Episode 96: How American Marketing Association Created a Company Culture Centered Around Yes, And with Kelly Scullin
Do you need help with making ALL the voices on your team feel heard? Do you want help post-poning judgement and making space for new ideas? Do you want help silencing the “Negative Nancy” on your team in a way that still makes them feel heard - but allows everyone on the team to contribute and innovation to flow?
If this sounds like you – then improve it! fam – We. Have. An. Episode. For. You.
Today we have Kelly Scullin, People Leader, Solutioneer and Culuture Warrior at American Marketing Association here to talk about how she helped AMA create company culture centered around yes, and!
Grab your notebook, iPad, tablet, or whatever you take notes on, because this episode is full of practical nuggets that you can implement today. Let’s get to improvin’ it!
About the Guest: Kelly Scullin is a People Leader, Solutioneer, Culture Warrior, and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional. Having worked across various industries – healthcare, insurance, and nonprofit alike – Kelly employs a broad managerial perspective to create sensible, actionable people strategies and solutions.
Life pointed Kelly to an HR career by accident; no sooner did she fall deeply and madly in love with the work that draws on both her identities as Logician and Creative. After more than three years at insurance giant AIG, she joined the AMA (the American Marketing Association) in 2013 to build the HR discipline from the ground up, nurturing an organizational fitness approach that yields high engagement, low turnover, and a rich community experience.
A self-proclaimed Recovering Type A, this Kentucky-girl-turned-Chicagoan uses motherhood, backpacking, Dungeons and Dragons, travel, and more to sharpen her improv skills and aid her growth personally and professionally.
Show Links:
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Connect with Kelly:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kscullin/
Connect with Erin Diehl:
Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the improve it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award.
This graduate from Clemson University is a 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.
When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight-pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl.
You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!
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Episode 96 Transcription
Erin (00:01):
Improve it fam. Oh my goodness. Today's show is so good. That's so good, so good. This is one of my dear friends, Kelly Scullin, and Kelly is improving it in so many ways. Kelly's a people leader, a solutioner, a cultural warrior and a SHRM senior certified professional. Now she's worked across various industries, healthcare insurance, nonprofit alike, but Kelly employs a broad managerial perspective to create sensible, actionable people, strategies and solutions. Life pointed Kelly to an HR career by accident and sooner did she fall deeply and madly in love with the work that draws her on both her identities as logician and creative. After more than three years at insurance giant AIG, she joined the AMA or the American marketing association in 2013 to build the HR discipline from the ground up nurturing organizational fitness approach that yields high engagement, low turnover into a rich community experience.
Erin (01:08):
A self-proclaimed recovering type a, this Kentucky girl turned Chicago and uses motherhood backpacking, which we'll talk about Dungeons and dragons that didn't come up, but so cool. She plays Dungeons from dragons travel and more to sharpen her improv skills and aid her growth personally and professionally. Kelly Scullin. Oh my God. I can't wait for you to hear her conversation today. It's so good. We're gonna talk about why improv is so important to the culture of American marketing association. And this concept of we are managers of energy. That is so good. So stay tuned for that. If you are a leader or a emerging leader or a person who wants to lead teams, this concept of managers of energy is so good. We talk about yes and in depth and how it's a way to choose to acknowledge your team members' contribution. This show is very, very jam packed.
Erin (02:14):
So stay tuned, have a notebook and pen nearby real quick. If you have not yet gotten your hybrid hype handout, it's a free downloadable PDF. You can get by clicking on the link in the show notes here, it's going to give you more tips and tricks for using improv and helping you use improv to hybrid hype your team. It's gonna give you all the tips and tricks you need to lead your team in this remote workforce. Grab it in the link in the show notes, friends, improve it! Fam hold on. This show is going to be a fun and fast ride. Let's hear this conversation with Kelly Scullin. Are you a leader or change maker inside of your business organization or corporation? Are you looking for new innovative ways to drive morale through the roof? Are you looking for fun and exciting icebreakers team building exercises and activities that will foster team growth, friendships, loyalty, and completely transform your organization from the inside out?
Erin (03:17):
Have you been searching for a fun and unique way to create change instead of the same old, dry, boring leadership books and ice breakers that aren't actually working? Hi, I'm Erin Diehl, business improv, edutainer, failfluencer, and professional zoombie who is ready to help you improve it. My mission in life is to help you develop teams and leaders through play improv and experiential learning. In this podcast, we will deep dive into professional development, team building, effective communication, networking, presentation, skills, leadership training, how to think more quickly on your feet and everything in between. We have helped everyone from fortune 500 companies to small mom and pop shops transform their business, their leadership, and their people through play. So grab your chicken hat. We are about to have some fun, welcome to improve it! The podcast. Kelly Scullin, welcome to the improve it! Podcast.
Kelly (04:36):
Thanks for having me.
Erin (04:39):
You're like, what did I do up for, you know, you know first time caller longtime listener, see what I did there right. Am I right? Kind of, am I sort of right on that?
Kelly (04:52):
You're absolutely right. Long time listener, long time mega fan and first time, first time caller. So I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to talk all the things with you
Erin (05:04):
And you know that the, the mega fan is mutual. There's a mutual mega fan here okay. Kelly.
Kelly (05:11):
Aw I'm so grateful.
Erin (05:12):
Okay. Well let me do something. This is a little fun thing that we do in one of our workshops, but I wanted to do it today, cuz it's a fun activity to get to know Kelly. It's called five. Okay. Five facts.
Kelly (05:24):
I love it.
Erin (05:25):
You know, this week
Kelly (05:25):
We do this, we do this at my company. We do five questions fast. OK. And that's the way we get to know our new hires and and we do it just, you know, innocuous questions just to get to know them a little bit. So I am on board. It's like the start of the line for us.
Erin (05:44):
Yes I have. And I'm, I'm wondering if I know any of these facts, so I'm gonna do it's a little, it's a little, little jig and it goes like this five facts five, facts five facts five facts five facts, and then I'm gonna turn it to you. And you're gonna tell me number one. And then after you gimme number one, it just is a fun fact about Kelly that we could not know from your LinkedIn profile, from your amazing bio, from anything about Kelly that we could, if we could, what's some things we don't know about Kelly, right? Are you ready? Here we go. 5 facts, 5 facts, 5 facts, 5 facts, one!
Kelly (06:28):
One is that I used to play in band, like indie rock bands and I used to tour the US and make albums.
Erin (06:38):
I wanna come back to that. Two?
Kelly (06:40):
The second fact is that I love backpacking. It is one of my very favorite things to do. It does not show up on my resume, but I love backpacking has lots of intersection with improv. I'm excited to talk about that today, but I really wanted more challenge after I got into camping and all that. I've camped all my life, but I got really into it and I just needed like a little bit more challenge. I went backpacking. It was amazing. And I loved doing it every year.
Erin (07:12):
I love it. All right. Three,
Kelly (07:14):
Three. Let's see. I love to sew. Sewing is one of my, my hobbies. That's not something that shows up on my LinkedIn profile, but I love sewing. It's a really meditative practice for me. And my favorite thing to do in my free time.
Erin (07:33):
What, and did not know this. Four?
Kelly (07:35):
Oh, oh, we're getting down there, huh? Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh my gosh. I swear. I'm more interesting than
Erin (07:43):
What's your, what's your favorite color? What's your favorite color?
Kelly (07:45):
My favorite color is green.
Erin (07:47):
Okay. Okay. And five, tell us something we wouldn't know about your weekend. What'd you do this weekend?
Kelly (07:56):
I got to do a little bit of cooking this weekend. I made some soup and I made some stuff for freezer meals just for quick quick meals for the week and yeah, just got a lot of stuff prepped and cooked this weekend and got myself set up for success.
Erin (08:14):
See yeah. For success. That meal prep and also, okay. Oh yeah. Wait, can I really Google this indie rock band? Is this a thing that I could really do?
Kelly (08:23):
You could,
Erin (08:24):
What, what, yeah, we need a link in the show notes.
Kelly (08:28):
We do not.
Erin (08:29):
OK.
Kelly (08:30):
I'll say so. It's one of the places in my life that I learned so much about myself and I'm, so it feels like a lifetime ago, but I learned so much about myself and really got to know what makes me tick. And one of the things that I learned is that I really love to try on ideas and I love the process of writing and recording music. Performing was you know, a little bit challenging for me. I'm an introvert by nature. I have morphed into more of an ambivert and later in life, but I I really enjoyed the idea of, you know, trying out ideas and shaping them. And that translates into like my business life today. I really love trying out ideas. I love shaping them and kinda figuring them out and figuring out how to systematize them at work. And so it shows up in my life today, the things that I learned then, and I'm really grateful for that time in my life and everything I learned about it about myself. And yeah, it's been a lot of fun.
Erin (09:35):
Can I tell you, this is why I love having people that I know really well on this show because I had no idea about this Kelly, how would this have come up? And we've known each other, this is what I want you to do. Can you tell the improve it! Family how we met because it's eight years, nine years maybe. Oh yeah. Give them, give them the low down. Give them the skinny.
Kelly (09:58):
Yeah, it was eight or nine years ago that you were working for a talent staffing firm. And I met you and, and Jen who was just on your show. And and so you came into my office with a cupcake and I have to say the cupcake was lovely, but it was really just getting to connect with you and really to understand like what alignment we have and trying to, you know, make things work and get the best out every scenario. So it was really a, I feel like a really important connection that we made then. And then I remember when you were pitching to red eye and getting all kinds of support from, from all of your fans with red eye. And I think that was the, the paper, right?
Erin (10:58):
Yeah. The red big idea awards. Yes. In Chicago.
Kelly (11:02):
The big idea. Yes, exactly. So and when you said guess what I starting my own business time thing and just, it was it was wonderful. Yeah.
Erin (11:18):
Kelly has been, you have been truly just one of the best, most supportive, lovely human beings I've ever met. Number one, but you have supported us through this and just have been such a guiding light and I'll always be so grateful for you for that because it's so vulnerable. And what, and, and just to give the audience too, just a quick rundown, the Chicago red eye is this paper that you would get commuting. So you would get it on the train or the bus. And it was this free publication. And you had this big award thing where you could pitch your next big idea. And this was right when improve it! Was starting. And I pitched it to this paper and we ended up winning in our category and the public had to come out and vote. But I had to tell all of my clients at the recruiting firm, I worked at what Jen D'Angelo, who was just on this show that I was starting my own thing. And Kelly, I'll never forget at it. You were just like, let's go, let's do this. You got this. And it was, yes. So cool. So thank you for being you.
Kelly (12:21):
Thank you for being you I've learned so much from you and from your business too. I think, you know one of the things that I really took away from that transit of, you know, working with you at lake shore and then moving over to improve it! Was that you know, your spirit is alive and well in whatever you do and that you are sharing it out with the world and really making lives better through the things that you are, you know, sharing. I, I just am so grateful for all the light you put out in the world. And you're amazing. So I'm really just super tickled to be here and to be you know, adding some energy to it.
Erin (13:06):
Okay. And Kelly, first of all, I almost like, again, I'm like, okay, I don't wanna cry on this show, but I might. Thanks so much. I have a linger. I have a ring light, right. A ring light on my eyeball right now. And I'm trying very hard to look into the light. Do not let it do not do not let a tear in the retina now, but it's so true. And I, I feel like, honestly, Kelly, you have just been a guiding. You need the people in your life to build you up. And if you're listening and you don't have those people find new people because they're out there and you have been a source of energy and light for me, I feel like it's, it's such a two-way street I'm so you can't keep going with things that are really vulnerable without people who really love and support you. And you've just been that for so long. And we knew each other, you know, at, at a different place in my life when I was in recruiting. And then as soon as I said, Hey, we're starting this company. You were like, yes, let's do this. And then you brought improve it! Into the fold at American marketing association, like really early like year one.
Kelly (14:15):
Oh yeah.
Erin (14:16):
When we started launching and I wanna do on this show because you and the team at AMA have really adopted a lot of the principles that we teach from improv. So I don't wanna them ours they're there are the improv philosophies, but you have adopted them in, put them into play at American marketing association. So let me ask you this. Why has improv been such a guiding light in building your company culture?
Kelly (14:46):
Sure. Yeah. It's a really important question. I think it's really the place that we started was, you know, deciding, and, and I really think that so much of this has to do with intention. We started defining what our core competencies would be and what we really wanted to achieve with our culture. And really it started with a concept that we are first, how we behave before we actually move into what we do. So how we behave is prerequisite to what we actually do and produce there's famous quotes from like Maya Angelou. You know, I'm totally gonna boggle it here, but it's the, the general concept is that people remember how you made them feel, not what you did, not what your accolades were. It's really about how they felt when they were around you. And we as team members, as managers, as leaders are all managers of energy. And when we make choices about how we're, that's, where we can really shift and channel that, that what have, what we call our B do goals that we behave first and we do second that how we behave is important, perhaps even more important than what we actually do. So when we made that choice, we also kinda looked into different tools that we can use, we all human and what we can trust is that we're going to, oh, at, at some point
Erin (16:41):
Fail. Yeah. Fail. Yeah.
Kelly (16:43):
Fail. Yeah. Failed it. So we can trust that we're and it's what we do. And when we fail, that's the stuff that really of helps us build up into our next move and, and build on that failure. So it's no different than like going to the gym, you tear muscle to build muscle. And and so these were some of the concepts that we explored first before making a, an to build yes. And into our culture. So that's when we called you and it was no small group that we asked you to handle. It was a huge group of about people. So, and you and your in and you handled it. Like, but we, it, yeah. Like butter,
Erin (17:36):
Like butter,
Kelly (17:38):
Like,
Erin (17:39):
Oh my God, you have so many soundbites already. I'm like, but also we we're the managers of energy. Like, that's it Kelly.
Kelly (17:49):
Yeah.
Erin (17:49):
That is it like that is all the leaders listening to this show, please write on your business card manager of energy. Like literally instead of your title, it's manager of energy. That is it because, oh my God, like, it's so apparent to me. And it's this thing that, you know, is so easy to say, but much harder to do your tone and the, the energy that you set in a meeting, your tone and the energy you set when you step foot into the hallway at American marketing association or wherever you work, or the tone or the energy that you you have on the receiving end of that zoom call is the tone that sets the tone because leaders are the people who people look to to guide them. Right? And it's like, if you have a different energy or tone, oh my God, that's, what's going to be emulated. And that's if, oh, I love this so much. That is a thousand percent it Kel, that's so it.
Kelly (18:47):
And truly, it's the thing that can make all the, a difference. And when you set your mind to that concept of like, I am a manager of energy, I'm not a manager of people. I'm not a manager of widgets. I'm not, you know, I am here to manage the energy and channel it forward in a really positive and productive place. That's, that's the stuff. And anytime you feel like you're stray from the mark or, or missing the mark, you use these concept as a framework to steer you back to the mark. We're only human. We're going to fail. And it's about setting that intention over and over again. I have fallen down on it of times, there are times where, you know, I'm in a low energy zone and I really have to self talk and get my mindset readjusted back to that intention. So managers of energy, it's a, it's a thing. And it doesn't matter whether you're an individual contributor or a manager of others or an executive, or whether a parent, oh my gosh, don't get me started managing energy as a parent. So that is the, that's the thing. It's, that's the stuff
Erin (20:00):
That is it. Oh my gosh. Okay. So when we came in 2015, there was 65 people, one of the major concepts, cause I've spoil, we have spent the past, like four months in American marketing Association's offices. We have literally Kelly and the team graciously donated their space to us for these videos that we've been creating. So I was looking around and I was saying, I, yes, and everywhere. So you've taken that these little cute cards I say cute, but they're actually very hard stock, well written fun copy font cards that say yes. And, and yes. And was one of those concepts that we started off with with those 65 people to really ingrain that in the culture. What does yes and mean to you and American marketing association? What does that philosophy mean to you?
Kelly (20:55):
It's a really good question. I, I think it is really the difference in managing that energy. You don't have to agree to every idea. This is not a concept where like you're surrendering your agency and you're prohibited from having courage to take a principled stand. It is a place where you choose to validate team contribution with the yes. You reflect back to them that yes, you heard them. And yes, here's what they contributed. And when you pair it with the, and you are signaling your gratitude for their contribution,
Erin (21:48):
Oh, Kelly, hold up. I can't, I'm writing this down. Hold on, keep going, write it down. Everybody get a pen and paper, go, go.
Kelly (21:58):
Yeah. So you're signaling your gratitude for their contribution when you say, and instead of canceling it out with a, but, or stopping that energy with a no. Yes, and at least my eyes is a mindset that we have to cultivate with intention. Like I was just saying it's a culture we have to build intentionally. And the world is around us, has challenged us enough to put those nos and the butts into our vernacular and into our muscle memory. And here's where I will intentionally use a, but, but we can change that with our intention. I think it's one of the most beautiful things about being, you know, the, the power of our minds and our humanness is being able to harness that awareness into something more productive, more positive, something that really helps again, validate the, the contributions of our team members and still be able to build on that and, and maybe even lead them in a different direction by what you can and what you build on. So I know we have used a number like, like a and you know, that exercise and yes. And you can say, yes, I, that you have an epic, you know, holiday party for our team. That's awesome. I want Beyonce there too. She's
Erin (23:35):
Always there. She's always there.
Kelly (23:36):
She's always there. Yeah. I mean, fans blowing sequence, all the things special
Erin (23:42):
Fierce. Yes. Yes. Keep going, keep going, keep going.
Kelly (23:45):
And we also have a budget to work with, so I be sure that we, that epic vision that you have and that we on time and on budget. So let's start taking that epic vision and making it happen. So it's saying, yes, I hear you. Yes. This is what I want to and even if it's not what you want, you can say, yes, this is the, what I'm hearing, reflecting back, affirming that they made a contribution. And here's what I wanna enter into the mix. And we're gonna have to work with this variable, right. It's no different than anything else in life. Yes. I want to go on the epic vacation and I have a budget to work with, you know, so it's not about entering in bad energy. It's just about entering in a new variable. And when you cultivate that, what you should hear back is someone else mirroring that image back to you and say, yes, I know we have a budget and I want that too. So it's all about like channeling it forward together.
Erin (24:52):
I'm loving this talk of energy today. This makes me very happy and is entering the new variable into the equation,
Erin (25:07):
Improve it. Fam are you feeling stagnant at work? Are you frustrated by the lack of connection and the shortage of creativity when it comes to working in this hybrid world? If this sounds like you then join us for a live preview of our interactive improv based programs include a sample of our laugh break, a sneak peek into our pre-work launched earlier this year. And spoiler, ER, it's pretty fed and a brief breakdown of our effective communication workshop. Now we'll show you in one hour, the full improved experience. So you can communicate, inspire and motivate your team. Moving forward, join us on Tuesday, March 29th from 1230 to 1:30 PM. Eastern for our live showcase, the link to sign up is in the show notes, come try out the improved experience and see how our work can improve your team's hybrid world. I'm loving that you said yes. And is a way you choose,
Kelly (26:15):
Choose. Yeah,
Erin (26:17):
It's, it's a, A's a choice
Kelly (26:21):
And it's definitely something that takes practice. Yeah. And I think that's why I've been so grateful for our partnership is that we've gotten to do a lot of practice in you frees right on and they pause and they reflect back and then they pause again and then, then they go and so you see it actually in play, you see it happening before your eyes. And it's, it's a really, really lovely thing to see is when people are making that intentional choice to be affirming and to mirror back the energy that you're putting into it. So it, it really is this kinda like virtuous cycle, right? Yeah. Yeah.
Erin (27:20):
You give, I it's so true. It's like you put the energy that you receive back is a direct reciprocation of the energy that you put out. And here's my thought on that too. If the energy is not what you're putting out, but you're still giving that positive energy then absolutely. It's not about you. It's something to do with that person's day. It's something to do with the inner psyche of what's going on with that person. But if you are standing strong in the way that you are delivering and the way that you are communicating, then it's always, almost always going to be reciprocated back. Kelly. I love this so much and I, I love AMAs core values. I love the yes, and is woven into them. You go into the office, which is such a cool space, by the way, AMA has one of the coolest offices, very like mad men vibes, very modern.
Erin (28:11):
They just did this huge. And it's this beautiful office in the Aon building in Chicago overlooking the skyline. It's gorgeous, but they also have put direct intention into the space, how people were connecting with each other pre cause post, you know, pre COVID S one situation post COVID. I wanna get to in just a moment, because what I really loved when I was just in the office for a while was every meeting room has a sort of reminder in front of the room of how you conduct meetings with intention and integrity, kindness and compassion. So it's, again, it's a choice you've chosen to put those reminders in places, very intentional in the approach and the way that you want people to treat each other at work. Let me ask you this because yes, and is so strong at American marketing association. You are one of the leaders of that. How have you seen it transform AMAs culture in the past two years after all that we've gone through? Yeah. How have you seen yes, and at play?
Kelly (29:18):
Yeah. One thing is that yes, we absolutely put these physical reminders in our office just as, you know, just to help let the environment help remind us of who we be. So really our environment who we want to be, and remind our team members, who how we expect everyone to behave and, and manage energy. So when we move to virtual environment and we're actually virtual indefinitely so we, the majority of our team remotely going forward, we have team members who really love going back into the office. That's great. And that's their choice. We have to kinda operate though and, and figure out how to, how to do that embedding in a hybrid environment. So one of the things that we do is we talk about yes and and our culture. So we inculcate it as, as part of our onboarding. We talk about yes, And we as new hires, like I mentioned earlier, we do five questions fast.
Kelly (30:30):
And so we ask we we have a, a bucket of questions. I pulled questions randomly from the bucket, and and there questions we have been pulling for more than eight years. So it has been a really fun way to hear the same questions over and over and get wildly different answers from person to person. So we have them start with this kinda improvisational exercise. It's also something that we can do in meetings, the rules of engagement. We have workshops sometimes where we're really needing a yes and environment, so we can set our intention by saying, all right, so we're getting ready to start working on this thing. We've all prepared. We're all here to move this thing forward. So let's talk about, you know, how we want to operate today. First, like, let's start with a yes, and mindset really engage our core competencies too, which are curious, courageous, grateful, joyful customer-centric and stakeholder sensitive, and really kinda just setting the mindset at the beginning of a meeting is a, a nice way to remind everybody like this is what we want to achieve.
Kelly (31:44):
We're all here to achieve this. And what we want is to you know, it's not about me, it's not about my agenda. It's about what we're building together. And so I think that, that that's something that we can overtly express, at the top of a meeting or even stop things in progress and say, Hey, you know, I want to just stop here for a moment and and remind ourselves what we're here to do. So it's something that you don't have to call out in you know, combative way, it, it can be something that you energy to kinda turning in a, in a negative direction or a less than productive direction you can say, right. I wanna just stop here and, and take a pause and refocus ourselves on what we want to achieve. And that's where you can enter it in. So, you know, coming from a place of high kindness and high firmness there's lots of intersection with radical candor and other kinds of concepts that I know you are wildly familiar with and and help into the world. Those are tools that can use in combination with yes, and to elicit better outcomes.
Erin (33:05):
I love it Kel and you brought in radical candid, you know, where Kim Scott fans here on this show? Oh
Kelly (33:13):
Yeah, we are coming
Erin (33:14):
Back, coming back with just work. Yes. With free air Brian.
Kelly (33:19):
Well, tell her the American marketing association says, hello, we never to, we, she was a, she has a keynote for us and she was just amazing. And we immediately turned around and, and started implementing radical candor in our environment too.
Erin (33:36):
It's truly that combined with yes, and are just wild, wild forces of nature that can transform cultures that can transform people. It can transform teams. So let me ask you this for the leader listening today, who is, who's never done in improv, who's never used yes And in any way, shape or form, what is one thing they could do day tomorrow to use the benefit of yes And with their team without having to do a course or class, is there something that comes to mind?
Kelly (34:09):
Yeah, so, you know, I really think that the, the idea of staying. So when we think about improv, we're thinking about a number of different tenants. One is staying present letting go of your agenda. Another is finding where you agree or where you can affirm a contribution using the, and to build on what you receive and, and to continue to lead. And then lastly is, you know, focusing on it's not about you, it's about what you're, it's about making your partners look brilliant. And so when we think about those concepts, that is managing energy. So when I think about what can I do today without having any training, it, it is really about using some of the, the concept of yes, which is just validating validating the person in front of you and what their contribution was. So it is about really just affirming what you heard.
Kelly (35:17):
That is the easiest thing to do. That's the yes is mirroring back to them. This is what I heard. Am I right in, you know, in my interpretation of what, and then the, and is putting, putting the, the period at the end of your sentence is that signal of gratitude. This is what I heard, and here's what I want to contribute. It is a simple formula, and it just is taking that moment to set that intention before you go into those, those kinds of conversations where, you know, it can be a, a really powerful tool and changing the energy and shifting it in a positive place. It is really difficult sometimes to kind of look at ourselves from the outside in. I do think that that is a really worthwhile exercise is really just to reflect back on any conversation that you've had, where like you've left the room and maybe you don't feel like you're excited about the next conversation.
Kelly (36:24):
Take stock of that. Don't judge the feeling, sit with the feeling, observe the feeling, and really tap that curiosity and say, okay, what can I do to change that energy in our next conversation? How can I be really kind and still firm in where we need to go. That is a place of, of, you know, validating another person in front of you recognizing that this is a two way conversation, not a one way conversation and operating from that place of high kindness, high firmness, and validating what's in front of you. That is the stuff that moves things forward. Seeing each other is a really important piece. And the more you model that the more you proliferate it in your organization and your relationships and and your work as well. So,
Erin (37:26):
Yeah,
Kelly (37:27):
I, so I know I kinda meander there a little bit, but those are the things that I think are easily actionable without taking a course without, you know, doing a deep dive study into something you can just reflect to yourself and to others, what you're hearing, what you're feeling, what you're seeing and make the choice to be grateful for what you're receiving and build on it and move forward.
Erin (37:55):
I love it so much. I feel like this was like a little therapeutic right now know, like I was like, thank you so much. I feel like I was like, I needed this session today. I'll send you, you'll send me the bill. Thank you so much. That felt great. I hope you take insurance.
Kelly (38:12):
Well, it's, it's truly something that is pervasive. Not just through professional lives, but my, my personal life, I, my, I even see, and my son he's 10 and, you know, there are times where he'll go. Yes. And yes, we've, we've built this at home just as much as we've built it at work. So it is it is something that can really change, change the way people operate in their relationships and it doesn't just have to be at work. It can be anywhere you, and you see it everywhere in other frameworks too. So yes. And is a, a particularly useful tool, but you see it in all other places. You know, you see it in mindfulness, the awake nature being present. Yes. You know, engaging with your community, recognizing that it's not a one way street, that you're building something together, you know, and then the idea of community is, you know, that this is something that can be a cultural and, and a cultural force in your organization, in your relationships, in your home. It's just, it's, it is something that has really profoundly changed my life. And again, I'm an introvert. So like you don't have to be an extroverted onstage actor who is an then an improv group. You don't have to do that to recognize and, and put into play the power of this tool. You can be an introvert. It's just about setting that intention and managing that energy and, and moving things forward
Erin (39:52):
And choosing, I love the word choice.
Kelly (39:54):
Yeah. It's a choice.
Erin (39:56):
It's a choice. It's a choice. And we make choices every day. And if we, yes, choose to feel good, not only are we gonna choose the energy that we're putting into our bodies, it's like, you know, giving ourselves feel, it's also gonna change the output that we give to others, which is a direct mirror back. I love this conversation and you, you, yeah. Kelly know too, you don't even know, even know, ask you where if somebody wanted to connect with you from the, how could they find you? What could,
Kelly (40:31):
Yeah. Just, just find me on Kelly. And you can find me on LinkedIn connect with me there. Those are the, that's probably my main place for connection. And I'm, you know, really excited to, to meet more of the improvement fan through all of this. It's it's been such a joy and a gift to work with you. And and really, and truly, I feel are resilient and more intentional in my work because of the things I've and improv. But guess what? Like, I, I feel like it is something that I've only gotten better at. I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it is really such a joy. And and I'm excited to meet more fans more more, more of the improved fam through LinkedIn and and connecting here.
Erin (41:43):
Okay, well, Kel, we're gonna drop your little LinkedIn in the show notes. So if you wanna connect with Kelly here more, you can do that, but I have to tell you Kel. So it took a while. I do don't know why it took so long, but now we're here. We got you here, and I'm so glad that you are here. I'm so glad a cupcake connected us so many years ago. And I'm gonna tell
Kelly (42:04):
You for those cupcakes. Oh my
Erin (42:06):
God. They're so good. So good. But life is sweeter with you in it's I'm you like that?
Kelly (42:14):
I
Erin (42:14):
Love it. Oh, okay. We love you ke. Thanks for being here.
Kelly (42:18):
Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. Thanks for all the light you put out there. I'm I'm really, truly very, very grateful. And I'm just so, so delighted to have you in my and work and the, of others. So keep up the, a good stuff.
Erin (42:35):
Thank you. And again, now here's the literally gonna end with a tear in the retina. Thank you
Erin (42:55):
Improve it! Fam, I'm so glad you got to talk to the one and only Kelly. One of literally my favorite human beings. Again, I say that a lot, but there's just so many good people out there. And Kelly is doing, doing the work, putting light and love and levity and positivity into the world. So as you heard, we talked about this notion of yes, and is a way to choose, to acknowledge your team member's contribution. That was so impactful. It's a choice and is entering the new variable into the conversation. And Kelly gave us some really awesome tips on how to use yes, and in your organization today, which if you've never taken an improv class or a class with improve it, she gave you some really great tangibles. And I wanna yes and her. Yes and so here's what I want you to do.
Erin (43:48):
You know, I like to give you this tangible to take away. Improv is all about making your scene partner look good. So I want you to start tracking the times that you use. Yes and in your Day to day. I want you to take a little post out on your desk, have it next to your keyboard. And every time you feel yourself validating the person that you're talking to, whether it's on zoom, if you're in the office, if somebody comes to your desk, I want you to give yourself a check mark or a little tally. And I want you to reflect on the number of T tallies that you have on your yes and tally marker at the end of the day, because what you have done is you have made the choice to choose, to validate the person you're speaking with. You've made the choice to make that person feel seen and feel heard.
Erin (44:47):
You've made the choice to shift the energy from now to positive. And more importantly, you've made the choice to feel good yourself. We always talk about this concept. You can't lead anybody else. If your tea kettle is not full. Yes. And is putting water into that kettle, it's filling your kettle so that you can then fill others. TEAC cups. It is such a amazing, beautiful philosophy and concept. I did not make it up. I just teach it, live it, breathe it. And I want you to try to implement it into your day, try this for one day, see how it feels, see how the conversations shape, see how your mindset and your perspective shifts. And let me know how it goes. As always, I am rooting for you. Keep improving, keep failing as Kelly talked about, but more importantly, keep sharing your, it. It is you your, it, that brings more laughter, levity and positivity to this world.
Erin (45:59):
And I'm so grateful that we had you here for a brief moment of time so we could share some it with you and you can then take that it and share it with somebody else. Thanks so much. We'll see you next week. Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to improve it. I am so happy. You were along for the ride. If you enjoyed this show, head on over to iTunes to leave us a five star review and subscribe to this show. So you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Now, if you're really feeling today's show and you've improved it even just a little, please take a screenshot and tag me at keeping it real deal on Instagram and share it in your stories. I'll see you next week, but I wanna leave you with this thought, what did you improve today and how will that help your future successful self? Think about it. I am rooting for you and the world needs that special. It that only you can bring see you next time.