Workday Playdate

Ashley Menzies Babatunde is a lawyer, storyteller, founder, and DEIB strategist passionate about work at the intersection of humanity and career. She cares deeply about centering our humanity in conversations about work. In today’s episode, Ashely tells you how to normalize the “unsteadiness” of a career curve and gives you some tangible strategies for doing so. Ashley also shares: Why she started...

In today’s episode, Erin shares some her favorite + easiest ways for adding a little spice to your teams’ daily routine when you feel like you need to switch something up. If you’re pressed for ideas to get your team laughing again (and working happier, not harder)—this is the episode for you. If you liked this episode, you can keep the party going with: Episode 255: How Can You 'Yes, And' Transfo...

In today’s episode, Dr. Romie Mushtaq joins Erin to discuss her definition of a “busy brain” and how it can help you mitigate stress in your life and still achieve your most ambitious goals. Dr. Romie is a physician, workplace wellness keynote speaker, and best-selling author. If you’re feeling stressed—this is the episode for you. If you liked this episode, you can keep the party going with: Epis...

"Yes, and” is a central tenet of improv—and our favorite buzzword. It means to postpone judgement on what someone just said, and then add your own thought to it. For example, “Yes I think what you just said is so important, and I think _________.” It’s the exact opposite of saying, “Yes, but.” In today’s episode, Erin answers a question from a listener about how to make brainstorming sessions...

Self-care—we hear it all the time to the point that it’s a buzz word everyone likes to throw around. And yes, we know that it has tons of mental and physical health benefits, but thinking about how it can lead to professional abundance isn’t the norm. In today’s episode, Taylor Elyse Morrison joins Erin to discuss all things “inner workout,” ie, self-care in its truest form. Taylor is the founder...

We had an anonymous improve it! peep call in and ask about burnout - something we all know a little bit too well, and what our best advice is for preventing it and how to make burnout prevention a company-wide initiative. It has a little something to do with LSD (and that’s Light Saver Day, mind you). In today’s episode, Erin gives you a solo activity called “Light Savers” to prevent burnout from...

What does a tiny tattoo of a key have to do with remembering who you are and what you’re here to do? All that and more, according to Chief Visionary Officer, serial entrepreneur, and #1 bestselling author Jessica Zweig. Jessica’s “it” has always been to be able to reflect back to people their divinity, their necessary responsibility they have to be themselves. Her work is to be your mirror and the...

In today’s episode, Daralyse Lyons joins Erin on the pod. Daralyse is a business growth officer, podcast host, author, and journalist. Daralyse shares concrete strategies for making your workplace culture more inclusive and equitable. Daralyse also shares: Her experience working for a hedge fund and stepping away to teach yoga, which led to a career in journalism and writing her first book Her bir...

Is the only component to your evening routine scrolling mindlessly on your phone before your eyelids can’t stay open anymore? You’re definitely not the only one. 😅 In today’s episode, Erin gives you the full rundown of the iDiehl Day—what it is and how you can use it to create the routine that the current season of your life is calling for. (Hint: it’s probably not more hours on the ‘Gram). She a...

Here to get TRASHED?! 😝 Kidding, kind of. Founder & confidence sherpa, keynote speaker, author, and podcast host Nicole Kalil is here today to discuss how bringing her trash to the “transfer station” ie, dump, led her to interrogate the “trash” that was in her head or “head trash” and write her first book called Validation is for Parking. In today’s episode, Nicole explains what “head trash”...

Sound too simple? It is, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. 😊 In today’s episode, Erin gives you her 5 steps to attaining personal and professional freedom on a daily basis. These steps are perfect to pull out at the beginning of the month to set yourself up for success (and with some room to breathe). Erin shares: How to set long-term goals to guide your actions + tell the universe how it can help...

Toxic leadership comes in all shapes and sizes, but there are common threads to look out for that can either help you exit and heal or empower your organization as a whole to make change. Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work & career psychologist, keynote speaker, author, and podcast host. She’s currently researching toxic bosses in the workplace and what this entails for psychological health. E...

What does planning your week around a McDonald’s lunch date with your daughter have to do with top leadership qualities? More than you think. And Erin’s dad, Fred Holbrook, is here to tell the tale. Fred worked in accounting, operations management, and owned his own appliance services business. He’s now retired—but does consulting on the side—and loves being a grandpa. Erin and Fred discuss: How b...

You came into this world knowing exactly who you’re here to be, but the world gets to you as you grow older–weighing you down with other peoples’ opinions, paying your taxes, and 9 to 5s–and the actual purpose of your life is to remember what you came here for? Interestinggg. And if you think about how overcoming perfectionism plays a role in this idea...wowee. Human Potential Coach, Speaker, and...

What does knowing which days you need to shower and put on real pants have to do with time management? Everything and more, lol. In today’s episode, Erin shares the moment she realized that the five-day work week wasn’t working for her anymore; her top tips for staying focused and fresh (especially when you work from home); and how we can embrace the idea that our careers are marathons, not sprint...

What does sharing your “gaps” have to do with vulnerable leadership? More than you think, and Jacob Morgan is here to explain what that means. Jacob is a 5x Best-Selling Author, Futurist, & Keynote Speaker on Leadership, Employee Experience, & The Future Of Work. In today’s episode, Jacob joins Erin to discuss why he not only has work life values, but family life values as well; the differ...

How does jumping off of a 40-foot cliff in Puerto Rico lead to an epiphany that a 4-day work week needs to happen? We’re here to tell the tale. In today’s episode, Erin shares her story of first pondering and ultimately implementing a 4-day work week with the improve it! team, how she’s found flexibility within the 4-day work week itself, and each internal team member’s reflections on how the 4-da...

What does chaperoning a first-grade planetarium trip have to do with the benefits of a 4-day work week? More than you think, trust us. Joe Sanok is the author of Thursday is the New Friday, as well as a speaker, podcaster, and consultant at Practice of the Practice—an organization that helps counselors build their private practices. Joe joins Erin on the pod today to discuss: his history of lookin...

Does it feel peaceful, or does it disrupt your nervous system? This is the crux of the matter, which is making decisions that you feel good about—decisions that allow you to love yourself and others at the same time. When you become overwhelmed, overworked, burnt out, and even the smallest daily tasks can become taxing...there needs to be a system in place for who and what you’re going to allow in...

What were you doing when you were eight years old? What were you like? What did you like? These are the questions keynote speaker, author, and entrepreneur Judi Holler asked herself when she found herself leaning her life ladder on the wrong house. In her conversation with Erin, Judi explains how she operates from a place of mindfulness (and why you may be missing out), what it means to not only r...

Sometimes it really is as simple as asking? This is at the core of what Jamie Raines shares in today’s episode about how to support trans folks at work. Jamie is a YouTuber, Content Creator, and Author of The T in LGBT. In his conversation with Erin, Jamie shares about his experiences when he began transitioning about 13 years ago and what you can do as a leader to create psychological safety for...

Picture this: Erin sitting on a porch with a chicken on a laptop in the heat of the pandemic, asking herself how she was going to start a podcast. Yup, that’s the improve it! Podcast’s origin story and Erin is here today to tell you the tale. In today’s episode, Erin shares the logistics behind starting a podcast, the mistakes that she made so you don’t have to, and a step-by-step guide to how one...

What does laundry have to do with giving yourself the space to love & serve and not just do? An awful lot, according to CEO, Keynote Speaker, and Scared Confident Podcast Host, Tiffany Sauder. Tiffany is an expert in how to actually live your existence, not just manage it. She helps high-achievers have a space where they can love and serve, not just do. In today’s episode, Tiffany joins Erin t...

Nate Klemp, PhD, is a writer, philosopher, and entrepreneur. Most recently, Nate is the author of the new book OPEN: Living with an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World. The book explores how screen addiction and political polarization have closed the modern mind. Using new science, age-old practices, and life experiments, Open investigates tools we can use to cultivate a more open mind. In today’...

Yes, you know what book clubs are. You’ve seen them in action, been a part of them, maybe even organized them on your own. But what if we told you that a book club was how improve it! began? In today’s episode, Erin tells the story of the book club she joined early in her career and how the first book they read changed her life and helped her build improve it! from the ground up. Erin also shares...