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
Release Date: 12/18/2024
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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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_outlineWhat 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 to improve team dynamics, this episode is packed with actionable insights and strategies to create more meaningful, inclusive workplaces.
Here are the 5 main takeaways from Erin’s conversation with Justin:
1. Leave Your Home Base
Justin's mother taught him the importance of experiencing diverse perspectives. Leaders must step outside their comfort zones to understand and connect with others.
2. Plant Seeds That Last
Leadership is a long-term investment. The actions you take and values you demonstrate today will impact people’s lives, even years down the road.
3. Embrace the Power of Three
Instead of surface-level conversations, ask three probing questions to deepen understanding and help others feel truly heard and valued.
4. Challenge Your Perspective
Justin introduced the "Circles of Grace Challenge," encouraging leaders to intentionally engage with ideas and people they might not align with to build empathy and broaden their worldview.
5. Lead with Curiosity, Not Conclusions
Avoid assumptions during difficult conversations. Approach with curiosity by asking questions and truly listening to uncover different perspectives.
Conclusion
Justin's insights remind us that meaningful leadership goes beyond results—it’s about cultivating relationships, broadening perspectives, and creating a lasting impact. By stepping outside our comfort zones and practicing deep listening, leaders can foster teams where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to contribute their best.
If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it with someone who may benefit from its insights. Send the link to this episode in a text/email while you’re thinking about it. :)
No, You Hang Up First (Let’s Keep Connecting)
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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 Justin Jones-Fosu
- Justin’s LinkedIn
- Justin’s company website: Work. Meaningful.
- Justin’s personal website
Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!