Over half the world's top 20 business schools now include improv skills on their training agenda. Corporations, SMEs, and freelance professionals are beginning to realise the value of improv, and are putting it to work in their business.  Why? Because the unique skill set and core principles an improv team employs to improvise a show, are the same needed for people in business to reach peak levels of performance, creativity and innovative thinking.   Newcastle UK training and development company, Improvisation Foundation presents their 7 core principles of improv.

1. Over half the world's top 20 business schools now include improv skills on their
training agenda. Corporations, SMEs, and freelance professionals are beginning to
realise the value of improv, and are putting it to work in their business.
Why? Because the unique skill set and core principles an improv team employs to
improvise a show, are the same needed for people in business to reach
peak levels of performance, creativity and innovative thinking.

2. Improvisation Foundation's
Seven Core Principles of Improv
Improvisers live 'in the moment', work as a team, and thrive under pressure:
onstage, no script, and for a demanding boss - the audience.
They employ heightened levels of focus and communication to produce a
uniquely fluid, dynamic and inspiring performance.
They are generous, supportive and are not afraid to take the lead.
Whether you are looking to perform, improve your life skills or shake up your
business, applying just a few of our improv principles can bring about
transformation.

3. The main barrier to creative thinking, is the fear of
getting it wrong.
We filter our first idea because our inner critic says
it's too crazy, or not inventive enough – gone so
fast, even you don't realise you had it!
Fearful, we stay safe within our comfort zone -
doing the same thing the same old way. There’s no
innovation there.
Unblocking the fear releases bold confidence, and
opens the door to RISK and exciting opportunities.
Risking failure is part of both the learning and
creative process. It’s how we recover from mistakes
to find creative solutions that counts, and we do
that by putting it into practice in our workshops.

4. To comprehend meaning we must ACTIVELY
LISTEN – be present in the moment, attentive to
‘who?’ is saying 'what?' with raised awareness of
'how?' and 'why?' they are saying it.
Yet so often we find ourselves pondering on the last
thing said, or thinking of what comes next – not
really listening at all.
Our interactive exercises heighten the senses,
bringing you into the here and now - to listen and to
be heard.

5. It’s easy to say 'no' to someone - 'that’ll cost’ or 'we
don't have the time' or ‘we know what we’re doing’ or
‘insert a hundred reasons here’.
Even when we say 'yes', it's often accompanied by a
'but', and that potentially great idea is compromised
before it’s had a chance to fly a little. If they are
blocked too many times, people will stop contributing,
stay stuck in a rut, or move on.
Improvisation Foundation can transform your personal
and working relationships, by adding the ACCEPT AND
BUILD process of "YES AND". Supporting the actions
and ideas of those you interact with creates an
atmosphere of trust and innovation.

6. With public speaking or presentation of any kind,
the fear of losing our words – or nerve, can fill us
with so much dread it becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy.
Many end up playing it safe - rigidly hidden behind a
lectern, PowerPoint, or a trembling script –
impairing their ability to effictively communicate. It
doesn’t have to be this way!
By rediscovering your SPONTANEITY you can
become the authentic, dynamic communicator who
effortlessly recovers when things don’t go to plan,
and responds creatively to the unexpected -
resilient to change.

7. The moment anyone walks into a space, others are already
forming their opinions … 'he/she doesn’t look confident', or
'overly confident' or 'unapproachable' or ‘insert a hundred
character descriptions here’.
STATUS is a study of dominant and submissive human
behaviours and interaction. It is the foundation of every piece
of (good) theatre, film and television series you will ever see.
In life and at work, by becoming aware of status signals, you
can adapt your body language to any situation (and read
others’) to command a real presence.
Learning status techniques raises confidence, improves
interpersonal skills, and can aid conflict resolution.
Adopting the right status to the moment will help you connect
with others, your team and your audience, so they feel
confident in you - and you do too!

8. When we are nervous we tend to talk fast in an
unconscious race to get to the end. We tense up,
our throat closes, mouth dries, and voice cracks.
Our inner critic is yelling at us, and we are suddenly
out of the moment and disconnected.
If you consider the words are your musical score,
then YOUR VOICE is your instrument, and you are
the player.
Our teaching combines vocal training exercises
and relaxation techniques, to connect body and
mind to the moment - to achieve flow.

9. FLOW is an optimal state of mind, where you feel
your best and perform at your best, in the zone -
immersed in the moment with an energized focus,
involvement and enjoyment of the process.
When people are in flow together, they are of a
group-mind, unconscious creativity surges out, they
are able to make quick connections, and solve
problems as IF by magic.
"Flow states are now known to op/mize performance, enhance
crea/vity, drive innova/on, accelerate learning, amplify
memory and underpin happiness itself."
Steven Kotler, Forbes Contributor,
Director of Research, Flow Genome Project

10. Improvisation Foundation
Directors:
Bev Fox and Ian McLaughlin
hello@improvisationfoundation.com
++44 (0) 191 209 4282
Company based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, UK
Improv Training for Personal and Professional Development