“If it weren’t for fear, I wouldn’t have to teach you a damn thing” – Keith Johnstone (2007)
Neil teach improvisation skills (improv) to individuals, teams and organisations. He also uses improv as a training tool with organisations in many areas including Communication, Team Building, Public Speaking, and Leadership. From an academic perspective, Neil believes that Improv is his Pedagogy.
To some people, the act of improvising is; speaking off the cuff; making decisions under pressure; building effective teams in poor performing areas; speaking to influence. These areas are where a person can feel very much out of their comfort zone or even associate with fear and anxiety. His passion as a trainer is guiding participants through the process for them to first overcome their fear and go on to potentially master the area he/she wishes to develop further. People choose to undertake this type of training for different reasons. E.G. To increase confidence; to be able to present with impact; to foster collaboration.
Neil's format for my training and courses undertakes a non-traditional classroom based approach. Classes are practical and applied, with people learning by doing where people are taught through individual and group based exercises.
As with Kolbe’s Learning cycle (2014), it is recognised that we all learn in different ways. With this training, people have opportunities to learn by doing, observing, reflecting and thinking throughout the classes. Formative and peer feedback is used throughout every class.
As a trainer in this area, it’s very important that empathy and a positive, supportive environment is created in order to have a fertile ground for the learning and development to take place. Understanding of emotional intelligence aids the learning process (Goleman 1996).
The effects on students can be profound and the immediate reactions gathered from the students after completion of a course always amazes me. Some have even gone as far as saying that it has changed their life. As a trainer, this is the best evaluation possible.
Neil holds a Masters in Training & Education, is a qualified Executive Coach with EQi certification.
References
Goleman, D. (1996) Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ, Bloomsbury Publishing: London.
Johnstone, K. (2007) Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, A&C Black.
Kolb, D.A. (2014) Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, 2nd ed. FT Press.
Who has Neil trained with?
Europe
John Cremer – The Maydays
Jules Munns – The Nursery Theatre / The Maydays
Kate Schutte – The Maydays
Lloydie James Lloyd -The Maydays
Heather Urquhart – The Maydays
Joe Samuel – The Maydays
Rebecca MacMillan – The Maydays
Steve Roe – Hoopla Improv
Trent Pancy – The improvAcademy
Ireland
James Power – Stagemad Theatre
Ronan O’Leary
Peter O’Byrne
Sharon Mannion
Danny Kehoe
John Conroy
Margaret Curran
Brian Quinn
John Turtington
North America
Jason R. Chin – iO Chicago
David Razowsky – iO / Second City
Susan Messing – Annoyance Theatre / iO Chicago / Second City
Jill Bernard – HUGE Theatre
Tara DeFrancisco – iO Chicago
Kevin Mullaney – Under The Gun Theatre Chicago / UCB
Will Luera – Florida Studio Theatre / ImprovBoston
Marshall Stern & Nancy Howland Walker – Zenprov
Brian James O’Connell (Coaching) – Pack Theatre / iO West
Craig Cackowski – iO West
Carla Cackowski – iO West / Second City
Lydia Hensler – UCB
Lloyd Ahlquist – Westside Comedy
Colleen Doyle – iO West
Ithamar Enriquez – iO West
Bob Dassie – iO West
Paul Vaillancourt – iO West
Jason Pardo – iO West
Katie Nahnsen – iO West
Drew Droegen – The Groundlings / iO West
Celeste Pechous – Second City
Eric Hunicutt – iO West
Vinny Francois – Montreal Improv
Andel Sudik – Second City
Kaci Beeler – Parallelogramophonograph
Roy Janik – Parallelogramophonograph
Kareem Badr – Parallelogramophonograph
Valerie Ward – Parallelogramophonograph
Jeff Kramer – Comedysportz