Building resilience through improvisation

The BRACED Annual Learning Event (ALE) in Dakar, Senegal, was a dynamic and inspiring event. It brought together over 120 partners from around the world to explore best practices for strengthening resilience in the face of climate extremes. At the event, the BRACED Knowledge Manager teamed up for the second time with the Applied Improvisation Network (AIN).

Why improvisation? Improvisational methods foster interactivity and innovation in BRACED learning processes, and support the uptake of new knowledge and evidence about what works to build resilience. 

Within AIN, we think of learning in the broadest sense, as conceived by organisational development experts:  

• Learning about the topic itself
• Learning about ourselves
• Learning about learning

This notion of learning can be compared to the concept of resilience. The three ways of learning described above are how an organisation learns – and a learning organisation is a resilient organisation.  

In both the BRACED and AIN communities, we strive to be internally resilient (as individuals, teams, organisations, consortia) and we exist to support the development of resilience among the communities we serve.

Skills for adaptation and resilience are core to the improviser’s toolbox. In uncertain situations, the ability to be flexible, make quick decisions, be creative and collaborate make it easier to find a solution.

For BRACED networks, the capacity to be individually and collectively resilient in the face of climate shocks and stresses enables a more rapid and appropriate response to disasters, which can ultimately minimise their negative impact on livelihoods and societies.  

Pre-determined strategies often fail in high-risk and disaster scenarios, as they may leave us without our typical resources, on-site team members and communication processes. Improvisational skills allow us to work quickly in the face of the unexpected, mobilising personnel and resources in creative ways. 

For example, these skills include being more observant, using what resources are in front of you and being creative – which, in a disaster scenario, might be the difference between preservation and destruction. 

WHAT DOES IMPROVISATION LOOK LIKE?

In Dakar, our team of three AIN facilitators – Lesley Adams, Renatus Hoogenraad and Barbara Tint – lent their expertise to the event.

We explored power dynamics, collaboration, decision-making and gender roles, among other issues. In all activities, the goal was for participants to engage in an experience, which was then debriefed for relevance and application to their own context.

One example was an activity related to status interactions. People were asked to pick a number between one and 10 and to keep the number to themselves.

We then shared basic descriptions of status behaviour where people with higher numbers would walk around with larger body movements, a loud voice, etc., while those with smaller numbers would use a smaller demeanour, a quieter voice, etc. Participants were then instructed to walk around the room and engage with as many people as possible.

Within 10 minutes, it became clear to participants what dynamics emerge in combinations of status interactions. Exploring and understanding status behaviours is a critical aspect of working with people in professional settings.

Learning was enhanced as participants were actively engaged – physically, intellectually and emotionally. The Dakar event opened a great space to bring the practice and knowledge of applied improvisation to the BRACED community. Learning happened. Connectivity happened. Reflection happened. And even some fun, too.