Episode 139: The Top 10 Things Leaders Should Do to End 2022
Talk of New Year’s resolutions is in the air. End-of-year-social posts, new calendars, and fresh perspectives. One of Erin’s key takeaways this year? That we must make time to process what we've been through. An entire series all about this is heading your way in 2023.
Before we enter into 2023land, today we deliver you a tangible list of game-changing actions that you can take to end 2022 on a high note. Press play now!
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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 139 Transcription
Erin (00:00):
Are you a leader searching for new and innovative ways to drive employee engagement and team morale through the roof? Do you wanna create a company culture where everyone feels seen, heard and valued? Hi, I'm Erin Diehl, business improv edutainer, failfluencer and professional zoombie who is ready to help you improve your it, your IT being the thing that makes you, you think of me as your keeping it real professional development bestie, who is here to help you learn from your failures. Stand tall in your power and improve yourself so you can improve the lives of others. Oh, and did I mention that we are improving your IT through play? That's right. I am an improvisational comedy expert who uses experiential learning to help you have your aha haha moments. Those are the moments when the light bulb goes off and you're laughing at the same time. So grab your chicken hat, your notebook, and your inner child because I'm gonna take you on a journey that is both fun and transformative. Welcome to the improve it! Podcast!
Erin (01:23):
improve it! peeps. Have I got a show for you today? So the day that this show is airing, if you're listening to it later, it's the day that you're listening. But if you're listening to it on the day of its release, we're ending a year, 2022 is coming to a close and we are stepping in to 2023 like the bosses that we are. We've got new budgets in place, we've got new goals set, and we have ones from the year behind us to reflect on. And I'll tell you this, one of my key takeaways, do you like that I'm giving myself a key takeaway? One of the key takeaways that I've learned this year in particular is that we must make time to process what we've been through. And I'm gonna give you an entire series all about this coming up in 2023. But today I wanted to give you a tangible list of things that you can do to end 22 on a high note.
Erin (02:32):
And when I say 22, I mean 2022 on a high note. So you know this, we as leaders cannot lead others until we have filled our own tea kettles. First, you cannot pour that tea into someone else's cup. If that tea kettle is dry, you are the tea kettle. Follow my metaphor. Okay, so today I wanna talk about, about how can we get those kettles filled to the brem so that Jan 1 20, 23, or whenever you're listening to this episode, you can feel fresh, you can feel new, you can feel ready to pour that tea, spill that tea into so many different cups because you have taken the time to really put effort and self-care and love into your kettle. So today is David Letterman style. I've got a top 10 list for you of the top 10 things leaders should do to end 2022.
Erin (03:37):
On a high note, I'm not Dave Letterman. So this is Erin Diehl’s top 10 list. Now I have pulled some very important people for this list. Three, improve it. Team members have lent their ear their expertise and given us some of these ideas. I will make sure I quote each one, but I really think that this top 10 list is super tangible. So listen up. If you need a paper and pen or you wanna stop and write something down in the note section of your phone for this episode, I highly encourage because these top 10 tips are chef's Kiss to fall. Speaking of chef's kiss, I've got the most brilliant, beautiful plate of goodness coming your way with number 10. So here's the top 10 things leaders should do to end 2022. Number 10, go through your closets and donate any items you don't need.
Erin (04:39):
And this comes from Kennedy, our graphic designer here and improve it. She is the most talented person ever. So I want to yes and this. Go through your closets and donate any items you don't need because number one, when you have an organized life and organized space, it organizes your brain. I also want to encourage you to organize that brain. If you've ever seen the amazing Netflix series about Marie Condo, she is this amazing organizer who goes into people's homes and literally helps them get rid of things that they no longer need. Say thank you to the items, clothing, shoes, whatever it might be that does not serve them. And then very beautifully stack these items back into drawers so they look nice and neat and organized. And when they walk into their space, they feel like they can actually see the things that they have and use them.
Erin (05:40):
So love this show. I've I, if you go in my closet and my own home, you will see it is because I need that space to be organized in order to feel like I have my own brain together. This is my my own story. What I wanna share with you is organizing your closets is one thing, but I also really want you to take time and think about your own closet, your hypothetical metaphorical closet. So that closet is your brain. What draws in your brain? Feel disorganized? What shelves in your brain have too many things that you have not gone through and are just sitting there waiting for you to process? I'm getting real deep improve at pees. I'm telling you right now, I have gone through a journey in the past month or two of cleaning out my own metaphorical closet. I had so many shelves open from the past five years of my life that were extremely disorganized.
Erin (06:52):
And I took time to open each drawer, pull them out, look at what's what was no longer serving me, say thank you to those items and let them go release them. Because when you have these unorganized, or let's call it unprocessed emotions in your brain, it will show up in a different way because these drawers are gonna overflow. This closet is gonna get so disorganized, oh my God, it's gonna get so disorganized that it may manifest itself into, I don't know, physical pain, depression, burnout. So I want you to not only clean out your real closets, I want you to think about your mental drawers, your own closets, and think about what might need to be reorganized as you head into the new year. Number nine, this one I like. This one's lighter. Okay, we got real deep. Let's go to a lighter one. Have your friends over and have everyone create their own cocktail or mock, give it a name and teach each other how to make it. This comes from Jenna, our amazing Director of Client Experience. Love Jenna so much. She does this. She has a cocktail of the month club with her friends. And what I wanna say here to you as a leader listening to this show and improve it, peep who deeply loves the people that they lead and deeply cares about the people in their organization. Spending time with friends and family outside of work is crucial. We need this time away from the thing that we do 40 plus hours a week to recharge.
Erin (08:41):
This happened to me in my twenties. I worked with, I'm still friends with these people, but I worked with some of the most amazing, amazing people. And we would work together 40 plus hours a week. We traveled together at this, at this job, and then we would hang out together. So my social circle was work. Let's just say this, that gets real messy, real quick because when things are bad at work, you don't have anyone to talk to except the people that you work with. And I really think in order for us to have fresh perspectives as leaders, it's so important to have these different lives outside of work, to rest, to recharge, to do something different. It will enrich your life, it will bring you some great stories to share at work, happy hours when you are hanging out with the team, but it will make you complete.
Erin (09:36):
So spend time with friends, do something cool like a cocktail of the month club. That's your number nine. And if you aren't doing this, if you aren't bringing friends together at the end of 2022, schedule this for yourself in 2023. Number eight, oh, this is a good one. One, take your PTO and treat yourself to an end of year self care day. This also comes from Kennedy, our graphic designer. And I will say this is so crucial. Taking care of yourself is so now gone is this hustle culture. If you're in the hustle culture and fear-based leadership is still a part of your organization, I want you to hustle. Hustle and find a new job. Take a page out of the great resignations book and move on. Life does not have to be this way. You do not have to feel bad about taking your pto.
Erin (10:41):
You do not have to feel bad about treating yourself to self care. You do not have to feel bad about putting energy into you filling that tea kettle because there are so many leaders out there who want that for you, who want you to come to work and feel fresh because you've given that time to yourself. So take that PTO day, this that was a PSA in this form of number eight. Take your PTO and treat yourself to an end of your self care day. This could be something that doesn't cost any money. You could literally go to a beautiful place of in nature, sit, read a book. You could sit and meditate. You could go and do a massage or acupuncture or something that really involves self care. Or you could even go back to number 10 and spend the day physically cleaning out your closets if that's what makes you happy.
Erin (11:35):
But give yourself the gift of pto, the gift, gift of treating yourself because you deserve it. And as a leader, I want you to encourage that in the people on that you lead lives because it's crucial. It's so crucial. Here's number seven. Dedicate one morning or afternoon to go to a coffee shop and write a letter to go with each holiday gift you're giving this year. What's your favorite memory with that person from the past year? What's something they said that stuck with you? That comes from Nicole, our amazing Client Experience Associate here, adore Nicole. We'll have Nicole on the show at some point next year and tell you the whole Nicole Story because Nicole has, has been with us previously as an intern, graduated from school, did two years at Teach from America and came back to us and we are so grateful.
Erin (12:32):
Here's what I wanna say to this. Number seven, thoughtful and meaningful gifts to your team go such a long way. Gift cards are great, but is that gift card to their favorite place? Or is it to a Amazon or Starbucks? Think about that person that helps you on the day to day and take time to really let them know how much they mean to you. I'll tell you what, sometimes a letter written from a coach or a mentor is all I need. I don't want your gift card, I don't want the coffee mug. I want that handwritten note. So take that time to give, not only to yourself, because in that writing process, you are processing your thoughts and feelings about that teammate and really allowing yourself to show gratitude for that person. And then you're sharing that gratitude with them, which can go such a long way.
Erin (13:39):
So allow that person to feel seen, heard and valued by writing them a handwritten note. Talk about your favorite memory and something they said that stuck with you. Number six, this one is from Jenna. Again, treat yourself. Get yourself a gift in 2022 and think about what's one thing you've wanted for a long time, but you kept putting it off. You're like, I'll get that win. I'll do this when. So for Jenna, she's thinking about a record player in 2023. And I want you to get this gift for you. It doesn't have to be expensive, it can be super small or it could even be a reminder of the thing that you wanna manifest into your life. But once you have either that sign about what you wanna manifest or the physical thing that you wanted to give yourself, put it somewhere you can see it every day.
Erin (14:37):
Especially if you work from home. For me, I want to give myself this sign on my wall that says, I see you, and it's gonna be one of those neon signs. So next time you see me on a zoom call in 2023, hopefully I have this sign. It's gonna be in Teal of course. And this sign is a sign to the person on the receiving end of the zoom that I want them to feel seen, heard, and valued. But I see You is the name of my newest keynote. And it really embodies everything that we talk about here on the show. It really embodies everything that we teach at improving. It really embodies everything that improv stands for. And so this gift is the gift I'm giving myself so I can give that gift to others. What is your gift? What is your gift that you wanna give yourself?
Erin (15:39):
And maybe it's not a sign that helps others. Maybe it's a record player that when you play it, you bring your friends together and you experience the joy of vinyl and have some cocktails or mocktails and enjoy the time spent with friends outside of work. See how I tied it all in there? Or maybe it's you want a new watch or you want some new shoes that every time you look at those shoes, they make you so happy. But treat yourself to something that makes you smile. I'll tell you what, this is small. I put nail polish on my ring finger on both of my hands recently. I used to do this a lot, but I caught my party nail and it's glitter. It's literally like just having glitter on my nail when I see it. I just smile. I just love it so much.
Erin (16:28):
And that is such a small thing that makes me happy. So that was a little gift I give to myself. But what is the gift that you wanna give yourself going into this next year that when you see it, it reminds you of the work that you have achieved? It reminds you of where you wanna go. It reminds you of what you wanna be. Get it for you. People don't leave jobs, they leave leaders. And this is a harsh truth. When leaders are the single most important factor in accounting for an organization's performance, is there a magical pill that can keep employees engaged, retained, and even assist in attracting top talent? Yes, my friends, that mystical medicine is you. Studies have found that people with positive energy produce substantially higher levels of engagement. They lower turnover and they enhance the wellbeing amongst all employees. In my interactive keynote, I see you how to use improv to attract a company culture where all feel seen, heard and valued.
Erin (17:37):
I use my research and extensive experience in improvisational training to help you realize that the energy you put into yourself is a direct correlation to the energy you give to others. And the energy that everyone in the organization gives out is what magnetizes a culture. We are all feel included. This keynote is perfect for large teams and large scale events. In this 60 minute interactive and high energy session, I'll teach participants how to discover their power within and how to harness it on a daily basis. They'll learn the power of empathy and how to use it as a leadership tool and how to measure their energetic levels using high five b I b e s at high five. Five. If your organization wants to create a safe space free of judgment, we all feel seen, heard and valued, then this is the experiential and electric session for you. Email us at info, learn to improve it.com to learn more. I see you improve it. Peeps, I see you
Erin (18:52):
Number five. This is from Kennedy as well. Book that trip that you've been thinking about all year long. Thank you, Kennedy. Yes, yes, yes. Where do you wanna go? What is on your bucket list? When do you wanna go there? Book it for me. A bucket list item happened this year and that was an accident. I did not book it. We happened to book work workshops in London, which was so cool and so awesome. I'd never been to London before. It was a place I'd always wanted to go. And then I was able to parlay that into a personal trip into Paris, which is also a place I've always wanted to go and tell you what the universe works in beautiful ways. That came out in nowhere. I did not. I have always wanted to go to Paris. I've had a gigantic poster of the Eiffel Tower in every apartment my husband and I have lived in together and now in a little room in our house now because I've always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower in person.
Erin (20:04):
And I'll tell you what, when I was able to do that, when I saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time, I stopped walking. We were walking towards it. John and I, my husband and I sobbed because it was this dream that became a reality because improve it had gotten to go to London, which made it very easy for me to get to Paris. So, and the fact I was standing there with my best friend, my, my partner John, we had moved to Charleston. Our business was finally back from the pandemic. We have this beautiful miracle son was one of the most memorable moments for me in 2022. So that was something that I had manifested I, you know, for years, but hadn't really put focused attention to that came to light this year, 2023, I'm turning four to y'all, Uhha. And I have always dreamed of going to Italy and it will happen.
Erin (21:10):
It's going to happen. I will make it happen this year at some point. So I want you to think about that. What is your Italy or your Paris? Is it a drive away? Do you need to jump on an airplane? Can you just drive to this small town you've always wanted to go to get away? Is it a friend's house in a place you've always wanted to visit? There's so many budget friendly ways to travel. And let me tell you, traveling makes us richer. Traveling is so important. It is so amazing to step into a place and a space that you don't know. It is so amazing to feel so small. It reminds me that I am a dot on this earth. And in that I feel some sort of comfort. And it also reminds me while feeling small, that I have the power to bring very big things to the space that I live in, that I can bring love and light and laughter to the world and occupy the space that I have on this earth, this tiny, tiny little corner.
Erin (22:31):
But traveling is what reminds me of that. Because when you're in the same day to day every single day, it's hard to see outside of the box. When you step outside of that box and you see this gigantic world around you, even if it's 40 minutes away from where you live, it doesn't have to be across the country, across the world. It makes you richer. So book that trip y'all. Okay? Number four, find a new way to move your body. Don't keep forcing yourself to swim. If you hate swimming, try Pilates, spin, or even a new meditation practice. Class Pass is great because it allows you to try out any place that accepts their credits no matter where you are in the us. This comes from Nicole, which I love because Nicole is actually getting ready to travel the US next year while working remotely for improve it.
Erin (23:35):
And she is doing this all out of a van. So, stay tuned for that. It's so cool to hear her putting this van together. And I really like what she's said here. If you don't like the thing that you're doing for exercise and it makes you not wanna do it, find something that brings you joy. Find something that makes you wanna get out of bed. Even if it's walking, even if it's shadow boxing. I did that recently. It actually is wonderful. If you need to get out some anger and aggression, I highly recommend shadow boxing. The options are truly endless. But moving your body, my friends, equals moving your brain. So if you wanna show up in the best way possible, get blood flowing to your brain, put oxygen into your muscles. When we have body aches, a lot of times it's because we have an oxygen deprivation in that specific area of our body.
Erin (24:35):
When you move your body, you bring oxygen to many parts of your body. So putting oxygen into your muscles will improve the way that your body feels, which will improve the way that your brain feels, which will improve how you give to others. So find something that makes your body happy. Number three, this also comes from Nicole, clean up your feed. So whether this is Facebook or Instagram or LinkedIn or Tikky Tokky or any of the cool kid things, in order to welcome positive people, opportunities and thoughts for the holiday season, for 2023, you have to purge the people that drain you of the energy that you don't wanna be surrounded by in this phase of your life. So respectfully mute or unfollow people on your social feed who you know you need to. And this Nicole, this was, that's for Nicole's words and I was just regurgitating them, but yes, yes, yes.
Erin (25:44):
What content you allow in your brain is a direct correlation of your thoughts. So remember election year? Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>, remember that? And we were all sitting there doom scrolling on our phones. Nope. Do you wanna be angry all the time? Go ahead, keep those negative people on your feed and then take a look at it. Go for it. Seeing these things as we give ourselves brain breaks. So let's think, first of all, why do we pick up our phones? Why do we scroll? Why do we have these social apps? Because it's mindless. Because we do these things when we have been focused on a task or we need to unwind. It's the new television. It's so easy to pick up that phone, press one button and let your thumb just do all the work while your brain intakes so much content and information that may not be helpful while your brain is processing things at a rapid rate.
Erin (26:55):
That was never the case before these social apps existed. So are you letting your brain process negative information? Are you letting your brain infiltrate hate? I wanna just pause on that. Are you letting your brain see people and things that trigger you when you're supposed to be relaxing? It is the go-to response to pick up our phones and to scroll. For a lot of us, I shouldn't say for everyone, but for a lot of people, and I've had to train myself not to do this. Here's what I want you to do. I want you to, instead of picking up your phone to scroll, I want you to schedule time to scroll after you have done what Nicole suggests, which is cleaning up your feed. Because it will become such a different, more purposeful, more peaceful existence if you do that. And I can tell you that that is also a part of the Marie Condo effort with your brain.
Erin (28:01):
It's cleaning up, organizing and saying thank you to the things that no longer serve you, but focusing on the positive content, the positive people, the positivity that you wanna see in your life. I can guarantee you the more positive things that you allow yourself to see to do and to feel, the better you will feel. And the more doom and gloom and negativity that you allow yourself to feel is going to make, well, I should say allow yourself to see, is going to be a direct correlation of how you feel on the inside. Cause you know what my anxiety spikes the most when I've allowed other people's opinions to form my own.
Erin (28:48):
I can't even form opinions or I couldn't form my own opinions sometimes when I was really into social media because I was constantly just regurgitating what somebody else said. So make the content that you scroll be purposeful and clean up your feed. This brings me to number two, my friends, and this is from Jenna. You should reflect on the past year, especially the highlights, the moments you're the most proud of, the events that taught you something and revisit the most fun days you had. And think about what you want to bring into 2023 and think about what you want to leave in 2022. This goes back to that Marie Condo method that I talked about earlier. And number 10, say what does not serve you And then say thank you and release it. One way that I have heard to really reflect and think about what we want more of is to say, here are the things that I have won and here are the things that I learned.
Erin (29:59):
So you make a, you create a list, and that list has two columns, and one column is for your wins, and one column is for your learns. Now, the learns may be the things that you think you failed at, and I want you to compare the list. Cause you know what sticks out in our brain so much more than all of the amazing things that we've done. Let's say your winds are on the left column and your learns are on the right column. I am sure that your left column is filled with goodness. And I am sure that the things on that column right are the things that you've thought about the most. I got my own list going in my brain right now, and I can guarantee you that when list is strong. But that learn list is where I have grown the most.
Erin (30:58):
So celebrate them. This sounds so easy in theory, I'm saying it out loud. Hey, great. But when you actually sit down and take the time to do this, you'll be so shocked at how many things that you have done well. And then you'll have a different perspective about the things that you have not felt so great about. So reflect, take this time for you and that will help you in the reorganizing of your own mental closet. And finally here, it's the number one thing that I want you to do as a leader to end 2022. Make a list of all the things in your life that you are grateful for. The people, the places, the things, the smells. Gratitude brings us more positivity. It brings us more joy. What you focus on, you attract. Think about the good. You will attract the good and think about the things that did not serve you as the learn column.
Erin (32:14):
But I want you to really give space for yourself this year to give gratitude to all the amazing things that you have in your life. You have so many people who love you. You have space, you have technology to listen to this show. You have people who want you to succeed and who care you and are your biggest cheerleader. And she might not even know you, but she knows you talking about me loving you. I want you to fill your kettle. You deserve it. You matter. That kettle needs to be ringing like the tea kettle on a stove does. Okay? It's a really loud noise. I'm not gonna make the noise for you right now, but I, I want that kettle to be brimming with energy, to feel the heat underneath it rising. Because 2023 is going to be your year. And take one of these 10 items and do it.
Erin (33:27):
That's your homework. Number 10 through one. Take one of these and apply them as you head into 2023 because you deserve it. Because you matter. Because by doing this, you are not only giving to yourself, but you're giving to everyone who you give to because you have the energy and the know all and the mental space to give to others, improve it peeps. My ask is, if today served you in any way, shape, or form, you give me the gift of listening to the show. If there's any gift I could ask you to give in 2022, it would be the gift of a review. I know I say it all the time and I sound like a broken record, but truly these reviews matter. It helps us get amazing guests on this show, which we've had so many, and I wanna bring you so many more.
Erin (34:23):
But it's the only way people know that you listen and you care. So if you could give me that gift, I will keep giving you so much content and so much love to give to yourself from 2023 and beyond. I'm not stopping. We are not stopping. We are just getting started. You know what I'm gonna say? I want you to keep failing. Keep improving because this world needs your, and I mean your very special it that only you can bring. I will see you in 2023. Let's do it y'all. Hey friend, did you enjoy today's show? If so, head on over to iTunes to rate and subscribe. So you never miss an episode. Now, did I mention that when you leave a five star review of the improve it! Podcast, an actual team of humans does a happy dance? Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. That's right. So leave a review for us on iTunes, screenshot it, and send me an email @infolearntoimprove it.com. I'll send you a personalized video back as a thank you. Thanks so much for listening. improve it! Peeps. I'll see you next Wednesday.