I used to think improv was just for performers. You know, bright lights, a stage, and people with razor-sharp wit.

Then I sat down with Andrew Davies from Artly Working, and the conversation began to shift how I saw improv, especially as it pertains to how it can be leveraged to grow teams and organizations.

Improv, it turns out, isn’t just for entertainers. It’s a powerful practice for leaders. It teaches you how to listen, build trust, and adapt when it matters most. It’s a workout for the exact muscles that help teams thrive.

When Andrew and I talked, one thing he said really stuck with me. “You know, if I have sort of like one message about why I love improv, it’s that it is using that muscle of doing something before you’re ready to do it.”

That one sentence holds such a powerful message for leadership. What is that message? Well, start before you feel ready. Engage in real time practice so that you can lean into learning by doing. No matter how much theory you absorb, the reality is that growth only happens through experience.

We can read all the books and attend all the webinars, but at some point, we have to stand up, take a breath, try something new, and adjust as we go. That’s where real leadership lives.

Joy Is the Gateway

When companies first bring Andrew in, they’re usually looking for something light. They are looking to establish connection. Perhaps offer a reset for staff and do it with a bit of joy and laughter.

During the pandemic, teams quickly realized that virtual happy hours weren’t cutting it. They were awkward and tiring. Whereas improv brought people to life. It got them laughing, playing, and actually talking to one another.

That’s where the magic happens. Beneath the fun, what people start to see and practice is trust. They noticed who jumped in first and who needed space. They began collaborating in ways that felt natural instead of forced.

Apparently, that’s the beauty of improv. As Andrew explained, joy may have opened the door, but the result is trust and learning walking right in.

Making Values Real

Most organizations have a list of values. Think of words like trust, collaboration, and creativity being among them. However, those words don’t mean much unless people actually embody them or live them out. Improv makes that possible.

You can’t complete an improv activity alone. You have to respond, build on what others say, and listen with your full attention to do that. When you don’t, the scene falls flat. You feel it immediately.

That’s what Andrew means when he says improv “makes intangibles tangible.” In a matter of minutes, you can see whether a team truly listens, supports one another, and co-creates with ease or if they struggle with it. There’s no judgment, just honest reflection. It functions as a mirror that shows what’s working and what isn’t.

Hidden Talents and Human Moments

One story Andrew shared really demonstrates the point.

Recently, he was leading a team exercise and asked if anyone wanted to draw a quick logo for their group. No one volunteered. Then, quietly, one woman began sketching. When she revealed her drawing, the whole room lit up. It was creative, detailed, and full of personality.

Her role didn’t require any artistic skill, yet there it was. She had a talent that her team didn’t even know existed. 

How often do we miss those hidden strengths in our workplaces because there’s no space for them to emerge? Improv creates those spaces. It reminds people that work isn’t just about efficiency but it’s about humanity.

Turning One Good Day into Lasting Change

We’ve all attended team-building days that were great in the moment but faded by Monday morning. I asked Andrew how teams could make the benefits of improv stick. His advice was refreshingly practical.

During his sessions, he asks participants to pick one real meeting they have coming up such as a weekly check-in, a planning session, or a retreat and redesign it using what they’ve just learned. Add interaction. Clarify purpose. Create space for creativity and connection.

He also encourages leaders to set aside one hour a month that’s focused entirely on people. That means not focusing on deliverables or emails but making space for just connection and practice. That rhythm keeps culture alive.

Another smart move is using improv in onboarding new employees. Instead of handing new hires a PDF of company values, Andrew suggests letting them experience those values in action. It’s a faster, more authentic way to bring corporate culture to life.

Training for Tension in a Safe Way

This part really overlaps with my own world of mindfulness and nervous system regulation.

Leaders face tough moments. They face conflict and have to deal with a high degree of pressure. The trick is to practice staying calm before those moments happen. Improv offers that opportunity. As Andrew explained, “Improv feels very high stakes but is actually very low stakes.”

That matters because it lets people notice their mind-body reactions under pressure such as a racing heart, their shallow breath, or their physical tension. In a safe setting, they can experiment with new ways to respond. They can slow down, breathe, and stay present instead of reacting.

You can’t regulate what you don’t recognize. Improv helps leaders see their stress patterns clearly so they can choose a better response next time.

From Fear to Flow

Growth looks different for everyone. For one person, progress might be stepping into the circle and saying one line. For another, it might be holding back and learning to listen.

Andrew compared it to a video from The New York Times that showed people on a high diving board with some jumping, some freezing, and still others turning back and refusing the jump altogether. Each choice can take courage. Each one is growth in its own way.

That’s what happens in improv too. People start nervous and self-conscious. But by the end of a session, you can see their shoulders drop. Their breathing slows. They’re relaxed, connected, and fully present.

The shift from fear to flow is real and powerful.

The Foundation of Psychological Safety

We talk a lot about psychological safety in leadership, but improv actually shows you how it works.

If people are afraid of being judged or dismissed, they won’t share their ideas. When that happens, creativity dries up and so does innovation.

Andrew says that’s where the “yes, and” mindset comes in. It doesn’t mean you agree with everything. It means you’re willing to stay curious. You acknowledge the person and their idea before you decide whether to move forward.

That sequence matters. Curiosity first. Decision or objection second.

Keeping Hybrid and Virtual Teams Engaged

Many of us aren’t going back to fully in-person work, and that’s okay. Improv principles translate beautifully online too.

Andrew shared one of his favorite virtual energizers. He asks everyone to grab an object off-camera. Then he gives a fun, made-up problem for each person to solve using the item they picked.

It’s silly, but it works. People laugh, share, and remember that creativity doesn’t depend on perfect conditions. It depends on mindset.

If you lead virtual meetings, take note of one simple measure: what percentage of your meeting is interactive versus passive? Shift that balance a little more toward participation. The results will surprise you.

The Art of the Pivot

Preparation in leadership matters, but so does presence.

Andrew told a story about Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. That famous phrase wasn’t in his original notes. Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson called out, “Tell them about the dream, Martin,” and he changed course in the moment.

That one pivot turned a good speech into a historical and remembered one.

True leadership is the same. You prepare deeply but can also read the room. You listen, observe and adapt. When your message isn’t landing, that’s your cue to slow down, listen, and meet people where they are.

I shared a similar experience from my own work in public service, where a meeting was falling apart until we stepped out, reset, and rebuilt the conversation. That willingness to pivot made all the difference in the years that followed.

Listening as the Master Skill

What I learned is that improv is a master class in listening. You can’t plan your next line while your partner is still speaking. That simply doesn’t work. You have to listen fully and respond accordingly.

Leadership works the same way. If you’re busy crafting your answer instead of hearing what’s being said, you’ll miss what matters most. Active listening is simple, but under pressure, it’s a discipline that needs practice.

Practicing in Everyday Life

When I asked Andrew how he uses these skills in his personal life, he smiled. He told me parenting two young children is the most consistent improv practice he’s ever had.

Anyone with kids knows that they tend to live in the moment. They’re playful, unpredictable, and endlessly creative. Staying present with them keeps him flexible and open which are also qualities that carry straight into his work with teams.

That really resonated with me because at its heart, improv is about staying awake to what’s in front of you and responding with intention instead of habit.

Bringing It Into Your Next Meeting

You don’t need a facilitator to start. Try a few simple shifts this week:

1.   Pick one meeting and define a clear purpose and desired outcome.
2.  Cut down the talking time and add one interactive element.
3.  Invite new ideas with curiosity first and judgment or decide later.
4.  Notice who speaks early and who waits. Suggest a shift to switch it up next time.
5.  End the meeting by naming one small improvement for the next round.

If you manage a team, block one hour each month that’s focused purely on people. Use that time to connect, experiment, and play.

Those small habits can be the foundation to real and personalized culture.

Why This Matters for Wellness

In today’s ever changing and shifting world, leaders are tired. The constant pressure and pace can and does, take its toll.

Practices like improv, mindfulness, and open dialogue help restore balance. They reintroduce humanity into leadership, and they bring energy, perspective, and connection back to the work.

Wellness isn’t a side project. It’s the foundation for clear thinking and effective action. Improv isn’t the only path to that clarity, but based on the conversation with Andrew, I learned that it’s a surprisingly powerful one.

Andrew continues to spread this work through Artly Working and is currently writing a book called Participate, all about personal courage and community change. We need more of that kind of leadership in the world.

Continue the Learning

If you’d like to see this conversation come to life, visit the Executive Exhale YouTube Channel. You’ll find the full interview with Andrew Davies and other inspiring discussions to help you reset, recharge, and lead with greater clarity and calm.

Curious what working with me to help you break out of the constant pressure cycle and rediscover balance might look like?

Together, we’ll uncover the patterns behind your stress and design practical, science-based, trauma-informed strategies to restore clarity and focus.

Let’s Connect. This is your invitation to exhale.