University:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Course:
15.501/516 | Accounting
Academic year:

2023
Views:

288

Pages:

12
Author:

Melissa Strickland

Dynamic Leadership LEADERSHIP IMPROVISATION THINKING ON YOUR FEET All the skills you really need to succeed in business… but were afraid to ask Using Improvisation in Business What is improvisation? Here, it is: COMEDY IMPROVISATION – History in Theater Children’s acting help (Spolin) Used by Actors for Training – Evolved into comedy improvisation (Sills) – Today, still based on set of defined rules… Who am I? (Why am I teaching this class?) – 5 yrs Venture Capital & Investmt Banking – 2 yrs opening & operating a Toy Store – During/In Between: COMEDY IMPROV/STAND-UP TRAINING AT GROUNDLINGS (SNL FEEDER) – MIT SLOAN MBA – Created course as part of research thesis… Improv & Business? Yes! Leadership = understand the situation – Often in unexpected moments – How to read the reactions of everyone else – Create consensus without saying a word Comedy Improv Same concepts at work Comedy Improv = reading a situation – Actors arrive seamlessly at topic – Comfortable with unexpected – Create consensus seamlessly Use Skills of Improv… Improvisation can provide expertise like: – How to intuitively understand situation – Calculate how people will react – How you can change small elements of the situation to better suit the dynamic… – Better understanding of how to see THE BIG PICTURE Learn leadership as a dynamic force Primary Colors Governor Jack Stanton (Pres Bill Clinton) – Reading an audience – Responding (reacting) appropriately – Winning them over! Learn How…Here IMPROV THEATER! – All the training you need – Best leader ever – Forget everything you’ve learned – In just 6 weeks, everything you need – Best leaders, improv comics Some Rules Feedback! TWO WORDS: – GET – GIVE EVERYONE! (ME TOO!) Don’t try to be funny – Won’t work… Understand what works, what doesn’t – Take risks here…how do you react? IMPROV RULES “10 habits of highly successful improv comics” 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Always agree (YES!) Never never deny Don’t ask questions LISTEN! Add information, not filler Eye contact! More Improv Rules “10 habits of highly successful improv comics” …continued… 5. Use Spacework 6. Avoid arguments 7. Don’t be static ‘talking heads’ 8. Let go! Try something new 9. Never be drunk, drugged, in an altered state Follow the Rules For Improvisational Success In this classroom 1st learn how to improvise…then become DYNAMIC LEADERS