What is Applied Improv?
Applied Improv is a game-based process that allows you to discover your authentic self and/or the obstacles to becoming it. The games offer new forms of interpersonal interaction, new ways of learning and new paths to understanding relationships and ourselves. They invite us to enter and embrace the unknown, relate to others without assumption or judgment, find states of unconditional acceptance of what is offered.
Plus, the games are fun! Applied Improv works because decisions made in Improv games have no negative real-world consequences. Players value the process as much as focusing on outcome and enjoy working with others.
Goal-Oriented Applied Improv
Applied Improv (AI) enhances basic human being skills like self-confidence, clear communication and deep listening. It will increase comfort with not knowing exactly how things will turn out and with engaging others through story-telling. For Improvisational Coaching, the choice of game or game context can target personal or professional goals and contexts, and be more goal-oriented.
As educational philosopher John Dewey wrote, “The experience alone does not necessarily lead to learning; it is the reflection that makes sense of the experience to us and hence makes the experience meaningful for us.” The debrief is where of the learning takes place, where coaches ask players open-ended questions about the thoughts, feelings and actions that came up during the game. Players make observations, assess what went well, and imagine ways to respond differently in the future.
Debrief reflections help individuals understand how they make choices. They also help groups gain deeper understanding of the drivers of the group process.
Our Method
We work both in ongoing 1:1 coaching contexts (supporting the development of improvisational coaches) and in virtual coaching circles (facilitating online groups over a course of weeks or months).
Like any skilled AI players, we are versed in the games, comfortable with the dual attention of playing a role while attending to others, and at ease with our choices. The added value we bring to Improvisational Coaching is in how we extract value from debriefs, teasing out responses that can be connected to previous conversations and experiences clients share with us.
About Us
The Improvisational Coach is a partnership between Izzy Gesell and Angie Alexander. Izzy has been training trainers for 25 years, working with people all over the world. Angie is a positive intelligence coach. Izzie brings the improv side and Angie brings the coaching side. Working together we help coaches get over their own gaps.
