Workday Playdate 282: Why Leaders Are Obsessed with Improv for Team Growth
What if the secret to high-performing teams wasn’t another strategy session—but an improv game?
In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin dives into how improvisation is transforming team dynamics, leadership, and workplace culture. From LinkedIn to Amazon, top companies are embracing improv as a tool for boosting psychological safety, engagement, and creativity.
If you’ve ever struggled with silent meetings, hesitant team members, or a lack of collaboration, this episode is for you.
Inside This Episode:
- Why improv isn’t just for comedians—it’s a powerful leadership tool.
- The surprising stats that show why most teams are set up for stagnation, not growth.
- How companies like Uber Freight and The Obama Foundation are using improv to build thriving teams.
- A simple, actionable improv game (“Last Word, First Word”) you can try in your next meeting.
- How playfulness fuels productivity (without turning work into a joke).
Who This Episode Is For: Leaders, managers, and team members who want to create a culture where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and collaborate at their best. If your meetings feel stale or your team plays it too safe, this episode will show you how to shake things up—with fun that leads to real results.
And if you’re interested in taking one small action right now, you can check out our newest freebie, The 5-Minute Team Commitment Reset, here. It’s a plug-and-play exercise that will get your team mentally present, engaged, and committed before any meeting.
No, You Hang Up First (Let’s Keep Connecting)
- Did today’s episode resonate with you? Leave us a review sharing your favorite insight 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 that we can answer? 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 access to a bunch of free resources for your work life? This is your personal jackpot that gives you access to the frameworks that help us thrive both personally and professionally. Whether you’re trying to improve your daily routine, flesh out an idea that you’ve had for quite some time, or want to add more play into your day - these resources have got your back.
- 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? Subscribe here.
Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!