Developing Shared Leadership Through Improvisational Theatre Exercises

This paper proposes 3 short exercises drawn from improvisational theatre to allow participants to experience shared leadership in practice. The 3 short exercises challenges participants’ common notion of leadership and influence as emanating from one individual. The exercises require participants to practice active listening, stay present, accept ideas that have come before, build on ideas that have come before and stay adaptable and flexible. These are skills that are essential for shared leadership to be developed.