Can Improv Make You Your 1st Million? - Insights from Neil Mullarkey

EP 404 - Can improv and humour make you a better leader - and
even grow your bottom line?


Neil Mullarkey (Comedy Store Players co-founder with Mike Myers,
seen on Whose Line Is It Anyway and Austin Powers) shows how
improv’s “Yes, And” mindset, listening with intent, and
affiliative humour boost leadership, sales, creativity, and team
culture.


We unpack practical tools Neil teaches at London Business School
and in boardrooms across 25+ countries: running better meetings
and Zooms, building psychological safety, using Pixar-style
“plussing,” navigating change, and why funny people make better
leaders.


What you’ll learn:


How improv drives creativity, collaboration, and faster decisions


The difference between affiliative vs. dis-affiliative humour
(and why banter can backfire)


Listening with intent: the leadership meta-skill that wins deals
and trust


Running high-energy meetings (in-person & remote): chat
prompts, quick polls, and participation hacks


Why “Yes, And” beats rigid scripts for sales, client work, and
stakeholder buy-in


*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the
bottom right corner of your player*


Spotify Video Chapters:


00:00 BWB with Neil Mullarkey


01:20 Neil's Journey in Comedy and Improv


05:42 The Birth of Comedy Store Players


08:12 Improv Techniques and Their Applications


19:13 Improv in Business and Leadership


24:05 Effective Meeting Strategies


32:31 Innovative Meeting Strategies


33:35 The Role of Improv in Leadership


36:07 Handling Resistance and Transformation


41:45 Humour in the Workplace


47:32 Improv Skills for Personal Growth


56:27 Quickfire - Get To Know Neil


57:54 !Business or Bullshit Quiz!


businesswithoutbullshit.me


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If you'd like to be on the show, get in contact -
mail@businesswithoutbullshit.me