He highlighted the power of stories and how to build on the outputs of others. The end result was a challenging, thought provoking and highly entertaining session. Neil is truly a Master in his trade and we look forward to him joining us again in the future.
Lynn S O'Connor, Organisational Development Manager  

It is such a genuine course backed up by years of experience in understanding people, emotions and body language. As I said to you prior to the session it was a key part of a plan to develop the team I am working with. They interface across the whole business and heavily in to the external world and the day has allowed them to develop better understandings of how to sell, negotiate etc....in fact I found myself being 'Mullarkeyed' the other day by one of them such is the impact. Thanks again and we will be looking to have you back again in the early New Year to follow up.
Marc Lawn. Interim Director of Marketing Services - Europe and Africa  

"The evening with Neil Mullarkey was fantastic! It's always fun to do something different and this event certainly offered you that! The session was informal and most importantly on your doorstep!"

"It's a fantastic opportunity to learn improvisation from the master! It was a really fun session, bringing to life the ever important skill of thinking on your feet in a way you couldn't imagine."

"I found the evening to be interesting and an entertaining way to work on our improvisation skills, which in turn could then be put to good use in our day to day working lives."

"Neil Mullarkey's improvisation was a fun, inspiring and energetic approach to clearing the cobwebs and thinking out of the box."

Participants' Feedback

"Thanks very much for the day. It was very enjoyable, and eye opening. At the start I said that I wanted to have the confidence to state my opinion, but I also wanted to do it in a calm, collected and knowledgable manner, rather than sounding flippant. The exercises, especially the grounding, really helped me. And I've already managed to be more assertive in meetings, so some part of Jeremy Clarkson must be rubbing off. Again, thanks very much for an incredibly useful day."

"Thanks Neil, I really enjoyed the day and I know everyone else did too. Even *****. You did such a good job with him he was better than me by the end of the day. And I think ***** took a lot from it too in terms of my objective for him to have more in his armoury."

"I really enjoyed the day and have come away with new skills which I'll use when presenting. I hope we use your services again."

"We've been talking about it on the train and everyone agreed what a great day it was. Everyone has taken something away from it and was excellent to see the crew's confidence grow from the morning to the afternoon session under your guidance. Thanks once again."  

Our plan was that people left the conference after two days on a real high and they did just that! I have has several emails since from delegates with really positive comments about what they took away from your session. Hope to see you again next year.
Jo Revitt - www.archant.co.uk  

"I would like to say how good the event was. The venue was fantastic but the speaker was absolutely brilliant. By far the best Deloitte event I have been to."

"Everyone felt great about the event on Friday, so thanks very much for your part in that."  

They had great sessions the next day where they could really see offers and blocking at work. I think they were quite surprised at their everyday occurrence... thank you for your consistency, generosity and professionalism. Look forward to the next time.  

It was actually a very good day and we have had only positive response which is great...so thanks as ever!
Wayne Garvie, Director of Content & Production.  

I have received several e-mails today which sing your praises...

"Thanks again for a truly fab event...people seem to have been very positively surprised by the whole thing - its content, tone and attention to detail"

"just been for a coffee and was stopped by 7 different people wanting to say how good Neil's session was"

"Neil's workshop was great, I just didn't want it to end!"  

It was a really high energy way for people to recognise the connections they had made. I finished off the event with a short session building on your great start.

The workshops were approached with scepticism but leaders found it fun and engaging. Most importantly the impact is that we have more 'Yes, And' conversations and are getting better at listening and building on others' ideas.  

Having given the very rare presentation in the last eight years, I never really thought about getting up in front of a room of people and trying to hold their attention, whilst actually enjoying the experience. Usually it is something I would like to have over and done with and forgotten as quickly as possible.

Ever since attending Neil's seminar, I've been reciting some of the lessons that I learned: Lessons that would apply in ANY public facing session. It doesn't necessarily need to be a room full of people.

Mostly I took away the need to listen and have an open mind. Otherwise one could miss all the inputs that your audience is giving you consciously or unconsciously).

I appreciated the approach that Neil took in conducting exercises utilising games that enable us to see how our own perspective closes our mind to all other possibilities that there may be right in front of us. I think if I could have spent any more time with Neil, I would get that much closer to being able to confidently speak/lead/present almost anywhere, anytime and with potentially any audience.

The day we spent was about learning then utilising the tools and exercises we were taught to achieve our goal. Being shy or self-conscious never came into it. Don't just recite a message, deliver it.  

Our leadership team meetings have more energy and imagination, as though Neil has given people permission to think and act differently. We have been trying to get people to think this way for a while, but somehow Neil persuaded them!

We often use the 'Yes, And' technique. Even when we don't do it overtly, we often hear people stop themselves and change tack, saying, "I mean 'Yes, And' ..." It has made people think about the positive aspects of a situation.

This is really important to the work we are doing on culture change. Even our 'Word-At-A-Time Story' has left its mark.

All those involved know what we mean if we mention 'Neil's Story'

Claire Clancy, Chief Executive  

The added value aspects include a real drive to understand what objectives lie at the heart of the training and, as a result, tailoring engaging methods to maximise audience engagement, team dynamics, participation and enjoyment.

Neil's approach is high energy and is as relevant to those who need training as to those who may need reminding of skills and techniques that may have slipped in the hurly burly of just doing the job.

I have had so much positive feedback about the session but particularly about how right Neil was for us and that it was exactly what the studio needed - focus on them, working together, thinking about the brand.

Managing Partner  

Two things strike me, several months on.

The first was how well Neil understood our organisation, our people and our challenges. So even the most reticent staff responded positively and felt he was their friend.

Secondly, the impact of 'Yes, And' lives on. Even last week, one of our team remarked that 'we look for solutions, not problems'. She referred to the exercise led by Neil where we were not allowed to say 'yes ... but', only 'yes ... and'.

Anne Evans, Chief Executive.  

The most powerful insights come from participating rather than observing, and the improvisational method and the techniques embedded in it have universal application, if people's minds are open to the stretch.

Neil's personality and gifts make that transition one which executives are willing and motivated to make.

Nigel Nicholson,
Professor of Organisational Behaviour  

Thank you very much for everything on Friday. Your effort throughout the day made it a great experience - both fun and very instructive for all of us.The positive feedback has continued this morning.

Thank you also for the way in which you seemed able to identify the key challenges for us so well. One of the most pleasing things for me was that my colleague, who has to watch 6 or so of these presentations a day, and cops the feedback from the audience, spent so much of the day nodding at what you were saying and doing.

What you say about presentations is spot on - and there are certainly some more confident individuals around here this morning. Thanks again.  

"It was lovely meeting you Neil and the delegates thoroughly enjoyed your performance – I don't think I have ever heard them laugh so much at one of these events – it was a refreshing change!"

"Feedback from the Conference has been superb for your afternoon improvisation session. There have been lots of calls for more interactive and innovative strands next year so you've clearly made an impression on them."

Senior Leader, UK National Health Service
"Neil's session on communication really demonstrated how little we focus on this important area and what some of the consequences could be when we fail to communicate well. Participants left the session smiling, desperate to try out their new skills and with an entirely positive attitude to communication that still prevails over a year later".

Head of Innovation Practice Institute for Innovation & Improvement, UK National Health Service
"Through an exciting session of fun tasks Neil skilfully enabled teams to think differently or 'outside the box'. This has resulted in a number of great new ideas about some of the health challenges we are currently facing."  

The spark of originality is all that separates the individual from the crowd.

And so begins the journey into the alternative corporate world of Neil Mullarkey.

It is a place both challenging, in the way in which company 'machines' are stretched beyond their natural comfort zones, yet also strangely re-assuring in that, inevitably, we cope with and really enjoy the experience.

Yes and, at last on a 'training course', there is no Death by PowerPoint! You will not be disappointed - enjoy!

Sales & Marketing Director.  

He took a class of 108 Cambridge MBA's - hard-nosed, rational and highly sceptical about their individual ability to create - and transformed them.
Richard Hytner, Deputy Chairman.  

Sales Workshop Participants' Feedback

"I will never sell the same way to a customer again!"

"The course releases inhibitions, gives a greater understanding of what you do and how to change."

"The exercises bring you out of your comfort zone and make you willing to try new ideas and approaches."

"A brilliant course- very stimulating!"

"I just wanted to thank you for providing such a good training course. It is so good to have a different perspective and an unusual delivery on the training we receive. I took a great deal away from the course and am looking forward to making some personal changes. Thanks again!"

"I have already started to put some of the principles into practice. I have had a few slightly uncomfortable calls where I have broken the old habits but have also made significant progress with some key customers."