Snack 6: How to Turn Career Mistakes into Growth

Written By Erin Diehl
 
 
 

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Hey, hey, Workday Playdate peeps! It’s time for your quick bite of leadership wisdom—a little boost of inspiration, energy, and playfulness to brighten your workday. 

Today, we’re talking about something we ALL have in common: mistakes. Yep, those cringe-worthy, face-palm moments that keep us up at night. But guess what? Your mistakes aren’t just embarrassing bloopers; they’re your greatest career growth hacks. 

So, what do we do? We improvise, using the The "Next Line, Please" Hack. 

What it is: In improv, when a scene stalls or someone blanks out, we use a simple trick: we ask for the next line. Instead of panicking, we literally turn to our scene partner and say, "Next line, please?" and they feed us something to work with. 

How to use it in real life: Ever been in a meeting where you completely blank on what to say? Or maybe you’re giving a presentation and your brain just short-circuits mid-sentence? Instead of freezing or rambling, do this: 

  • Pause. (Silence feels longer to you than it does to them.) 

  • Take a breath. (Gives your brain time to reset.) 

  • Ask for the ‘next line.’ This can be as simple as: 

  • "Can you repeat the question?" (Buys time and refocuses.) 

  • "Let me gather my thoughts for a second." (Gives permission to pause.) 

  • "That’s a great point—can you expand on that while I process?" (Keeps the conversation flowing.) 

This breaks the pressure of perfection and allows you to regroup without the awkwardness.  Try it today! When you get stuck, don’t force it—just ask for the next line. 

 If you’re interested in taking one small action right now, you can check out our newest freebie, The 5-Minute Team Commitment Reset here. Use this plug-and-play exercise at the start of any meeting to get your team mentally present, engaged, and committed. 

No, You Hang Up First (Let’s Keep Connecting) 

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Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it! 

 
Erin Diehl
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Episode 283: From Mistakes to Mastery: Career Tips for Bold, Courageous Leaders
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Episode 282: Why Leaders Are Obsessed with Improv for Team Growth