Modern CTO How to Lead Your Team with Comedy & Improv with Mike Tria, CTO of Gusto
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Jun 30, 2025 Mike Tria, the CTO of Gusto, shares his unique approach to leadership rooted in improv and comedy. He emphasizes the powerful role of humor in fostering psychological safety and open communication within teams. Mike explains how principles like 'yes and' enhance collaboration and emotional intelligence. He also discusses the transformative impact of AI on engineering productivity and the importance of company culture, advocating for storytelling as a means to convey values and strengthen workplace relationships.
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Mike's Improv Journey
- Mike Tria started improv in college with a troupe at Georgia Tech called "Let's Try This!" and continued through various workshops and performances after.
- Improv remains a core part of his leadership style and helps develop principles valuable for CTOs and engineering leadership.
Improv Builds Team Trust
- Improv is the ultimate team sport relying on trust and collaboration without a script.
- This trust and team dynamic translate directly into leadership and high functioning teams.
Improv with Executive Team
- Mike ran an improv workshop with Gusto's entire executive team during an anchor week.
- The session built shared comfort, connection, and was fondly referenced weeks afterward.