"Yes, and" is a phrase used in Theatre Improvisation, meaning accepting and building on ideas.
The term 'improvisation' is often associated with musicians, actors, and unplanned action during crises.
We can also refer to spontaneous conversation or decision-making as improvising.
When we think of improvisation as what Paul Z Jackson calls "spontaneous creation and action",
we can use this technique to build many life skills for our personal and professional development.
The term 'improvisation' is often associated with musicians, actors, and unplanned action during crises.
We can also refer to spontaneous conversation or decision-making as improvising.
When we think of improvisation as what Paul Z Jackson calls "spontaneous creation and action",
we can use this technique to build many life skills for our personal and professional development.
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Call it thinking outside the box, innovation, spontaneity, flexibility, or the ability to transform stale and old modi operandi into thriving developments. Rather than seeing creativity as an innate quality or personality trait, I treat it as a practice.
These sessions offer a playful way to
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For some, the idea of being put on the spot creates anxiety, pressure to perform, and high expectations. For others, the sense of risk is exhilarating. For all of us, confidence builds with experience.
Together we build
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Communication is a full body experience. We use verbal and non-verbal signals to express ourselves and to read other people. Good communication is also the base of teamwork and getting things done at home and at work.
Workshops allow us to practice dealing with people by
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Improvisation is not stand-up comedy and most work is not a one-man venture. In fact, we spend most of our life around other people and getting along with them is essential to our survival.
Collaborative activities foster
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In order to move beyond our comfort zone and build on our repertoire, it is important that we feel safe and ready to take the next small steps.
Applied Improvisation workshops offer new ways to enhance our
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Neil Mullarkey
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What happens in your workshops and classes?
My sessions are a mixture of improvisation, solution focused coaching, and personal/professional development training. The aim of the sessions is learning through experiencing. Therefore, all workshops/classes are engaging and invite the whole group to participate. The atmosphere is relaxed and creates a safe environment for expression, self-reflection and practice.
Each session is prepared to fit the group's needs and as each group creates different content, no two classes are ever the same. It is not a one-solution-fits-all model. They are designed to give a warm and easy experience which you will leave feeling empowered.
How are these sessions structured?
Workshops and classes are usually a minimum of 90 minutes long and can either be one-off, regular sessions or all day events. Every session is based on a theme (say presentation skills) and will start with an introduction which flows into a warm-up. The body of the session will consist of activities and debriefs, with a cool-down, final debrief and chance to give feedback at the end.
You mention improvisation and fun activities; is this all just silly acting games?
The short answer is 'No'.
The classes make use of interactive and fun activities, however, their point goes beyond good fun. I use activities to highlight and accentuate real life experiences and we make connections to personal and professional situations during a debrief. When applicable, I use theory to further explain why the activities are the way they are.
How is this transferable to my work?
If the above listed skills and competences do not already sound like a job spec to you, let me reassure you with these business articles that praise improvisation for it's positive effect in the workplace:
Bloomberg: Improv training is making management throw away the script
Forbes: Four big lessons from Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey and Other Improv Masters
I'm shy. Will I have to perform?
The activities are rarely about acting or role playing. In fact, no interest in theatre or comedy is required at all. Each activity will include an invitation to partake and it is up to you how much you engage. Many shy people have come to my classes and have found them work wonders on their confidence.
This sounds exciting, where can I get started right now?
On the Resources page. Or contact me via email.
ADD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZttwFLymJY
http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxYouthBath-Neil-Mullarkey-Co
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YejA9mRfzog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQtWwxhjpw8