18 Famous Business People who Say Improv Helped Them Become Successful

You might be surprised how many successful business leaders credit improv training as a key factor in their success.

Improv training is known for teaching important skills such as adaptability, communication, collaboration, and leadership.

In this list, you will find well-known figures in the business world who have spoken publicly about the impact of their improv training on their professional growth and success. From Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, to Marc Benioff, founder and CEO of Salesforce, these individuals serve as inspiring examples of how learning to improvise can benefit one’s career in business.

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1. Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, has spoken about the impact of his training in improvisational theatre on his success, citing the importance of being present and adapting to change in business. “Improv taught me the importance of being present, listening actively, and responding truthfully.” (Thrive Global, 2017)
2. Jeff Immelt, former CEO of General Electric, has spoken about the impact of his training in improvisational theatre on his success, citing the importance of being able to think on your feet and adapt to change in business.
3. Larry Page, co-founder of Google: “You need to have a lot of different experiences and think in a lot of different ways.” (Wired, 2002)
4. Susan Wojcicki (CEO of YouTube): “Improv taught me to take risks, and don’t be afraid to fail. Success is not a straight line, and the more you fail, the better you get.” (Adweek, 2016)
5. Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square and co-founder of Twitter, has credited improv with helping him develop better communication and leadership skills. (Inc, 2014)
   

   “The biggest lesson I learned from improv is to trust my instincts and to trust my team. It taught me to be quick on my feet, to think on the spot, and to be confident in my ideas.” – Jack Dorsey

6. Stephen Colbert: “I owe a lot of my success to my time in improv.” (60 Minutes, 2016)
7. Bill Gates: “It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” (The Road Ahead, 1995)
8. Oprah Winfrey: “I trust the journey even when I do not understand it.” (The Oprah Winfrey Show, 2011)
9. Steve Jobs (and Tim Cook) have both credited improv training for helping them develop better communication and leadership skills at Apple. “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” (Source: Stanford Commencement Address, 2005)
10. Tina Fey, (actress, writer, producer, and former head writer for Saturday Night Live): “What I learned from improv is to be brave, take risks and embrace failure.” (The Hollywood Reporter, 2011)
11. Elon Musk: “I think it’s important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.” (TED Conference, 2013)

    

     

12. Jeff Bezos: “One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out.” (Amazon press release, 2001)
13. Marlyin Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin: “Leadership is about empowering and enabling others to reach their full potential.” (Forbes, 2018)
14. Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, has credited improv training for helping him develop better communication and leadership skills.
15. Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo, has cited her training in improvisational theatre as a valuable tool for improving her communication and collaboration skills in business.
16. Marc Benioff, founder and CEO of Salesforce, has spoken about the impact of his training in improvisational theatre on his success, citing the importance of being able to think on your feet and adapt to change in business.
17. Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post and Thrive Global, has cited her training in improv as a valuable tool for improving her communication and collaboration skills in business.
18. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, has spoken about the impact of improv training on his success, citing the importance of being able to think on your feet and adapt to change in business.

There are hundreds more examples, but the bottom line is this:

Great leaders have great teams.

One of the best ways to get your team collaborating, communicating, and innovating like legends is to book a PowerProv workshop.

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