Creativity : Improvisation

Improvising is an important part of a creative process, and often, just the mention of the word seems to bring about a tightening of the mind, rather than a relaxing.

I say, ‘OK, let’s try some improvisation’

You think, ‘Dont pick me don’t pick me don’t pick me’.

Dry mouth, rising panic, rapidly emptying brain.

The ability to improvise, and to work out loud, matters when it comes to thinking about and cocreating better ways to work.

This week I’ve been fortunate to spend time with Julian Stodd and other inspiring folks, talking about leadership in a social age, and creativity. Right now I’m tapping this post out on my phone en route to Facilitation Jam 2014. Experimentation and the making of useful mistakes are high on the agenda right now.

Here are a few cocreated observations and thoughts on tuning up for improvisation which are crackling out of my speakers at this moment.

Improvisation flows best when:

It’s invitational

Permission is generously given

The offer is accepted

I hope these crackles are both clear enough, and vague enough.

Your work is your art, so try playing with these notions in your work and see what emerges. I will do the same and let you know what I learn from this.

Author: Doug Shaw

Artist and Consultant. Embracing uncertainty, sketching myself into existence. Helping people do things differently, through an artistic lens.

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