Leading from Where You Are: Women in Leadership Roles - ONLINE CLASS
Taught by Jen Brown and The Engaging Educator
I’m Jen Oleniczak Brown, the Founder of The Engaging Educator. In 2012, I was wrapping up a degree in art history at City College, and I realized that I strangely missed doing improv.
It had been part of my life since I was 15, and I missed the quick on the spot decisions, the heightened reality and the practice! I was working in museums with non-actors and my bosses kept telling me how good I was at pivoting and rolling with the audience, as well as how great my public speaking skills were. A quick whim got me to list a few public classes online, and turns out, a lot of people struggled with flexibility, quick thinking, responding in a thoughtful manner, active listening and more – cue The Engaging Educator.
Over the next few years, I saw more and more connections to improv and communication skills – specifically active listening and responding, as well as public speaking, improv and interpersonal skills – specifically empathy and connection. All of these new connections went into class development, which is actually one of my favorite things to do. You see, one of the founding principles of EE is the idea and importance of continuing education, and that isn’t just for you, it’s for us! Our curriculum and guiding ideas are always changing. Over the past few years, we’ve taken our public classes and workshops and leveled them up to online programming with Skillshare, learning materials through the Center for Creative Leadership’s Improvisational Insights Card Deck and a book, Think on Your Feet: Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Impromptu Communication Skills, with McGraw Hill Education, released November 8, 2019.
EE doesn’t stop with our classes and materials – we’ve grown the idea to a women’s collaborative collective in Winston Salem, NC called Fearless Winston Salem, last year I coached 100 Women for 100 Hours and am currently working on projects to help moms, encourage women to take their space, and a nationwide women-owned business directory that is free to use and be part of, leveling the playing field for all women.
Realizing the connection between improvisation and communication, The Engaging Educator (@TheEngagingEd), specializes in customized improv-based education. We provide classes that enhance public speaking, creativity, flexibility, positive risk-taking, teamwork and more by flexing improv muscles. Beyond our classes for educators and professionals, we also specialize in improv for high school students, corporate workshops, and improv for individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as individuals with cerebral palsy.
*This is a live online class via Zoom.*
One of the top reasons our female clients take our improv class is to develop leadership skills. Unfortunately, a lot of them think they have to pretend to be someone they aren’t, and develop qualities that aren’t innately part of who they are. The reality is, most of us have those coveted leadership skills already, it’s simply a matter of honing our style, reading a situation, and knowing when to bring out active listening (always) and when to focus in on things like motivation, responsibility and delegation.
Great leaders have mastered communication skills, and that’s our first focus in this class designed specifically for women who are in leadership roles or want to be in leadership roles. After connecting with communication, we’ll explore other aspects of leadership, like how to give effective feedback, when to be positive (and when to be realistic), and how to develop creativity with your team, all through interactive activities. We’ll have an open discussion of challenges and struggles, as well as celebratory moments for everyone coming out and committing to improvement.
This class is great for current and aspiring leaders - you’ll leave with a greater understanding of your personal style, strengths and areas of growth, as well as activities for you and your team to continue to grow and develop. Aside from communication skills, there is one absolute about great leaders - they are always growing, and encouraging growth.
