Workday Playdate

In this Workday Playdate, Erin tackles leadership in the age of AI with talent expert, Steve Cadigan.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Will AI replace leaders?” or felt the pressure to have all the answers in a rapidly changing workplace, this episode is your reality check. 

About the Guest:

Steve Cadigan is a globally recognized talent strategist, keynote speaker, and former Chief HR Officer at LinkedIn. He’s known for helping organizations rethink leadership, talent, and the future of work in a world defined by constant change. Steve brings decades of experience advising leaders on how to build cultures rooted in trust, agility, and continuous learning. 

Inside This Episode:

AI Won’t Replace Great Leaders, It Will Expose Weak Ones: Why human skills like trust, empathy, and adaptability are becoming the ultimate competitive advantage.
Ditch the Control Model: Outdated command-and-control leadership is slowing teams down; today’s best leaders prioritize autonomy and ownership.
Trust Is the New Currency: Letting go of control is required to unlock innovation, speed, and engagement.
Growth > Loyalty: Employees are looking for lifelong learning. Leaders who invest in development win.
Agility Is Everything: What companies like Tesla teach us about rapid iteration, continuous improvement, and staying relevant in constant change.

What to Do Now:

Challenge One Leadership Belief: Identify one assumption you have about control, productivity, or trust and question if it still works in today’s environment.
Practice Trust in Real Time: Fully delegate one task this week. Provide clear ownership and space for the other person to deliver.
Have a Growth Conversation: Ask one team member what skill they want to build next and how you can support it.
Your Freebie

What’s your leadership style and next business move? Find out by taking a fun little quiz here.

And thank you to our sponsors Intuit Quickbooks Payroll.

To learn more visit:   https://quickbooks.intuit.com/workforce/

Connect with Steve Cadigan 
Steve’s LinkedIn
Steve’s book
Steve’s podcast
Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!
Leadership Playground online membership community
Erin’s website
Erin’s Instagram
Erin’s TikTok
Erin’s LinkedIn
improve it!’s website
improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

In this Workday Playdate, Erin tackles one of the most searched topics at work: feeling stuck in your career.

If you’ve ever thought, “Is this it?” or felt trapped between comfort and craving something more, this episode gives you a simple, actionable framework to stop spiraling and start moving. Career growth is about small, intentional steps that change your trajectory.

Inside This Episode:
Feeling Stuck at Work? You’re Not Alone: Why burnout, disengagement, and lack of clarity are more common than you think, and what they’re really telling you.
Energy Before Strategy: Why you can’t think your way out of burnout and how resetting your energy unlocks better decisions and career clarity.
The “Improv Your Way Out” Framework: A five-step method to help you get unstuck, gain direction, and start taking action today.
Call the Scene: How naming your current reality (honestly) is the first step to changing it.
Yes, And Your Life: How to hold gratitude and desire for more—without guilt or self-judgment.
Create Your Next Career Identity: Why stepping into a new “character” helps you align your actions with who you want to become.
Baby Steps > Big Leaps: The secret to career change that actually sticks (hint: it’s not quitting your job tomorrow).
Upgrade Your Environment: How the people around you either accelerate or drain your growth.
Mindset, Habits, Environment: The real drivers of career fulfillment and how to start shifting all three.
Small Moves, Big Career Shifts: Why consistent, aligned action beats waiting for the “perfect” moment every time.

What to Do Now:

Call It + Claim It: Write down what you’re currently tolerating at work—and what you actually want instead. Clarity creates momentum.
Take One Aligned Step: Don’t wait for a full plan. Send the email, start the conversation, or try something new this week. Small moves shift everything.
Upgrade Your Energy + Circle: Reset your mindset (hello, Positivity Without Pretending Toolkit) and spend more time with people who challenge and energize you.
Your Freebie

You don’t need to fake a good attitude to be a great leader. But chances are, you’ve been taught to push through instead of reset.

Enter your free resource: The Positivity Without Pretending Toolkit. A quick, human-centered reset designed to help you shift your mindset, refuel your energy, and show up with authenticity, especially on the hard days.  

Download the Positivity Without Pretending Toolkit here.

And thank you to our sponsors Intuit Quickbooks Payroll. To learn more visit:   https://quickbooks.intuit.com/workforce/

Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!
Leadership Playground online membership community
Erin’s website
Erin’s Instagram
Erin’s TikTok
Erin’s LinkedIn
improve it!’s website
improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

In this Workday Playdate, Erin brings together innovation experts Rich Braden and Tessa Forshaw to challenge everything you thought you knew about creativity at work. This episode proves that innovation is not reserved for a select few, but something everyone can access through mindset, play, and small, intentional actions.If you’ve ever thought “I’m not the creative type,” this conversation will expand your definition of innovation and give you practical ways to bring more curiosity, experimentation, and whole-brained thinking into your day.About the Guests:Rich Braden is an innovation strategist, educator, and global speaker who helps organizations unlock creativity through human-centered design, play, and experimentation. With experience spanning corporate, startup, and academic environments, Rich is known for making innovation accessible, actionable, and energizing.Tessa Forshaw is a creativity and innovation expert, educator, and consultant focused on helping individuals and teams activate their innate creative capacity. Her work blends research, facilitation, and playful practice to challenge limiting beliefs and build cultures where innovation thrives.
Inside This Episode:Innovation Isn’t Exclusive: Why the biggest barrier to creativity is the myth that only certain people (or roles) are “allowed” to innovate.
Whole-Brained Thinking Wins: How blending analytical rigor with creative exploration leads to better problem-solving, smarter decisions, and more innovative outcomes.
The Play Advantage: Why improvisation, curiosity, and experimentation aren’t “nice to have”—they’re essential tools for unlocking new ideas and embracing failure.
Mindset > Talent: How small, intentional mindset shifts can reignite creativity and help you move from “right vs. wrong” to “what’s possible?”
Diverge, Then Converge: The airplane metaphor for brainstorming that helps you generate bold ideas and actually land them.
Innovation in Action: Practical ways leaders can lower the bar, model experimentation, and create cultures where risk-taking is rewarded (not punished).
Small Moves, Big Impact: Why innovation isn’t about big breakthroughs—it’s about consistent, everyday experimentation.

What to Do Now:Try “Yes, And” Today: In your next meeting, build on someone’s idea before critiquing it. Watch how quickly energy and creativity shift.
Run a 10-Minute Diverge/Converge Sprint: Set a timer. Generate as many ideas as possible (no judgment), then switch modes and narrow to your top 1–2 actions.
Lower the Bar for Innovation: Pick one small experiment you can run this week.
Model the Behavior You Want: As a leader (or future leader), openly share a risk you took or a failure you learned from to create psychological safety for others.

Your FreebieYou already have strengths that make you a powerful leader. But chances are, one of them is doing more heavy lifting than you realize.Enter your free resource: The Human Leadership Edge Quiz. In just 10 quick questions, you’ll discover the leadership strength that sets you apart in the age of AI and how to use it more intentionally with your team.Take the Human Leadership Edge Quiz here.And thank you to our sponsors Intuit Quickbooks Payroll. To learn more visit:  https://quickbooks.intuit.com/workforce/
Connect with Rich Braden and Tessa ForshawRich’s LinkedIn
Tessa’s LinkedIn
Rich and Tessa’s book, innovation-ish

Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!Leadership Playground online membership community
Erin’s website
Erin’s Instagram
Erin’s TikTok
Erin’s LinkedIn
improve it!’s website
improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

In this Workday Playdate, Erin flips the script on productivity culture and makes the case that your energy at work matters more than your to-do list. This episode is a wake-up call for high performers who’ve been measuring success in checkboxes instead of presence, connection, and impact.If you’ve been optimizing your calendar but still feeling off, this conversation will challenge how you define a “good day,” and give you a practical way to shift it.Inside This Episode:Energy > Activity: Why your internal state is the real driver of performance, influence, and outcomes.
Your Energy Is Contagious: How your mood, presence, and mindset shape team dynamics, client relationships, and workplace culture (whether you realize it or not).
Science of Better Thinking: What research says about positive emotional states and their impact on innovation and decision-making.
The 5-Step Energy Shift Framework: A simple, repeatable process to reset your energy and lead your day with intention.
Lead With One Word: How choosing a daily intention anchors your mindset and guides your actions.
Measure What Matters: Why ending your day by reflecting on your energy—not your output—leads to more fulfillment and long-term success.
Presence As a Power Skill: Especially early in your career, curiosity, intention, and how you show up matter more than having all the answers.

Who This Episode Is For:High achievers tired of living by their to-do lists
Leaders who want more impact without more burnout
HR and people leaders rethinking performance and engagement
Early-career professionals who want to stand out (without burning out)
Teams craving more connection, creativity, and motivation
Anyone ready to feel better and perform better at work

Your FreebieYou already have strengths that make you a powerful leader. But chances are, one of them is doing more heavy lifting than you realize.Enter your free resource: The Human Leadership Edge Quiz. In just 10 quick questions, you’ll discover the leadership strength that sets you apart in the age of AI and how to use it more intentionally with your team.Take the Human Leadership Edge Quiz here.And thank you to our sponsors Intuit Quickbooks Payroll. To learn more visit:  https://quickbooks.intuit.com/workforce/
Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!Leadership Playground online membership community
Erin’s website
Erin’s Instagram
Erin’s TikTok
Erin’s LinkedIn
improve it!’s website
improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.

In this Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Jane Chen to challenge the “always-on” mindset and invite overachievers into something radically different: pause, process, and thrive. Jane is a best-selling author, leadership coach, and social entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Embrace Global.If you’ve been sprinting toward success at the cost of your well-being, this episode is your reminder that slowing down is exactly how you move forward with intention.
Inside This Episode:Pause Before You Push: Why high achievers need to interrupt the cycle of constant doing to reconnect with themselves and avoid burnout.
The Hidden Cost of Achievement: How chasing impact, success, and validation can quietly deplete your energy, identity, and joy.
From Impact to Inner Work: Jane’s journey from building a global health company to finding healing through surfing, stillness, and self-reflection.
Compassion Over Grit: Why resilience isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about practicing self-compassion and emotional awareness.
Healing Is a Strategy: Exploring powerful modalities like internal family systems (IFS), therapy, and slowing down as tools for sustainable leadership.
Letting Go of External Validation: Why chasing approval is a losing game—and how anchoring in your values creates lasting fulfillment.
Ride the Wave: The ocean as a metaphor for life, timing, surrender, and trusting what you can’t control.
Vulnerability = Strength: How embracing imperfection, fear, and faith can unlock confidence in leadership and public speaking.
From Burnout to Breakthrough: Why moments of crisis or failure might actually be invitations to realign with your purpose.
Joy Is Not Optional: How play, nature, and small daily moments of joy are essential for thriving at work and in life.

Who This Episode Is For:Overachievers who are tired of running on empty
Leaders ready to trade burnout for sustainable success
HR and people leaders focused on well-being and human-centered performance
High-performing parents and professionals seeking balance without guilt
Anyone navigating burnout, identity shifts, or a season of rebuilding
Humans who want to achieve and feel whole while doing it

Your FreebieYou already have strengths that make you a powerful leader. But chances are, one of them is doing more heavy lifting than you realize.Enter your free resource: The Human Leadership Edge Quiz. In just 10 quick questions, you’ll discover the leadership strength that sets you apart in the age of AI and how to use it more intentionally with your team.Take the Human Leadership Edge Quiz here.
And thank you to our sponsors Intuit Quickbooks Payroll. To learn more visit:   https://quickbooks.intuit.com/workforce/
Connect with Jane ChenJane’s LinkedIn
Jane’s website
Jane’s book, Like a Wave We Break: A Memoir of Falling Apart and Finding Myself
 Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!Leadership Playground online membership community
Erin’s website
Erin’s Instagram
Erin’s TikTok
Erin’s LinkedIn
improve it!’s website
improve it!’s Instagram

For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.