Podcast appearances and mentions of karen hough

Have you ever experienced self-doubt? What did you do to take action and move past it? In this special behind the scenes episode, host Natalie Benamou shares how she overcame obstacles, fear and most importantly pushed past fear, and 'did it anyway'.Everyone has self-doubt and it can stop us in our tracks. The most important thing we all can do is move through, not over or around but through the fear. In the end we have two paths to take. The first takes us on a courageous journey where we do "something that scares us every day" - Eleanor Roosevelt Even, when it is hard. When we feel like we are bungie jumping off a bridge, and we don't see the safety net. For many of us it can feel the way Denzel Washington describes it as "Fall Forward". The second path is to allow our fears to stop us. This week, HerCsuite™ launched Her Health Equity Council. I had anxiety about this launch. As Meghan Draper, our Creative Director shared with me-when something is close to our hearts it is the hardest to do. I meditated and prayed on the idea. For me there was only one way forward and that was through.I know that for many who have anxiety it isn't simple. It can be daunting. You may surround yourself with positive words like 'Fear is Boring' and still fear can grab a hold of your heart and make everything seem like it is out of your reach.Do you know that feeling? Despite all the data - or evidence to the contrary about how we are worthy, in our minds we think, yes but... instead of yes and-to quote Karen Hough , Founder and CEO of Improv Edge.What should we do when this happens? Is it as simple as mindfulness, meditation and taking walks? Probably not.Here is what I know. We are the result of the people we surround ourselves with. In my case, I have surrounded myself with many amazing women in HerCsuite™. I have a small and mighty team, advisors, friends, cheerleaders, mentors and truly amazing women and so many have stepped in to be speakers, coaches, facilitators and more. Our newest programs have Chair roles and Cathy, Eliza, Lydia, Naomi, Elaine, Margaret, Melanie, and Laurie, you all add a next level of expertise!When I was getting ready for the launch event, I had a total panic and thought what if...and when I started the virtual program, despite having prepared, rehearsed and feeling ready with what I wanted to say. I rushed. I felt not in my zone.What do you do when that happens? Here are my 5 Tips to get back on track in any situation.5 Tips to Move Past Fear and Do it Anyway1. Know You Are Not Alone.2. Slow Down. Don't Go Fast. 3. Stay present and listen.4. Open It Up to Others to Participate. 5. Take up Space.Circling back to our topic today which is truly about Fear And Doing it Anyway.I want you to close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Let it out and then let your mind see the possibilities. What if you Succeed? What if you helped one person today? What if whatever you share, even if it isn't perfect really makes a different.Then imagine what would happen if you didn't do those things.Today's podcast is sponsored by our new program Her Health Equity Council Join the Movement and share your #HerHealthEquityPledge on social. Send us an audio message and share your story of why Her Health Equity is important to you.Thank you for listening today. Please share this episode with a friend or colleague today.Keep shining your Light Bright. The World Needs You.Connect with us on:Natalie Benamou LinkedInHerCsuite™ on LinkedInHerCsuite™

Access the full transcript at HerCsuite.com/podcastAs leaders, we have to be ready for any situation. It can be difficult to know the best way to respond to unexpected situations. Discover the best ways to respond and be ready for the unexpected using Improv with host Natalie Benamou and Karen Hough, Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge. In this episode, Karen explains how we can leverage Improv to help respond to disruptions happening at the speed of change and why adaptability is essential for leaders in the workplace. Improv can be used in professional and personal settings to show resilience and empathy in any situation. Being an improviser has never been more important, take a listen as we discover all the ways to use these skills for the Future of Work. 5 Ways To Use Improv For the Future of Work1. Be ready to adapt to different meeting environments: Hybrid, Virtual and In-person.2. Apply flexibility to keep pace with change and demonstrate your resilience.3. It is better to slow down to go fast.4. Good meeting hygiene: set an agenda, assign topics to other people, and finish early.5. Ask open ended questions to stay on topic and in the moment.Learn how leaders across the globe use these principles to be more effective at what they do every day with Improv.Quotes from Karen Hough:"It is much more exhausting to be on camera than to be in-person, the brain has to work on over time." "We need to make clear decisions about who needs to be in a meeting" "If we empower ourselves as an improviser, we are never alone" "Be willing to be creative and ready to fail. It is how we experiment."“It is so important to our health and well being that we try to see silver lining even in difficult moments.”“As we think about the future, it's never been more important to be an Improviser.”Quote from Natalie"You have to listen attentively, so that you can follow up with the next question."Resources:Karen Hough LinkedInKaren Hough TwitterKaren Hough ImprovEdge websiteImprovEdge TwitterImprovEdge YouTubeNatalie Benamou LinkedInHerCsuite™ on LinkedInHerCsuite™ Thank you for spending your time with us today. This podcast is sponsored by HerCsuite™ Mentoring Made Easy Programs that combine speakers with executive coaches in every cohort. Gain a competitive advantage advancing more women at every level inside your own private network hub in HerCsuite™.Find out more at HerCsuite™ and Schedule a call to find the best program and share with us what success looks like for you.Thank you to Karen Hough for being a featured speaker for HerCsuite™ and guest on the show. To our listeners, we appreciate you. Keep shining your light bright out in the world. We would be honored if you hit the subscribe button and share the episode with a friend or colleague today.

Karen Hough is the Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge and has been using improvisation as a catalyst for business training and consulting for over 20 years. ImprovEdge won the silver International Stevie Award for “Most Innovative Company of the Year” and is in the top 1% of US women-owned businesses. Karen won the WNBA Inspiring Woman Award and is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post. Karen is a #1 Amazon best-selling author and 800-CEO-Read Top 25 Business Books recipient for The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work. Her second award-winning book, Be the Best Bad Presenter Ever: Break the Rules, Make Mistakes, and Win Them Over, is available in four languages and won the Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for video content in an ebook. Her third book, Go With It: Embrace the Unexpected to Drive Change, was published by the Association for Talent Development in 2017. Karen is a national conference keynote speaker on topics such as negotiation, executive presence, presentation skills, leadership, and business development. She is also a graduate of Yale University and La Sorbonne in Paris and is deeply committed to philanthropic work. She lives in Ohio with her husband and three children. In this episode… Many things can happen unexpectedly and cause chaos and confusion. In such cases, how can you improvise to emerge stronger and more empowered? To successfully step into the unknown, you have to be willing to embrace change. Do the things that make you uncomfortable, whether at work, in your family, or in relationships. The fear of change can make you uneasy and prevent you from living your best life, but you can take baby steps toward your goals. When things happen unexpectedly, you don't need to have all the answers. Karen Hough's advice is to take a pause to calm down and allow yourself to reflect and think about the next steps. In this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, Andrea Heuston is joined by Karen Hough, the Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, to talk about the power of improvisation in business and in life. They also discuss breaking presentation rules to connect with an audience better, how to embrace the unexpected to drive change, and how Karen uses improv skills to serve her clients.

Karen Hough is a writer, editor and blogger with an Honours BSc. in Human Kinetics. She's more than just a finicky grammar nerd, though a finicky grammar nerd she is. As a Canadian, I can handle either neighbor or neighbour, and prefer to go without the Oxford comma, but can be flexible if needed. My favourite thing is creating content with impact, whether it be your work of fiction, news release, website or article. She lives with my husband, three energetic kids and a codependent office dog, boring impressing them all with stories about how she used to be a nutritionist, personal trainer and national-level fitness competitor. Her first novel, Ground Control, was published in early 2021 by Lights Out Ink Press. It was re-released in June 2022 by Sley House Publishing, on whose Tales of Sley House 2021 I collaborated as editor. You can find Karen on social media at the links below. Website Twitter Instagram Medium

This week we welcome the CEO of ImprovEdge, Karen Hough. Karen and her team train teams on improvisation and neuroscience to develop flexible, adaptable, positive leaders and organizations. Karen shares some stories and techniques on how to improve your conversation skillset with tricks from the improv world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/driving-change-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/driving-change-podcast/support

Karen Hough, Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, discusses the Four Principles of Improv and how they can apply to teamwork in the workplace!

Dark Rhino's Security Confidential is honored to have Karen Hough the founder and CEO of ImprovEdge back as a guest. This past year has presented companies and people with severe never before navigated challenges. For many, 2020 could not end soon enough. 2021 is a new beginning. Improvisation and resilience are themes from last year that carry into this year and will be with us well into the future. Cybersecurity is about helping companies become more resilient. Becoming resilient requires us to become more comfortable with improvisation. Karen helps us navigate this. The discussion focuses on improv, overcoming preconceived notions, and being resilient. There is advice and exercises that would benefit all. Karen is a #1 Amazon bestselling author, recipient of the Silver Stevie Award for Most Innovative Business of the Year, and won both the WNBA Inspiring Woman Award and the WBENC PitchPivot Grand Prize. She is a philanthropist, Yale grad, avid hiker and lives in Ohio with her husband and 3 children. Her books include: “The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work”, “Be the Best Bad Presenter Ever: Break the Rules, Make Mistakes and Win Them Over”, and “Go With It: Embrace the Unexpected to Drive Change”. We are also joined by Tyler Smith and Jordan Graham in the discussion. Both Tyler and Jordan are former military veterans whose former line of work required the extensive use of their ability to improvise to a situation and make split second decisions. Their insights on managing up are invaluable. To watch the video of this episode please visit https://youtu.be/nPcUm25GiMA To learn more about Dark Rhino Security click here To learn more about ImprovEdge click here To learn more about Karen Hough click here

Karen Hough has built her business around her improv background, but it came in handy in a way she never could have expected amid the challenges of 2020. "We proved to ourselves that we are truly improvisers," said Hough, founder and CEO of ImrovEdge, a Powell-based business that provides business training workshops "with an improv twist." Prior to the pandemic, Powell said, about 5% of the firm's clients had taken advantage of its services virtually. The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic prompted a quick pivot. "We had to then go to our clients help them understand that we have the ability to provide the same services, the same programs we were already contracted for, but do it virtually on any platform they choose," Hough said. "So I have this amazing group of producers, you name a technology platform, they have mastered it. And so we literally went from serving 5% of our clients virtually to 100% of our clients in a space of about two to three weeks." Check out the latest episode of our Women of Influence podcast to hear more from Hough about how the company tackled that task – it required a lot of 20-hour days for the founder – as well as more on how she used her performance background to build an unusual business.

Dark Rhino's Security Confidential Podcast is honored to have Karen Hough the founder and CEO of ImprovEdge as a guest. Karen will be discussing "How to Build Resilience, Adapt to Obstacles, and Thrive." Guidance very much needed in the current time. Karen Hough is the Founder & CEO of ImprovEdge, which creates business training with an improv twist, and is in the Top 1% of woman-owned businesses in the US. She is a #1 Amazon bestselling author, recipient of the Silver Stevie Award for Most Innovative Business of the Year, and won both the WNBA Inspiring Woman Award and the WBENC PitchPivot Grand Prize. She is a philanthropist, Yale grad, avid hiker and lives in Ohio with her husband and 3 children. Her books include: “The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work”, “Be the Best Bad Presenter Ever: Break the Rules, Make Mistakes and Win Them Over”, and “Go With It: Embrace the Unexpected to Drive Change”. She is also the creator of the “Yes! Deck”, a deck of cards packed with business tips. Visit Dark Rhino Security for more information on cybersecurity Visit improvedge for more information on using improv to grow your company

Welcome to All Things ACCEL (ATA)! On this first episode of the Podcast, I sit down with Karen Hough to talk all about ACCEL.

Karen Hough runs her own thriving consulting firm in Columbus, Ohio. But she started out as an actress. She did improv – where the actors appear on stage with no script or anything, and they have to make up their lines as they go along. In this episode, Karen says that a key principle in improvisational theater is saying: “yes… and.” And that same “yes” practice can transform the way you handle yourself in the workplace. Karen explains all about it, and offers more tips about how to speak with confidence, build trust and act like a leader.

We've all sat through that mind-numbing professional development seminar, the one where a presenter clicks through an uninspiring PowerPoint presentation while you daydream about being absolutely anywhere else. Karen Hough is on a mission to transform that experience, combining the principles of improvisation with neuroscience and psychology to bring fun and meaning to corporate training. Hough is the founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, an award-winning business training company that is changing the way we learn, employing innovative strategies to help employees think on their feet, come up with side-door solutions and communicate in ways that bring people together. One of the top 1% of women-owned businesses in the US, ImprovEdge boasts a client list that includes NBC Universal, JP Morgan Chase and ESPN. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Hough enjoyed a successful career in acting. She trained at the legendary Second City in Chicago and went on to appear in 100-plus theatre, film and television productions. Hough is also a bestselling author and the recipient of the 2012 Silver Stevie International Award for Most Innovative Company of the Year. Today Hough shares her experience with Second City, explaining how the improv abilities she practiced there led to the business she runs today. She offers her take on the current climate around sexual harassment in the workplace and discusses why it is time for women to initiate the conversation, even if it makes people uncomfortable. Hough speaks to the issue of inclusion, sharing the need for parity in the pool of candidates being considered for a position. Listen in for Hough's insight around using improv to revolutionize corporate training and the need for skills like agility and creativity in our changing world.   Key Interview Takeaways Improv skills are vital in our changing world. Hough contends that aptitudes for listening, creativity and agility that are honed through improvisation give workers an edge, especially in industries experiencing disruption. Creating the best team possible means providing women with the full ability to engage. A push for equality in the workplace is not an issue of ‘men vs. women,' it's an issue of allowing every person their full input. The institutions set up to keep women quiet are starting to tumble, thanks to the brave women who have come forward to tell their stories. Recent progress around preventing sexual harassment in business, entertainment and politics is only possible because of women who are willing to stand up and speak out. Feminism is not about extremism, it's about equality. Though the word ‘feminist' seems to carry a negative connotation, the true definition indicates a belief that men and women should be paid the same, have the same right to an education, and be able to do the work they want. Diversity is not just about hiring people who look different. True inclusion means creating an environment where everyone feels wanted and valued. Connect with Karen Hough ImprovEdge Books by Karen Hough YES! Deck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wanted to really connect with your audience in a presentation? Christine DiDomenico, an Event Marketing Strategist, shares her personal story of being an “accidental trade show presenter” to becoming a strategic marketing leader within her organization.  If you need to communicate a message that resonates with stakeholders and ultimately win their buy-in this interview is just for you. Christine shares her journey of transforming her role from a logistical resource to becoming a strategic part of marketing and how you can too with these tips below. 8 Power Tips to Connecting with Your Audience Know what is important.  Whether you are presenting to a group of peers at a conference or to an internal team, the first thing to do is find out what matters most and start by sharing information that is relevant and of interest. Introduce an idea using data. The fastest way to show proof of concept is having the numbers to back it up. If you want to achieve change in an organization, sharing market research on the competition for example helps reinforce the “why” for doing something different in your marketing approach. Prepare for the unexpected. Christine shares how she took Improv classes to help her be ready for any situation when speaking publically. Having the ability to shift gears during a presentation can be the difference between winning or losing the audience’s attention. Embrace being vulnerable. In meetings with colleagues, leadership or a session at a conference there is a common interest by attendees to hear authentic stories that allow the listener to understand how success was achieved.  Engage with the audience. When presenting ask questions that can be shared with the group.  Using a live audience response not only engages the audience but it provides data that can be shared within your organization. Earn trust by speaking their language. Christine suggests creating a framework that makes you the subject matter expert so that when you deliver key message they make sense to your audience.  If for example you are presenting ways to increase leads at a trade show-start with here are recommendations on how to increase the quality of customer interactions that will lead to increased sales results. Keep it simple. Attendees at an industry conference and colleagues in a strategy meeting all understand information if it is shared in a digestible format. Be brief, succinct and to the point so that your messages are understood easily. Change perceptions by asking an unexpected question. Sometimes all it takes is asking “who owned the show” as Christine described to start a discussion on realities of the competitive landscape. If you want to find more power tips like these, check out www.rockyourtradeshow.com and if you have questions about how to win leadership support, reach out to me, I love hearing from you! Resources: If you are looking for ways to improve public speaking check out Karen Hough and Improv Edge. Credits: As always a big thanks to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast for editing this episode!

If you have been thinking of Improv as something you only see on shows like Saturday Night Live or a theater, think again.  Karen Hough, CEO of the ImprovEdge  has been helping individuals and companies use Improv to be industry leaders.   In a recent interview, Karen shares real life examples of how organizations and their leaders effectively manage change, competition and failure by using Improv techniques like “Thinking Upside down”. 7 Ways You Can Use Improv To Gain A Competitive Advantage Look outside your industry for inspiration. So often when companies evaluate innovation the tendency is to first look first inside their industry.  Karen shares how King Hawaiian Bread company looked to Amazon and Medical device companies to find ways to retain high quality and increase productivity and in the end through technology lowered the cost to produce their bread. Be inquisitive. In another example of how to look for creative ideas, Karen suggests we should ask questions about a product like “What could be different way to surprise and delight our customer”? This type of thought process opens windows to unexpected solutions. Talk with non-experts. Some of the best ideas come from people who don’t know the business or goals and they offer totally fresh concepts.  Use observation. Really look around and take it all in before making a decision.  What are people saying, doing and looking for to solve their problem.  Whether you are trying to sell a product or service, being in tune, present and really listen first are keys to developing innovative ideas. Ask open ended questions. This is especially powerful on the trade show floor with face-to-face marketing.  Instead of saying “How are you” or “Hello” when an attendee approaches, try an open ended question like “Tell me more”.  When you ask, listen and observe the outcome will be much better. Change how you view failure. Athletes and Improv actors share one thing in common: resilience. The key is not to build up and create a great big failure, rather respond to the little failures along the way and move on.  We need to not be so risk adverse that we don’t try something because we fear the outcome.  “Failing is part of the landscape of innovation”- Karen Hough, CEO ImprovEdge Be prepared for anything. Preparation is one of the most important steps you can take to be ready to improvise.  Write out your goals, what outcome do you want from a meeting, a trade show conversation or a one-on-one meeting with your boss?  Determine first the one thing you want to get out of the meeting and then practice what you are going to say out loud before your meeting. In her upcoming book “Go With It: Embrace the Unexpected to Drive Change”, Karen shares examples of how using the principles of process of listening, agreeing, and discussing an idea so that you can apply the Improv technique to your personal and professional life. Resources: Karen’s recommended book “Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiations—and Positive Strategies for change” by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever. To learn more about Karen Hough and find valuable resources like the “Yes Deck” check out ImroveEdge.com Credits: A big thank you to Christy Haussler of Team Podcast for editing this episode! Looking for help with your marketing program?  Reach out to me, I love hearing from you! Visit Rock Your Trade Show for industry tips and advice and join the LinkedIn group to find people just like you.  

How do you build a successful consulting practice using your skills as an actor? Listen to our Interview with Karen Hough, Founder of ImprovEdge to find out! Karen Hough is the Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, and has been using improvisation as an engaging learning tool for over 12 years. She is the author of the Amazon #1 category Bestseller, The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work published by Berrett-Koehler, and the Yes! Deck, a handy deck of cards packed with exercises, tips and ideas. Karen is working on her second book which will be published in spring 2014. ImprovEdge received the silver Stevie International Award for Most Innovative Company of the Year 2012 for Women in Business. She is the recipient of the Athena PowerLink Award for outstanding women-owned business, and ImprovEdge is a certified WBE (Women's Business Enterprise). In this hilarious, totally improvised interview, Karen shares all about her own personal business journey!

I INTERVIEW KAREN HOUGH ABOUT WHAT REALLY WORKS WHEN MAKING A GREAT PRESENTATION. Twitter: @briangburns @KarenHough

This on demand audio series is a part of the Executive Girlfriends Group Vignette Series. Chicke Fitzgerald interviews Karen Hough. The original live interview was 3/07/14. One reason public speaking is such a nightmare for so many people is that they think they have to be “perfect.” They drive themselves crazy trying to conform to all sorts of handed-down rules that tie them up in knots and put their audiences to sleep. Karen Hough says you can throw out those rules, relax, be yourself, make “mistakes,” and connect with your audience much more effectively than the guy with the impeccable PowerPoint slides.     Hough has used her unique presentation approach to take the anxiety out of one of the greatest fears in business. Her book debunks over a dozen myths about presentations to make them more fun and natural for everybody. Karen Hough (Huff) is the Founder & CEO of ImprovEdge (Improv- Edge), and the author of “The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work.” Karen's first life was as a professional improviser and actor. She trained with Chicago's Second City, did over 100 theatrical productions, was featured in radio, TV and film. She lived a second life as a successful executive in IT for network engineering start-ups. She finally became an entrepreneur. Karen's website is Karen's website is http://www.improvedge.com To order Karen's book click HERE For more information about the Executive Girlfriends' Group see: http://www.executivegirlfriendsgroup.com  

Interview by Chicke Fitzgerald of the Game Changer Network as a part of the Best of the Game Changer series, showcased on C-Suite Network Karen Hough doesn't want you to be "perfect." People fear public speaking because they worry about having to conform to all sorts of handed-down rules that tie them up in knots and put their audiences to sleep. It's authenticity and passion that win people over, she says, not "polish." But you can't be authentic if you're following guidelines that drain the life and personality out of your presentation. Hough debunks over a dozen myths about presenting to make it more fun and natural for everyone. She explains how practicing in front of a mirror makes you worse, why you should never end with questions, and much more. She includes true stories of people who not only were able to become great presenters by being "bad" but actually came to enjoy it! Like them, by following Karen Hough's wise and witty advice, you'll be able to tear up the old rules and embrace and develop your own style. You'll be freed to be a living, breathing, occasionally clumsy human being whose enthusiasm is powerful and infectious.  The Game Changer is featured on C-Suite Network. Chicke is a philanthropreneur • she zigs where others zag, creating value, growth and bringing to life crazy good ideas that will leave a legacy

This on demand audio series is a part of the Executive Girlfriends Group Vignette Series. Chicke Fitzgerald is interviewing Karen Hough. The original live interview was 09/23/11. In The Improvisation Edge, Secrets To Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work, Karen Hough draws upon the wisdom of those who are truly experts in the dynamics of trust-building: theatrical improvisers. She leverages elements that make improv so entertaining: story, surprise, connection, and interaction, and applies these improvisation techniques to the world of business. Karen Hough trained with Chicago's legendary Second City and previously enjoyed a career in stage, film and TV. Karen is founder & CEO of ImprovEdge and has been using improvisation as an engaging learning tool for over 12 years. ImprovEdge is a certified Women's Business Enterprise. For more information about the Executive Girlfriends' Group see: http://www.executivegirlfriendsgroup.com

Interview by Chicke Fitzgerald of the Game Changer Network as a part of the Best of the Game Changer series, showcased on C-Suite Network All kinds of books have been written about building trust and teamwork. But The Improvisation Edge is the only one that draws on the knowledge of experts in trust building: theatrical improvisers. Think about it: other than combat, no situation requires more extreme trust than improv. You have no script, costumes, or set—nothing but your fellow actors. Improvisers must manage risk, collaborate radically, create deep trust, and turn disasters into opportunities—which are also vital business skills. Karen Hough describes four secrets that help leaders, trainers, managers, and frontline employees adopt the improviser's mind-set. You'll learn techniques to create a positive environment, encourage fearless participation, and turn “Oops!” into “Eureka!” The Improvisation Edge offers a hands-on way to build an organizational culture that makes breakthrough business results possible.  The Game Changer is featured on C-Suite Network. Chicke is a philanthropreneur • she zigs where others zag, creating value, growth and bringing to life crazy good ideas that will leave a legacy

Karen Hough - Difficult Times and Constraints? Perfect...Time to Grow Creativity and Build Strategy