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Workday Playdate

Erin Diehl - Workday Playdate

TOP 1% GLOBAL PODCAST for People-First Leaders Formerly the "improve it! Podcast." #9 in BEST 100 SELF LEADERSHIP PODCASTS. I’m Erin Diehl, keynote speaker, business improv edutainer, and founder of improve it! (AKA your work bestie). Every Wednesday, Workday Playdate with improve it! helps HR professionals, people leaders, and culture-driven humans bring more laughter, levity, and purpose to their workdays. Because work is better when you play. This is not your average leadership podcast. You’ll get research-backed strategies, improv-inspired tools, and candid conversations with top leaders, speakers, improvisers and authors who are rethinking how we work and lead. Our promise is to give you tangible takeaways you can use immediately, plus a few laughs along the way. Interested in partnering with us? Workday Playdate reaches thousands of people-first leaders who care about workplace culture, leadership, and team development. Contact info@learntoimproveit.com to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. We promise laughs, impact, and zero awkward small talk. Think ROI with a side of LOL’s. Let’s make it happen!

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34 episodes
weekly
Avg 33 min
English

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#357
July 14 · 31 min
357: Tarot Cards and Hard Work Decisions with Phylicia McLeod
In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Phylicia McLeod to explore why thinking on your feet has less to do with having the right answer and more to do with trusting yourself. As an improviser, facilitator, teacher, and performer with the The Second City National Touring Company, Phylicia has built a career around navigating uncertainty in real time. If you've ever found yourself overthinking a decision, freezing under pressure, or wishing you trusted your instincts more, this
#356
July 8 · 21 min
356: Your Intuition Is Your Career Superpower
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 an
#355
July 7 · 28 min
355: Think Fast Without Panicking at Work
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 u
#354
July 1 · 53 min
354: The Improv Advantage in Leadership with Anne Libera
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
#353
June 30 · 30 min
353: Turns Out Failing Is Kind of Fun? with Catharine Savage
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
#352
June 24 · 19 min
352: Burned Out and Overthinking? Try These Mindset Shifts
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
#351
June 23 · 29 min
351: How to Challenge the Status Quo at Work Without Fear with Laurie Jadick
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 rem
#350
June 17 · 38 min
350: Fix Meetings With Focus, Flow, and Fewer Invites
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 o
#349
June 16 · 37 min
349: How Small Joys Get Me Through the Chaos with Meredith Stepien
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 remi
#348
June 10 · 17 min
348: AI Anxiety at Work? Let’s Figure It Out Together
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 Th
#347
June 9 · 29 min
347: Why Failure Looks Different as You Grow with Kelly Burlage
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 conversati
#346
June 3 · 55 min
346: Why Your Body Freaks First (and What Leaders Do Next) with Inna Segal
In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with wellness expert, bestselling author, and intuitive healer Inna Segal to explore the powerful connection between emotional wellbeing and physical health. If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, burned out, or disconnected from yourself, this conversation offers practical tools to help you unlock your body's innate ability to heal.Inside This Episode:Your Body Is Talking: Inna explains how physical symptoms often carry emotional messages and
#345
June 2 · 26 min
345: New Mom Confidence During Uncertain Seasons with Rosie Moan
In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Rosie Moan to talk about one of the most challenging combinations many women face: becoming a new mom while navigating uncertainty in work, identity, and life. If you've ever felt like you're simultaneously capable and completely overwhelmed, this conversation offers a refreshing reminder that confidence is about trusting yourself through the unknown.Inside This Episode: Why Confidence and Uncertainty Often Arrive Together: Rosie shares ho
#344
May 27 · 16 min
344: Lead by Lifting Others (Not Your Title)
In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin explores why the best leaders are the ones creating connection, recognition, and growth for the people around them. If you’ve ever wondered how to become a more impactful leader without forcing authority, this episode is your reminder that leadership is built in small moments of recognition.Inside This Episode:Why Titles Don’t Create Great Leaders: Employees rarely remember your title. They remember how you made them feel. Erin breaks down why connection

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