As a new year begins, leaders are often faced with uncertainty, change, and challenges that cannot be solved with a predetermined plan. In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Trisha Taylor welcomes Megan Mills for a thoughtful and practical conversation about improvisation and its surprising relevance to leadership and everyday life. Together, they explore how the principles of improv such as trust, listening, shared agreements, and adaptability offer a powerful framework for navigating complexity, collaborating well, and showing up fully when the path forward is unclear.

Megan Mills is originally from Waukegan, IL (north of Chicago), went to Hope College in Holland, MI and shortly after graduation, moved to New York City. Her early years in NYC were spent in stage management and personal assistant roles as well as performing, creating, teaching and directing improvisational theatre. Now daily life includes driving her son back and forth to numerous games and practices throughout Queens, NY and the tri-state area. Megan has a passion for organization, The Container Store, and Chicago Cubs. She has also been an advocate, public speaker, and volunteer for the American Heart and Stroke Association for the past 20+ years.

Conversation Overview

• Beginning the year without a script
• Improv as a tool for adaptive leadership
• The importance of shared agreements and trust
• "Yes, and" as a mindset for collaboration
• Listening, presence, and patience in real time
• Supporting others instead of competing
• Improv games as practice for real life skills
• Applying improv principles to teams and leadership
• Creating safety and inclusion for all voices
• Meeting uncertainty with openness and curiosity

Resources and References Mentioned

• Megan Mills at The Leader's Journey
• Truth in Comedy by Del Close and Charna Halpern
• Harvard Business Review - Three Improv Exercises That Can Change the Way Your Team Works
• TED Talks on improv, adaptability, and leadership
• Improv exercises including Three Headed Expert and listening games