Minisode 4: How to Create Connection with Your Team through Laughter with E.J. Cameron
Failed it! Fam – Why so serious?
In today’s minisode, our improve it! Facilitator, E.J. Cameron, is here to talk to us about why creating a connection with your team through laughter is so important in the workplace and beyond!
About the Guest: (Pronouns: He/Him/His) He's lived in Chicago for nine years, where he has graduated from and performed at The Second City, iO and Comedy Sportz. He was a recipient of The Second City Training Center’s Bob Curry Fellowship in 2016 before joining the cast of the e.t.c.’s 43rd revue, Grinning from Fear to Fear and e.t.c.'s 44th revue. Prior to moving to Chicago, E.J. received his BFA in Acting at Columbus State University (not Ohio!) and performed with multiple troupes. He is represented by Paonessa Talent and is an avid pro-wrestling fan who loves the color purple. Follow @Ej_Cam19 on Twitter and Eeeezeejeeezus19 on Instagram!
About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed 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!
Minisode 4 Transcription
Erin (00:00):
Welcome to failed it!
Erin (00:09):
Okay. Failed it! Fam I am so excited to have today's guest on this minisode. He is an improve it! Facilitator, a hilarious human being. E.J. Cameron, welcome to failed it!
E.J. (00:28):
Glad to be here. I'll add some air horns on it.
Erin (00:33):
Yeah okay. There we go. Thank you. We needed that. Okay. First of all, you and I were talking before we hit record and I just, A love you as a human. B, so happy to talk to you today. Cause it brings me so much joy. You're literally one of those people who lights up a room every time you walk in. So I know the failed it! Fam is gonna feel that today, you're in for a special treat. So I want you to start off just really quick, tell the failed it! Fam how you started as an improve it facilitator. Just give them the really quick high-level overview of how you came to me.
E.J. (01:06):
Alright. my goodness, I was doing improv in Chicago for a couple of years. I was working as a recess and lunch monitor for Chicago public schools. And I can't remember who exactly reached out to me. I want to say Catharine Savage reached out, told me about this opportunity, I met you, met Christie, was locked in from there, felt like family. And that's how I started. And I think it has been over five years now.
Erin (01:33):
It has. And every time we get to play together or do a workshop, it's, I mean, that's true for everyone in the team, but you and I have had some fun memories, just like doing some, some fun workshops and drivin places getting lost cause I was the driver and I was just. Oh, hearing your voice makes me so happy and failed it! Fam. He is hilarious. So if you haven't seen him perform, you can see him perform in Chicago at the second city, he is on the etc stage. And we were just chatting before the show. They're going to be ramping up again, coming up in the summer. So he is my friend and one of the funniest people I know. So we're so excited to have you here. I want you to tell us what drew you to improv. Why did you choose improv as your life's work?
E.J. (02:24):
Oh my goodness. Erin improv choose me. Choose me. Look at me already. It chewed me up and it choose me. Every improv chose me I why did I choose it? I don't even think I truly chose it. I went to a performing arts high school and I can still tell you exactly my first improv I ever did. And it was an instant love from there and ever since then any form of improv I wanted in. So yeah, just the fact that I can make it uh,my life's work and I say, work in quotes is magic.
Erin (03:01):
And that's true. You are, you are working, you are doing this as your life's work and I can't wait to see where you go next. I just, the sky is the limit for you. You're so talented. Okay. Now let's talk, improve it! Workshops really quick cause they are a bit different than performing on stage, which you do both so well.
E.J. (03:20):
Aw thank you!
Erin (03:20):
If you were to, you're welcome take that in. If you were to describe an improvement workshop in three words, what would those three words be?
E.J. (03:30):
Oh my goodness. Fun. And that's in all caps and an exclamation point. Fun, energizing and transformative.
Erin (03:45):
Isn't that the best? When you, when people walk in, we always can feel an energy. People are a little nervous and timid and then when they walk out, it's so different.
E.J. (03:54):
I love finding the person that feels like they don't want it. They they're like, ah, I don't really want to do this. And then seeing them at the end of a workshop or a laugh break and just seeing how they've just opened up, they're laughing with people. And you're like, oh, that's bill from accounting that everybody said to look out for. He's so much fun.
Erin (04:11):
There's always a Bill. We can always change Bills. We can always do it through the power of this work. So let me ask you this, knowing the work that we've been doing through this pandemic online, you've been, you know, such a huge part of our laugh breaks, which we've created, but if you could say two things or two challenges that you've seen sort of over and over again from leaders in the companies that we work with, what would you say those two challenges are?
E.J. (04:41):
I would say one, I've seen leaders that have a hard time letting go. And it was just one of those things of, they, they know that they're in control of everything, but sometimes you don't have to be, you have a team of people with you, that's there to help you and to facilitate. So it's okay to fall back and let somebody take over that's I think those are the qualities of a good leader. Just being able to step back, understand that everything is taken care of while still, you know, being there, you know?
Erin (05:14):
Yes, yes.
E.J. (05:16):
But on the flip side, I think a positive because I'm one of those weird sandwich guys. I'm noticing that they are that more current leaders, I would say younger, the younger group, maybe the millennial leaders were more interested in like opening up with people and having more connection and having fun at work. I've gone to offices with you and offices aren't offices like they used to be, I don't see cubicles and the fluorescent lights, you might see an exercise ball and a ficus and it's just a different energy. They're bringing like a relaxing energy.
Erin (05:51):
Yes. And I think that's going to, we're going to see so much more of that because if anything, what I've also noticed to piggyback off what you said is just people have really allowed people to bring who they really are to work during these times. And I, we have noticed that and we also noticed that the beginning of this pandemic, when theater shut down, when our workshops and travel shut down, we had to pivot quickly. And we had to think, okay, what can we bring to this? And it was laughter, levity, positivity, which you are just all. If I were to say, who is E.J. Cameron, those are the three words. Okay. All of those things, but what would you say if you were to talk to a leader here on the failed it! Family, on the failed it! Podcast with our failed it! Family, what would you say are three ways that leaders can create connection with their teams through laughter and I know we've got our own jam. You can definitely allude to that, but three ways they can provide laughter to create connection with their team and why it's so important.
E.J. (06:59):
Oh great. I think laughter is important just to connect with people on many levels. For me there's the physical, if you are comfortable and you all have that relationship and it is okay, if I'm laughing with a really close friend or really close coworker, we might high-five each other or grab a shoulder and laugh. And sometimes that's just what you needed to get the day right? Just to make you feel better. Another way with laughing and laughter and connecting, I find that you get a good understanding of people or of a type, a type of person with whatever they laugh at. So we do laugh breaks and we might come in and be big and high energy. And we're like, yeah, we're having fun. And everybody's laughing. But Bill from accounting, is not really laughing. Bill's not enjoying it. But then when you make a dry joke or a pun and Bill is laughing, oh, I have learned that Bill loves puns and dad jokes.
E.J. (07:59):
That's all he needed. And we're all from there and you can set them up just to look good. And otherwise we're talking about laugh breaks. I know, but you get everybody in the sense of community. We're all in this boat. We're all in this room together. We've come in, 8:00 AM, high energy. The two of us doing cartwheels and we, we allow it so everybody can laugh and you've seen it doing shows. Once a few people start laughing, it's given everybody that okay to laugh. Oh my goodness. We are together. I can laugh as well. I don't feel isolated. You're laughing. I'm laughing. Now I'm more, more likely to talk or a pitch in or to give my 2 cents because I feel comfortable and open. It gets that defense down.
Erin (08:52):
Yes. Yes. Oh my gosh. I, I just can think of so many times that you have exactly what you just mentioned when we've seen a Bill and literally you can watch their face either in person or on camera just turn around. And once you hook Bill, Bill's like, okay, I'm with you the rest of this journey. And that's how it is for the team. I think when people start to see that one person, especially if a leader laughs first, they're like, yes, I can let go. This is, this is time for me to learn, but laugh through the learning. And I will say too, watching you, because you do it so gracefully, you allow other people, and this is why I wanted you for this minisode, because you really have this aura about you that is like, I am here. I'm going to read the room and I'm going to allow you to feel good in my presence. And once you feel good, I think that's when people are saying, okay, I can let this guard down that I carry, then Bill can be himself.
E.J. (09:57):
Yeah Bill can be Bill!
Erin (10:01):
Bill can be Bill! Bill be Bill. Okay. #BeBill.
E.J. (10:10):
Bill can be William!
Erin (10:10):
What? You can do whatever you want, Bill. Bill, If you're listening, just do you okay, Bill. But what I want people to walk away with today, shout out to Bill, shout out to Bill. It's just to know that it's so it's okay to laugh at work. And that laughing at work is actually super productive because it creates that connectivity, that connection. And you just do this as a human being. And I think it's so important for leaders to remind themselves that it does not have to be so serious all the time. And do you, let me ask you this question. Do you think one of the things that is great about improv as a teaching tool is just the ability to break down those barriers and allow people to be themselves?
E.J. (10:53):
Absolutely. That's why we do it. You, people are watching, you make something up so they don't know what's about to happen. And just the fact that you can still bring joy and laughter to just anything out of thin air and then it can still be tied into your work life. And just, not even just work, just being as a person, just betterment and just moving you forward. I think that's great. And also to piggyback on what you said earlier, we love seeing a silly leader. When you see a silly leader that makes everybody just know, oh, this is okay, and this is cool. We're going to have fun.
Erin (11:32):
Exactly. And I think too, it's okay to be like, it's okay to be serious when it's time to be serious. But people who allow themselves to truly be themselves at work, leaders who allow people to do that. People gravitate to those people, right? That they're like magnets and people was, we know they don't leave jobs. They leave leaders so failed it! Fam. If you were listening today, just remember to enjoy your day today and bring that joy to your team. Because this makes me so happy to talk to this guy. So I want to ask you this. It wouldn't be the failed it! Podcast. If I didn't ask you, what did you fail at today?
E.J. (12:10):
Oh my goodness. So many things. First, I'm staring at a pile of clean laundry. That's just sitting there looking back at me, but mainly my big failure today, I have this alarm that I said every morning in all caps that says, go work out now. And you know, I failed at that today.
Erin (12:28):
And that's okay.
E.J. (12:30):
That's okay. I had to check in, I worked out yesterday. My body hurts from that and I said, I'm going to take it easy. And that's okay. It's a good failure.
Erin (12:37):
There it is. It's a gift because you know what? You did some self care. You said, I need a moment. Even if, even if that alarm didn't go off, you send another alarm to your brain saying I'm taking care of you. You know what I mean?
E.J. (12:48):
Exactly. You get it.
Erin (12:51):
I get it. I get it. Okay. Well E.J. Where can people, if they want to know more about you, where can they go to learn more about E.J. Cameron?
E.J. (12:59):
Oh my goodness. Wikipedia. please don't Wikipedia me and don't make any entries about me if it exists. You can find me on Twitter, EJ_cam19 or on Instagram. Oh my goodness. It's a long name, but it's eeeezeejeeezus19 on Instagram. It's a, I got it from a Wu Tang rap name creator, and.
Erin (13:31):
Yes, we'll link it. We'll link it in the show notes so that people can just click through, click on, oh my God, you bring so much joy to me and to everybody who is in part of your life. Thank you for joining us today E.J. Cameron!
E.J. (13:45):
Thank you so much. The pleasure was all mine. I, as I said, I told you this earlier, I'm just following you and your energy because you're the best.
Erin (13:53):
Stop it. Keep going. No, I am the luckiest person because this is who I surround myself with failed i!t fam and just, no, I mean, he is truly an amazing talented person and you are gonna, this will not be the last time you hear this name. So just get ready because world he's coming. All right. So big hugs. Thank you so much. And to the failed it! Fam fail. Yeah. Hey friends, thanks for tuning into failed it. I am so happy you were along for the ride. If you enjoyed this show, please head on over to iTunes, leave us a five star review and subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Now, if you're really feeling today's show, please take a screenshot and tag me on Instagram at keepingitrealdiehl and share it to your stories so we can bring more people to the failed it! Family. I'll see you next week, but I want to leave you with this thought, what will you fail at today? And how will that help your future successful self? Think about it. I'm so proud of you and you are totally failing it.