Improvisation, Inc.: Harnessing Spontaneity to Engage People and Groups [Paperback]

Robert Lowe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2000

Quick . . . Think fast!

Performers have been doing it for centuries. Now for the first time, Robert Lowe, a pioneer in the field of improvisation, hands you the techniques you need to think on your feet and apply these techniques in your workplace or classroom.

This book gives you:
* The same techniques that improvisational actors use to increase their confidence
* A method of using humor to establish a strong rapport with your audience, students, or participants
* An effective way of using body language and voice for greater clarity and impact
* Scores of field-tested worksheets, checklists, and group activities to help you incorporate improvisational thinking and speaking into your own presentation style

The business world may be changing at breakneck speed, but this ancient form of theatre is as appealing as ever. Buy this book and put improvisation to work for you today!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I admire the skills of someone good at improvisational theatre. Now thanks to Robert Lowe and this new book, I can go behind the scenes and learn how to further develop those desirable skills of quick thinking and spontaneity in myself as well as those I train. Thank you, Robert." -Dave Arch, author, senior training consultant, Creative Training Techniques International

"The creativity and playfulness of improvisation opens up vast possibilities for business, and Robert Lowe shows the way second to none." -Dr. Ginny Whitelaw, author, BodyLearning, How the Mind Learns from the Body: A Practical Approach

"Organizations perform below their potential because of poor communications, unchallenged traditions, misunderstandings of the facts, procrastination, bureaucracy, avoiding the unattractive, and disbelief. This book shows effective, fun ways to release the natural talent that everyone has to help overcome these harmful stalls, both as individuals and as a group." -Donald Mitchell, chairman, Mitchell and Company, coauthor, The 2,000 Percent Solution

"Not only very enjoyable to read, but a necessary training tool. Lowe's "Improvisational" method of thinking is how the new generation of business people will deal with one another. This book is worth reading." -Emory Mulling, president, The Mulling Group

From the Back Cover

[head]Think fast! Trainers, educators, presenters: Need a "new" way to think on your feet? Performers have been doing it for centuries. Now for the first time, Robert Lowe, a pioneer in the field of improvisation, hands you the techniques you need to think on your feet and apply these techniques in your workplace or classroom. This book gives you:? The same techniques that improvisational actors use to increase their confidence? A method of using humor to establish a strong rapport with your audience, students, or participants? An effective way of using body language and voice for greater clarity and impact? Scores of field-tested worksheets, checklists, and group activities to help you incorporate improvisational thinking and speaking into your own presentation style. The business world may be changing at breakneck speed, but this ancient form of theatre is as appealing as ever. Buy this book and put improvisation to work for you today! "I admire the skills of someone good at improvisational theatre. Now thanks to Robert Lowe and this new book, I can go behind the scenes and learn how to further develop those desirable skills of quick thinking and spontaneity in myself as well as those I train. Thank you, Robert." --Dave Arch, author, senior training consultant, Creative Training Techniques International"The creativity and playfulness of improvisation opens up vast possibilities for business, and Robert Lowe shows the way second to none."--Dr. Ginny Whitelaw, author, BodyLearning, How the Mind Learns from the Body: A Practical Approach "Organizations perform below their potential because of poor communications, unchallenged traditions, misunderstandings of the facts, procrastination, bureaucracy, avoiding the unattractive, and disbelief. This book shows effective, fun ways to release the natural talent that everyone has to help overcome these harmful stalls, both as individuals and as a group."--Donald Mitchell, chairman, Mitchell and Comp

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 270 pages
• Publisher: Pfeiffer; 1 edition (January 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787951420
• ISBN-13: 978-0787951429
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,450,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A bit deceiving..., October 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Improvisation, Inc.: Harnessing Spontaneity to Engage People and Groups (Paperback)

I purchased this book and hungrily read it cover to cover. I had looked at the reviews and was expecting a book that would transfer the skills of improvisation to a corporate environment. The book is well written, but does not deliver on its promise. It spends way to much time rambling on about sizes of groups and spiritual references. Of the 263 pages, about 10 are relevant to corporate trainers, and improvisation techniques that are appropriate in business. Disappointing.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Excruciatingly Boring, May 13, 2008

By 

Tatiana Racheva "Tatiana Racheva" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Improvisation, Inc: Library Edition (Audio CD)

This is a review of the Audio CD (Unabridged) edition of this book.

One of those excruciatingly boring books it is:
1) The person narrating the book is a robot. How fitting, for a book about playfulness and improvisation.
2) The style is oppressive: so many lists! Every other sentence is a list! Is this some kind of brainwashing drill?
3) Too many boring, boring descriptions and statements of most banal facts. UGH!

Can you tell this book is really frustrating me? It's truly a painful listen; I wish the author had just stuck to the exercises.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars So disappointing and painful, August 19, 2008

By 

C. Dave (Los Angeles, CA, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Improvisation, Inc.: Harnessing Spontaneity to Engage People and Groups (Paperback)

I needed this book. As an experienced improv actor and teacher who wanted to do corporate improv training, THIS was to be my guide. My paper mentor (actually, plastic as I had the Audio CD version). But I couldn't get through the first chapter because the writing style made me scream! It's list after list after list.

Lists are are horrible way for anyone, especially a creative person, to convey info. After the fifth or sixth item on the fifth or six list, how much do you think sinks in?

Add an extrememly rigid narrator, I'm sorry to say, and this book is unusable for me.

I tried. I really tried. As I said, I needed this book. But after less than one chapter, I pulled the CD out of the player and, with a combination of disappointment and relief, put it back in its case. Maybe the style gets better as you go on, but I'll never know.

Won't someone write a book about this subject that's readable?