Jon Colby

Jon Colby has been empowering people all over the world with improv for over 20 years. From presenting to performing, his engaging and interactive approach has successfully helped audiences across the world to be better communicators, co-workers, teammates, salespeople, doctors, and even [insert your job title here].

Jon combines his master’s in education and his background in theatre to craft a meaningful and interactive experience where audiences can apply what they learn.

As a graduate from the world-famous Second City Conservatory comedy program and an educator with 15 years of classroom experience, he is able to keep an audience laughing while sharing practical knowledge that can be put to use right away. He has motivated and entertained hundreds of clients, including some of the nation’s top companies and organizations.

Game Changer Session

Tuesday, July 12, 2022 

2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

Yes, And…Improving Leadership and Communication Through Improv

In this interactive session, the basic rules of improv (listening, finding agreement, thinking quickly, leading by empowering others and making and celebrating those choices) will be applied to the workplace. Jon Colby’s improv and quick-thinking presentation will help you improve networking skills, build stronger leaders, foster creativity and encourage employees and clients to feel more valued. Don’t miss this entertaining opportunity to grow in a safe environment and walk away with valuable skills that can be used immediately.
Target Audience: E, M

Get to Know Jon

What are you most excited about this year’s ANC?

Over the past 6 years, I’ve spoken for several state SNA conferences. I’m really looking forward to spending more time with members from those states who’ve become friends of mine on social media.

What is the most important tip you would like attendees to take away from your session?

No one cares about you as much as you think they do. The first time you read that, it might sound rude, but I assure you that it’s a very freeing statement. We are often too concerned with what other people think of us. We’re nervous that people are judging our actions, but the truth is, no one cares about our choices that much. We think that if we make a mistake, everyone is laughing at us, when in reality, they are just trying to avoid making mistakes themselves.

We need to feel empowered to try new things. We don’t have to be perfect. In fact, it is in our failures that we really learn and grow the most. I want people to think of the word FAIL as an acronym. It stands for “First attempt in learning.” If we can allow ourselves to believe that’s true, then we improve ourselves more while worrying about things less.

ANC’s theme this year is “Powered by Imagination.” What do you do to keep your creative juices flowing or to feed your imagination?

I play. I play improv games in front of audiences. I play boardgames, princesses, restaurant, and a variety of other things with my daughters. I try to instill in them that it’s okay to be silly, even in public. My 3-year-old daughter even got random strangers to play Red Light, Green Light as we were walking down the sidewalk in Clearwater Beach, Florida this past February.