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Dynamic Leadership: Using Improvisation in Business
Art: Gaston, John, (John Gaston merchant ledger) - DPLA -…, 1773 · Public domain
- Instructor
- Prof. Lakshmi Balachandra
- Term
- Fall 2004
- Level
- Graduate
- What's inside
- 1 lecture note · 1 reading · 6 other files · 4 web pages
- Materials open
- MIT OCW
About this course
Source: MIT OpenCourseWare 15.969 Dynamic Leadership: Using Improvisation in Business, Fall 2004, Prof. Lakshmi Balachandra — original course page on ocw.mit.edu ↗. License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Study order: MIT's own listing order, section by section. Taken from MIT's published course files, downloaded from ocw.mit.edu on September 22, 2026. How RedLectern is built.
Materials are grouped the way MIT organized them. A verified, course-wide order has not been established here.
Before you start
Prerequisites are not listed here. Check MIT's own syllabus for this course.
How this course was organized
What's here, and what isn't
- A lecture sequence of 12 items is confirmed. It stays as organized materials rather than a full course order.
Not included here
2 items from the source could not be safely included:
- MIT's page format for this item wasn't recognized clearly enough to place it safely. (2 items)
Materials by section
Grouped by section, as MIT organized them. Not sequenced or ordered.
Lecture Notes
- Lecture 1 Download
- Lecture 3 · Introduction and Learning Fundamentals of Improvisation (cont.) Begin understanding how… Download
- Lecture 7 · Public Speaking and Networking Exploration - How Improvising Determines Leadership… Download
- Lecture 8 Download
- Lecture 9 · The Improvising CEO Synthesizing Improv Techniques + Experiencing Different Leadership… Download
- Lecture 10 · Final Understanding - Improvisational Leadership + Projecting YOU Staying in Control… Download
Course outline
Calendar · Lecture Notes
Lecture 2: Improvisation Methodology (cont.)
Calendar · Lecture Notes
Lecture 3: Introduction and Learning Fundamentals of Improvisation (cont.) Begin understanding how to read your audience + win people over Learning about yourself - Leader’s ‘EQ’ (Goldman Article) a) What have you learned about yourself: 1. pitfalls, goals, etc, and 2. what you need to develop or manage in yourself b) Workplace environments c) Exploring different simple scenarios
Calendar · Lecture Notes
Lecture 4: Introduction of Leadership Learning from Improvisation Not New Ideas - “Listening to People” Article Applying Improvisation to MBA Life
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Lecture 5: Workplace Scenarios and ‘Being the Leader’ Begin Discussion of leadership - Leadership Model at MIT Sloan Why improvisation tools create a path to gaining skills and attributes of leadership Leadership and Improvisation Exploration Modules Module 1: Inventing a) The Leader as Creativity Cultivator: Creativity? How to manage a creative process using improvisation - and learn why it’s effective
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Lecture 6: Leadership Situations - Improvisational Understanding Module 2: Sensemaking a) The Leader and Controlling the Situation: Interviewing - learning the influence of ‘who has the power’ in situations and how you deal with it b) The Leader Furthering His/Her Message: Expert Q & A - furthering the expert talker concept to deliver your message regardless of the questions you face and unknown ideas that you may come across
Calendar · Lecture Notes
Lecture 7: Public Speaking and Networking Exploration - How Improvising Determines Leadership Portrayed Reading Audiences: Welcome Audience vs. Hostile Audience Leadership Model (cont.) Module 3: Visioning a) The Leader as the Expert: Expert Talker - exploring how to ‘act’ as if you are the expert; utilizing confidence and your own expertise to carry you through difficult situations
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Lecture 8: Networking + People Skills in Leadership Module 4: Relating a) The Leader as Effective Networker: 1. Networking Scenarios “The Dating Game” - learning to read body language, and how to win people over quickly, and 2. Cocktail Party 101 - rules of networking - applying them in difficult or challenging situations b) The Leader as a Persuasive Salesperson: How to ‘react’ - various welcome vs. unwelcome characters and how to read them and handle them appropriately, always moving towards achieving your personal goals b) The Leader as Approachable: Stand-up Comedy 101…- the art of telling a joke, when and where to use? Why is this type of persona and skill helpful for leadership situations? When is it not?
Calendar · Lecture Notes
Lecture 9: The Improvising CEO Synthesizing Improv Techniques + Experiencing Different Leadership Scenarios: Sales for new business, pitching to investors, motivating their employees, speaking on panels, guest speaking at conferences, networking at meetings or impromptu moments, running board meetings, pitching new releases/company updates Leadership Model: Tying it All Together Understand Who You are as a CEO (Building Your Own ‘Change Signature’) Learning What Works Learn how to Improve/Define ‘You as a CEO’ a) What are ’leader desired attributes’ b) Trying on different leadership ‘characterizations’ c) How the reactions vary
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Lecture 10: Final Understanding - Improvisational Leadership + Projecting YOU Staying in Control: Keeping the Leader’s Persona Salesman - Approachable/Persuasive Salesman Press Conference - Persuasive Salesman/Furthering His/Her Message Board Meetings - Controlling the Situation/ Expert/ Networker/ Approachable VC Pitches - Controlling the Situation/ Expert/ Networker/ Approachable
Calendar · Lecture Notes
Lecture 11: Group Presentations: Final Presentations and Review a) You, the Leader, The Improviser… b) Understanding of not only how to do things but who you are c) Learning to develop who and what you to project in any situation d) Takeaways of how to implement the image you want to convey
Calendar · Lecture Notes
Lecture 12: Wrapping it Up Understanding how to use this framework for improvisation in leadership at MIT Sloan and beyond
MIT OpenCourseWare, Prof. Lakshmi Balachandra, 15.969 Dynamic Leadership: Using Improvisation in Business, Fall 2004.
License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Edition: Fall 2004 · Open the original course on OCW ↗
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