Did you know you were an improvisor? Unless you're a telemarketer, you don't have a script. You may have clear goals and a plan but anything can happen. Did you know that all professional improvisors follow the same rules? The same elements that make Second City successful on stage can make you a better problem solver, collaborator and innovator. Join me as I give you the inside scoop on what I learned from my years with ImprovBoston and use on the job to this day!

1. How to Use Improv Basics to
Up Your Problem-Solving Game
Presented by Elisabeth Swan
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2. About Our Presenter
• Managing Partner at
GoLeanSixSigma.com
• Co-Author of
The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit
• Co-host of the
Just-In-Time Café Podcast
Elisabeth Swan
/ElisabethSwan
@ConsultSwan
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3. How to Interact
Answer Polls! Ask a Question!
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4. Where Are You From?
Share your location in the Question area in your
Control Panel!
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5. Our Mission and Core Values
Mission: Revolutionize the way people learn process
improvement -- making it easy for everyone
everywhere to build their problem-solving muscles
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Cultivating Community
We create an inclusive and
positive space where
people around the world
connect with each other to
learn and grow.
Servant’s Heart
At our core we are here
to be of service to
others as guides and
teachers to encourage
people’s success.
Trailblazing Spirit
We have the courage to
challenge and inspire each
other to create a constant
state of awesomeness.

6. We’ve Helped People From…
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7. Objectives
After attending this webinar you’ll be able to:
• Use key improv tenets in your daily life
• Apply improv techniques to problem solving
• Use existing tools to improvise
• Use improv when working with others
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8. Today’s Agenda
• How improv is not stand-up comedy
• Three key tenets of improv
• How to apply improv to problem-solving
• The tips and tricks of improvising
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9. Poll #1
Question: What’s your experience with
improv?
A. I’ve got a general idea of what it is
B. I’ve seen it on shows like “Whose Line Is it
Anyway?”
C. I’ve been to live improv shows
D. I’ve taken classes and tried it myself
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10. Improv Is Not Standup Comedy
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11. Improv
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12. Structure Sets You Free
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13. Improv Demonstration
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14. Continuous Improvement “Structures”
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15. 3 Key Tenets of Improv
Say “Yes, and…”
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!
Embrace Mistakes Move It!

16. Tenet 1: Yes, and…
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17. LCS Technique
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Likes Concerns Suggestions

18. LCS in the Rockies
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19. Recap Tenet 1: Yes, and…
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Yes! And…
Yes! And…
Yes! And…

20. Tenet 2: Embrace Mistakes
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21. Failure
“In order to succeed, double your
failure rate.”
- Thomas Watson –
President and Founder of IBM
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“My greatest concern is not whether
you have failed, but if you are content
with your failure.”
- Abraham Lincoln -
“The amusing nature of errors is that
the (baseball) players who pile up the
most are generally the finest fielders...”
- New York Times Sports Section, Sept 18, 2012 -

22. Question
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Do you have an example of something
good that came out of a “mistake”?
• Please enter your response in the Question box

23. Opportunities
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24. Structure for Experiments
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25. Recap Tenet 2: Embrace Mistakes
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26. Question
Where do you get your best ideas?
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• Please enter your response in the Question box

27. Tenet 3: Move It!
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28. “Sitting Is the New Smoking”
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Zzzzz…

29. Stand-Up Meetings
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30. Process (Gemba) Walks
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31. Poll #2
Question: Have you conducted a Process
(Gemba) Walk?
A. Yes – it’s a regular practice
B. I have done at least one
C. I’m not sure how they’re done
D. I’ve never heard of a Process Walk
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32. Recap Tenet 3: Move It!
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33. Business Advantages
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34. Improv Tips
• Structure Sets You Free
• Say “Yes, And…”
• Embrace Mistakes
• Move It!
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35. What’s Next?
• Determine helpful structures
• Listen to free DMAIC webinar, download free
templates
• Adopt LCS (Likes Concerns Suggestions)
• Start with with what you like and add
• Use PDCA to experiment
• Listen to free PDCA Webinar
• Go to where work is happening – the Gemba!
• Listen to free Process Walk webinar or take the
Process Walk Single Module
• Hold stand-up meetings
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36. Today We Covered
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• How improv is not stand-up comedy
• Three key tenets of improv
• How to apply improv to problem-solving
• The tips and tricks of improvising

37. Questions?
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38. Getting Started
Learn more by starting some more training!
• White Belt Training & Certification (Training is FREE)
• Yellow Belt Training & Certification (Training is FREE)
• Green Belt Training & Certification
• Black Belt Training & Certification
• Lean Training & Certification
Coupon Code: 20IMPROV
20% discount on all courses!
*Expires December 29
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39. Introducing: Go-Getter Membership
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• Access to all Single Modules
• Access to Go-Getter Forums
• Access to Go-Getter Exclusive Webinars
• Support Tools
• 1 year extension on any
course you’ve previously
purchased!
• 20% discount on ALL of
your purchases!
goleansixsigma.com/product/
go-getter-membership/

40. Book: The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit
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• Available on Amazon
• The Problem-Solver’s
Toolkit

41. Upcoming Webinar: Dec. 20 – 10am PST
Register today at GoLeanSixSigma.com/webinars
We’ll select upcoming webinars based on your
feedback, so please share your feedback on the survey
at the end of close of this webinar.
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42. Just-In-Time Café Podcast
Tune in at GoLeanSixSigma.com/cafe for the latest
Lean Six Sigma news, easy ways to apply
Lean Six Sigma and interviews with process
improvement leaders like you!
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43. Success Story Webinar
Check out more success stories from Go-Getters just
like you at GoLeanSixSigma.com/Success
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44. Wonder Women of Quality
Join us each month as we highlight another unsung
hero of Quality!
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45. Questions?
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46. Thank You for Joining Us!
More questions? Ask us at
contact@goleansixsigma.com
Click here to download free tools,
templates, infographics and more!
@GoLeanSixSigma/company/GoLeanSixSigma-com /GoLeanSixSigma 46