Who is improv training for?

Improvisation is not just for comedians and performers, for “funny” or “clever” people! It’s for anyone who wants to be able to relax and respond honestly, authentically and intelligently in virtually any situation. Comedy is not the point, although improv releases a lot of laughter, and “cleverness” or even talent are not required. Intelligence, perspective, and human experience are all that are needed.

Nick has trained App designers, medical professionals, C-suite executives, ethics and risk specialists, and large-equipment technicians. All have found new freedom to adopt a spirit of play, and trust themselves and the people around them. It’s really for everyone.

It’s even great for scientists, as Ellen W. Brennan points out in this article for Science.

How does it work?

Improv training consists of a tapestry of different games, or other tasks that get reformatted as games. These games generally have a) simple rules, b) clear goals, c) specific skillsets, and d) low stakes — they tend to be non-competitive and with infinite do-overs. Simple rules, goals and stakes feed the manageable acquisition of the new skills; the game format keeps things unpredictable so that skills can be tried and tested in unpredictable situations. And by allowing for unpredictability, we open the door for discovery, as well.

When we put it all together, we see that everyone came into the room with everything they really needed to learn: experience, perspective, wisdom, and values.

And they probably brought their sense of humor, too.

What are the business issues that generally get addressed?

Let’s be honest: team-building is the goal that most businesses have when they’re considering an improv training.

Sometimes the skills are more individualistic, though: risk-taking, loosening up, finding a flow state, developing personal creativity or leadership… or developing individual skills with ethics, or personal boundaries (very important for customer-service professionals!)

Some trainings, like our Hive Mind, combine all of those skills.

Some skills are very job-specific, like sales or trial attorney skills.

The possibilities are really endless, because improv is good for anyone who needs to be able to make quick, high-quality decisions in any work situation.

Our Trainings and Workshops page shows the trainings that we already have built, but we work with different companies and industries all the time, and are always finding new ways to apply these skills in the real world. For some more detail, take a look at this article by Samantha White from Financial Management Magazine.

How will you customize a workshop for my company?

Here's the scenario: you’re a team leader, Human Resources professional, Training Coordinator or just a person who cares about developing their staff and its ability to navigate team building, skills acquisitions, risk-taking, or virtually any business challenge. You have an inkling that improv could be a fun and effective way to address those challenges, and you found this website. But your team is a particular group of people in a very specific industry.

In our initial conversations, Nick and the team will hear your perspectives on the company, its business, its values, and its needs. We’ll listen to what’s working, and what could work better, and then address how improv and a sense of play and gamification might help. And then we’ll design a workshop or series that addresses specific skills and brings it all together in the end.

We’ll certainly ask about potential content and material, to make sure they dovetail with your company's values and mission. And we’ll map out the plan to make it fun and engaging.

How is improvisation going to get results?

Maybe you’re not really sure this is the right place for you to put your resources right now. But we all know that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and by focusing on individual growth and perspective, individuals can grow and teams can strengthen, all at once. And this lays the foundation for smoother workflows, more harmonious project management, and collective, creative problem-solving. Check out this article from Rob Asghar at Forbes Magazine.

Does it have to be about serious stuff? Could we just get the team together and have some fun?

Of course! It’s a great way to celebrate something, or blow off steam. We can lead group games and minute-to-win-it challenges, perform shows, or do workshops that are just fun (with some sneaky skills-acquisition woven in!)

Can EnCompass come to us?

Absolutely. We’re based in Denver, Colorado, but can easily reach the entire Front Range for day sessions. And we’re happy to travel to anywhere in the Rocky Mountain Region or beyond.