In this solo episode of Workday Playdate, Erin explores why your intuition might be the most underutilized leadership skill you have. In a world obsessed with data and overthinking, Erin makes the case for trusting the wisdom you've already earned through experience. If you've ever ignored a gut feeling only to say, "I knew it," two weeks later, this episode is for you.

Using cognitive science to practical exercises for better decision-making, Erin shares how to stop outsourcing your knowing and start using your intuition as a career superpower.

Inside This Episode:

What to Do Now:

Your Freebie

You’re calm, capable, and composed… until things take an unexpected turn (as they tend to do)! This is exactly why we created The Clarity Under Pressure Toolkit: What to Do in the First 5 Minutes of Any Uncertain Situation.

It’s your go-to guide for staying grounded when it matters most. Download it here.

Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with John Ulrich and Olga Flores to explore how improvisation can help teams think faster without panicking. As leaders at Antunes, John and Olga have spent the last three years partnering with improve it! to build a culture of adaptability, communication, and creativity across their organization.

If you've ever wondered how to help your team respond instead of react under pressure, this conversation is packed with practical insights and one unforgettable story involving something called Antunes Night Live.

Inside This Episode:

What to Do Now:

About the Guests

John Ulrich is the Vice President of Sales, North America at Antunes, where he leads high-performing sales teams focused on unified growth, collaboration, and customer success. With more than twenty-five years of foodservice industry experience, John is passionate about developing people and creating cultures where teams can thrive.

Olga Flores is a Regional Sales Manager at Antunes, where she drives both results and relationships across her territory. Together, John and Olga have been instrumental in championing the partnership between Antunes and improve it!, helping bring innovative, improv-based learning experiences to their teams and proving that play and performance can go hand in hand.

Your Freebie

You’re calm, capable, and composed… until things take an unexpected turn (as they tend to do)! This is exactly why we created The Clarity Under Pressure Toolkit: What to Do in the First 5 Minutes of Any Uncertain Situation.

It’s your go-to guide for staying grounded when it matters most. Download it here.

Connect with John Ulrich and Olga Flores

Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Anne Libera to explore how improvisation can unlock stronger leadership. From flow states and vulnerability to humor and human behavior, Anne shares why improv is about discovering what's possible. If you've ever wanted to lead with more creativity, communicate with more confidence, or simply become more yourself at work, this episode is for you.

Inside This Episode:

• Discovery Is the Real Superpower: Anne unpacks why the heart of improv—and great leadership—is discovery. Learn how staying curious, present, and open can lead to stronger teams and better decisions.
• Flow Isn't Just for Artists: Discover what flow feels like for improvisers and leaders alike, and why creating the conditions for flow can boost creativity, innovation, and performance.
• Improv Is More Than Comedy: Anne busts common myths about improv and explains how these practices help us build new behaviors, embrace vulnerability, and connect more authentically.
• Try "Thank You Because": Learn one of Anne's favorite improv exercises for strengthening communication, navigating conflict, and creating warmer conversations at work and home.
• Yes, You Can Be Funnier: Drawing from insights in her new book, Funnier: A New Theory for the Practice of Comedy, Anne explains why humor is a skill, and how anyone can develop it.

1. Practice Discovery: In your next meeting or conversation, focus less on performing and more on noticing what emerges when you're fully present.
2. Use "Thank You Because": The next time you're in conflict or giving feedback, begin with gratitude to create a more constructive conversation.
3. Experiment With Humor: Try sharing a story, observation, or moment of recognition rather than aiming for the perfect joke.

• Anne’s LinkedIn
• Anne’s Columbia College Chicago website page
• Anne’s book: Funnier: A New Theory for the Practice of Comedy

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Catharine Savage to explore why failure might not be something to avoid after all. As an improviser, facilitator, educator, and performer, Catharine has spent years helping people discover that growth often lives on the other side of discomfort.

If you've ever avoided taking a chance because you were afraid to fail, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on why mistakes can actually be fun.

Inside This Episode:

• Why We Fear Failure So Much: Catharine and Erin unpack the stories we tell ourselves about failure and explore why so many high achievers struggle to take risks in the first place.
• How Improv Changes Our Relationship with Mistakes: Drawing on her experience with The Second City and years of facilitating workplace workshops, Catharine shares how improvisation helps people build resilience, adaptability, and confidence through experimentation.
• The Surprising Joy of Failing: Failure doesn't have to mean defeat. Catharine explains how reframing mistakes as data, stories, and opportunities can transform both our careers and our lives.
• Building Psychological Safety Through Play: Erin and Catharine discuss why teams that normalize mistakes are often the most innovative, collaborative, and successful.
• Taking Yourself Less Seriously: Some of the best learning happens when we let go of perfectionism. Catharine shares practical ways leaders can create space for humor, curiosity, and growth even in high-pressure environments.

1. Try Something You're Bad At: Pick one small activity this week that feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar. Give yourself permission to be a beginner and notice what you learn.
2. Celebrate a Recent Mistake: Reflect on a recent failure or setback. What did it teach you? Share the lesson with a colleague or friend.
3. Practice "Yes, And" Thinking: The next time something doesn't go according to plan, challenge yourself to ask, "Yes, this happened...and what might be possible now?"

• Catharine’s Instagram
• Catharine’s LinkedIn
• Catharine’s website

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin dives into the exhausting tango between burnout and overthinking, and why these two troublemakers love to keep us stuck in our heads. Erin shares tips for how to stop performing a one-person show in your life and work.

Inside This Episode:

• The Scene Reset Framework: Learn Erin's five-step improv-inspired reset for moving from mental chaos to present-moment action: Drop the Script, Play the Scene You're In, Yes-And Yourself First, Edit the Scene, and Trust the Ensemble.
• Stop Competing in the Overthinking Olympics: Through interactive exercises like the Scene Sweep practice, Erin shares simple ways to clear mental clutter, interrupt anxious thought spirals, and create space for what matters most.
• Self-Compassion Is a Productivity Strategy: Discover why saying "yes, and" to yourself reduces internal friction, builds resilience, and helps you navigate uncertainty with more ease.
• You Weren't Meant to Perform Solo: Erin discusses the power of delegation, trust, and community—and why asking for help may be the most productive thing you do all week.

1. Try a Scene Sweep: Spend five minutes writing down every thought competing for your attention, then identify what needs action, delegation, or release.
2. Practice the Scene Reset: The next time you catch yourself spiraling, walk through the five-step framework to reconnect with the present moment.
3. Ask for Backup: Identify one task, decision, or worry you don't need to carry alone and invite someone else into the scene.

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Laurie Jadick to explore what it really takes to lead people through change in today's rapidly evolving workplace. With decades of experience in human resources, leadership development, and executive onboarding, Laurie shares why successful transformation is about people first.

If you've ever struggled to help your team embrace new ways of working, this conversation offers practical wisdom and a refreshing reminder that human connection remains at the center of great leadership.

Inside This Episode:

• Why Change Starts with Trust: Laurie shares why trust is the foundation of any successful transformation effort and how leaders can build credibility during times of uncertainty.
• The Human Side of Change Management: Organizational change often focuses on systems and strategy, but Laurie explains why understanding emotions, resistance, and individual experiences is equally important.
• Creating Meaningful Onboarding Experiences: Drawing from her extensive work in executive onboarding, Laurie discusses how intentional onboarding experiences can accelerate impact, strengthen culture, and set leaders up for long-term success.
• Leading Through Uncertainty: Erin and Laurie explore what leaders can do when they don't have all the answers and why transparency, curiosity, and adaptability matter more than ever.
• Why Learning Never Stops: The conversation highlights the importance of continuous learning, reinvention, and staying open to new ideas throughout every stage of your career.

1. Assess Your Change Communication: Think about a current change happening on your team. Are you communicating only the "what," or are you also addressing the "why" and the emotional impact?
2. Schedule a Connection Conversation: Set aside time this week to check in with a colleague or team member not to discuss tasks, but simply to understand how they're doing and what support they need.
3. Reflect on Your Learning Edge: Identify one new skill, mindset, or area of growth you'd like to develop over the next month and take one small step toward it this week.

• Laurie’s LinkedIn

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with workplace researcher, organizational psychologist, and meeting culture expert Rebecca Hinds to tackle one of the biggest drains on modern work: bad meetings. If you've ever stared at a packed calendar or wished collaboration felt more energizing, this conversation is packed with practical ideas to help you reclaim your time and redesign how your team connects.

Inside This Episode: 

• Meeting Doomsday Is Coming: Rebecca introduces the concept of "meeting doomsday" and explains how a simple 48-hour calendar cleanse can help organizations break free from unnecessary meetings and reset workplace norms.
• Why We're Meeting More Than Ever: Learn how meeting hours have exploded over the past several decades, why calendars became the default communication tool, and the hidden costs of constant collaboration.
• The 4D CEO Test: Before scheduling your next meeting, Rebecca shares her simple framework to determine whether the goal is to Decide, Debate, Discuss, or Develop—and whether a meeting is actually necessary.
• The Visibility Trap: Discover how visibility bias keeps unnecessary meetings alive and why being busy isn't always the same as being productive.
• Design Meetings People Actually Want to Attend: From intentional titles to clear outcomes, Rebecca shares practical ways to create meetings that foster connection, collaboration, and momentum.

1. Audit Your Calendar: Review your recurring meetings and ask: "Does this truly need to happen, or could it be handled another way?"
2. Use the 4D Test: Before scheduling a meeting, identify whether the goal is to Decide, Debate, Discuss, or Develop.
3. Title Meetings with Intention: Replace vague meeting names with clear, outcome-driven titles that tell attendees exactly why they're there.

• Rebecca’s LinkedIn
• Rebecca’s website
• Rebecca’s book: Your Best Meeting Ever

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Meredith Stepien to explore how small moments of joy can become anchors during life's most chaotic seasons. Known for her work as a performer, writer, musician, improviser, and creative leader, Meredith shares why chasing massive life-changing moments isn't always the answer, and how cultivating sparks of delight can help us stay grounded.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the pace of work or simply being human, this conversation is a reminder that joy doesn't have to be earned. Sometimes it's found in the smallest moments hiding in plain sight.

Inside This Episode:

• Why Small Joys Matter More Than We Think: Meredith shares how tiny moments of delight can help regulate our nervous systems, shift our perspective, and create steadiness during difficult times.
• The Myth of Waiting for Happiness: Many of us postpone joy until we hit a milestone, solve a problem, or achieve a goal. Meredith discusses why joy is something we can practice now—not something we have to wait for.
• Creativity as a Survival Tool: Drawing from her background in performance, music, and improv, Meredith explains how creativity helps us navigate uncertainty and stay connected to what makes us feel alive.
• Finding Presence in the Everyday: The conversation explores how paying attention to ordinary moments can create extraordinary meaning, even when life feels overwhelming.
• The Connection Between Play and Resilience: Erin and Meredith discuss why play is a critical tool for maintaining energy, perspective, and emotional well-being.

1. Create a Tiny Joy List: Write down five small things that consistently bring you joy. Keep the list somewhere visible and intentionally seek out one of them each day this week.
2. Practice Noticing: Throughout your day, pause and identify one moment that makes you smile, laugh, feel curious, or experience gratitude. The goal is to increase awareness of the good that is already here.
3. Schedule Play on Purpose: Block out 15 minutes this week for something that feels playful, creative, or energizing with no productivity goal attached.

• Meredith’s Instagram
• Meredith’s YouTube
• Meredith’s LinkedIn

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin tackles AI anxiety and how to address it on your own and with your team at work. If you've ever wondered whether AI is coming for your job, felt overwhelmed by new technology, or weren't sure where to begin, this episode offers a practical, human-centered approach to navigating AI with confidence. Erin shares a simple framework to help leaders and teams embrace AI without losing the creativity, connection, and humanity that make work meaningful.

Inside This Episode:

• Why AI Feels So Scary Right Now: Erin breaks down the most common fears surrounding AI, from job displacement to information overload, and explains why uncertainty (rather than technology itself) is often what makes change feel uncomfortable.
• Leadership's Role in the AI Era: Every major workplace shift requires leaders who can guide people through ambiguity. Learn why curiosity, transparency, and empathy are essential leadership skills in the age of AI.
• The Four-Step "AI Scene" Framework: Inspired by improv, this practical approach helps leaders and teams navigate AI adoption with less fear and more confidence:
  • Accept the Scene: Acknowledge that AI is here and part of the workplace conversation.
  • Improvise Your Entry Point: Start small by choosing one task where AI can support your work.
  • Build the Scene with Your Team: Create shared learning experiences and normalize experimentation.
  • Take Your Encore: Integrate AI intentionally in ways that enhance human creativity and impact.
• How to Create an AI Playground at Work: Discover how low-stakes experimentation can reduce fear and build confidence. Erin shares ideas for creating safe spaces where teams can learn, test, and explore together.
• Small Experiments Create Big Confidence: Forget mastering AI overnight. Learn how simple 15-minute AI labs can help you build skills, uncover opportunities, and reduce overwhelm one step at a time.

1. Start With One Task: Identify a single repetitive task you do each week and explore how AI could support or streamline it.
2. Create a 15-Minute AI Lab: Set aside fifteen minutes this week to experiment with an AI tool. Just for curiosity and play!
3. Build an AI Playground: Invite your team to share wins, lessons learned, and questions about AI in a judgment-free environment focused on learning rather than perfection.

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Kelly Burlage, Chief Human Resources Officer at Lineage, to explore how our relationship with failure changes as we grow in our careers. From early-career mistakes that feel world-ending to high-stakes leadership decisions that impact entire organizations, Kelly shares why failure is something to learn from.

If you've ever found yourself replaying a professional setback or questioning whether you're ready for the next level, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on resilience and leading through uncertainty.

Inside This Episode:

• Why Failure Evolves as Your Career Grows: Kelly shares how her definition of failure has shifted throughout her career and why the challenges that once felt devastating often become the foundation for future success.
• The Leadership Lessons Hidden Inside Setbacks: Not every failure feels productive in the moment. Kelly reflects on how some of her most difficult professional experiences ultimately accelerated her growth and strengthened her leadership.
• How to Lead Through High-Stakes Misses: As leaders advance, mistakes become more visible and carry greater consequences. Kelly discusses how to navigate setbacks without losing trust, momentum, or confidence.
• Balancing Innovation with Smart Risk-Taking: Growth requires experimentation, and experimentation comes with the possibility of failure. Kelly explains how data, curiosity, and calculated risks help organizations move forward without becoming paralyzed by fear.
• Creating a Culture Where People Can Learn from Failure: In industries where precision matters, psychological safety still matters. Kelly shares how leaders can create environments where people feel empowered to take ownership, learn, and improve.

1. Revisit an Old Failure: Think about a professional setback from earlier in your career that still makes you cringe. What lessons did it teach you that success couldn't have?
2. Audit Your Current Response to Failure: Ask yourself whether you're approaching today's challenges with outdated fears or limiting beliefs that no longer serve you.
3. Look for the Lesson, Not the Label: The next time something doesn't go as planned, resist the urge to immediately call it a failure. Instead, ask: "What is this experience teaching me?"

• Kelly’s LinkedIn
• Lineage’s website

• Leadership Playground online membership community
• Erin’s website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s TikTok
• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
• improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.