“In the improv philosophy, it’s not one player or actor that’s the star. When you watch at an improv troop work, the result is the way all people play together. Making your partner look good is a very powerful and basic improv philosophy.” – Izzy Gesell

Sponsors

I invite you to show your support for Lisa and this free podcast by visiting the sponsor links and checking out the products and services.

Amazon: Join Amazon Prime for a Free 30 Day Trial

Lisa B. Marshall: Listen or read your free excerpt of Smart Talk or watch the trailer!

Lisa B. Marshall: Be the speaker you always wanted to be! Learn more about Powerful Presenter

In my Smart Talk Episode 076 conversation with Izzy Gesell you’ll hear about:

• 
  
• The power of improvisation when used in the workplace
  
• Why improvisation skills are great business training
  
• The basic rules for improv
  

Playing Along

Did you know that top business schools like MIT’s Sloan school and Duke’s Fuqua School of Business are now offering classes in Improv?  Improvisational comedy might seem like a strange place to turn to for business lessons. If you’re interested in learning how to drive more creativity and innovation in your business, today’s podcast is for you.

I first learned of Izzy by taking his lynda.com video course, “Leading With Applied Improv,†– which by the way, I highly recommend.  Izzy calls himself a organizational alchemist – he helps people navigate their internal logjams and emerge more confident, spontaneous and effective.

Izzy Gesell M.ED, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) is an “organizational alchemist†who helps people navigate their internal logjams and emerge more confident, spontaneous and effective. Through keynotes, breakouts, coaching and facilitated sessions, Izzy offers imaginative, intuitive and immediately useful insights and programs. He delivers meaningful material in an enjoyable way.

Among the first to use Improv Theater concepts as tools for personal and organizational learning, he is the author of Playing Along: Group Learning Activities Borrowed From Improvisation Theater, a co-author of Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter, a co-author of  Cancer and the Healing Power of Play and a contributor of a chapter on improvisation as  in the IAF Group Facilitators Handbook.  His video course for Lynda.com, “Leading With Applied Improv,†was their first on the topic and their first shot as a live-action workshop.

Clients include NASA, American Institute of Architects, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Cargill and many regional and national associations, including local & state HR groups. Izzy was raised in Brooklyn NY.  A former stand-up comic and  special education teacher, he has earned a BA in Psychology, an MS in Education and a P…. that’s 1/3 of a PhD and now lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Izzy’s book: Playing Along: 37 Group Learning Activities Borrowed from Improvisational Theater
 We’d love to hear from you! What questions or tips do you have about negotiation?  Let us know in the comments.

Join Us!

Join Smart Talk Nation and get updates on upcoming interviews and submit your questions, make suggestions for future guests, and we’ll give you credit on the podcast!

var hc_shortcode_connector = {"IntegrationID":"14","Name":"Smart Talk Nation Short","Type":"Hybrid","TyPage":"","MailingList":"","GotoWebinar":"","Wordpress":"","wysija_list":null,"FacebookCTA":"","FormCTA":"","oneClickCTA":"","template_shortcode":"0","template_widget":"0","allow_registration":"0","registration_role":"subscriber","custom_code":" \n\n\n\n\n\n\n Name: Email: \n \n","apiConnection":"0","emailOnly":"0","template_lightbox":"0","custom_form":"Header text\r\n<br\/><br>\r\nName: <input type=\\"text\\" name=\\"name\\" \/> <br\/>\r\nEmail: <input type=\\"text\\" name=\\"email\\"\/> <br\/>\r\n<a href=\\"#\\" class=\\"hc_custom_form_submit\\"> Connect <\/a> ","custom_fbnot":"Header text <br\/>\r\n<div class=\\"fb-login-button\\" data-scope=\\"email\\" size=\\"large\\">\r\n\tConnect\r\n<\/div>","custom_fbyes":"Connect\r\n<br\/><br\/>\r\n<a class=\\"hc_fb_form_connector_submit\\" href=\\"#\\">Connect<\/a>","custom_width":"500","is_user_template":"0","custom_ty_page":"","ad_ty_page":null};
hc_connectors.push(hc_shortcode_connector);
var hc_rand_id = 6047;
hc_rand_ids.push(hc_rand_id);

#hc_template_wrapper6047 p strong {
color: #ffffff !important;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .fb_iframe_widget iframe {
position:static !important;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 a.navButton img {
border: none !important;
vertical-align: middle !important;
}

.hc_frontend_ajax_loading {
display: none !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 {
/* font-family:verdana; */
font-size:12px;
line-height: 140%;
height: auto;
margin-top: 10px;
margin-bottom:10px;
/* if squeeze page, fix position to middle of screen */
}

#poweredBy6047 {
width: 100%;
text-align:left;
margin:0px auto;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div {
line-height: 140%;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 .navButton {

/* button font size and padding settings from slider */
/* button builder, not custom image */
padding-left: 22px;
padding-right: 22px;
padding-top: 7px;
padding-bottom: 7px;
font-size: 17px;
-moz-box-shadow:inset 0px 1px 0px 0px #FFFFFF;
-webkit-box-shadow:inset 0px 1px 0px 0px #FFFFFF;
box-shadow:inset 0px 1px 0px 0px #FFFFFF;
-moz-border-radius:6px;
-webkit-border-radius:6px;
border-radius:6px;
border:1px solid #000000;
display:inline-block;
color:#ffffff !important;
font-family:Arial;
font-weight:bold;
text-decoration:none;
text-shadow:1px 1px 0px #000000;
margin-bottom:5px;
background:-webkit-gradient( linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0.05, #be001c ), color-stop(1, #ED0024 ) );
background:-moz-linear-gradient( center top, #be001c 5%, #ED0024 100% );
filter:progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#ED0024', endColorstr='#be001c');
background-color:#ED0024;
line-height: 140%;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 .navButton:hover {
background:-webkit-gradient( linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0.05, #be001c), color-stop(1, #be001c) );
background:-moz-linear-gradient( center top, #be001c 5%, #be001c 100% );
filter:progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#be001c', endColorstr='#be001c');
background-color:#ED0024;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 input[type="text"] {

border-collapse: collapse;
margin:2px 5px 5px 5px;
font-size:15px;
padding-top:5px;
padding-bottom:5px;
padding-left:3px;
padding-right:3px;
border-width: 1px;
border-style: solid;
border-radius:5px;
/* line-height: 30px; */
box-sizing: border-box;
display: inline !important;
box-shadow: none;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
vertical-align:middle !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 p {
line-height: 140% !important;
font-size: 18px !important;
color : #ffffff;
font-family: berlin Sans FB;
margin-bottom: 5px;
padding:0px;
text-align:left; text-shadow:none; clear:none !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 p::before {
content: "";
width: auto !important;
overflow: hidden;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 .optinWrapper iframe {
width: 100% !important;
background: transparent !important;
padding:0px !important;
margin:0px !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 p.connectorHeadline {
line-height: 1.2em !important;
margin-bottom: 10px !important;
padding-top: 0px !important;
text-shadow:none; margin-left:5px !important;
margin-right: 5px !important;
margin-top:5px !important;
padding-left:0px !important;
padding-bottom:0px !important;
padding-right:0px !important;
overflow:visible !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 ul {
margin-left: 10px !important;
padding: 0 !important;
margin-top:20px !important;
border:0px !important;
margin-bottom:20px !important;
font-size: 18px;
width:auto !important;
text-align:left !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 ul li strong {
color: #ffffff !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 ul li {
margin: 0 !important;
padding: 2px 0 2px 35px !important;
list-style: none;
background: url('http://smarttalksuccess.com/wp-content/plugins/hybridconnect/images/ticks/1.png') no-repeat top left !important;
line-height:140%;
color: #ffffff !important;
font-family:berlin Sans FB;
border-bottom:0px;
border-top:0px;
font-size: 18px;
list-style-type: none !important;
text-shadow:none; background-size: 32px !important;
background-position-y: 0px !important;
background-position-x: 0px !important;

}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 img {
background:none !important;
box-shadow:none !important;
background-color:none !important;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 img.leftArrow {
padding: 0px;
margin-right:10px;
border:0px;
background:transparent;
float:left;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 img.rightArrow {
padding: 0px;
margin:0px;
border:0px;
background:transparent;
float:right;
margin-left:10px;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 img.optinGraphic {
z-index: 100;
position: relative;
display: block;
width: 200px;
display:none; }
div.graphicWrapper6047 {
float:right;
position:relative;
display:none; margin-left:0px !important;
margin-right:0px !important;
margin-top: -30px !important;
}
img.optinGraphic {
border:0px !important;
margin:0px !important;
padding:0px !important;
}
img.leftArrowFacebook {
margin-right:5px !important;
}
div.connectorWrapper6047 {

box-sizing:border-box !important;
border:0px solid #000000 !important;
/* if radius set*/
border-radius:12px; /* if not gradient then use background colour selector */
font-size:12px;
/* if gradient selected then apply gradient CSS */
background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF 0%, #EDEDED 100%); /* FF3.6+ */
background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,#EDEDED), color-stop(100%,#FFFFFF)); /* Chrome,Safari4+ */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF 0%,#EDEDED 100%); /* Chrome10+,Safari5.1+ */
background: -o-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF 0%,#EDEDED 100%); /* Opera 11.10+ */
background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, #FFFFFF 0%,#EDEDED 100%); /* IE10+ */
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #FFFFFF 0%,#EDEDED 100%); /* W3C */
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#FFFFFF', endColorstr='#EDEDED',GradientType=0 ); /* IE6-8 */

background-repeat:no-repeat;
background-color: #FFFFFF;
/* box shadow CSS */
border-collapse:separate;
box-shadow: 2px 2px 17px #cccccc;
-moz-box-shadow: 2px 2px 17px #cccccc;
-webkit-box-shadow: 2px 2px 17px #cccccc;

}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.optinWrapper6047 {
border-bottom-left-radius:12px; border-bottom-right-radius:12px; background-color: transparent; padding-bottom:20px; }

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.connectorDescriptionText6047 {
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.connectorDescriptionText6047 p {
margin-bottom: 5px;
margin-top:5px;
margin-left:5px;
margin-right:5px;
padding:0px;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.connectorDescriptionText6047 p:first-child {
padding:0px !important;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 p.connectorCallToAction {
text-shadow:none; padding:0px !important;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.optinPosition6047 {
margin-left:auto !important; margin-right:auto !important; }
#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.facebookPosition6047 {
margin-left:auto !important; margin-right:auto !important; }
#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.oneClickPosition6047 {
margin-left:auto !important; margin-right:auto !important; }

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.optinPositionInput6047 {
text-align:center; }

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.emailInputField6047 {
display:inline; }

#hc_template_wrapper6047 div.emailButtonContainer6047 {
display:inline; text-align:center; }

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .ppWrapper {
display:none; }

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .privacyPolicy {
padding-left:10px;
padding-right:10px;
margin-left:5px; text-shadow:none;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .privacyPolicy span {
font-weight:normal; font-family: Arial;
font-size: 12px;
color: #000000;
margin-top:10px;
margin-bottom:0px;
margin-left:0px;
margin-right:0px;
line-height:25px;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .privacyPolicy img {
vertical-align:middle;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .privacyPolicyEmail {
margin-top:5px;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .privacyPolicyFacebook {
margin-top:5px;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .privacyPolicyOneClick {
margin-top:5px;
}

#hc_template_wrapper6047 .loading-icon {
z-index:300;
border:1px solid #000000;
position:absolute;
left:50%;
top:50%;
width:100px;
margin-top:-35px;
margin-left:-60px;
background: #cccccc;
border: 2px dashed #222222;
padding:0px 10px 10px 10px !important;
display:none;
}
#hc_template_wrapper6047 .loading-icon p {
font-size:12px;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#000000;
text-shadow:none !important;
}

/*************************************************************************************************
SQUEEZE PAGE STYLES
/* if squeeze page then apply styles */

/*loading icon styles */

/**********************
END OF SQUEEZE PAGE STYLES */

0


 Name: Email:
 

Signing you up!

Advance Your Career. Join Smart Talk Nation.

Sign Me Up!







We hate spam just as much as you

Signing you up!

Advance Your Career. Join Smart Talk Nation.

Sign Up Via Facebook!

We hate spam just as much as you

Signing you up!

Advance Your Career. Join Smart Talk Nation.

Click Here - One Click Sign Up!







We hate spam just as much as you

Get your personalized copy of Lisa’s latest book!

Do you struggle with difficult conversations?  Do you procrastinate when it comes to delivering feedback? Do you know how to effectively persuade and influence others?  Learn this and more in Smart Talk. Get your personally signed copy today!

 Buy Now!  

The post Izzy Gesell: Playing Along appeared first on Smart Talk.