Erin Diehl – Why every day of our lives is an improv scene. | Brought to you by Zocdoc. Go to https://www.zocdoc.com/passionstruck and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Then start your search for a top-rated doctor today.
Erin Diehl is a Business Improv Edutainer, Failfluencer, and Professional Zoombie. Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn, play, and grow. Erin is a graduate of Clemson University, former experiential marketing and recruiting professional, and a veteran improviser. She is the proud host of The improve it! The podcast helps develop leaders and teams through play, Improv, and experiential learning.
When you walk into a Second City class or any improv class, the funniest person in the room is never going to succeed. It’s the โYes, andโฆโ we call it. It’s the being present in that moment, and making the person you’re on stage with look good.
Erin Diehl
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What I Discuss with Erin Diehl
Erin Diehl joins us to discuss how improvisational training can enhance professional development, team building, effective communication, networking, presentation skills, leadership capabilities, the act of thinking quickly on your feet, and everything in between. We discuss how we can break down barriers in our lives by using improvisational comedy as the vessel to train on soft skills. It’s in breaking down those barriers that real learning occurs and when that happens โpeople become their best selves personally and professionally.
- Why Erin attended the University of Clemson.
- The lessons learned from being a Division 1 athlete and Rally Cat.
- Her admiration for Oprah and why that admiration led to her moving to Chicago.
- How she discovered Improv and what it was like to go through training at the Second City in Chicago.
- The five rules of Improv and how they can improve your everyday life.
- How she is coaching teams using Improv to tackle imposter syndrome and facing failure.
- Why she is dedicating much of her efforts to failluencing and helping people understand the importance of perseverance.
- We end the episode by doing our own short Improv session.
- Have any questions, comments, or stories you’d like to share? Drop us a line at [email protected]m!
- And much moreโฆ
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Erin Diehl Why, Every Day of Our Lives, is an Improv Scene
During our interview, I asked Erin Diehl to discuss the five basic rules of Improv.
Erin explains, “Yes, And ….. It’s taking what somebody says and adding to it, not negating it in its tracks. It’s a life skill. It’s a philosophy. It’s a stage skill. It’s everything. It’s the foundation on which my business is built. So that’s one.
Two is there are no mistakes only gifts. So I have the sign behind me. It says Fail Yeah. And so anything that happens on stage that may be a mistake to you and I actually doesn’t become a mistake. We make it a part of the scene. So no mistakes, only gifts is a philosophy we are driving home in organizations. We’re driving home in our own organization. It is about progress, not perfection. And it’s really about allowing failures to be a part of our day-to-day because if you’re not failing, you’re not trying, you’re not innovating, you’re remaining stagnant. So we celebrate that failure. And that’s an improv philosophy and improve its philosophy, all the things.
Number three is give and take. So a good improv scene is literally about giving and taking. Same in working relationships and personal relationships, allowing each person’s voice to feel heard.
The fourth is support which goes into Yes, and… but it’s really about supporting the people around you, making them look good. And one of the things that we say every time, we look at each other, and we’re like, got your back, and we like to pat the back of our computer screens. And if we’re in person, we’ll obviously pat each other’s back. But that in itself is showing each other I got you. You’re not alone in this. I’m going to support you because how else can you go on stage for 30 minutes and make something up with seven people without supporting them?
For number five. If I were to say out of all of the fundamentals that Improv really does, it is about leaning into this notion that everybody is a genius, poet, and scholar. So this is from a quote from one of the most famous improvisers, Del Close, who helped create one of the schools of thought on comedy in Chicago. And he said if you think that Everyone is a poet, artist and a scholar, or genius poet and a scholar, you’re not judging them, you are allowing that person to show up in their greatest self.
And if you play from that place of intelligence that you think yourself as if you’re yourself as a poet, genius, or scholar, you’re going to show up with confidence, and you’re going to make the other person on stage, feel so confident and happy to be standing next to you, too. So in communities, organizations, and teams, that’s just believing in the people around you, and instilling that confidence in them that they can show up and do good work. So those are my five tips.”
Thanks, Erin Diehl!
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Resources From The Show With Erin Diehl
Please note that some of the links on this page (books, movies, music, etc.) lead to affiliate programs for which The Passion Struck podcast receives compensation. It’s just one of the ways we keep the lights on around here. Thank you so much for being so supportive!
* Website: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepinitrealdiehl/
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/keepitrealdiehl
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erindiehl/
* Rules of Improv: https://www.pantheater.com/rules-of-improv.html
* The Second City: https://www.secondcity.com/
* My interview with David Yaden on self-transcendence, psychedelics, and behavior change: https://passionstruck.com/david-yaden-on-self-transcendence-experiences/ go-on-self-transcendence/
* My interview with Cathy Heller: https://passionstruck.com/cathy-heller-how-do-you-find-your-lifes-passion/
* My interview with Michael Slepian: https://passionstruck.com/michael-slepian-the-secret-life-of-secrets/
* My interview with Tricia Manning: https://passionstruck.com/tricia-manning-on-how-to-lead-with-heart/
* My interview with Jordan Harbinger on Why Legacy is Greater Than Currency: https://passionstruck.com/jordan-harbinger-on-why-building-your-legacy-is-greater-than-currency/
* My interview with Sarah Fay on the fallacies of the DSM: https://passionstruck.com/sarah-fay-pathological/
* My interview with Admiral James Stavridis: https://passionstruck.com/admiral-james-stavridis-to-risk-it-all/
* My solo episode on why micro choices matter: https://passionstruck.com/why-your-micro-choices-determine-your-life/
* My solo episode on why you must feel to heal: https://passionstruck.com/why-you-must-feel-to-find-emotional-healing/
About Today’s Guest Erin Diehl
Erin Diehl is a graduate of Clemson University and 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. Erin conducts workshops across the country, leveraging improvisational techniques to improve employees’ skills in corporate settings.
Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Aon, Warby Parker, Lowe’s, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, Uber Freight, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the Chicago Innovation Award every year since 2015.
Erin was a speaker for DisruptHR Chicago, hosted the 2016 RedEye Big Idea Awards, and has spoken at HRMAC Chicago, SHRM Chicago, the Business Marketing Association, and Emerging Leaders of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. She is also a proud member of The Chicago Innovation Awards Women’s Cohort and a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program graduate.
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John R. Miles is a serial entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of Passion Struck. This full-service media company helps people live intentionally by creating best-in-class educational and entertainment content. John is also a prolific public speaker, venture capitalist, and author named to the ComputerWorld Top 100 IT Leaders.
John is the host of the PassionStruckPodcast. A show focused on exploring the mindset and philosophy of the world’s most inspiring people to learn their lessons to living intentionally. Passion Struck aspires to speak to the humanity of people in a way that makes them want to live better, be better and impact.
Stay tuned for John’s latest project, his upcoming book, which will be published in summer 2022.
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