Workday Playdate

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37. Built from Scratch: Brad Karsh’s Failed It! Journey Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

“Realize and recognize that no one knows what you're going to say, people are pulling for you, and that thing that you're feeling is adrenaline, not nerves.” - Brad Karsh (in reference to overcoming your fear of public speaking). Are you an aspiring entrepreneur? Perhaps you are in the corporate world, but have a dream of building your own business? If this sounds like you, then get ready - because we are taking you through Entrepreneurship 101 with today’s amazing guest. Failed it! Fam, please give a warm welcome to Brad Karsh, Founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions to the show! In today’s episode, Brad tells us all about:

His career journey and how he built his business from the ground up (can’t forget the business #fails)
The importance of hiring, recruiting, leading and developing teams
How to overcome your fear of public speaking, and why leadership and employee development is crucial to any organizations’ success

Links from show discussions:

About the guest: Brad Karsh is the Founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions. An accomplished public speaker and generational expert, Brad has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and Dr. Phil, and has been quoted in all-but-one of the following publications: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, USA Today, and Tiger Beat. Brad is also the author of three business books including the critically acclaimed Manager 3.0: A Millennial's Guide to Rewriting the Rules of Management, which you can read in Mandarin (assuming you can read Mandarin). Prior to creating JB Training Solutions, Brad spent 15 years at advertising agency Leo Burnett in Chicago. Today, Brad travels the world speaking at major organizations including Google, Marriott, Discover, Eli Lilly, and The Chicago Blackhawks, among many others. Brad presents annually at the Society for Human Resource Management National Conference and was ranked #1 out of more than 200 speakers. When he’s not enjoying a copious buffet, you can find Brad playing racquetball or drafting the perfect fantasy football roster. Brad is left-handed. 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 and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

🌟 Learn more about Workday Playdate: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/podcast-page
🎤 Book Erin to speak: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/keynote-speaker
📚 Workshops & Team Experiences: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/experiential-training
💌 Learn more about Erin: https://www.itserindiehl.com/meet-erin
📱 For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

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If this conversation made you think differently about work, leadership, or building joyful teams, please follow Workday Playdate on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who could use more play in their workday.

36. Steal Our Vision Setting Techniques for 2021- Part 2 Jan 06, 2021

Show notes

“By making “I AM” statements as part of your daily habit – you will become the person you want to be. ” - Erin Diehl Happy New Year, failed it! Fam. Are you a career focused, goal driven business professional who wants to manifest the life of their dreams? Do you have a growth mindset, and a “make it happen” attitude but are not sure where to start? If so, then today’s episode is for you. Get ready to take a deep breath and set your visions for this new year, despite all of the uncertainty. In order to have a good “scene” or “year” of life – we can prepare by manifesting what it is we want to come into play. So listen in on the exercises Erin provides to help you pave a better year. Grab your notebook and let’s continue to set our 2021 visions! In today’s episode we will discuss:

How to create your top 10 “I AM’s” statements
A step by step exercise to help you cast visions on future “you.”
How to manifest those visions into actionable next steps. (This is Part 2 of a Three Part series so stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for more! And if you haven’t yet, go listen to Part 1 here)

Links from show discussion:

Connect and follow us on Instagram - Erin & improve it! handles
Once you complete your I AMs, send a picture to Erin on Instagram, LinkedIn, or via email.

Failed it! Fam: If you liked today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to rate us and give us a review. Your review helps us share the #fails of the world, so we can all learn from these “gifts.” Week by week, we unwrap the stories of fails’ past and present, and we’ve got a lot more “giving” to do! Your support means the world. About Erin Diehl: 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 patio dinners with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! Podcast on Instagram and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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35. Even though it’s 2020 - You Can Still Knock it Out of the Park: Failing It! with Lauren Fritts, VP of Marketing at The Chicago Cubs Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

“2020 was the year the world slowed down and looked in the mirror.” - Lauren Fritts Are you a leader who has had to juggle the curve balls of the pandemic all while parenting at the same time? Perhaps you are a leader who had to throw in some “pinch hitters” when you realized that the world stopped and live events were no longer a “thing?” If we’ve hit a homerun here, then put on your baseball caps - because we are taking you “out to the ball game” (ok the virtual ball game) with todays’ guest. Failed it! Fam, please give a warm welcome to Lauren Fritts, the Vice President of Marketing for the Chicago Cubs to the show! In today’s episode, Lauren tells us all about:

The leadership role she embodied and the pivots she led her team through when COVID-19 hit and live events were cancelled.
The journey of her fascinating career in sports marketing (through the lens of her failures, of course!)
How she navigated the uncertainty of the pandemic as a leader, parent, “teacher” and boss.

She teaches us that even though it’s 2020 - there ARE ways you can still knock it out of the park. Let’s play ball! Links from show discussions:

Book a Workshop with improve it!

About the guest: As Vice President of Marketing for the Cubs, Lauren oversees all fan engagement touchpoints for the Cubs & Wrigley Field inclusive of CRM, brand identity, activations/events, multi-platform advertising, promotions, broadcast relations, gameday entertainment, social media, and Cubs Productions. Previously, Lauren was global Director of Consumer Engagement for Gatorade where she drove creative and media go-to-market strategies and had accountability for brand-owned experiential activations, influencer marketing and sports culture driving platforms. Under her leadership, Gatorade creative assets, events and media partnerships were consistently awarded top industry honors. Prior to joining Gatorade, Lauren spent time in lobbying and public affairs working with sports team owners, worked in the Kansas City Chiefs media relations department, and spent time in the Sprint corporate partnership group working on NASCAR. 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 and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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34. Steal Our Vision Setting Techniques for 2021 Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

“You are your biggest cheerleader in the scene of 2021– and after we are done casting visions you are going to get a standing ovation from that’s right…YOU.” - Erin Diehl Are you a career driven, goal oriented business professional who wants to manifest the life of their dreams? Do you have a growth mindset, and a “make it happen” attitude but are not sure where to start? If so, then today’s episode is for you. Get ready to take a deep breath and set your visions for the next year ahead, despite all the uncertainty. In order to have a good “scene” or “year” of life – we can prepare by manifesting what it is we want to come into play. So listen in on the exercises Erin provides - to help you pave a better year to come. Grab your notebook and let’s set our 2021 visions! In Today’s Episode we will discuss:

How to map out your “idiehl” day
A step by step “iDiehl Day” exercise to help you see where you have room for improvement in your current life
How to manifest those dreams into actionable next steps. (This is Part 1 of a Three Part series so stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for more!)

Links from show discussion:

Connect and follow us on Instagram - Erin & improve it! handles
Once you complete your iDiehl day, send a picture to Erin on Instagram, LinkedIn, or her email!

Failed it! Fam: If you liked today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to rate us and give us a review. Your review helps us share the #fails of the world, so we can all learn from these “gifts.” Week by week, we unwrap the stories of fails’ past and present, and we’ve got a lot more “giving” to do! Your support means the world. About Erin Diehl: 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 by the lake and patio dinners with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! Podcast on Instagram and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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33. How TikTok Star, Samantha Ramsdell, Became the Top 5 Internet Comedians to Follow in 2020 Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

“TikTok and the shutdown was one of the better things that happened for my career, funny enough.” - Samantha Ramsdell Happy Wednesday, failed it! Fam. Any TikTok lovers out there? I’m sure you’ve seen today’s guest on your FYP, maybe known for her singing or, for her mouth (this is true!) For those of you who aren’t familiar, our talented guest, Samantha Ramsdell, spends time singing and doing comedy on social media including TikTok where she has amassed over 600k+ followers. But did you know she also works in medical sales? Listen to this episode to be inspired and motivated and tune in on how Sam’s dreams evolved and became named the “Top 5 New Internet Comedians to follow in 2020” and “Rising New Artist in 2020” by the NY Weekly. Links from show discussions:

Book a Laugh Break
Find her on social and watch her videos: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook
Listen to her single

About the guest: Sam Ramsdell currently lives outside of New York City as a singer and comedian. PreCOVID, she has been in numerous off-Broadway and Regional showcases and has trained with some of the best comedy clubs in NYC including UCB and Groundlings. She now spends time creating music and comedy on social media including TikTok where she has amassed over 600K+ followers. Samantha was also recently named "Top 5 New Internet Comedians to follow in 2020" and "Rising New Artist in 2020" by the NY Weekly . Follow her on all social media platforms @SamRamsdell5. 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 and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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32. Secrets on Selling with Heart, Not Hustle - with Natasha Hemmingway Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

“Sales is not about hustling people, it's actually about the heart behind it.” - Natasha Hemmingway Hey failed it! Fam. Are you in sales? Are you in recruiting? Are you in any type of role that requires you to develop build trust and move from stale, transactional conversations to more meaningful and purposeful dialogue? If so, today’s episode is for you. Tune in, as Erin brings on an inspirational, entrepreneurial-based sales coach, speaker, and creator of “Heart Not Hustle,” Natasha Hemmingway. Natasha’s main purpose is to help entrepreneurs achieve meaningful success. Listen to her story on how her meaning of success changed during her career path from corporate to entrepreneurship. Be prepared to reflect on what brings you purpose and joy and how you can incorporate that into your business relationships, starting... TODAY! Links from show discussions:

Book improve it!’s Virtual Workshop
Year of Yes Book by Shonda Rhimes
Reminder from Natasha: surrender, say yes, and have faith that you can!
Find her on social: @natashahemmingway

About the guest: Natasha Hemmingway is an entrepreneurial-based Sales Coach and Speaker and the creator of Heart Not Hustle—a coaching firm founded with an aim to help entrepreneurs fund, and focus on the deeper meaning behind their business motivation and sales message. She helps entrepreneurs master their authentic sales process, achieve meaningful success and maximize their sales wins by bringing the Heart Not the Hustle. Natasha spent over sixteen years as a successful sales professional with a Fortune 500 company, and held a corporate role as a senior territory sales manager, prior to the personal tragedy that led her on a life-altering path to redefine her own “success” and“joy.” After leaving the corporate world, she found a heart for entrepreneurs looking to garner their gifts and passions to create their own businesses. Her collegiate background, unique career experience, and motivating empathy all play into the success ofHeart Not Hustle. Clients and partners of Natasha’s experience her warmth and toughness through her research-based methods and “one-on-one” tactics that help them grow as entrepreneurs, organizers, and leaders. Today, she continues speaking to and coaching entrepreneurs by helping them focus on the “heart” of their business and not just the “hustle.” 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 and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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31. My Failure Feast – Giving Thanks to the Year 2020 Nov 25, 2020

Show notes

“We all have things on our plate. How we look at that food and how we allow it to nourish us is completely up to us. If you feel those fails start to pile on, I want to encourage you to look at them as gifts. Give thanks to them – because I promise you they will serve you at your next meal.” - Erin Diehl Failed it! Fam: When the world stopped during this pandemic, we had a whole lot of re-evaluations and had to ask ourselves lots of questions. As we prepare for Thanksgiving, Erin stops and reflects on the #fails she successfully overcame through food puns. Listen to this episode as Erin gets deep while “opening the yearbook” and talking about what she was able to accomplish this year despite all the #fails. Remember, failure is the gift that keeps on giving! So how can you be thankful for the fails that 2020 unexpectedly threw your way? Links from show discussion:

DM Erin on Insta
Listen to Episode 1
Listen to Episode 10
Listen to Episode 23

Failed it! Fam: If you liked today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to rate us and give us a review. Your review helps us share the #fails of the world, so we can all learn from these “gifts.” Week by week, we unwrap the stories of fails’ past and present, and we’ve got a lot more “giving” to do! Your support means the world. About Erin Diehl: 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 by the lake and patio dinners with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! Podcast on Instagram and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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30. How to Create a Culture of Belonging with Kathy Goss - Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Recruitment at ServiceNow Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

“I found the power of separating belonging and inclusion. Inclusion is about the processes and belonging is more of an emotional feeling that everybody wants.” - Kathy Goss Happy Wednesday failed it! Fam! Today, we’ve got a “failed it” episode with a twist. Today, Erin brings on guest, Kathy Goss, a leader in all things diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, to talk about her fascinating seventeen year career in the D&I space. Listen in on her ventures from Accenture, to LinkedIn, and now to ServiceNow, where she helped build their first ever diversity recruiting function and team from the ground up. Listen to this episode if you want to know how to:

Improve your diversity and inclusion recruitment practice
Take action within your organization to create a more inclusive work environment
Create a safe space for diversity and inclusion conversations to take place within your organization

Links from show discussions:

About the guest: Kathy Goss is a passionate diversity, equity and inclusion professional with nearly two decades of experience enacting tangible change within organizations. In prior roles at Accenture and LinkedIn she’s led programs in a wide range of talent management areas including diverse succession planning, recruitment, retention, cultural awareness and employee development and advancement. She currently serves as the Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Recruitment at ServiceNow, building their first diversity recruiting function and team from the ground up. Kathy graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in Learning & Organizational Change. She also serves as on the Board of Directors for Chicago SHRM as the Director of Diversity. Kathy lives in the Chicago area with her husband, 3 kids. 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 and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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29. “Celebrate the Suck” with Angie Lee Nov 11, 2020

Show notes

“You have to find joy in this journey. You have to be able to laugh off your mistakes. ” - Angie Lee Have you ever wondered what it would take to start before you are ready? Is “ready” really a lie, and have you ever wondered what work and life would be like if you were OK with starting messy? Failed it! Fam - we discuss all of this and more with today’s FAILTASTIC guest: Angie Lee. This bundle of energy is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and mentor who has an obsession with helping women create a life they love. Erin chats (and laughs) with Angie on her fails past and present, her entrepreneurial advice and how to not only embrace- but “celebrate” the moments that suck. Listen to this episode to find clarity in your direction, and meet the queen Baby Grandma herself- Angie Lee! Links from show discussions:

About the guest: Angie Lee is a vivacious marketing maven who’s found her soul’s calling in helping women kick ass. Angie is a highly sought after marketing mentor, motivational speaker, professional podcaster, serial entrepreneur & author of Ready Is A Lie. She is the Co Founder of Soul CBD, Creator of the #1 female personal development & business event in the United States: Pays To Be Brave & Host of the Forbes Top 100 Business Podcast: The Angie Lee Show. Angie's genius is teaching women how to make friends with fear & make money doing what they love in a motivational, fun & approachable way. 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 and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

Connect with Erin Diehl

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28. How Presenting to a Former President Helped Overcome a Fear of Public Speaking Nov 04, 2020

Show notes

“I’m watching your life change before my eyes. We just knew your life was changing and YOU were changing as a person. Literally nothing could be scarier (than presenting to a former President!)!” - Erin Diehl Failed it! Fam: Do you struggle with public speaking? Does the thought of picturing the audience in their “underwear” do nothing for you? Do you automatically start sweating when speaking in front of large groups? If so, then today’s episode is for you. Listen in on one of Erin’s favorite stories from improve it!, and enjoy hearing it directly from the person who lived it - Jenna McDonnell, Client Experience Manager of improve it! Jenna had a huge fear of public speaking and was put in quite a rare situation. In 2017, Jenna had the opportunity to speak in front of a world leader and had to majorly step outside of her comfort zone. This episode is a MUST if you would like to hear the exact thoughts that were going on in her head when meeting and presenting to drum roll Barack Obama, as well as some advice on how to help overcome your own fear! Note- there is absolutely NO discussion of politics here. Links from show discussion:

DM Erin on Insta

Failed it! Fam: If you liked today’s episode, please head over to iTunes to rate us and give us a review. Your review helps us share the #fails of the world, so we can all learn from these “gifts.” Week by week, we unwrap the stories of fails’ past and present, and we’ve got a lot more “giving” to do! Your support means the world. About Jenna McDonnell: Jenna McDonnell is a graduate of DePaul University, where she studied Organizational Communication and Media. Through her corporate and nonprofit roles, she has extensive experience building client and community relationships, managing events of all shapes and sizes, and bridging gaps for introverts just trying to make it in an extrovert’s world. As the Client Experience Manager at improve it!, she works closely with clients in Chicago and Atlanta to help them bring unforgettable training experiences to their teams. About Erin Diehl: 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 by the lake and patio dinners with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! Podcast on Instagram and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.