loader from loading.io

264: Want an Easy Five Minute Gratitude Practice You Can Implement Today? We’ve Got Your Back!

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

Release Date: 11/13/2024

270: Lessons, Laughs & Leadership: improve it! Podcast Year in Review show art 270: Lessons, Laughs & Leadership: improve it! Podcast Year in Review

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

2024 was a year of radical insights, heartfelt stories, and transformative lessons in leadership—and we’re wrapping it all up with a bang! If you’re ready to relive the top moments that took your leadership game from ‘meh’ to magnificent, buckle up because this isn’t just a recap; it’s your ultimate guide to starting 2025 stronger, more inspired, and more intentional than ever before.   In this post, we’re summarizing the five most impactful takeaways from our top episodes, as shared by the incredible improve it! team. Whether you’re leading in the boardroom or in your...

info_outline
269: What Are the Most Effective Ways to Navigate Difficult Conversations at Work? A Conversation with Justin Jones-Fosu show art 269: What Are the Most Effective Ways to Navigate Difficult Conversations at Work? A Conversation with Justin Jones-Fosu

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

What if the seeds you plant today could transform the world tomorrow? In today's episode, Justin Jones-Fosu challenges leaders to leave their "home base," embrace curiosity, and cultivate inclusion to create real impact—at work and beyond. Justin Jones-Fosu, founder of Work. Meaningful., joins Erin to share powerful lessons about leadership, communication, and humanity. Drawing from his personal story and years of experience, Justin teaches leaders how to navigate challenging conversations while fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or someone looking...

info_outline
268: How Can Top Corporate Leaders Use Negotiation to Drive Unstoppable Success? Unlocking Secrets with Kwame Christian show art 268: How Can Top Corporate Leaders Use Negotiation to Drive Unstoppable Success? Unlocking Secrets with Kwame Christian

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

Did you know that you negotiate every single day—and not just in boardrooms or sales meetings? From discussing PTO with your boss to deciding dinner plans with your partner, negotiation is everywhere. But how often do we approach these conversations with strategy and confidence? In this episode of the Improve It! Podcast, Erin uncovers the secrets to navigating everyday negotiations with expert Kwame Christian. Kwame Christian is a renowned negotiation expert, speaker, and author, with years of experience helping individuals and organizations navigate difficult conversations with confidence....

info_outline
267: Warning: This Vision Setting Strategy Might Actually Work! show art 267: Warning: This Vision Setting Strategy Might Actually Work!

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

What if the success of your team hinged on a single, powerful choice: which wolf you feed? Inside every leader lies the potential to cultivate either chaos and confusion or unity and inspiration. The secret? A clear, compelling vision that your team not only understands but wholeheartedly embraces. In this episode of the improve it! Podcast, Erin delves into the transformative power of vision-setting for leaders. Borrowing wisdom from the story of the Two Wolves, she explores how leaders can shape their team’s trajectory by fostering a vision rooted in hope and purpose. Whether you’re...

info_outline
266: What Does It Take for Women to Gain Respect, Power, and Influence in the Workplace? Alison Fragale Spills the Tea show art 266: What Does It Take for Women to Gain Respect, Power, and Influence in the Workplace? Alison Fragale Spills the Tea

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

What if the key to unlocking your full potential wasn’t just about working harder or climbing the ladder, but about understanding the invisible forces that shape how others see you? In today's episode, Erin dives into a transformative conversation with Alison Fragale, an expert on power, status, and the subtle art of influence. Her groundbreaking insights from her book, Likeable Badass, offer a powerful roadmap for navigating life’s unspoken rules with authenticity, strategy, and even a little bit of fun. In this episode, Erin and Alison unpack the dynamics of power and status, revealing...

info_outline
265: Breath Control for Better Decision-Making: A Conversation with Samantha Skelly show art 265: Breath Control for Better Decision-Making: A Conversation with Samantha Skelly

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

What if the secret to conquering chaos, leading with confidence, and transforming stress into ease was as simple as your next breath? This week on the podcast, I sat down with breathwork expert Samantha Skelly to uncover the transformative power of intentional breathing. As the Founder of Pause Breathwork, Samantha Skelly is on a mission to help others unlock their infinite potential though breathwork. And her next big focus is making breathwork accessible & affordable to humanity, worldwide. From hilariously relatable mishaps (like sending a 10-year-old email to thousands) to...

info_outline
264: Want an Easy Five Minute Gratitude Practice You Can Implement Today? We’ve Got Your Back! show art 264: Want an Easy Five Minute Gratitude Practice You Can Implement Today? We’ve Got Your Back!

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

What if five minutes could change everything about how you lead, connect, and thrive? In today's episode, I reveal the powerful daily gratitude practice that shifted my mindset from scarcity to abundance—fueling not only my own growth, but transforming my team dynamics and leadership resilience. If you’re ready for a simple, impactful habit to elevate your life and work, this post is for you! Here’s a quick look at how gratitude can revolutionize your life and leadership, just as it did for me. 1. Gratitude Enhances Mental and Emotional Well-Being Gratitude has profound effects on mental...

info_outline
263: How Do You Balance the Holiday Season While Prioritizing Self Care? show art 263: How Do You Balance the Holiday Season While Prioritizing Self Care?

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

If you don’t take the time for yourself, the time will take itself and go elsewhere. Sound familiar, especially during the holidays? Yup, you’re not the only one. In today’s episode, Erin shares her 4-step strategy for finding balance between giving to yourself and giving to others during the holiday season. Erin also shares: What a “Bliss List” is and why you need to make one Why you should start making connections between the times you get sick to what’s going on in your personal and professional lives How to give yourself rewards (and actually schedule them) that contribute to...

info_outline
262: Job Hunting Got You Drained AF? Steal These Top Strategies for Avoiding Burnout with Daisy Auger-Dominguez show art 262: Job Hunting Got You Drained AF? Steal These Top Strategies for Avoiding Burnout with Daisy Auger-Dominguez

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

Does your job search feel like it’s its own full-time job that’s not leading anywhere and also not paying you? You’re not alone. In response to this Q, Daisy Auger-Domínguez--a cross-sector global leader, speaker, author, and advisor on future readying workplaces, fostering inclusion, and addressing burnout at work—joins Erin today to discuss 4 strategies to avoid burnout while you’re in the heat of the job search. Daisy also shares: How to make your networking smarter, more focused, and consistent towards what you’re trying to accomplish in your career How to recognize burnout...

info_outline
261: Empowering Inclusion While Battling Isolation At Work? Here's How to Cope show art 261: Empowering Inclusion While Battling Isolation At Work? Here's How to Cope

improve it! Podcast – Professional Development Through Play, Improv & Experiential Learning

When you're building inclusion for those around you at work, but you yourself are not feeling included, what do you do about that? This question from a listener really begs us to consider what’s within the locus of our control vs. what's not when it comes to inclusion at work. In response to this Q, Erin gives you 5 ways to go from excluded by others to including yourself and 5 ways to cope if leadership is excluding you, not necessarily your team/coworkers. Erin also shares: How to take situations that hurt your feelings and transform them into opportunities for empathy Why changing your...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

What if five minutes could change everything about how you lead, connect, and thrive?

In today's episode, I reveal the powerful daily gratitude practice that shifted my mindset from scarcity to abundance—fueling not only my own growth, but transforming my team dynamics and leadership resilience.

If you’re ready for a simple, impactful habit to elevate your life and work, this post is for you! Here’s a quick look at how gratitude can revolutionize your life and leadership, just as it did for me.

1. Gratitude Enhances Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Gratitude has profound effects on mental health, reducing anxiety and depression while boosting overall mood. In this episode, I begin by sharing how this practice helped me refocus from a scarcity mindset—where stress and fear of “not enough” clouded my vision—to one of abundance and peace.

Listing just a few daily “wins” and things I’m grateful for gives my mind a positive focal point and sets the tone for my day. Practicing gratitude helps you focus on what you have, rather than what you lack, cultivating a mindset that energizes and uplifts both you and your team.

And if you’re looking for more info on forming an abundance mindset, I think you’ll love this ep: Episode 202: Self Worth = Net Worth: How to Live in Abundance

2. Fostering Team Relationships through Gratitude

Integrating gratitude in a team setting doesn’t just enhance your day, but strengthens your team dynamics. I found that a simple habit of sharing appreciation with my team, both in private conversations and during meetings, lifted our collective spirit.

This genuine acknowledgment brought cohesion and positivity to our interactions, boosting communication and morale. With everyone aligned and motivated, our work flowed better, and the energy shifted toward collaborative success, building a work environment that supports growth and achievement.

3. Building Resilience as a Leader

With gratitude as a grounding practice, I noticed an increased resilience to daily challenges. For instance, when obstacles like travel delays or sudden issues arose, my gratitude practice allowed me to pause, reframe, and face these situations with a calmer, more adaptive mindset.

Instead of letting stressful moments dictate my mood, I embraced each challenge as a lesson, focusing on what was still within my control. This approach not only supported my emotional regulation but also set a positive example for my team, showing them how to navigate challenges effectively.

4. Long-Term Leadership Impact

Sticking to my gratitude practice has had a long-lasting impact on my leadership style, making me a more empathetic, balanced, and approachable leader. The effects extended beyond my professional life, enhancing my relationships as a parent, spouse, and friend.

Embedding gratitude into your routine has a ripple effect—it supports personal growth and allows you to lead from a place of compassion and joy, ultimately making a positive impact on your entire team and community.

5. Start Your Own 5-Minute Gratitude Practice

The episode outlines a straightforward gratitude practice: reflecting on past wins, listing things you’re grateful for now, and setting intentions for the day. This five-minute habit can be done verbally, digitally, or in a journal and serves as a daily reset, focusing your energy on the positives. By committing to this practice, you’ll find shifts in mindset and improved emotional regulation that benefit your leadership style, relationships, and personal growth.

To dive deeper, listen to the full episode, and discover how gratitude can transform your leadership and inspire those around you.

And if you remember nothing else from this gratitude practice, remember this: what you focus on grows. Start each day by honoring the good, and watch how it attracts more positivity, resilience, and connection into your life and leadership.

 

No, You Hang Up First (Let’s Keep Connecting)

  • Did today’s episode resonate with you? Leave us a review sharing your favorite gratitude practice detail and we’ll send you a free signed copy of I See You! A Leader’s Guide to Energizing Your Team through Radical Empathy.
  • Have another question about gratitude that we can answer, or a question about something else? Leave us a Speakpipe audio clip and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode.
  • Don’t want to miss another episode? If you’re a Spotify listener, find our show here and click “Follow.” If you’re an Apple Podcast listener, click here and make sure to hit “+Follow.”
  • Want 2 emails a week from us? One with a quick tip you can implement right away to enhance your personal and/or professional lives & one of our famous F.A.I.L. Fourward Friday newsletters? Click here, scroll to the bottom of the page, and we’ll meet you in your inbox. :)

Show Links

  • Purchase I See You! A Leader’s Guide to Energizing Your Team through Radical Empathy here and the Resource Guidebook that was built in conjunction with it here.

Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!