Enigin Impro Trained?
Improvisation is all about adapting. It is about being in the moment. Now please understand what I say when I say it is about being in the moment. I don’t mean that it is about being in the moment in a wishy washy way – I mean really being in the moment. Being fully and utterly present in that time and space, so much so that you react without thinking, speak without filtering your words, and respond to what is being asked of you without fear or hesitation. Those of you who are improvisers reading this, you understand what I am talking about. Many of your main professions are those of life coaches, trainers and I know for a fact that a whole bunch of you are extremely successful sales men. Many of you have even told me stories that illustrate how your personal success are tied into your training and ability as improvisers, how you have grown as people through the process of being involved in the industry. Well over at Enigin last week I saw a classic textbook case of this.
Enigin PLC are an energy saving company based down in Cornwall. I took great pleasure in popping down to that part of world; it is beautiful and very different from the city life that I normally lead. Enigin have offices in St Austel, quite easy to find due to the large “enigin” sign that they have pointing to the building. Anyway, I was down there for a meeting – and what an inspiring meeting it was. We went across the road to restaurant, where they actually had their own little alcove set up – I guess they are regulars there. So we are talking about what enigin can do etc etc the usual meeting stuff. That was not the interesting thing. What I found fascinating was these guys ability to be present in the moment. This is a really hard thing to describe to a non improviser, but for those of you who are, you know that moment when you are half way through the making up of a scene or a sketch, and everything just flows together and what ever you say comes out like you had spent weeks scripting it? Well that is what happened. Now we all know that the reason on stage when improvising that this happens, is that everyone else on stage supports what is being said and integrates it into their “reality”. Well this is what the guys down at Enigin did – and the best thing was they didn’t even know they were doing it! They just did it naturally, subtly, and it was driven out of a genuine enthusiasm and love for the work that they are doing. I was shocked! I had never had quite so much fun in a first meeting ever. I walked out feeling like there was a real synergy between me and the Enigin boys, like we had known and worked together for a long time.
I’ve done a little research since then, and I’ve found out that they have professional inhouse trainers, and that the trainers are very good. They are not improvisers but perhaps it works both ways. In the same way that many of you have associated jobs such as being life coaches etc, perhaps those who are trainers would also make naturally good improvisers. I don’t know if anyone is currently offering improvisation as a business training tool, but perhaps they should. The boys at Enigin certainly have reminded me of the power and the influence that the method can have in a meeting.
Enigin Impro Trained?