that accepting the ideas aren't enough. The attitude is what matters. Have them accept each other's ideas with a horrible attitude for a few seconds and they will recognize that guy in the office who says yes but his body communicates contempt and disagreement.
    Have them "OVER ACCEPT" and add to their partner's offers and you take immediate steps into a more creative mindset.

  • STATUS EXERCISES

    All of our relationships are governed by status interactions. If you are dealing with office dynamics or employee/client interaction, you'll see the dance of importance and insignificance everywhere.

    Try simple status battles. Don't just make this about being the most confident person in the room. Being able to lower status at the right time can aid in balancing an out of sync relationship. After they've had fun trying to be just a little bit higher status than each other, see if they can do the same interaction (scene) competing to be just below their partner's status.

    Make sure they understand that status work is not a tool for dominating others. It's a multi purpose tool for engaging reluctant communicators and co-workers. It's a tool for creating confidence in the clients for what we are selling, and presenting who we are.

    Try MINIMAL GAP status. "Normal people" with reasonable amounts of empathy constantly adjust their status to the people and situations around them. In interactions with each other, have the attendees watch and listen carefully to their partners and adjust their status up or down so it become difficult for the audience to see any difference in status levels.

    Keith Johnstone is the recognized master in the work of status. Pick up Impro or Impro For Storytellers and absorb his tips, tricks and status wisdom.

  • CONTROL EXERCISES

    Another pillar of Improvisation theory revolves around the concept of control. This is also a major theme in most applied impro work when you are dealing with businesses that have strong hierarchical structures.

    While some companies want the control freaks to give slack to the rest of the team, an equal number of companies are concerned that team members avoid control because they fear failure. " Let someone else put their head on the chopping block. If I remain quiet. I remain safe." This mindset is an infectious virus that removes innovation and growth from organizations.

    Try exercises that engage risk for the control adverse. And try exercises that promote care for one's partner when it comes to those control freaks"

  • CHAPTER 6

    "Chapter 6?" You ask? I refer to Keith Johnstone's "Impro For Storytellers" His sixth chapter covers a number of basics that reflect issues not only on stage but in the workplace and in most of our interactions.

    Check out the Improvisation School's article about THE HIDDEN GEMS OF CHAPTER 6 here for insights and ideas to include in teaching your corporate workshops.

MORE THAN ONE WAY TO WORK

As with the variety of Improvisation show formats, there are styles of Applied Improvisation workshops and seminars.

  • MOCK REALITY

    There is a long history of Mock trials and Mock Medical Improvisation

    In these styles of Applied Improvisation, the improvisation tool is in the performing. Your work as a character is prized by a defense lawyer who wants to try his case out on a mock jury or see how his client appears to you when he answers questions for practice before the actual case.

    The Health care system uses improvisers who are coached to play certain symptoms in front of would be health care specialists. They can try out their diagnostic knowledge on you rather than a cold computer or an actual patient.

  • DIRECTING THE PARTICIPANTS

    This style of Applied Impro calls on your directing, awareness and empathy skills.

    A client comes to you and says that they want their managers and employees to have training in practical presentation and interaction with others. In this style you might sit back and facilitate a reality that exists in their organization between participants. You would pose problems that you are aware the client wants to work on and you would facilitate their exploration in improving their skills to deal with the situation.

    In one example, managers handling a large workforce were asked to bring in issues that had been impacting their specific areas of control. One junior manager was dealing with senior employees approaching retirement. The employees were reluctant to give the young manager status and often failed to do what was asked of them.

    We did a number of scenarios where he got to play the difficult employee while other managers tried various approaches to deal with the situation. They switched roles and developed tools that helped the manager with his confidence and practical means to affect the situation.

  • Specific Skills

    Probably the most common style of Applie Improvisation revolves around the group developing skills that are needed for a stronger functioning organisation.

    Alternatively, it becomes a stress relase where participants can play and step away from the stress of their daily routine. They might also be looking at a way to engage in a non work situation to create a broader base of trust in their existing community.

woman placing sticky notes on wall

THERE IS ALWAYS MORE....

  • Be ready to Improvise....

    It's easy to become lazy when the work starts rolling in. You develop a confidence in the ideas you present and you fall back on that success. When your work becomes scripted and you are applying ideas to a client before you really know who they are, you might want to just step back and consider what you are doing.

    Every group is different. Respectfully see them in that light

    These past three articles on Applied Improvisation are just scratches on the surface of possibilities. Remember to stay engaged with new clients and to keep developing exciting and engaging approaches to each of the groups that have decided you are worth having as an influence on their culture.