Training to Imagine: Practical Improvisational Theatre Techniques to Enhance Creativity, Teamwork, Leadership, and Learning [Paperback]

Kat Koppett (Author), Sivasailam Thiagi Thiagarajan (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2001 | ISBN-10: 1579220339 | ISBN-13: 978-1579220334

In today's fast-paced, "right-sized," competitive environment businesses increasingly need staff who are creative, think on their feet, take the unexpected in their stride, and work effectively in fluid teams. How can they instill and develop these critical skills?

The answer may be to improvise! Improvisational actors make up scenes, dialog and entire plays on the spot. They work collaboratively in front of paying customers who expect to be entertained and amazed. Improv actors use no script, cannot predict what will happen next, and have no chance to go back or rewrite. They rely on their knowledge, practiced skills and their colleagues.

This book is the first to apply the improv methodologies of the theater to developing the business skills that are in high demand. Kat Koppett--a professional trainer, management consultant and professional actor–demonstrates to trainers and managers how they can effectively transfer improv training techniques to their day to day business environment.

Training to Imagine translates the theories and exercises of improv into straightforward and practical guidelines and training activities.

This book is written for trainers, HR personnel, managers and team leaders who are interested in increasing their tool kit, and enhancing the impact, fun and retention levels of their workshops. It assumes no previous experience with improvisation or performing, offers all the needed background and provides clear and practical instructions with a range of simple and effective exercises. Trainers and managers may find the book improves their own presentation and teaching skills.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kat Koppett has completed a courageous and conscientious job in writing this book. She brings new perspective to the training and management scene, She provides practical guidance to trainers and managers who have become aware that the complex chaos in today's workplace requires something different from the standard, systemic, rational approach. Many scholars are now offering conceptual frameworks that incorporate improvisation into management science and instructional design. Rather than writing another such academic tome, Kat provides a practical sourcebook.
A word about the structure of the book. Some people prefer to progress from the general to the specific while others prefer to move in the opposite direction. Kat lets us have our cake and eat it too. The first part of the book provides us with six powerful improv principles and their potentia; applications to management and training. The second part of the book provides tightly-structured directions for using 50 specific activities--along with a clear explanation of how the basic principles are incorporated in each activity. Bravo, Kat! What are you going to do for an encore?"

About the Author

Kat Koppett is the eponymous founder of Koppett + Company, a consulting and training company specializing in the use of improv, theatre and storytelling techniques to enhance workplace performance. She is a pioneer in bringing the lessons, philosophies, and techniques of the theater to corporations, with a special focus on creativity and communication skills. Kat holds a B.F.A. in Drama from New York University and an M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. She was instrumental in creating the corporate training wing of Freestyle Repertory Theatre, in New York, and was the founding Corporate Division Director of BATS Improv, in San Francisco. In her nearly two decades of work in Applied Improv, Kat has designed and delivered training for companies including GE, Kaiser-Permanente, JPMorgan Chase, Eli Lilly, AAA, and dozens more companies internationally. A founding member of the Applied Improv Network, Kat is a sought-out speaker, coach, trainer, and author. Kat’s articles on the use of storytelling in training have appeared in McGraw-Hill’s Training Sourcebooks, and she has had articles published for National ASTD, ISPI, and TechRepublic. She has been profiled in the Thiagi Gameletter, published by Jossey-Bass. In 1995, TheaterWeek Magazine named Kat one of the year’s "Unsung Heroes" for her creation of the improvisational theater format, Spontaneous Broadway, which is now performed regularly internationally. She currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute's Lally School of Management, and as Co-Director of the improvisational theater company, The Mop & Bucket Company. A member of the National Speakers Association, Kat has presented for the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), the North American Simulation and Gaming Association (NASAGA), the Rotary Club and the Young Presidents’ Organization and countless other organizations nationally.

Sivasailam Thiagi Thiagarajan

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Stylus Publishing (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579220339
• ISBN-13: 978-1579220334
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,158,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative, and Effective, Training Activities August 16, 2002

By Les Lauber

Format:Paperback

Over the last couple of years, I have become interested in adapting techniques from improv theatre to organizational training settings. Koppett's book helped me solidly solidify my thinking on the matter. She divides her book into two sections, Principles and Activities. The Principles section is broken into seven chapters that address trust, listening and awareness, non-verbal communications...all the kinds of things for which organizations seek training. The Activities sections has instructions for 50 activities, including an overview, the relevant principles, instructions and variations, and even questions that facilitate discussions after the activity is complete. For added value, the appendices break each activity down into improv principles (trust, spontaneity, etc.) or training application (team-building, creativity, problem-solving, etc.) I've used this resource dozens of times already. In fact, I've had trouble getting it back from several colleagues, and don't lend it out anymore!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Readable Work January 7, 2002

By Mitchell Friedman

Format:Paperback

I enjoyed this book for two main reasons. First, it offers an engaging treatment of improvisation techniques that's certain to inform (and inspire) even those without background in the area. Second, it's an excellent compendium of training activities written in detailed prose perfect for people like me who do a lot of training, but who don't have the formal schooling in training methodology and techniques. In short, this is a worthwhile read and an excellent addition to one's library of training resources.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Go for Improv November 16, 2001

By Sonia Ribaux

Format:Paperback

I highly recommend this book for people interested in incorporating improv in their training, whatever the topic. The book is clear, to the point, very creative and also very practical. Ms Koppett has collected some tried-and-true improv exercises that are easy to use and really work. Even if you have never done any theatre or improv, you can use this book. Just imagine, a training session in which your participants are inspired, creative, collaborative, funny, cohesive.....

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! June 20, 2001

By Andrew Kimball

Format:Paperback

I have been in the training business for 30 years. Much of what our trainers do involves designing and delivering games and simulations to improve creativity, communication, team collaboration, problem-solving. Ms. Koppett's book, Training to Imagine contains the best collection of learning "jolts" I have ever read. They are fun. They create "ahas." They are easy to run. Her clear explanation of the principles and applications of improv techniques to training is well supported by research and practical experience. Well done, Ms. Koppett. I am looking forward to the next one. Maybe "Training 2: Imagine!"

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Training Book Out There!!!!! June 12, 2001

By Matthew S. Richter

Format:Paperback

Training to Imagine does what few books do--- It provides readers with the general principles and a ton of activities that I can take right back into my training sessions. I loved this book. There are so many stories that I can relate to, it's easy to read, informative, and oohh so useful. I can't rate this book high enough. I just bought it for our whole team. Kat Koppett-- When's the next book coming out?

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Exercises October 18, 2005

By Stephen Spencer

Format:Paperback

I ordered this book and integrated two of the exercises into existing training courses the day I received it. It is easy to use these techniques to emphasize points and enhance discussion.

5.0 out of 5 stars For Every Facilitator November 19, 2012

By vmom

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book has become my bible for facilitation and every facilitator of experiential exercises and every teacher (even those not using improv or theatre) should read it. Insights in how to build trust, how to debrief an exercise, how to support risk taking and on and on. Accessible, funny, applicable.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Year! November 1, 2001

By Kevin Eikenberry

Format:Paperback

The subtitle tells the story: Practical Improvisational theatre Techniques to Enhance Creativity, Teamwork, Leadership and Learning. Well it almost tells it all. This book teaches you in a very readable way about the concepts of improv, which is very interesting and a great read. THEN it provides you with 50 exercises that you can use immediately or tailor for your needs in training on almost any possible training topic. The best training book of the year.