Case Studies
We’ve been there, done it, and we’ve got your back
Elevating Executive Communication Through Improv
Our partner, Tricia Manning, the founder of White Cap Coaching, was consulting for a senior technology leadership team at a Fortune 500 American energy company. This team was navigating a major enterprise transformation and the expectations on how they communicated were shifting fast. They were no longer just operators and were being asked to show up as strategic storytellers, influence key stakeholders, and communicate vision with clarity.
The challenge? Many were used to being deep in the details. Now, they needed to step back, simplify, and communicate with impact, all while continuing to build trust as a relatively new leadership team.
To support this shift, improve it! partnered with Tricia to deliver a customized learning track over 10 months, utilizing our Presentation Skills, Vision Setting, and Thinking Quickly on Your Feet workshops. Leaders practiced storytelling, concise communication, and thinking on their feet, learning to focus less on the “what” and more on the “why it matters.”
What made the difference was the immediate application. The workshops were integrated into leadership offsites, giving leaders opportunities to practice new skills in presentations, team discussions, and strategic planning conversations.
“The session was fun, engaging, and the team was able to apply the learnings in the following days during their offsite.”
The result: more confident, concise leaders who began showing up as thought partners, equipped with new tools to influence, align, and lead through big change.
Reinforcing Culture Through Connection and Play
Henderson Brothers Financial Partners brought together its entire team, along with additional leaders from other departments, for an interactive teambuilding experience designed to reinforce the culture of trust they’ve intentionally built over the years.
As the organization has continued to grow, the event provided an opportunity for longtime team members to reconnect around shared values while giving newer employees the chance to experience that culture firsthand and build meaningful relationships across teams.
To support those goals, improve it! delivered a customized Team Building & Collaboration Workshop using experiential improv. Rather than simply talking about collaboration, participants practiced it through activities centered on active listening, supporting one another, and embracing the improv principle of ‘Yes, And.’
“There was some apprehension going in, but we were very pleased with how the team responded. Everyone participated, and it was easy to participate.”
The workshop reinforced the organization’s culture of trust and collaboration while creating a shared experience that deepened connection for employees across departments and tenures.
“We were most impressed with how clearly the themes came through, especially alignment and helping each other out. That really resonated.”
Building Connection in a Hybrid Workplace
As McKesson Healthcare adapted to a hybrid workplace, one challenge became clear: team members in the same roles but across different business functions had very few opportunities to build meaningful relationships. The organization wanted to strengthen collaboration, encourage productive risk-taking, and create a greater sense of connection despite the distance.
To support those goals, McKesson brought us in to present our "F" Words at Work keynote, led by our Founder & Speaker, Erin Diehl. Through interactive improv activities, attendees learned to reframe failure as a learning opportunity, embrace risk-taking, and strengthen remote relationships across teams.
What could have been another virtual keynote quickly became an engaging, high-energy experience. The result: stronger cross-functional connections, a healthier mindset around failure, and renewed confidence to take risks and collaborate more effectively in a hybrid environment.
“Not only did we have fun during the ‘F’ words at work session, but we had a great time working with Erin and her team. There was a lot of attention to detail and great follow up throughout the planning process which we greatly appreciated. Our audience was seasoned marketers and the feedback we received was stellar. Many felt that they walked away with a new perspective on failure. Erin has great energy and enthusiasm which created a fun online environment. She even incorporated all of our oddball ideas. It was a memorable experience all around and I highly recommend Erin and improve it!”
Developing Confident Future Leaders
Crowe LLP wanted to give high-potential students more than technical knowledge during its annual recruiting program. The Talent Acquisition team recognized that emerging talent often struggle to balance confidence with humility while discovering their own leadership style.
To help participants build both self-awareness and confidence, improve it! facilitated our experiential Leadership workshop centered around communication, authentic leadership, and the improv principle of "yes, and."
Instead of simply discussing leadership, participants practiced it. Through interactive exercises, they learned how to trust their instincts, communicate with confidence, and bring their authentic selves into professional environments.
The result: participants left feeling more prepared to lead, communicate, and contribute with confidence.
Workshop Participant Survey Results
92% reported an immediate increase in confidence
100% found the public speaking skills directly relevant to their work
97% gained or strengthened leadership skills
96% were satisfied with the workshop
"The 'Yes, And' advice was extremely valuable to me and I look forward to applying it in everything I do."
Strengthening Customer Communication
Motorola Solutions wanted to elevate the way its sales team communicated with customers. The goal wasn't just to improve presentations, but to help the sales team lead stronger client meetings, confidently offer recommendations from a consultative lens, and create more meaningful customer interactions.
improve it! designed a customized track that included our Effective Communication, Presentation Skills, Sales Training, and Thinking Quickly on Your Feet workshops. Through experiential improv, participants practiced handling challenging conversations, adapting in the moment, and communicating with greater confidence.
As the workshops progressed, the team became more comfortable navigating uncertainty, responding to objections, and supporting one another through realistic practice scenarios.
The result: a more confident sales team equipped to communicate clearly, build stronger client relationships, and make every customer interaction more impactful.
Empowering Women
in Engineering
Purdue University's Women in Engineering Graduate Mentoring Program wanted to create an experience that strengthened both professional development and personal confidence for women pursuing careers in STEM.
Through our experiential Networking workshop, improve it! helped participants build communication skills, develop authentic confidence, and quickly form meaningful connections with one another. Rather than simply discussing confidence, attendees practiced stepping outside their comfort zones in a supportive environment.
What began as a networking opportunity became an experience that encouraged participants to embrace their voices and support one another as future leaders.
The result: stronger peer connections, increased confidence, and practical communication tools participants could immediately apply throughout their careers.
"Our participants left the workshop feeling confident about their abilities to 'take up space' in the male-dominated STEM fields. Couldn't say enough positive things about how they helped us all embrace the culture of 'yes, and'."
Building More Confident Presenters
The Propel marketing team wanted to strengthen presentation skills while creating a culture where feedback felt constructive rather than intimidating.
improve it! delivered a customized Presentation Skills workshop that blended improv techniques with dedicated presentation practice. Participants delivered presentations, received peer feedback, and immediately applied what they learned through additional practice.
By creating a supportive environment where experimentation was encouraged, attendees became more comfortable presenting ideas and coaching one another.
The result: greater presentation confidence, stronger peer feedback skills, and a team better equipped to communicate ideas with clarity.
"It was a really fun and engaging way to get outside of the day-to-day office work and bond as a team."
Building Trust Through Change
As new team members joined Pabst Brewing Company's Central Region sales team, leaders recognized the need to quickly build trust and strengthen relationships between new and established teammates.
improve it! delivered a customized workshop focused on trust, collaboration, and navigating change through experiential improv. Participants practiced supporting one another, communicating openly, and embracing new perspectives in real time.
As the session progressed, the team shifted from simply getting acquainted to genuinely connecting around their renewed mission
The result: stronger trust, renewed collaboration, and a team better prepared to navigate whatever comes their way together.
"The techniques sparked new ways of thinking and heightened a lot aspirations across the team. Thank you for such a memorable & meaningful experience!"
Preventing Burnout Through Connection
Brilliant Staffing wanted to recognize and invest in its hardworking team while addressing a growing concern: burnout. Rather than offering another lecture on wellness, they were looking for an experience that would re-energize employees and strengthen team connection.
improve it! delivered a high-energy Effective Communication workshop that used experiential improv to bring laughter, collaboration, and meaningful interaction back into the workday. Through activities focused on listening, support, and communication, participants stepped away from their daily responsibilities and reconnected with one another.
The result: a more connected, energized team with renewed appreciation for the role communication and collaboration play in preventing burnout.
"Erin and the entire improve it! team performed their magic at our recent all-company event. They kept 80 of us engaged, informed, and entertained. I highly recommend partnering with improve it! for your next company event."
Preventing Burnout Through Connection
Every summer, ITW welcomes a new class of interns to their campus. Leadership wanted to help the group quickly build relationships, feel comfortable contributing, and start their internships with confidence.
To support those goals, improve it! delivered a customized Intern 101 workshop using experiential improv to help interns communicate, collaborate, and step outside their comfort zones. Rather than simply introducing workplace expectations, interns practiced them through interactive activities designed to build trust and confidence.
As the workshop progressed, participants became more comfortable taking risks, speaking up, and connecting with one another.
The result: interns who felt more confident in their new roles, more connected to their peers, and better prepared to make meaningful contributions throughout the summer.
Networking with Impact
AJ Gallagher wanted its summer interns to make the most of their limited time by building meaningful professional relationships across the organization. Many participants had little experience networking and lacked confidence initiating conversations.
improve it! delivered an experiential Networking workshop that gave interns the opportunity to practice real conversations, strengthen communication skills, and develop confidence through improv. Instead of just discussing networking best practices, participants actively practiced being present, asking thoughtful questions, and building authentic connections.
As confidence grew throughout the session, interns became more comfortable introducing themselves, engaging with others, and creating lasting professional relationships.
The result: participants left with practical networking tools they could immediately apply throughout their internships and future careers.
"The improve it! program was extremely beneficial. It was a fun way to learn key skills needed to have effective communications in your work environment. And the skills I learned during my session will definitely be used in the future."
Navigating Challenging Client Conversations
Sensient wanted to move beyond traditional sales training. Their experienced sales professionals didn't need another review of fundamentals; they needed a safe environment to practice navigating challenging client conversations with greater confidence.
improve it! delivered customized sales simulations that paired participants with professional improvisers in realistic customer scenarios. Throughout the session, the sales team practiced responding to objections, adapting in the moment, and refining their communication through immediate feedback.
Rather than learning through theory, participants strengthened their skills through repetition, play, and real-time application.
The result: a more agile, confident sales team better prepared to handle complex customer conversations and build stronger client relationships.
Turning Networking into Meaningful Connection
Kayo Conference Series wanted conference attendees to move beyond exchanging business cards and create real relationships. The goal was to make networking feel approachable, engaging, and valuable for everyone in the room.
Through a customized experiential workshop, improve it! used improv tenets to help participants practice active listening, build trust quickly, and approach conversations with greater curiosity and confidence. Interactive activities encouraged attendees to take thoughtful risks, find common ground, and engage more authentically with one another.
As participants became more comfortable stepping outside their comfort zones, networking transformed into something fun.
The result: attendees left with stronger relationships, greater confidence in networking situations, and practical communication tools they could continue using long after the conference.
Turning Data into Compelling Storytelling
As part of its Communication Accelerator Program, Red Ventures wanted to help a large cohort of associates become more confident communicators. While participants possessed strong technical skills, many were looking for greater confidence speaking up in meetings, thinking on their feet, and presenting ideas clearly
improve it! partnered with Red Ventures on a multi-month Confidence Track that blended experiential improv with practical communication strategies. Throughout the program, participants practiced responding in real time, communicating with clarity, and telling more compelling stories with their data.
Over the course of three months, associates grew more comfortable contributing in meetings, presenting with confidence, and adapting to unexpected conversations.
The result: stronger communication skills, increased confidence, and a team better equipped to influence, collaborate, and share ideas across the organization.