Applied Improv.

A series of concentric circles showing stages of personal or professional growth, from trust at the center to performing with presence at the outermost layer.

What Is Applied improv?

Applied improvisation is now widely used by organizations large and small — in education, healthcare, and communities. But what is it and how did it start?

Put simply, as improvisation grew as a performance art, students and teachers began to see the value of improv training beyond the stage. In the 1990s and early 2000s, pioneering facilitators began intentionally applying improvisation in organizations struggling with how to be more collaborative, creative and connected.

Kat Koppett published her seminal book on the subject, Training to Imagine, in 2001. A year later, The Applied Improvisation Network, which now has hundreds of global members, was officially founded.

In more recent years, more rigorous academic research into the efficacy of applied improv approaches has grown. From corporate leadership to UX design, from medical schools to sales, applied improv is no longer avant garde, it is foundational for anyone seeking more human, collaborative and adaptive ways of working.

Diagram illustrating the benefits of applying improvisation, including leadership, communication, collaboration, creativity, facilitation, connection, personal growth, and insight.

Applied Improv Builds Diverse Skillsets.

Improv can be applied across industries to develop multiple competencies.

Businesses and organizations of all sizes often deal complex issues and uncertainty. This can cause the most well-meaning people to be a part of a group that finds itself spinning their wheels, unable to change.

Learning to apply targeted improvisational techniques can help people build trust, unlock creativity, and be open to moving forward, together.

View Our Programs

Storytelling

Storytelling is the oldest of communication tools. It taps into the fundamental way our brain makes meaning and helps us understand new concepts, engage deeply, tap into our passion, and connect with others.

Story is meaning.

Koppett’s customized programs help you access, develop and apply your innate storytelling capacity in order to share compelling anecdotes, craft clear and memorable messages, and uncover “ambient narratives”.

Leadership Development

We believe leadership is about building the ensemble (team, community, belonging), working collaboratively and co-creating together, solving adaptive challenges, and achieving mutual goals and a shared purpose. In our view, leadership can be learned and practiced by anyone. So, we tailor our programs to meet participants wherever they are on the journey: from individual contributor to middle manager, to senior leader. Typical topics include: coaching and mentoring, emotional intelligence, inclusion and belonging, power literacy, motivating others, and aligning along values.

Team Alignment

When teams are connected they are more effective. The ability to build and maintain trust while collaborating creates culture and allows teams to more readily innovate. Improvisers know that their greatest asset is their team (their partners). Each team member is responsible for both contributing to and supporting the group’s activity. We help in-tact teams realign with one another and new teams to begin building a foundation of shared understanding and commitment to each other. Typical topics include: listening and communication, improv “ropes course,” resilience, and building cultures of inclusion.

Connecting through communication

Much of the growth and training for an improvisor is about learning to connect and communicate with others spontaneously. It's about getting better and better at relating and responding. It's being so aware of the other person that, even when your back is turned, you're noticing and taking in their words, voice, body language, and movement. It's understanding what the other person cares about. When we teach communication, we're essentially developing the empathy muscles—that is, the ability to be aware of what is happening in the minds of others.

Facilitation excellence

Excellent facilitators make deliberate behavioral choices that foster trust, connection, growth, and goal achievement. Our Facilitation Excellence programming elevates your impact by strengthening the multipurpose skills essential for master facilitation, whether you are a professional trainer, a leader running meetings, a salesperson connecting with clients, or an individual contributor wishing to enhance productivity and a positive culture.