Jazz. Music for warm summer nights, late hours in a small bar, or a set in a classy club. Where jazz really shines is in the live jam session. It becomes a wellspring of fresh musical ideas that thrills and draws in the audience.
Jam sessions bring together musicians from diverse backgrounds and styles. In a jam they form a combo without a score; everyone joins in, and a shared experience unfolds that feels wild, alive, and often unforgettable for both band and audience. It looks like chance – but is it really just chance?
Improvising musicians create a unique space that allows for innovative, impactful, and deeply personal expressions. Everyone on stage grows – as a person and in their musical ideas. In a similar way, as a coach I aim to create such a space for growth when I work with people. This work needs a clear frame: the coaching session.
Neither a good jam session, nor a good coaching session happens by chance.
This insight grew from many years of standing both on stage and in coaching rooms. Building on the core of Integral Theory by Ken Wilber, a map for human and system development, my Integral Improvisational Coaching Approach emerged.
In my TEDx Talk I focus on four concrete observations. They can be carried over into many other fields where human development, innovation, interaction, integrity, and change are needed:
- Explore Your Inner Existence
- Use Improvisation and Intuition
- Go With Your Groove
- Design Process and Polarities
Today’s work life – and our broader society – is characterized by complex situations, many unknowns, and high speed. Playing strictly by the notes doesn't cut it nowadays; people need to be flexible, dynamic, and inclusive – all of which is deeply woven into improvised music.
Enjoy the talk!
Christine Paulus
ENGLISH | DEUTSCH
