Improv @ Work: Holly Mandel, Coached Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy + led by Will Ferrell & Lisa Kudrow

Improv leadership in real time:

“Authenticity connects faster than expertise.”

“Perfectionism suffocates the best ideas.”

“Presence unlocks chemistry you can’t manufacture.”

Holly discovers clarity through fearlessness while...

Inside this Episode

What if your strongest leadership moments happened unscripted? Holly Mandel, founder and CEO of iMERGENCE Corporate Improv, brings decades of experience as a Groundlings alum who coached Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, worked with Lisa Kudrow, and taught by Will Ferrell. Holly reveals how the instincts that make iconic performers magnetic also make leaders compelling, trusted, and creatively alive. She and Mark explore how improvisation dismantles perfectionism, how presence builds instant rapport, and why embracing mistakes turns teams into co-creators instead of spectators.

Go Deeper — Premium Action Plan

In the Premium Action Plan, Mark and Holly turn improv’s core principles into a practical weekly leadership upgrade:

• Shift from performing to responding with clarity

• Reframe mistakes as catalysts for connection

• Lead meetings like scenes—listen, build, advance

• Apply humor to unlock collaboration and reduce pressure

You’ll leave with a structured one-week “Presence Drill Set” to replace perfection with responsiveness.

Listen + Connect

Holly Mandel — Website: https://www.imergence.com

Good Girls Aren’t Funny: https://www.goodgirlsarentfunny.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-mandel

Mark S. Cook — Website: https://MarkSpencerCook.com | https://WindfallPartners.com

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/markspencercook

Social: @MarkSpencerCook

Moments to Revisit

• The Groundlings story that revealed the cost of perfection

• Why “Good Girl” conditioning limits leadership potential

• What Holly learned coaching Wiig and McCarthy

• How presence outperforms polish in high-stakes rooms

• The improv exercise that exposes fear and builds trust

Final Thought

Holly Mandel shows that leadership isn’t performance—it’s presence. When we stop trying to be perfect and start responding to the moment, we create teams that trust, collaborate, and innovate with us, not around us.

Do you feel stuck between where you are today… and who you’re meant to become? Find your next step inside Bold Encounters Premium at: https://BoldEncounters.TV — you can also give the gift of Premium success to someone else you care about.