Enhancing Workshops with Applied Improv - Is it worth it? #AINPrague

Wow, what a week!

I spent last week in Prague with some of the top “applied” improvisers in the world at our annual conference, where I learned a lot.

But was that worth spending over $2,000 and spending a week away from my family?

Applied Improv, what's that?

It’s when you take the principles of improvisational theatre and apply them to real-world situations.

It’s about using spontaneity, creativity, and collaboration to solve problems, enhance communication, and build stronger teams. By encouraging participants to think on their feet and embrace uncertainty, applied improv helps create an engaging and supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing, regardless of their background or personality.

It is one of my essential tools to create more inclusive and effective interactions in my workshops and trainings. And there is a good chance if you’re already using games and experiential exercises, you could be an applied improviser (I only found out years later that there is a term and community for this).

Last year, I attended the conference in Vancouver, Canada, and this year, it was hosted by the lovely city of Prague in the Czech Republic - and it was epic!

But was it worth the money and time I spent travelling there? I thought I’d use the time I have right now while sitting on the train going back home to Germany, to reflect on this question and share my biggest lessons with you.

Here are some of the workshops I attended and things I have learned:

How to Make up a Game with Sarah Fisk

This session was all about choosing an audience and a goal you want them to reach and then designing a game that teaches exactly that. In a small group, we came up with a game for authentic persuasion training that allows people to experience different techniques in a playful way.

I applied what I learned there for my own workshop two days later, so I gave it a 5 of 5 ROI rating.

Balancing Risk and Safety with Kat Koppett

We explored if and when a group needs to feel safe and when it’s ok to introduce risk. This session was right up my alley and confirmed my own methodology about starting with low risk and then increasing the risk incrementally (like building a campfire).

Through the workshop, we realized that we need both risk and safety for a successful experience. First, focus on creating safety, and then introduce risk as early as possible to increase the learning opportunities. because the biggest learning happens outside of people’s comfort zones.

Fast-tracking Intimacy with Bobbi Block and Nicola Pauling

In this session, we were invited to explore vulnerability by playing short scenes with a partner and doing a couple of other activities without spending too much time on the debrief. It was a great opportunity to fully let go of holding on to my facilitator hat and be a participant (although I still wore my signature hat )

Brave New World - Navigating the Future Through Improv and Play with Melissa Delaney-Del Valle and Sarah Strachan from Performance of a Lifetime

For over an hour, we played non-verbal games that helped create psychological safety in our group without speaking. It was amazing to witness what is possible by just making eye contact and a few mirroring exercises.

Adjusting Games on the Fly for What’s Happening in the Room with William Hall

I think we all have had an activity or game go wrong and then didn’t know how to fix it, right? It has happened to me a few times, and that’s a perfect opportunity to improvise to ensure there is still a lesson for the participants.

My biggest takeaway from that session is that it’s all about the debrief. Even a failed exercise can have a huge impact on the group with the right debrief question, like: “What did we learn because the game failed?” or “What could we have learned if the game worked?”

And then, I also hosted my own workshop: How to Include and Engage the Quiet Ones

The best takeaway I have heard someone share was about my gentle facilitating style, which modelled what others could do to increase participation from everyone—especially the introverted, reserved, and shy people.

But we also collected probably over 100 reasons why someone could be quiet in a session, which requires knowing your group, reading the room, and facilitating what the group needs most to be successful.

Some specific themes we explored were:

• ? Extrovert bias in meetings and the misconception that all introverts are shy.
• ? If you share your intent before an activity, you’ll get a higher buy-in. For example: “Let’s sit in a circle so we can all see each other”.
• ? You should always include an element of choice so participants feel more in control over their engagement. For example, in one activity, I asked for 12 volunteers and 6 observers to check in with me after the exercise.
• ? And, of course, I share my Campfire Framework with a specific example where I first invited everyone to answer a question quietly for themselves, then share it ith a partner and only after that asked for individuals to share in front of the whole group.

So, was it worth it?

100%!

It was refreshing to participate in and experience the games and exercises. You’ll learn so much more by being a part of it than by reading a book.

Then, after my workshops, I was able to get direct feedback from professional facilitators and trainers I looked up to, which would not have happened anywhere else.

Lastly, I was able to share some vulnerable challenges and get support from my peers about growing my own business and leading teams through challenging conversations.

After the first day, I told someone, “I think I already got everything I needed from the conference. Whatever happens for the next three days is just a bonus!”

And I haven't even counted the value of the new connections, friendships and potential collaborations that will grow over the next few months.

Or all the amazing sessions in the Open Space / Unconference on the last day.

It is a privilege to spend so much quality time with epic humans, and I would always rather invest in something like this than new gear, other material things, or Bitcoin.

So, if you are in Toronto ???? and want to learn with and from me, there are still spots available for my facilitator training in September: