Why You Should Attend This Course:

How to be more Confident and Convincing on the Spot with Improvisational Thinking Creative Skills

Over 95% of communication situations are informal. You might bump into your boss in the corridor, or a client in the elevator, an angry customer in the reception, or receive unexpected questions at a media event or on a conference call. Yet most people (no matter how senior or experienced) have no training for this – they are caught off guard without a prepared answer or rehearsed ‘script’, and often mess up the chance, creating worse perceptions of themselves or their company. So how do you present, defend, and discuss a position persuasively and fast, while being creative, confident and convincing?

The answer is Neuroplasticity – fast, flexible and adaptable thinking. To allow people to deal with situations outside of the expected flowchart. Research shows that scientists involved in the performing arts – such as theatre, improvisational comedy, speech-making, debating, etc – have a 22 x greater chance than ordinary scientists of winning the Nobel Prize. Because their brains are able to be more adaptive and agile, break out of the box, and generate fresher solutions. Faster!

So this applied improvisational thinking program uses the principles, tools, and mind-sets developed in improvisational comedy, jazz, theatre and even martial arts, to spark new neural connections and better thinking behaviours for their personal and professional life.

Learning Outcomes:

Be more yourself, be more focused and relaxed, be more confident, be more aware, fluid and responsive — and never go “blank” again. Participants will be able to choose the best communication strategy for any situation, structure responses better, and present ideas clearly, concisely and memorably. On the spot.

Course Outline:

Thinking On Your Feet

• Principle of Thinking on Your Feet
  - “There’s no wrong answer except no answer!”
  - Understand the Ground Rules of Overthinking and Getting in Your Own Way.
  - Learn the 6 Principles of Improvisational Thinking and Engagement
  - Learn the 3 golden rules of successful stand-up comedians
  - How to collaborate and build on the creative ideas of others

Establishing Context, Connection & Credibility

How to make the most of the “7-37 Second” perception window which will determine your success or failure.

• Context 
  This situation is not isolated, its part of continuum. Learn how to move from small details to the big picture, handle sensitive information and counter sweeping generalizations. 
  - Techniques: 5Ws STORY STAR context-understanding-gathering methodology.
  - KNEXCO 3-step framework to determine audience’s knowledge and expectations.

• Connection
  - The Rail Connection Technique
  - How to create RELEVANCE, and use ANALOGIES, IMAGINATION and inclusive verbal and physical LANGUAGE.

• Credibility
  - Credibility is the only currency you have as a speaker – how to hack it, fast.
  - Strategies to buy time in real time, including the “Swiss Army knife” technique.

Structuring The Unstructured

• “Structure sets you free.” In spontaneous speaking you need to do 2 things simultaneously:
  - Figure out what to say and how to say it.
  - Learn the key to effective unstructured “convincidence” (confident and convincing).
  - Memory techniques to ensure key points are made.
  - How to improve your audience’s ability to process by 40% more.
  - 4 powerful and Useful GO-TO Structures to use Right Now!

•  PSB
• Whats and Who, Why, What?
• Classic 3-Part story structures for presenting solution proposals and updating project progress. With tons of fun On the Spot Verbal Exercises and Brain Games and Tests.

Trainer’s Profile:

Why Stu Lloyd for Improvisational Creative Thinking?

Stu has studied Improv Theatre and Comedy techniques in:

Los Angeles (Victoria Labalme – Sex in the City, Broadway, etc)

San Francisco (Mona Thompson at BATS Theatre, Whose Line? feeder theatre)

Hong Kong (Chris Harris, British comedic actor)

Bangkok (Drew McReadie, Canadian improv instructor)

Chiang Mai (Keith Saltojanes, American improv performer)

Member: Applied Improvisation Network

School Dramatic Society – Julius Ceasar, Olaf and the Ogre, various other musicals

Radio Broadcasting – live current affairs and DJ on 2SER-FM, Sydney.

Special Interest Military History tour guide

Performed live spoken and music routines: in Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok,

Singapore, Vietnam, and Sydney.

MC’d TEDx event as well as facilitated and chaired dozens of conferences.

Stu has also been interviewed and appeared on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg Business,

ABC TV, ABC Radio, 2SER-FM, 938 Live and many other media.