Lawyers as Improvisers? Is that an Oxymoron
Izzy Gesell, CSP
Helping Speakers, Trainers, Facilitators, and anyone who stands up in front of an audience become more humorous, confident, spontaneous, and effective. WHERE ARE YOU STUCK?
I'm researching an article based on the premise that the skills and practices that make Improv performers successful are relevant and applicable to lawyers. For example, both: need to stay focused on small bits of information while seeing the desired end-result; co-create narrative from disparate points of view; understand how empathy develops in an audience; trust a process to move forward while navigating unexpected outcomes.
If you are a lawyer, work with lawyers, in a relationship with a lawyer, seen them on TV or movies or have engaged lawyers and taken or seen Improv, I would love to hear how your Improv training/experience might help or hinder the practice of law. If you haven't seen it or taken classes, what is your gut reaction to my belief that "Applying Improv practices to lawyer skill-sets can be very useful."
Any thoughts or questions are very welcome!! Thank you.
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5 年I'd like to introduce you to someone who grew with me in my improv beginnings Elise Rodriguez, Esq. is a lawyer now improv educator. I enjoyed your Leading with Applied Improv course. Well done!?
Lawyer Well-being, Trauma Informed Care, Crisis Intervention Coaching,Train the Trainer Restorative Circles, Peacebuilding for Youth, Conflict Transformation, Humor for Peace
5 年Ditto what Jerry Kail said!
Manager, Leadership & Organizational Development at General Electric Credit Union
6 年Hi, Izzy. I should qualify my comment by saying that I have a law degree but have never practiced. But I was drawn to the law (and still am) because of the way the law requires the making of connections between seeming disparate concepts. When researching precedents to build a case, the trained legal mind can see threads of commonality between past cases and the current case that might escape the lay mind. And that's what the improv mind does as well - finds congruities between seemingly incongruous situations and threads them into a seamless, coherent narrative.