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Home > Business > Training > Creativity > Improvisation for Leaders (Or use your Back button to return to the previous page.)
Non-Traditional Approaches to Leadership
Creativity can be as effortless as breathing if blocks to the imagination are released. Those who know how to tap the source of their own creativity are likely to have a definite advantage in the workplace. This workshop in improvisation provides a safe context for releasing the blocks and tapping the source.
Improvisation is both a time-honored art form (Commedia del Arte, Second City, Saturday Night Live) and a "way" to approach challenges. By engaging in exercises that encourage spontaneity and fresh thinking, participants in this workshop learn how to solve problems "on their feet." The experience can nurture both their confidence and flexibility for dealing with changes in the workplace and in personal life. Improvisation teaches us to trust ourselves, no matter how new and untried the situation. It's a safe way to learn management, social and personal skills.
This work is not about being clever or witty. It's about recovering and using common sense to solve problems. It's about learning how to support others and pay attention to what needs to be done in any situation.
Stanford University drama professor Patricia Ryan Madson has taught improvisation to more than a thousand working adults. She has provided workshops and in-service training for Hewlett Packard, Adobe Systems, Price Waterhouse, and Apple, among others. She is the founder and coordinator of Stanford's Creativity Initiative and has been a keynote speaker at Duke University's East Asian Colloquium, Sun Microsystems' Japanese branch, and the Meaningful Life Therapy group in Kyoto, Japan. Her work combines techniques from both Eastern and Western disciplines.
Available as a two-hour introduction, a half-day or full-day workshop, or a four-, five- or ten-week course that meets weekly for two hours.
Organizational leaders at any level, interested in developing a more creative approach to problem-solving. Of particular benefit to organizations engaged in change initiatives. Includes physical activities designed to accommodate all levels of physical mobility, stamina, and strength. No previous training in improvisation necessary.
Available either as an independent workshop or as part of a FutureU learning expedition, at your work site or other location. Groups experienced in online conferencing may wish to incorporate some pre- and post-workshop discussion led by Ms. Ryan, who is a trained online facilitator. Optional readings may also be made available online.
Patricia Ryan will work with you to customize this program to your organization's unique needs.
Copyright © 1997-2004 by Gail Terry Grimes and Claude Whitmyer. All rights reserved. Published by FutureU.