Buzzacott, the UK's largest single-site accountancy firm, has built a strong internal culture by investing in people. Recognising that technical brilliance doesn’t always come with communication confidence, the firm partnered with improv expert Neil Mullarkey to support its employees and leaders in becoming more confident, present and engaging, particularly when interacting with clients or presenting internally. Through team workshops, individual coaching and conference support, Neil has helped Buzzacott make confident communication part of its DNA.

Energy is a vital component of creativity and productivity. Chris Baréz‑Brown and his team at Upping Your Elvis have been exploring various ways to boost energy through their "energy experiments", where they get experts in a field of energy to give them a challenge for a month to see if it helps their energy. One of the most impactful experiments involved using improv to inject vitality and dynamism into their work routines. Partnering with Neil Mullarkey they discovered how improv could rejuvenate their team and enhance overall performance.

Duncan Edwards, CEO of 150-year-old City of London legal firm Devonshires, faced a significant challenge: helping to improve the interpersonal and networking skills of the firm’s Partners, many of whom wrestled with the softer side of client interactions. "Some lawyers are less comfortable with the interpersonal side of things. They're much more interested in talking about the minutiae of law," Duncan notes. To bridge this gap, he sought a unique approach that could make the team more engaging and effective in their communications and networking.

A courageous leader is someone who embraces uncertainty, makes bold decisions and leads with empathy and conviction. Today these qualities are more critical than ever as leaders face increasing complexity, from technological disruptions to societal challenges. But courage in leadership is not inherent; it can be developed. This was the focus of the Courageous Leaders event, founded by Nilema Bhakta-Jones, where improv expert Neil Mullarkey provided a unique approach to fostering leadership skills such as adaptability, emotional intelligence and collaboration.

In the corporate world the sudden death of a well-loved leader can be deeply disruptive, affecting the morale and cohesion of the entire organisation. When YPO Scotland lost its chapter chair, Mark Williams, the organisation was faced with the difficult challenge of how to manage this profound loss, particularly as it coincided with a major event – a Christmas gathering already planned for members and their families.

For learning and development (L&D) professionals, standing out in a crowded field of conventional training programmes can be a significant challenge. One seasoned L&D director in the professional services sector discovered a ground-breaking approach that not only enhanced the skills of her leaders but also elevated the status and impact of the L&D function itself.