Improv for Technologists - You are a Storyteller

In this workshop, you will to learn to become a stronger presenter and storyteller. This is an on-your feet workshop, not a lecture. You will play games, do fun storytelling exercises and learn tools to help you connect to your audience. This class is for all skill levels.

In problem solving (especially in data science & engineering), context or how the problem came up in the business and *why" we're trying to solve it in the first place is important. Then the what you did, the business impact (i.e. resolution or moral of the story) of a successful project are also key ingredients in communicating to stakeholders.

*Note, expedite check-in and register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/improv-for-technologists-you-are-a-storyteller-tickets-59113468977

Why Improv?
Forbes, the New York Times, Harvard Business Review and many other publications have written about how improv training is amazing business and startup training. How does improv help technology workers?

Improv helps people:

• Listen and be present
• Be better communicators
• Tap into creativity
• Relieve anxiety/stress and release tension
• Celebrate making mistakes and be more resilient
• Gracefully deal with uncertainty
• Make your partners look good and collaborate on teams more effectively
• YES AND in addition to being useful, improv is fun!

***Remember, register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/improv-for-technologists-you-are-a-storyteller-tickets-59113468977

What Takeaways to Expect:

• Develop deeper listening skills
• Hone your audience awareness
• Get in touch with your natural presence
• Embrace body language that makes you open and flexible to ideas instead of closed off.
• Be more comfortable going off-script (i.e. improvising) during presentations, in Q&A, and in life.
• Take the focus off yourself and serve your audience by “being interested, instead of being interesting”
• Use “yes and” thinking to collaborate more creatively and effectively with your team
• Take care of your teammates and notice when team members feel excluded or afraid to contribute their thoughts. Sometimes, great ideas go unspoken.

Who Should Attend:

• Data Scientists and Engineers who want to improve communication, listening skills, and be more compelling.
• Industry professionals and bootcamp students who want to feel more relaxed and confident in job interviews.
• Founders and executives leading teams
• Product Managers
• Designers
• Creative Directors, Video Makers, Copywriters, Marketers, who want a creativity boost and new storytelling tools
• Teachers, therapists, yoga instructors, health and wellness professionals
• All kinds of people from all walks of life!

Class Agenda:

• 6:30 pm - 7 pm: drinks and snacks (sponsored by Galvanize)
• 7 pm - 8 pm: joyful storytelling games to warm up spontaneity, ignite our imaginations, practice being kind to ourselves and practice celebrating mistakes
• 8:00 pm - 8:15: bathroom break
• 8:15 - 9:15 pm: Additional storytelling games / exercises
• 9:15 pm - 10:15 pm: Integration. Here’s where we put it all together and do group scenes games, mock job interviews, improvised presentations, etc. in front of the class.

Donations Encouraged:
Donations of $30 per person for this three hour workshop are encouraged Donations enable us to continue offering these workshops to the community.

This workshop usually costs $60+ per person.

Donation Methods Accepted:

• Donorbox: https://donorbox.org/you-are-a-storyteller-sf
• Venmo: @jaredpolivka
• Cash

About the Teachers: Jared and Erica
Jared Polivka
Jared previously served thousands of students around the world as Director of the School of AI at Udacity.com. With a background in product, design thinking, developer evangelism, storytelling and improvisation, Jared has found that improv skills are incredibly useful in working at organizations (i.e. startups) dealing with uncertainty and change.