How you can use the art, the science and the fun behind Improv / Improvisation to process meeting facilitation in a fun, fast and flexible way. This session responds to two core competencies of the International Association of Facilitation. Conducted by Raju Mandhyan. Supported by Team, IAF Philippines with some counsel by Paul Z. Jackson.

1. Fast, fun, flexible AND yes, with Focused Outcomes!
Raju Mandhyan / for IAF Philippines
Advisor for this session: Paul z. Jackson

2. www.mandhyan.com
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3. 1. Create and sustain a participatory environment
2. Guide group to appropriate and useful
outcomes
Check video link:https://youtu.be/cctSLwECuZk
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4. 1. Building present moment awareness
2. Listening and observing acutely
3. Increasing engagement
4. Precision responding and support.
5. Catalyzing rapport and consensus
6. Synergizing ideas and actions
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5. 1. How to Include Improv in Process Design
2. How can it applied to Facilitation Processes
3. The Nine Guiding Principles of Improv
4. Easy Briefing and Debriefing with Improv
5. Staying open and outcome oriented.
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6.  to compose and perform or deliver without
previous preparation;
 to make, provide, or arrange from whatever
materials are available:
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7.  the output is organic and tailor-fitted to the
“here and now”
 because it is being built together there is co-
ownership
 because it is fun, it engages the whole brain
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8. 1.Play in the Here and Now. Refrain from
using ‘could have, should have or would
have.’
2.Everything is an offer, an opportunity.
There is no Right, no Wrong or ‘Failure.’
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9. 3. Listen, Observe and Intute deeply. Be willing
to adapt, change, change, change and flex
fast.
4. Accept Everything, Every Moment. Start by
Saying, ‘YES!’ to all.
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10. 5. Then Add and Build. Say ‘Yes, AND!’
6. Use all available resources at hand, in the
room…start with your body.
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11. 7. Employ clean, appreciative, affirmative,
positive and uplifting words.
Our Words create Our Worlds.
8. Support and Make your Partners Feel
and Look Good. It is In IMPROV, as it is
in WORK and LIFE.
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12. 9. Express yourself in statements and actions.
Refrain from Asking Questions. Improve
liberates. Questions lead and FACILITATE.
10.Let the fun find you. Go with Flow. Refrain
from chasing funny.
11. If you don’t get it, forgive yourself first,
fast and MOVE ON!
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13. Process for : Intention / Energy / Creativity
Circle up in 10s or 15s:
 Any player does a jump shot and makes a sound.
 As she lands, she tags a person to her right.
 Second player imitates or improves
 As he lands, he tags the person to his right
 Everyone gets a loud applause.
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14. Process for : Presence / Agility / Support
Pair up:
 Player A suggests “Let’s go fishing!”
 Player B “ No!”
 Player A suggests “Let’s fly kite!”
 Player B “ Yes, but…we have no string”
 Player A suggests “Let’s dance!”
 Player B “ Yes, YES AND let’s also sing!”
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15. Process for : Acute Listening / Objectivity
Pair up
 let the “bolder” one state any sentence.
 the “bolder-to-be” uses the last word from
the sentence to make new sentence
 Continue until you warm up!
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16. Process for : Precision and Language
Pair up
 “bolder-to-be” makes a statement and adds
“that’s all!” after the sentence
 “bolder” one responds and also adds “that’s all!”
after she/he ends
 Continue till you warm up or freeze
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17. Process for : Power of Visual Impact
pair goes up onstage
 “bolder” one makes a speech with ZERO gestures
 “bolder-to-be” stands a step behind and makes
all the gestures and expressions
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18.  Process for : Trust
 One player is blindfolded, and the room is filled with obstacles (chairs, junk,
people bent over, power people etc.,) The idea is that the rest of the group
will lead the blindfolded player through the room, by talking. Also known
as Juanita Adapt. A helpful reader offered us an explanation for the name
`Juan de la Cruz.’: The blindfoldee (or just eyes closed) is led through a maze
composed of chairs, junks, people shapes. He is an “Employee" lost in office
politics and being talked down by ‘ bosses/mentors’ who must remain in their
‘Positions of power.’.
 The blindfoldee also only has a limited amount of energy (2 mins) to reach
the far end. The blindfoldee is also allowed two "bangas"-limited contact with
an obstacle. The third hit or stepping on something directly causes “death".
They may step around, over or under the obstacles. Also, the blindfoldee can
only move forward. It can turn in any direction, however, the directions must
make him/her move ‘North’ only.
 You can also destroy all the trust you`ve built up in your class by completely
clearing the deck and torturing the blindfoldee over a hurdles terrain.
 Also known as Airplane / Obstacle Course / Mine Field, etc.
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19.  Process for: : Trust / Adaptability / Co-Construction
 Even number of players. Split the group in 2. One half forms a circle in the middle of the
room, facing outwards. The other half positions themselves, each player in front of one
of the players in the middle circle. The middle players are soft clay and the outsiders are
sculptors. Let each sculptor do something to his lump of clay, then make the sculptors
rotate clockwise. Everyone now stands in front of someone else`s work of clay. Have
them work some more on the sculpture and rotate again. Repeat till every player is in
front of his original piece of stone again.
 Then ask the sculptors to introduce their work, and give it a name.
 Variations
 Each statue or sculpture has a built in voice chip that can utter exactly one sentence. Let
the sculptors switch on the voice chip at the end of their describing their work of
art/clay.
 Excellent exercise to try with a new group to draw out empathy and support. Players who
keep placing the sculptures in positions that are impossible to maintain or physically
painful can easily be spotted with this activity. Other thing to watch for is which players
undo the work the previous artists made. The idea is to build art together, not to destroy
previously done work in order to push your own ideas. Make this clear by asking the
sculptors, when they`re in front of their original work again, to what extent the works
still looks anything like what they started with.
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20. Category: Associating / Supporting / Collaborating
 Stand everyone at one end of the room, form a long line. The first player of the line steps
into the room and starts miming an activity. As soon as the activity is clear, player 2
approaches player 1 and asks “What’cha doing?”
 The first player answers something that has nothing to do with what she is actually
doing. E.g. if player 1 is shaving, when asked “What’cha doing?” she might say "Im
reading the newspaper".
 First player moves away, and the second player starts miming ‘reading a newspaper’
activity stated by the previous player.
 A third player comes up to player 2, asks what he is doing, and so on. Play until everyone
has mimed something, and has answered the question.
Variations
 You can also play this at super high speed, with 2 players. We mean super-super high
speed. As soon as one of the players hesitates “uuh, uuhhm” or uses an offer that was
used before in that session, that player is tapped out.
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21. Process for : Trust / Listen Not Look / Performance
 This is can be used as a Trust exercise, as well as in
performance.2 players perform a slow dance together;
each with their head on the other`s shoulder. Hence
they are not looking at each other. While dancing they
perform a 2-3 minute scene.
 This gives for great listening practice, since players
aren`t looking at their partners. If is also good for
overcoming (physical) awkwardness between partners
that are not familiar. And it is a great exercise for
physical work in the dance, as in physical expression of
the character`s feelings.
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22.  Process for : Accepting / Trust / Resilience
 This is a great Accepting exercise, but it demands a certain level
of Trust . This can also be used as a technique
during Performance .The idea is to open a 2 player scene with a line
of dialog that manipulates the other player's emotional state. This
can be positive (Gee Robin, you look handsome today) or negative
(Mary, have you been snacking again lately, I think you've gained
even more weight). Player 2 should accept this manipulation, and let
it change the emotional state of her character.
 We mentioned Trust : it should be clear to the players that we are
manipulating the emotions of characters, not the players
themselves. Furthermore, the word 'manipulation' may have a
negative connotation for some - this is merely a technique, not
intended to make others feel bad/sad/manipulated. Do not use this
exercise unless the players have developed a great deal of trust; if
this exercise makes a player uncomfortable, then stop the exercise.
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23.  Process for: Support / Collaboratiion
 A scene is improvised, in which any sentence used by the
players must be a question. Players that use statements
instead of questions are boo-ed out by the audience
(audience yells `Die`) and are replaced by other players. New
players need to take over the character of the players they
replace.
 Although questions are quite often frowned upon in improv
(see Questions and Wimping ), in this game the idea is to
build a story. That implies that any question should be giving
information, and should be (implicitly) advancing on the
information already available. Evidently, the next player
should implicitly accept any information that was given in the
previous question(s).
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25.  How was it?
 What was good about it?
 What did you notice about your partners?
 What stood out for you during the
experience?
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26.  What kind of emotions ran through you
during the play?
 What kind of relationship was
highlighted between you and others?
 What kind of energy emerged among the
players?
 What can you learn from the activity?
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27.  Can similar emotions arise during work/life?
 What will it take from you/team to bring forth
similar strengths at work?
 How exactly can the lessons
learned be applied?
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28.  When such energy is sustained at work, what
will be the benefits?
 How does a team/group with such energies
behave in real life?
 Can you describe what it might
look/sound/feel like then?
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29.  Correct me, if I am wrong…then
paraphrase/summarize?
 Shall we list the ways it can
manifest in reality?
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30. 1. plan an org’s decision making process
2. manage conflict among groups or functions
3. improve processes/operations of any organization
4. create collaboration towards more productivity
5. enhance engagement across functions
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31. 1. Choose any theme: Previous Slide
2. Think Client, Compassionate Design
3. Include at least FIVE Improv Activities
4. Not just a Visual Flow but Walk, Dance, Sing us
through the Process like a Movie Trailer.
5. Preparation Time: 9 Minutes
6. Trailer Time: 1 Minute Each Team
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32. All titles available on
Amazon/Raju Mandhyan
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