About Joel Zeff:

Joel Zeff creates energy. His spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for more than 25 years. As a national speaker, work culture expert, author, and humorist, Joel captivates audiences with a unique blend of hilarious improvisational comedy and essential ideas on work and life. He has shared his experience and insight on collaboration, leadership, change, communication, innovation, fun, and passion at more than 2,500 events. His book, “Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work,” is consistently listed as one of Amazon's top work/life balance books. He has appeared on CNBC and featured in the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, The Kansas City Star, and many other media outlets.

In this episode, Dean Newlund and Joel Zeff discuss:

• The transformative power of improv in personal and professional growth
• Using fun as a tool to enhance workplace engagement and culture
• How authenticity and joy fuel leadership effectiveness
• Creating positive team dynamics through supportive communication
• The role of mindset and decision-making in navigating change and innovation

Key Takeaways:

• Incorporate play-based exercises like improv games in team sessions to encourage creativity, active listening, and adaptability during moments of change.
• Regularly express positive support and appreciation to team members to reinforce a culture of encouragement and emotional safety.
• Redefine “fun at work” to include activities and responsibilities that bring fulfillment, such as mentoring, achieving goals, or solving problems creatively, not just social events.
• Facilitate reflection after experiential activities by asking questions like “What choices led to your success?” and “How can this apply to how you lead or collaborate?”

"You gotta figure out what your fun is. Fun is making a big sale. Fun is mentoring a team member. Fun is being a great leader. Fun is creating an environment where the team is creative. There's lots of everything that is fun.” — Joel Zeff

Connect with Joel Zeff:  

Website: http://www.joelzeff.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoelZeffCreative

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelzeff

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejoelzeff/

See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I

Connect with Dean:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw

Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/

The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-800-926-7370

Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.