8 Ways Improvisation Can Help You Be Better

Business Improvisation is poised to be the next ‘killer app’ for organisational growth and performance. Investing in the performance of the moment, during crisis and when under pressure, is quickly becoming the next frontier for maximising ROI (Return on investment). It is a highly valuable tool designed to enhance the skills and productivity of an organisation’s most valuable asset: its people.
Learning the skills of business improvisation and employing them in the market place can help you, as leaders and team members, to navigate through the unexpected and achieve results in uncertain markets.

1. You learn to own your power

In improvisation, you learn to be who you are, to be bold, to challenge conventions, and to question the rules. When you understand what you have to offer and know how to bring it forward, you own your power. You know your purpose and you can act in a way that's deliberate, focused and grounded in your values.

2. You learn to embrace your fear

Fear is an undeniable element of improvisation. You have to learn to use those fears to fuel your performance, knowing that everyone gets it wrong sometimes. And it's the same in business. Failure is part of every human enterprise and endeavor. Learning to embrace your fears helps you overcome them and learn to treat them as a conduit for greatness.

3. You develop better listening skills

You can bet that the best sales people are incredible listeners. They ask the right questions and carefully focus on what their customers and potential customers say.
Listening skills help you silence the noise of your own thoughts so you can hear and be present with another - and improvisation helps you build those skills in a creative and innovative way.

4. You learn the value of collaboration

Business require collaborative skills. A well-rounded team is composed of people with differing abilities, personalities and life experiences, working together and having each other's respect and attention. Understanding each member's strengths and weaknesses is crucial when it comes to keeping your team effective and happy.
 
5. You learn to adapt and be agile

Improvisation requires flexibility and agility - when something isn't working, other things often have to change things up on the fly. In business, you learn that change is just another part of the process of getting it right.

6. You learn to build a great team

A great team is key to successful improvisation. Each team member has a role to execute. If you can make each person on your team feel important and purposeful, you'll have a team with nothing but stars.

7. You learn the importance of creativity and discovery

The best teams in every field are equally fueled by discovery and creativity (along with hard work). Team discoveries create innovation and strengthened brands.

8. To leaders, you learn to lead and to follow

Sometimes a leader leads with vision and goals, other times they follow the ideas and innovation. You have to know how to follow and lead at the same time.

*Source: 4dhumanbeing.com/ inc.com