Improvisation has been a part of my facilitation practice for 27 years now (fascinating!). I still improvise on stage, and I always use improv games in leadership and training programs.
Here are the words of someone who has been studying improv for a very short while.
Improv indirectly teaches you about teamwork and leadership. I don’t believe leadership is about ignoring people and telling them what they should do, or castigating them for not doing something. Leadership is not about knowing all the answers or stomping around and shouting until everyone agrees with you and your actions. Or, get pissed off because someone has the audacity not to be able to read their mind. I believe leadership is about trusting people to do their jobs and being there for them, encouraging them and telling them why you think they’re awesome. Leadership is not about making people fearful due to a fixed idea of how things should be – this only shatters confidence and increases self-doubt. Second guessing what a ‘leader’ wants is draining – equally, so too is feeling scared you’re not doing what they want or would do themselves. If you feel intimidated it’s for a good reason. They want you to feel that way because it empowers them in a completely misguided way. It’s all very exhausting and doesn’t need to be this way.
Read the entire post here.
