Episode 123: How to Use Improv to Magnetize a Culture Where All Feel Seen, Heard, and Valued
There you are: a leader who hears everyone in the room’s voices, who sees the detail that goes into their work, and who makes them not only feel, but know they’re important as human beings. They want to come to work. Productivity rises. The organization and the people within it thrive.
Sound like a pipe dream? This could be your reality. Press play and you’ll hear:
How to discover your own culture-building power within and how to harness it on a daily basis
How you can use improv to be a more empathetic leader
How YOUR energy magnetizes your culture, and tools to measure your own energy levels
A VERY exciting update and how you can bring this into your organization
Show Links:
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Connect with Erin Diehl:
Email Erin: info@learntoimproveit.com
Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the improve it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award.
This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre.
When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight-pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl.
You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
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Episode 123 Transcription
Erin (00:00):
Are you a leader or change maker inside of your business organization or corporation? Are you looking for new innovative ways to drive morale through the roof? Are you looking for fun and exciting icebreakers and team building exercises and activities that will foster team growth, friendships, loyalty, and completely transform your organization from the inside out? Have you been searching for a fun and unique way to create change instead of the same old dry, boring leadership books and ice breakers that aren't actually working? Hi, I'm Erin Diehl, business improv entertainer, failfluencer, and professional zoomie who is ready to help you improve it. My mission in life is to help you develop teams and leaders through play, improv, and experiential learning. In this podcast, we will deep dive into professional development team building, effective communication, networking, presentation skills, leadership training, how to think more quickly on your feet, and everything in between. We have helped everyone from fortune 500 companies to small mom and pop shops transform their business, their leadership, and their people through play. So grab your chicken hat. We are about to have some fun, welcome to improve it! the podcast.
Erin (01:35):
Improve it! Peeps! Erin here, and my bedroom slippers. I've got my coffee, my water bottle. And I'm ready to talk to you about one of the most important topics. I wanna talk to you today about how to use improv to magnetize a culture where all feel seen, heard, and valued. Let me say that again, where all feel seen, heard, and valued. So, you know, I like to give you a little story. A little storytelling never hurt anyone, right? So I had a very specific period in my career where I did not feel any of those things. I felt unheard. I felt unseen. And I felt like the work that I did did not matter. I was in my mid-twenties. I was working at a startup. And let me say this. The story that's about to unfold includes people that I still talk to today and still care about so much.
Erin (02:38):
We were opening this new company and it was coming into North America. And it was...so it was in a preexisting company, but it was launching in the US. And there were so many barriers that we had to face every single day. We were very small, scaled super quickly. And in this timeframe, I felt very lost in the shuffle. I didn't feel valued. I worked 60 plus hours a week. I got on planes whenever they needed me to, at this time, I was like 26, 27. Did not have a family. So I was just going anytime they said go. I actually remember one time. It was Halloween. It was a Saturday night. I was at a Halloween party dressed as Amy Winehouse, R I P. Okay. And I had on the Amy Winehouse wig (still got the wig). I had on fake tattoos all over my body.
Erin (03:32):
And I get a call from my manager who says, I need to be on a plane in the morning to Dallas. We've had something happen in Dallas. We need you to go. So I remember coming home from this party on Saturday night, booking my plane ticket, getting on a plane on a Sunday morning, coming back on a Sunday night from Dallas to Chicago and starting work at 9:00 AM on Monday. That was the life that I chose. And I'll say this. It was not lucrative. The expectation was that I was always available back then. The Blackberry was the main business tool. Remember those? Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And I used to see that little blinking red light on my nightstand and my heart would just start palpitating because I knew I had an unread email and it would just stress me out. And I remember also thinking how in the world can I become unavailable?
Erin (04:29):
What do I have to do? And I'm gonna tell you this, this sounds crazy (type enneagram here) I decided to run a marathon because back then you couldn't really listen to music on your blackberries. So no one could get a hold of me for the period of time that I was training. So I ran a marathon because I wanted to become unavailable. I saw the trajectory of people who were in their mid-to-late thirties, having families and not being able to see these new babies that were brought into their lives. And I said, I don't want this. This is not me. Stressed and busy was a badge of honor. Sunday nights were my demise because Monday morning I had to start all over again. I'll never forget. I made a mistake one time, a big one. And I thought, that's it. My career is over. I remember my husband came home from work. At this time, he was my boyfriend. He lived in...let's call it 400 on a good day square foot apartment in Chicago. And I was sitting in his apartment, all of the lights out, drinking a bottle of wine, crying my eyes out in a bag of potato chips because my career was over because of a very small--in hindsight--mistake that I made.
Erin (05:49):
I couldn't continue this path. I did not feel that the work that I did mattered. I did not feel my suggestions coming to life. I did not feel valued. And then this company, this amazing organization continued to scale, and I'll never forget this. And this is, this is interesting, cuz I actually really still love the person who came in and I trained this person was actually a, a level above me and got hired. And I came in and found out that he was taking over my project. I was getting put on another project and I was supposed to train him a person with a higher title, higher salary. And I was staying at the same level. It was so interesting. I did not want this to be the trajectory of my life. I saw a future where I had a family where I had stability, where I was creative, where I made people feel seen and heard and valued.
Erin (06:56):
And let me say this. This organization was a huge pillar in my career. I still talk to so many of the people within it today. I love them, but this was my experience. This is where I was at. And I'm sharing it with you because I hope someone listening today can relate. Maybe this is you. Maybe you feel unseen. Maybe you feel unheard or unvalued right now in your career where you're at, or maybe you are a leader and you notice the burnout on your team. You yourself feel depleted, demoralized and defeated. You give to others all day and you give nothing in return to yourself.
Erin (07:46):
So you have nothing to give others because the energy you're giving you is not your best. It's this saying of the tea kettle that I'll forever and ever say, I did not make it up, but I love it so much. You cannot pour into others teacups if your tea kettle is not full. So you are not attracting anything into your life because your own tea kettle, your own energy source is low. How can you create a culture where others want to show up? If you don't want to show up yourself, let me say that again. How can you create a culture where others want to show up? If you don't want to show up for yourself? So back to this story in my mid-twenties, I did a ton of soul searching and I decided to leave this job. And that was a very hard decision.
Erin (08:52):
I had some of the best friends and I still talk to them today, one of the most amazing office managers in the world who is one of my dearest friends--through a French fry buffet, goodbye party for me, uhhuh. You heard that, right. So that's where I felt seen. They knew I loved French fries. No, it was amazing. And I knew I was a great part of the culture. I knew that my voice did get heard, but as the company continued to scale and grow, that voice became more and more muffled. And I became more and more frustrated. I decided I was gonna go back to grad school. I was gonna become a speech pathologist, plot twist. I didn't. But when I decided to tell the senior leaders in the organization I was leaving, they begged me to stay. They gave me the raise and the title change that I had been asking for.
Erin (09:50):
But honestly it was too little too late. I was burned. My motivation, my will to succeed, was gone. And I knew I had value to bring the world. But that particular spot in the world was not for me. I wanted to create a world where people felt seen, heard, and valued. Like they wore a sign around their neck that said, “make me feel important.” I love that cheesy quote. I'll never stop loving it. I don't care. It is literally one of my favorite quotes in the whole world, because I want to feel that way myself and I wanna give that energy to others. So I found a job and you have, if you've listened to this show, you can check episode, oh, let me find it. I'll, I'll put it in the show notes for you. But there's a fantastic episode with my boss, my former boss at the recruiting firm I went to next and she showed me how to make everybody around you feel just that. She literally was the best mentor and is still one of my greatest friends today. And in that space, when I found that recruiting job, thought I was going back to school, is where the idea for improve it! got started. And in that creation of improve it, we created a world where all regardless of race, gender, ethnicity can coexist and thrive and where we attract people whose values align with ours and we help them create and implement change within their own organizations. So big news improve it peeps. After eight years of building this business, eight years of facilitating with the most hilarious, amazing and creative genius improvisers in the entire world.
Erin (12:02):
I <inaudible> am stepping out and doing keynotes on my own. Well, we'll talk about the imposter syndrome in a whole other episode, but that was real. That was <laugh>. That was real. We have created a fantastic keynote for organizations called. I see you, the, you fun fact, it shapes like the magnet, you, and it's all about how to use improv to magnetize the culture where all feels seen, heard, and valued. Just like what you're listening to today. The title of this show, that is the title of this keynote that we are bringing to organizations, associations, conferences, nationally and globally. So, oh my gosh, this thing is jam packed. And I'm gonna give you some tangibles today, but I just wanna share high level with you what this keynote is all about. So we talk first and foremost about putting your energy in starting your day with power, putting energy into you and what that does, not only for your own psyche, but how that allows you to put energy out to others.
Erin (13:26):
So we'll discover your own power within and how to harness it on a daily basis. And then we'll talk about energy out. So how you can use improv to be a more empathetic leader will demonstrate the power of empathy and how to use it as a leadership tool will also talk about how your energy out equals a magnetic culture, where all feel seen, heard, and valued, and will allow you to measure your energetic levels. Using something we call the high five vibes and learn that when your team feels recognized, they feel supported and encouraged using this empathy that absenteeism is low and productivity and profitability are high. Now I want you to expect this to be fun because duh interactive and laughter field, okay? And we're gonna use movement to start a movement of laughter levity and positivity. As you know, people don't leave jobs, they leave leaders.
Erin (14:39):
And this is the harsh truth. When leaders are the single most important factor in accounting for an organization's performance. So is there a magical pill that can keep employees engaged, retain, and even assist in attracting top talent? Yes, my friends that mystical medicine is you. So I am going to help you attract and magnetize a force field of energy that will awaken your mind, your body and your soul and speak in of souls. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk a mile in somebody else's okay. You're not gonna switch shoes, but I do want you to know that you will be thinking very quickly on your feet. So this is an extremely interactive keynote that even includes the use of audience props that infuses play improv and experiential learning. I'm gonna link to this keynote and you can find out all the things I just mentioned here on a page on our website.
Erin (15:44):
If you want to learn more, also know that all participants who are in part of this session, get what we call our magnetic manual, which is as you can imagine, fun, interactive, but takes what we've done in a session and allows people to really process it after. So I really want you to think about how you can start implementing these ideas and fundamentals into your own life. So we've got this idea of energy in, and I'm gonna share with you. I don't wanna give away all the goods. I want you to see the keynote at some point. Hopefully we'll do a public session soon, so you can come, you can witness it and see for yourself how amazing the healing powers of improv are. But we have some shows if you haven't listened to them here on the pod that talk about these fundamentals. So if you want more ideas on how to start your day with more energy, I want you to go to many so 17 of this show morning mindfulness practice for a mission-driven leaders, morning mindfulness practice for mission driven leaders.
Erin (16:55):
That's mini sewed. 17 will link to that in the show notes as well. And then if you are looking for more ways to become a more empathetic leader, episode 1 0 1, the rise of the empathetic leader with career development, visionary Ryan McCrae, he's got some very tangible steps for you. And I'm talking about tan bow, have a pencil, have a pen, have a notebook. You're gonna wanna write down some notes. So episode 1 0 1, the rise of the empathetic leader with career development, visionary Ryan McRae. And if you want to experience a magnetic culture where yes, and is the norm, and if you don't know what yes, and is, let me just share this with you. It is the most magical teaching tool that I could possibly give you to allow everyone in your organization to feel like their voice matters. A fantastic episode. And a very tangible case study that we have from one of our clients is episode 96 of this show with Kelly Scholin and Kelly is one of the most amazing HR professionals.
Erin (18:09):
I know, but this episode is called how American marketing association created a company culture centered around. Yes. And this is literally one of the values of American marketing association. We helped them create it. We've been working with them for years. So check that out. Episode 96, how American marketing association created a company culture centered around. Yes. And here's one tangible that if you don't feel like going to all three of these shows or you don't have time right now, and you wanna take away in this moment, I'm gonna give it to you. It is this acronym. Wait, and I did not come up with this. This is acronym that I received from one of my coaches, Gabby Bernstein. And it stands for why am I talking? A lot of the times as leaders, we feel like we have to have all of the answers.
Erin (19:09):
We need to be prepared to just give solutions when the solutions really lie within each individual on your team. And if you can allow them to work through them and ask probing questions, to arrive at the answers that they already know exist, you are allowing them to feel seen, heard, and valued. So I gave you lots of info in today's show and things that I want you to click on and go to. So I know there's lots of calls to action, but I just wanna come back to this fundamental of this keynote ICU. This was an idea that came to me after doing almost 120. I don't even know in this episode here 123 episodes of this show. When I look back on the themes. When I look back on the amazing guests we've had, when I look back on things that you have loved and prove peeps, it is this theme of belonging.
Erin (20:14):
It is this theme of every single person having a seat at the table. It is this theme of lifting up others, adjusting their crowns. It is this theme of making every single person feel like they matter. And improv is the only teaching tool that I know that allows people to experience what that feels like. And that's why I see you. The keynote was created because it is not a show. It is a show and tell it is a give and take. It is an entertainment experience. It is an opportunity for your team to feel what it feels like to actually see the people on their teams to see their families and friends, but to most importantly, see themselves.
Erin (21:22):
So I want you to take a look at these three episodes. I gave you all about putting the energy in so you can put the energy out. So you can magnetize a culture where all feels seen, heard, and valued. Then after you listen to these, I want you to tell a friend or look at the keynote page and send today's episode to somebody who you think would benefit from having this conversation in their organization. I'm asking you improve it peeps because I need your help. We're gonna do a whole episode on imposter syndrome later. So don't you worry, but I'm gonna be honest with you. This is a new venture for us. It's a new venture for me personally. It has not come without some trepidation on my part because I'm doing this without the support of my team by my side. And I've been doing keynotes for a while.
Erin (22:20):
So this is not super new, but this is something that I know can change the trajectory of a room. I know it can change the trajectory of a team and it can ultimately change the trajectory of an organization. So back to this story that I had in my mid-twenties, I ended up leaving that job as you know, where I felt on scene. And because I left that job, I was able to see what great leadership looks and feels like. And I was able to step into that leadership role myself, but let me just focus on one of the fundamentals of what I just said. I had to leave. I had to leave to find that. So if you don't want turnover within your organization, create a space where all feel seen, heard, and valued. And I'll say this, I have made many a mistake as a leader, but the one thing I know for sure is that the energy that you put in and you give to yourself is a direct correlation of what you give to others.
Erin (23:46):
And what you give to others defines your culture. It defines your character and it is your business card. Take the title off the card. The energy that you give is your business card. So let's allow others to see the good in themselves. I see you improve at peeps. I'm so proud of you. And I'm so glad that you show up here week after week. And you put this time and investment into yourself to become the best leader that you can be. keep on failing, keep improving because the world needs that very special “it” that only you can bring, I'll see you next week. Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to improve it. I am so happy you were along for the ride. If you enjoyed this show, head on over to iTunes to leave us a five star review and subscribe to this show. So you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Now, if you're really feeling today, show, and you've improved it even just a little bit, please take a screenshot and tag me at keeping it real deal on Instagram and share it in your stories. I'll see you next week, but I wanna leave you with this thought, what did you improve today and how will that help your future successful self? Think about it. I am rooting for you and the world needs that special. It that only you can bring see you next time.