The Art of Coaching Improvisationally - International Coaching Federation
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The Art of Coaching Improvisationally

Posted by MaryAnn McKibben Dana, ACC | July 23, 2018 | Comments (4)

“The five minutes before the coaching conversation begins are the most important five minutes of the whole encounter.”

I remember hearing this in coach training and feeling surprised. Surely the wrap-up is most critical, I thought to myself, in which actions steps are articulated and clarified. Or, the initial check-in, which sets the stage for everything that is to come. As a coach, I now see the wisdom of this instruction. If I come into the appointment distracted and scattered, I cannot be of service. In my pre-conversation time, I try to center myself, prepare to listen deeply without agenda, and most of all, trust the process and my role in it. There’s always a bit of nervous excitement, too, because I have no idea what will happen and where we’ll end up at the conclusion of our conversation.

Interestingly, that anticipatory energy is exactly what I feel when preparing to walk out on a stage to do improv comedy.

I began studying improv several years ago as a way to have fun and also rein in some of my perfectionistic, controlling tendencies. In improv, two or more people create something on stage together—something that didn’t exist before, something neither person could have predicted or created on their own. Since then, I’ve been struck with how much of life is an improvisation. As Amy Poehler has said, “We all think we’re in control of our lives, and that the ground is solid beneath our feet, but we are so wrong. Improvising reminds you of that over and over again.”

Here are just a few tools of improv and how they can help in the coaching relationship.

The Power of Yes-And

The cardinal rule of improv is to say “Yes-And”—to accept what is offered by a scene partner and to build on it. Acceptance doesn’t mean we necessarily agree with or even “like” the offer, but on stage, it’s our job to receive it as reality and offer our own contribution in response.

Yes-and is a vital approach to life. The truth is, we’re not in control of our lives. The unforeseen happens. Plans fall through. Marriages end. The plant closes down. Loved ones die. Much of coaching is helping people come to terms with life as it is and moving toward life as it can be. By thinking improvisationally, we can help people become more awake, creative, resilient and ready to play—even (and perhaps especially) when life doesn’t go according to plan.

The coaching relationship itself is an improvisation. There are surprises and detours. There are juicy questions that unlock an unexpected insight. A spirit of Yes-And can be a fruitful orientation for coaches.

The Power of Listening

If you’ve seen hilarious improv performed on stage, it might seem counterintuitive to say that listening is the key to success. But good improv flows when the players are tuned into one another. We simply can’t improvise—we can’t say Yes-And—without paying attention, without seeing the person in front of us and hearing what’s actually being communicated. It’s one of the greatest ways of honoring another human being. There’s nothing better than having someone acknowledge and embrace an idea we offered onstage…or in life. We feel heard, seen and valued.

It’s hard to overstate how countercultural—and important—good listening is. We live in a sound-bite culture, punctuated with bulleted lists, talking points and hot takes. We sacrifice so much to sound-bite communication: Mystery. Subtlety. Even basic surprise. Perhaps you, too, have been struck by the gratitude in a client’s voice simply because they felt deeply heard. Even when my questions didn’t seem all that powerful or my comments all that insightful, the act of listening helps unlock deeper wisdom. Sometimes listening is enough.

The Power of Small Steps

Some coaching clients don’t know which path to take and need a coach to help them discern. Many of my clients seem to know what they want out of life but feel stuck to take the right steps. Here improv can also be of help. There’s a wise saying at Second City Training Center in Chicago: “Bring a brick, not a cathedral.” When we’re improvising with others, we don’t arrive with a fully formed idea and plunk it down. We each show up with one piece, and together we build. Forward momentum, not precision or cleverness, is key to keeping the action going. That means that “good enough” is the gold standard for improvisers—and for coaches.

Certainly, our lives can experience quantum leaps—the risky decision or the audacious challenge laid down by a bold coach. But most of life consists of small, faithful steps. Improv—and improvisational coaching—can help us get where we hope to go.

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MaryAnn McKibben Dana, ACC

MaryAnn McKibben Dana is a writer, pastor, speaker and Associate Certified Coach (ACC) who lives in Reston, Virginia. She is author of God, Improv, and the Art of Living and Sabbath in the Suburbs. She speaks, writes and coaches around issues of leadership, spirituality, adaptive change, team building and more. She is a mother of three, an inveterate muffin-maker, and a newly minted ultramarathoner.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts featured on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the International Coach Federation (ICF). The publication of a guest post on the ICF Blog does not equate to an ICF endorsement or guarantee of the products or services provided by the author.

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Comments (4)

  1. Doris says:

    I am totally with you.
    As coaches we know nothing and this approach is what best serves our client: being heard means being loved and love can open hearts and move mountains.
    As I am writing the first case study for my coach certification I am focusing on this issue: improvisation and the fact it is not necessarily antithetical to process. Actually enjoyment as a coach comes when I can improvise and know my stage (the process) which I see as not prescriptive but Rather as a space within which I am free to move as I wish. The process anchors me but the stage is there to support my partnership with the client in the moment. What are your thoughts about improvising and the need to trust the process? Thanks Doris

  2. mike@mikedorialife.com says:

    Very interesting. I got involved in Improv about a year and a half ago, took all three class levels and did some acting/sketch-writing after. I think Improvising in coaching could be described as truly meeting the client’s needs or where he or she is. That away we don’t go in with any preconceived notions. And that “Yes And” is sort of like the skill of Research & Testing. By trade, I’m also a writer (TV News Reporter) and have a unique ability, like you, to connect two things that don’t ordinarliy go together. Great article!

  3. Hi there, thanks, MaryAnn, I’m intrigued by this. Took an improv class some years ago in my hometown and I am now teaching it at Cairo Covenant School in Egypt, where I’m also designing training for a coaching academy here. I’m excited to have found this on the ICF blog as it’s giving me another reason to include some improv work in the coach training curriculum. Great article– I believe coaches practicing improv can definitely support our growth in a variety of Core Competencies! –Adam Fleming PCC

  4. Mariyn says:

    I studied improv for a number of years sometime back and it was hugely influential in my thinking about everything. I’m now working towards my first level certification as a coach but saw the connection between improv and coaching even before I began. Both work when best only when the players are present, listen and willing to be relinquish control. The commitment to “yes, and…” is what what really brings the magic. I’m not the least surprised to find other coaches who have studied improv bringing their skills to the coaching conversation.

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