David Fessell, M.D on the Benefits of Improvising in Medical Environments

This week's episode features David Fessell, M.D.

David is an executive coach, faculty associate at Ross School of Business, and a recently retired Professor of Radiology at the University of Michigan. As an author, he publishes in HBR, JAMA, Psychology Today, and many other venues. He speaks and facilitates webinars & workshops on wellness, resilience, EQ, & humor. He loves to help individuals & groups strengthen their inner & outer resources to flourish amidst stress. David has an MD degree from the University of Michigan and an undergraduate degree from Harvard. He is a proud graduate of the Second City Detroit Improv Conservatory.

In this episode…

• David shares what inspired him to take his first improv class
• Listen to David share why reading about public speaking wasn’t enough to help him improve and how improv bridged the gap and got him to a place of actually enjoying public speaking
• Learn how practicing improv builds trust among teams
• Hear about an exercise David loves and did with medical students at the University of Michigan
• Find out what happened when David attempted big Jenga at a company picnic
• Learn how improvising releases tension
• Learn how improv can be used in high stakes environments like medicine
• Discover how an improvisation practice helps the people that are practicing medicine
• We discuss why improv improves self-awareness
• David shares a powerful exercise you can use in work and life to improve self-awareness, compassion, understanding, empathy, better connecting with yourself and others
• We support why improv is the best venue to practice anything
• Find out the one thing David wishes improv would help people improve

From David, when asked how improv has improved his life offstage, “more comfort with public speaking...being on stage...bringing an attitude of play and "roll with it"...saying yes, and...to life...embracing mistakes & empathy for another's point of view.”

Connect with David on LinkedIn

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