Leading with Values: Our Compass at Improv for Work & Wellness

When I started Improv for Work & Wellness, I had a vision: to use the power of improv to connect people, spark creativity, and help teams, and individuals, grow and thrive.

Over the past 19 months, as we’ve grown, taught, and performed, four values have become our compass: kindness, patience, collaboration, and service. They guide how I lead, how our team shows up, and how we serve our clients and communities.

Kindness

Improv starts with noticing, supporting, and responding to others. Kindness is the foundation of our work: it shapes the way we communicate, coach, and lead. When we approach colleagues, clients, and participants with genuine care, we create an environment where everyone feels safe to take risks, share ideas, and show up fully.

Patience

Growth—whether in a team, a community, or within ourselves—takes time. Mistakes aren’t setbacks—they’re opportunities. Patience helps us embrace the process, stay resilient, and encourage others to do the same. We go at the pace of fun. 

Collaboration

No one succeeds alone. Every “yes, and” in improv builds on someone else’s idea. Collaboration is how we design programs, solve challenges, and celebrate collective creativity. It’s about listening deeply, co-creating solutions, and compromise.

Service

Our work is about impact. Service reminds us to ask: how can we make a difference for others today? For the teams we train, the communities we touch, and every individual who joins us, service is our north star. We are in service of this work. 

These values aren’t just words, they’re lived every day at IFWW. They guide our workshops, coaching, and leadership. And they define our mission: to connect, to create, and to empower people through improv.

I’m proud of the community we’re building, and I’m excited for what comes next. If you share these values, or want to explore how they can transform your team, I’d love to connect.

—Dan Dumsha, Founder & President, Improv for Work & Wellness