Contents
Guide
Page List
PRAISE FOR JEN OLENICZAK BROWN AND THINK ON YOUR FEET
[Think on Your Feet] is a helpful mavens guide ideal for anyone who views a podium with fear and trembling.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Think improv is just for comedians? Think again! Improv is about knowing where you are in the moment and being able to pivot to find what works. Jen Browns book Think On Your Feet will help you and your team develop these skills to be successful in every business situation.
WENDY DAILEY,
Talent Advisor at Sanford Health
Before reading this book, I was never one to study or practice for anything, especially when it came to communicating. I just figured that because I have the gift of gab, no practice was necessary. Sheesh, was I wrong! After being in numerous situations where the spotlight came to me unexpectedly, I can appreciate this bible on perfecting your impromptu speaking and communications skills. Ive always been one who commanded attention with only my voice, but with Jens humorous yet intentional insight on how to maneuver in any situation, I can now command attention with intention!
MALEEKA T. HOLLAWAY,
founder of The Official Maleeka Group
Too often fear of saying the wrong thing holds us back from our achievements. This book provides the tools and mental hacks to help you communicate confidently. Jen Browns unique incorporation of improv frameworks and exercises are not only wholly effective, theyre wildly engaging. This is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their communication skills.
KATIE KAPLER,
CEO of CourseHorse
Think on Your Feet is both super readable and relatable. It blends the best of a fun improv class with the career guidance books we devour because they set us straight. Jens account of how best to apply improv basics to work and life moments bring a fun perspective and approach to age-old concerns. I fully recommend this book to anyone hoping or plotting how to get ahead with the next phase of their lives. Improv or scripted, Jens explanations and samples of common professional moments make any scenario relatable, so that youll feel prepared and ready.
EILEEN CANNON,
Senior Director, Content + Curriculum at PBS
Jen Brown offers a refreshing new way of looking at human interactions and to ourselves. Everyone who aspires to become a more engaging and thoughtful communicator should follow Jens ideas to bring a bit of improv to their lives. A must-read for college students!
ADA MARTNEZ-GMEZ, PHD,
Coordinator, Department of Modern Languages and Literature at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Jen offers a way to break through ones preconceived notions and learn how to really collaborate with other people. She teaches how the reality that is created by using improv techniques in our conversations is powerful and can help to manifest the change that each of us desires, in work and in life!
ASHLEY KNIGHT,
Program Coordinator, HR at Wake Baptist Health
Through multiple real-life examples and suggested activities to guide the reader, Jens enthusiasm for applying lessons from improv to communication is very evident.
JILL SCHIEFELBEIN,
founder of The Dynamic Communicator
Jen Brown not only makes improv accessible, she also weaves in lessons of empathy and strength. This is a read, learn, apply book. Ive learned a new language that I already see sneaking into several conversations, and, more importantly, into my actions.
TRAVIS SHERIDAN,
Global Director at Venture Caf
Think On Your Feet is a self-improvement book that teaches you how to apply the brilliant lessons of improv to your daily life. As an HR professional, I know a thing or two about sensitive conversations and this book is filled with advice on how to master even the most difficult of conversations. Jen offers a wealth of great tips, fun tricks, and exercises and shows you how to work them into your day-to-day. Yes, and Ill be recommending this book to my whole team.
JESSICA DEGRADO,
HR People Partner at Atlassian
Plenty of books tell you how to do planned comms work. This is the only one that explains the benefits of sometimes thinking on your feet and doing less planning, not more.
SREE SREENIVASA,
Fast Company 100 Most Creative People in Business and Loeb visiting professor at Stony Brook University
I have seen Jen think on her feet and deftly respond to a wide variety of situations. Her background in improv, teaching and facilitating, make her eminently qualified to offer tips to make us all more adept at responding to the unexpected.
SHARON VATSKY,
Director of Education, School and Family Programs, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Copyright 2020 by Jen Oleniczak Brown. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-26-045704-9
MHID: 1-26-045704-4
The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN: 978-1-26-045703-2, MHID: 1-26-045703-6.
eBook conversion by codeMantra
Version 1.0
All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Where such designations appear in this book, they have been printed with initial caps.
McGraw-Hill Education eBooks are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions or for use in corporate training programs. To contact a representative, please visit the Contact Us page at www.mhprofessional.com.
TERMS OF USE
This is a copyrighted work and McGraw-Hill Education and its licensors reserve all rights in and to the work. Use of this work is subject to these terms. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976 and the right to store and retrieve one copy of the work, you may not decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, reproduce, modify, create derivative works based upon, transmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish or sublicense the work or any part of it without McGraw-Hill Educations prior consent. You may use the work for your own noncommercial and personal use; any other use of the work is strictly prohibited. Your right to use the work may be terminated if you fail to comply with these terms.
THE WORK IS PROVIDED AS IS. McGRAW-HILL EDUCATION AND ITS LICENSORS MAKE NO GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY OR COMPLETENESS OF OR RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED FROM USING THE WORK, INCLUDING ANY INFORMATION THAT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE WORK VIA HYPERLINK OR OTHERWISE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. McGraw-Hill Education and its licensors do not warrant or guarantee that the functions contained in the work will meet your requirements or that its operation will be uninterrupted or error free. Neither McGraw-Hill Education nor its licensors shall be liable to you or anyone else for any inaccuracy, error or omission, regardless of cause, in the work or for any damages resulting therefrom. McGraw-Hill Education has no responsibility for the content of any information accessed through the work. Under no circumstances shall McGraw-Hill Education and/or its licensors be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, consequential or similar damages that result from the use of or inability to use the work, even if any of them has been advised of the possibility of such damages. This limitation of liability shall apply to any claim or cause whatsoever whether such claim or cause arises in contract, tort or otherwise.