Organizations depend on all employees to come up with fresh ideas. They depend on teams that can effectively collaborate. And our facility to stay productive in the face of change is vital. We can do all of this…by using the art and science of improvisation. Improvisation is an engaging learning tool that can help individuals and work groups be more adaptive and open to change, and create cohesive, trusting teams. An Improv State of Mind offers practical exercises -complete with debrief questions – for the improv novice and for coaches, trainers, facilitators, talent managers and OD professionals who are ready to embrace new ways to learn…and succeed.

Workplace “drama” that’s productive! The secret to business growth is right before your eyes―it’s the creativity and innovation percolating in each one of your employees every minute of every day. How do you harness it to make it work for your organization? Business Improv! Based on the science of experiential learning, Business Improv uses improvisation activities from the theater to transform each employee into a great leader. The 75 hands-on activities in this proactive guide help you create an organization filled with people who: * Engage with and “own” their work * Generate creative ideas that drive profit * Build innovative teams * Solve problems effectively * Make decisions with conviction * Respond and adapt to change With Business Improv, you have the one and only tool you need to facilitate real, lasting leadership skills in every employee.

Radical Innovation in Business through Improv Looking for new ideas? Need your teams to come up with that “next big thing?” Want to infuse or perpetuate a culture of innovation? Follow along with these two dynamic authors as they take you through Brain Disruption, one of the most engaging and powerful methods to getting individuals, teams and organizations to step up and solve problems. Steeped in the world of improv comedy, this no-nonsense guide provides a window into the neuroscience behind creativity and idea generation. Filled with exercises and activities, you’ll be able to apply the lessons in this book almost immediately.

Using Improvisation to Create Positive Results in Leadership and Life Improve yourlife, where everything is not made up and the points don’t matter. Drew Carey’s show Whose Line Is It Anyway? has turned improvisational comedy into a pop culture phenomenon. But improv is more than just laughs, it’s a valuable training tool that will make you a more effective business professional. Inside, you will discover how to: Replace negative phrases like Yes, but… with successful terms like ‘Yes, and…’ Park your agenda and really hear your client out. By listening to understand, you can adapt to their ideas and produce a more positive outcome. Grow your client relationships beyond the numbers to build rapport, comfort, and trust. Improv is no Joke is must-read for accountants, bankers, and other financial professionals to sharpen the invaluable leadership and communication skills you need to successfully relate to clients and communicate complex information in a user-friendly way. “Peter is the first CPA speaker who actually made me laugh. Who knew accountants could be funny AND inspiring? Now, if I could just get my taxes to not be a joke!” Judy Carter, author of The Comedy Bible and The Message of You

Tom Smith took his first improv class in 1985, and has been performing and teaching it ever since. He founded Walla Walla Theatresports in 1988 and has taught hundreds of improv workshops and classes, from Creede, Colorado to Dresden and Mosbach, Germany. He has performed with numerous long and short form groups, including Arkansas Toothpick Extravaganza, Seattle Theatresports, and Crooked Mirror. Official page

Acting on Impulse is a new approach to the art of improvising. Carol Hazenfield combines new theory with practical exercises and a unique understanding of the rewards and challenges faced by performers. This in-depth look at improv is written in a conversational style with an easy blend of humor and passion. Acting on Impulse seeks to challenge the status quo (and slay some sacred cows) in the pursuit of dynamic, spontaneous theater. Part One teaches players to perform truthfully from their instincts, emphasizing physical and emotional work as the basis for vibrant interactions. Part Two presents practical, accessible guidelines for narrative, character development, environments, group scenes, genre work and long-form improvisation. Readers will also learn the essentials of spontaneous acting through the use of objectives and tactics. A special chapter on how to make scenes work takes the mystery out of improv mastery. Instructors will appreciate the Appendix for Teachers, which offers tips on class design, constructive note-giving and additional exercises.

We all want good scenes. But it seems the harder we work, the less likely we are to stumble towards them. Improvising Now offers techniques, tricks, and secrets used by professionals to make the act of improvising easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable onstage. You’ll discover easy tools to navigate some of the more stressful parts of scene work, including: • Starting scenes • Discovering the character dynamic • Playing patterns and Game of the Scene • Heightening your own ideas • Mental blocks to discovery • Navigating group scenes • Second beats and structure • Tips for intermediate/expert improvisers This book also provides an insider’s look at the business of comedy. From producing your own independent improv shows to getting hired by a paying comedy theatre. Work less, play more. Enjoy whatever Now you’re in.

Thoughts on the life of an improv performer and now to not go nuts while doing what you love.

Playful Mindfulness brings together wisdom from the worlds of mindfulness (paying attention to the present moment with curiosity and kindness) and improvisation (making life up courageously as you go along) so readers can find greater confidence, calm, and connection. CONFIDENCE. CALM. CONNECTION. Do you long to express that creative project or idea but tell yourself you’re not good or clever or funny enough, so why even try? Do you dream of a wide-open life filled with moments of wonder, delight and surprise but find yourself trapped in routine and smothered by stress? Do you yearn for deep, meaningful connection with those around you but feel yourself ever more isolated by social media and modern technology? HOPE IS ON THE WAY. In these pages, Ted DesMaisons takes your hand and leads you on a beautiful, surprising and unruly adventure into the lands where mindfulness and improvisation overlap. There, you’ll discover the same freedom, ease, and joy that thousands of his students at Stanford and elsewhere have found for themselves.

IMPROV IS NOT ABOUT BEING FUNNY, ORIGINAL, OR CHAOTIC. IT’S ABOUT EMBRACING CHANGE. Improvisation. The mere mention of the word makes many people quake with fear at the prospect of chaos and uncertainty. The fact is, though, human beings are improvising almost every minute of their lives it is more natural, and more filled with possibility, than you might imagine. On stage, improvisational actors use simple rules, collaborative principles, and game constraints to build unscripted yet intriguing storylines. This book explores how those same simple rules and principles can help agile teams collaborate more effectively and how purposefully working within constraints can unlock creativity. Inside, you ll find over 50 techniques and improv games tailored for agile teams, complete with step-by-step instructions. These games are based on five different principles of improvisational theatre: SAFETY: how accepting failure is essential to discovery SPONTANEITY: how to increase the flow of ideas STORYTELLING: how narratives help teams relate to their customers and end users STATUS: how adjusting personal behaviour can encourage collaboration SENSITIVITY: how to become more fully engaged with fellow team members