In Life, As On Stage
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,”
Improvising allows participants to enter a state of flow where all things are possible. In that place, expectations are dropped, the past and future disappear, and we can enter something like a meditative focus on the present moment. When we’re improvising, there’s no planning: there’s just listening, understanding, and then responding in a way that demonstrates we understand or agree what’s being communicated.
It’s blissful. And It’s what we teach in our Portland improv classes, our in-person Portland improv workshops, and our on-location corporate communication seminars.
For me, improvising in Portland (and prior to that, Los Angeles) has allowed me to forget about the cares of the day — the news, the credit card bill, the shelf I need to fix — and instead give myself the gift of simply focusing on what’s right in front of me. The results are often surprising. After all, if we can’t predict what will happen next, we also can’t predict what we’ll say next. And, sometimes, what gets said when we’re improvising can be very funny. Or interesting. Or powerful. Or poignant.
And it begs the question: If we can commit to being in this state of flow while we’re in improv classes and improv workshops, then… can’t we show up that way in our personal relationships as well?
We can, of course, but most of the time, we simply forget to do so. Or maybe it’s that we forget that we can do so. And - because “all the world’s a stage” - it’s worth remembering that the core skills of improv can powerfully help our professional and personal lives:
The ability to let go of expectations is a powerful skill when navigating difficult conversations
Learning to focus on the present moment helps prevent alarm and “future-tripping”
Understanding non-verbal communication can mean the difference between connection and confusion
Being able to find fast agreement with those around us naturally draws others to us
Improvising is a practice that anyone can learn, no matter their background. Even better: learning Improv allows us to gain a set of life skills that can (and do) powerfully transform our personal and professional relationships.
Whether you’re looking to begin or refine your practice, I invite you to join us at the studio for the kind of improvised play that’s transformative.
David Koff
Founder, Change Through Play Improvisation & Acting Studio
Executive Summary
Team building, team management, and executive training should be anchored in the key teachings of improv. Portland business leaders and Portland executives aren’t actors: they’re business professionals. But even the most talented leader still needs additional, ongoing training. Improvisation teaches the VERY team building skills that are so vital: listening to what our teammates are telling us verbally and non-verbally; putting others first by letting go of expectations; finding fast agreement with others. If you're in Portland Human Resources and are a decision-maker for your company, get in touch: our improv workshops are an enjoyable and powerful way to learn these skills.