What Improv Can Teach You About Speaking, Leading, and Actually Connecting With People

All of a sudden, you're a cat who is also an astronaut. And you're just like — all right, let's have fun.

That's David Raftery describing what happens when adults give themselves permission to play again. And as strange as it sounds, that permission is the foundation of better communication, stronger leadership, and the kind of authentic connection that most professionals are quietly starving for.

In this two-part episode, host Rupesh Parbhoo and co-host Rachel Perez sit down with David Raftery and Jess Klemm from Bridge Improv Theater in Mesa, Arizona, to explore what improv can teach anyone — whether or not they ever set foot on a comedy stage.

What started as a conversation about warm-up games ended somewhere much deeper: grief, vulnerability, the death of authenticity in an AI-saturated world, and why a leaky roof 30 minutes before showtime is actually great leadership training.

How an Improv Warm-Up Game Teaches You to Listen

Before diving into any big ideas, the group did what every improv class does first: they played.

The game was Mind Meld — two people say a word at the same time, then try to find a common root word between them. David and Jess demonstrated: "butter" and "camel" eventually became "chocolate" in three rounds. Then Rupesh and Rachel tried it. They bounced from "alive" and "home" to "health" and "family" to "doctor" and "connection" — circling each other's wavelength without quite landing on the same word until a fresh start got them to "fetch" in two rounds.

The point isn't matching. It's getting on the same wavelength. As David put it, if you're just saying random things at each other, you'll never connect. But if you're listening — really listening — you start to converge. Their professional crew sometimes goes ten minutes without matching. That's fine. The warm-up isn't about the destination. It's about tuning in.

For anyone who speaks publicly, leads meetings, or just wants to be better in conversation, that tuning-in process is the whole game.

Why Improv Is Actually About Listening, Not Talking

Jess shared one of her favorite quotes from the improv world: improv looks like two people talking on stage, but it's actually two people listening.

That distinction changes everything when you apply it to public speaking. Rupesh connected it immediately to what he sees at conferences — speakers who are so locked into their script that they miss opportunities to connect. A funny moment happens in the room. Something unexpected occurs. The best speakers weave it in. The rest plow through their notes and wonder why the audience checked out.

Jess explained why presence actually reduces anxiety more than preparation does. People cling to their scripts thinking that's what keeps the nerves at bay. But being able to adjust, to go with the flow, to laugh at what just happened — that's what makes both the speaker and the audience relax. When you're truly listening to the moment, there's no room left for the anxiety spiral.

David added the energy piece: improv is all about connection. Eye contact, feeding off each other, responding to what's actually happening instead of what you planned. That energy is what audiences want from a speech, a meeting, a conversation — any situation where two or more humans are trying to communicate something real.

"Yes, And" — The Communication Rule Every Leader Should Know

Every improv class starts here, but Jess was careful to explain what "Yes, And" actually means — because it's widely misunderstood.

It doesn't mean you literally start every sentence with "yes, and." It means agreement. Supporting what's happening. Building on what your scene partner gives you instead of shutting it down.

A denial is when someone says "that's an apple" and you say "no, that's an orange." In improv, that kills the scene. In real life, it kills conversations, meetings, and trust.

That said, your character can have their own opinion — that's what makes scenes interesting. Agreement isn't about being a pushover. It's about accepting the reality that's been established and adding to it rather than tearing it down.

The group demonstrated this with live scenes. In one, Rachel told David that his cat Little Poppy had telepathically communicated a desire to move in with her. David didn't question the telepathy. He accepted it, asked about packing the cat's dresses and shoes, and the scene built into an absurd, delightful exchange about a cat with eight feet.

In another, Rupesh played a mermaid named Clementine delivering news about dirty ocean water to Jess's mermaid Ariotti — which somehow ended with the revelation that skincare serum runoff was responsible and also explained why their skin looked so good.

The takeaway for non-improvisers: when someone offers you an idea — in a meeting, a brainstorm, a casual conversation — what happens when you build on it instead of immediately evaluating it? That's "Yes, And" in practice.

You Don't Have to Be Funny to Do Improv

One of the biggest misconceptions Jess and David tackled: improv is not standup comedy.

You don't have to be witty. You don't have to be quick. You don't have to walk in with jokes loaded. Improv is collaborative discovery — two or more people finding something together in real time. The humor comes from the connection, the surprises, and the honesty of the moment. Not from punchlines.

Jess referenced Viola Spolin, the godmother of improv, who started developing theater games as a social worker — not a comedian. Her famous line: anyone can become stage-worthy.

David made a similar point about depth. The Michael Scott scene from The Office is what most people picture when they think of improv. But watching ten-to-fifteen-year veterans perform is a completely different experience. It takes work. David said he didn't reach what he'd call improv excellence until ten years in. Like public speaking, the better you get, the more effortless it looks — and the more work is actually behind it.

How Grief Led David Raftery to Improv

The conversation took a personal turn when Rachel asked how David and Jess got into improv.

David's answer was quiet and direct. He lost his mother right before high school. It closed him off. He's an introvert by nature — the kind who needs a full Sunday with his phone thrown away to recharge. After his mom's death, improv became a way to open back up. A chance to step out of his own life and play in another world.

He's been doing it for about 20 years now. He and Jess met in high school drama, lost touch, and reconnected over a decade later.

Jess's path was different — she moved to Arizona to be with David and joined in when he was already teaching living room improv. But she recognized something deeper in herself too: a childhood desire to act that she'd abandoned because she "grew up." Improv gave her permission to play again.

Rupesh drew the parallel to Toastmasters — how extracurricular communities like these create space for people to process things, connect with parts of themselves they've shut down, and form surprisingly deep bonds through vulnerability. (Rachel explored this theme in her solo episode on networking for introverts, and Matt Malan's journey from a stutter to the Toastmasters stage is another powerful example.)

What Improv Teaches About Leadership in Business

In Part 2, the conversation shifted from communication to leadership — and the overlap was bigger than anyone expected.

David's first thought on what improv teaches about business: going with the flow. He told a story about showing up to the theater to find roof leaks 30 minutes before a show. He had to section off seats, find buckets, figure out how to minimize noise — and then immediately go perform. That's improv in its purest form: assess, adapt, act.

Jess landed on a different insight: no one person is the leader. In improv, it's a constant give and take. You offer something, your partner builds on it, you build on their addition. Taking the pressure off any single person to have all the answers is what makes both scenes and teams work.

She connected this to David's original vision for Bridge Improv Theater. From the very beginning, he said it needed to be community-driven. Jess admitted she didn't understand what that meant at first. But watching it play out — students becoming leaders, community members rallying around each other, unexpected people stepping up — she saw it clearly. The best ideas are the ones you build together. Someone brings 5% of a thought, another person adds to it, and it blossoms into something neither could have created alone.

When asked what one improv technique every corporate leader should practice, David's answer was immediate: creating an environment where vulnerability is welcomed and ideas are built upon, not shot down. People in group settings are often afraid to speak up. If they know their idea will be received — not just tolerated, but genuinely built upon — everything changes.

Rupesh added a critical nuance: it's not enough to listen. The other person has to feel that you're listening. He's been on both sides — the leader who wasn't hearing his team, and the team member who wasn't being heard. The distinction is everything.

Why People Are Craving Third Spaces After the Pandemic

One of the most unexpected threads in Part 2 was about third spaces — places outside of home and work where people gather, connect, and belong.

The pandemic killed a lot of those spaces. Five years later, both Bridge Improv and Toastmasters are seeing a surge. Rupesh said his club is about to hit a membership cap they haven't reached since before 2020. Bridge Improv has moved into a bigger space and is growing fast.

David noticed the same trend from a cultural angle: friendship is in vogue. Connection and shared experience are what people want right now. And improv delivers that in a way few other activities can — you walk into a room of strangers, you're immediately bonding over the shared vulnerability of making things up together, and by the end of the night you've got inside jokes with people you didn't know two hours ago.

Jess sees it in her 101 classes. People sign up and say the same thing: "I work from home. I just need to get out once a week." Working remotely, ordering DoorDash, going weeks without a face-to-face conversation — that isolation is real, and people are actively looking for ways to break it.

Authenticity in the Age of AI: Why Human Imperfection Matters

This led to the conversation's sharpest turn: authenticity in the age of AI.

David described receiving a message that was clearly written by ChatGPT. His reaction wasn't anger — it was disappointment. "There's not the authenticity of a mistake in there," he said.

That line stuck with everyone.

Jess predicted that live performances will become more valuable as AI-generated content floods every other channel. People want to see real humans — pores, flaws, mistakes and all. That's what improv celebrates. It's literally built on the mistake of the moment.

Rupesh connected this to a broader theme the podcast has been exploring: the coming vacuum of authenticity. As AI-generated content becomes the default in emails, social media, and even therapy, the people and experiences that are genuinely, messily, imperfectly human will stand out more than ever.

For speakers, leaders, and communicators, the implication is clear: your imperfections aren't liabilities. They're what make you believable. Stop polishing everything until it's frictionless. The friction is the point.

Try Improv at Bridge Improv Theater in Mesa, Arizona

Bridge Improv Theater offers a free intro to improv class every third Saturday at 5:00 PM — no experience needed, no strings attached. They also have free Saturday night jams where anyone can try improv or just watch, and shows every Friday and Saturday at 7:00 and 8:30 PM.

Located right off the 202 and Dobson in Mesa — closer to Tempe than most people think.

As David put it: even if you don't want to do improv, it's a great third space to just hang out, watch a show, and be around people who are playing.

And if you're nervous? Remember what David said: the audience and your peers already know you're making it up. There's an unspoken agreement — a pact of grace. Let that fear wash away and trust the process.

About the Guests

Jess Klemm is the education director at Bridge Improv Theater, where she teaches improv 101 and performs regularly. She began her improv journey in 2018.

David Raftery is co-owner of Bridge Improv Theater and has been performing and teaching improv in Arizona since 2012.

Rachel Perez (co-host) is the owner and creative director of Composion, a brand identity studio specializing in health and wellness businesses. She's been taking improv classes at Bridge for nearly four years.

Connect with Bridge Improv Theater:

Connect with David:

LinkedIn: David Raftery

Connect with Rachel:

Website: composion.design
LinkedIn: Rachel Perez

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