Navigating the New Year Without a Script

Jan 5, 2026

In this engaging discussion, Megan Mills, an improvisational theatre expert and advocate, shares insights on how improv can revolutionize leadership. They explore the power of the 'yes, and' mindset for collaboration, highlighting its importance in building trust and adaptability. Megan emphasizes creating safety and shared agreements within teams to foster a supportive environment. With practical tools like listening games and the Three-Headed Expert game, she illustrates how improvisation can enhance communication and collaboration in unpredictable situations.

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INSIGHT

Improv As Adaptive Leadership Lens

Improv reveals the core of adaptive leadership by teaching us to respond without a script.
Treating the year ahead as an improv sketch reframes uncertainty as a space for collaboration and learning.

ANECDOTE

From Reluctance To Love In A Free Class

Megan Mills first tried improv in a free introductory class in New York and immediately signed up for more.
Her initial fear ('I'm not funny') gave way to enjoyment and commitment after that first session.

ADVICE

Practice 'Yes, And' To Sustain Momentum

Use the 'yes, and' rule: accept what others present and add to it rather than denying it.
Saying 'no' in real time kills momentum and blocks group creativity.

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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