Minisode 2: Feeling Defeated as a Leader? Change your Mindset with These Three Improv Tips
Failed it! Fam – Are you currently feeling defeated as a leader?
You’re in luck, because on today’s minisode we have our improve it! Lead Facilitator, Catharine Savag on to talk through tips and tricks on how to change your mindset through improv.
About the Guest: Originally from Massachusetts, Catharine Savage is a graduate from Brown University with a degree in History and Gender Studies. She has trained at iO and The Second City and is a performer with The Second City's National Touring Company. Off the stage, she has five years of corporate experience, having worked in sales enablement and management/technology consulting. She loves bringing levity to the office and finding ways we can be better people at our jobs. Catharine has conducted workshops with improve it! across the country leveraging improvisational techniques to improve employees’ soft skills in corporate settings, facilitating sessions for clients such as HUB International, Quicken Loans, Embarc Chicago, Vantage Leadership Consulting, Motorola Solutions, Elkay Manufacturing, PepsiCo, and many more.
About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed 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!
Minisode 2 Transcription
Erin (00:00):
Welcome to failed it!
We're doing this. Welcome to failed it!
Catharine (00:17):
Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here.
Erin (00:20):
This is minisode number two, and I want you to tell our failed it! Fam how you came to improve it! And how you started out as a lead facilitator at improve it!
Catharine (00:33):
Yes. this is one of my favorites improv intros I think. Because I met you Erin through improvise bachelor at under the gun theater, which is no longer, but we did this regular improvise bachelor show that I was an improviser on. And you hosted as Chris Harrison in a wig, which was amazing. So we met through that. And then I think shortly after that you were looking to hire more facilitators cause improve it! Was growing. And so I was part of that cohort. And then I was hilariously thrown into a traveling gig pretty shortly after because as is typical with this type of work is we're all sort of pulled in a million different directions and someone like last minute couldn't fill in. So I flew with Cristy to Phoenix and did a workshop.
Erin (01:36):
I remember! You had barely. We had just done like orientation a week before. And then I remember Patrick had jury duty, he got called into jury duty and they were like, Catharine, could you just like fly to Arizona tomorrow? We'll get you a flight, I forgot about that! Well, she has a cactus, Cristy has a cactus named, Catharine, I think. Right because.
Catharine (01:58):
Yeah because of that!
Erin (02:01):
Okay alright, full circle. Oh my God. That was the best story. I just relived some mems right there. So, okay. You have done so many improvement workshops now that was 2016. So you are tried and true improve it! Lead facilitator. Extraordinary. We were just chatting before we hit record about some of the virtuals you've led this week, which is great. But if you could describe an improve it! Workshop in three words, what would it be?
Catharine (02:29):
Fun, silly, and inspiring.
Erin (02:36):
Heyo. And that's kind of how I feel about this podcast, as well as the workshops. I feel like those are correct. I want you to tell to the failed it! Fam, because Catharine, you are so talented as an improviser. And that's how we met was an improvised parody of the bachelor, which was so fun. And I think wigs are just constantly thrown on my head at this point. That was the start of my wig collection, but I, Christina Harrison, I was Christina Harrison, Christina, Christina, play on Chris, but you are such a talented improviser and you are also such a brilliant facilitator. Why did you choose improv as your life's work?
Catharine (03:22):
Oh man. Well, first of all, thank you so much. That's very kind. I think I, I stumbled upon improv. I was not an actor or a theater kid or anything, but I took an acting class in college and we did a couple improv warmups as part of that class. And then I learned about Chicago and the improv scene. And the second I did it, I felt like it was going to be the tool to let me come out of my shell a little bit more and to communicate more readily. Before I found improv, I was pretty shy, pretty introverted and pretty scared to ever like share any artistic impulses I might've had or any creative ideas I had and improv, I think set me free. At the risk of sounding a little bit cheesy. I think it it's freed me up to be myself and it's been so fun to pursue that on stage. And I'm so excited to get on stage sometime soon post pandemic and the, to share that with other people through classes and through improvement workshops.
Erin (04:37):
Yeah. And you're, to watch Catharine perform is such a delight. She is. I got to say this you are one of the people who I watch. And I always say, when I think of you as a performer, you play to the top of your intelligence every time, you're so smart. You play to the top of that. You play real characters, you play, you know, close to spine characters, big characters, you're a joy to watch. And that's what makes you such a great facilitator because you bring all of that into a workshop and we are so lucky to have ya.
Catharine (05:11):
Thank you.
Erin (05:13):
Of course. Let me ask you this. So knowing that you've done so many of these improvement workshops, you've worked with so many different types of organizations and leaders. What, if you could just pinpoint to, what two trends are you seeing in leaders right now? Right now, which is middle of, we're kind of mild 20 of the marathon, of this pandemic. What, what trends are you seeing in leaders right now?
Catharine (05:45):
Yes, it makes me think of Heartbreak Hill in the Boston Marathon.
Erin (05:49):
Yes. Oh my God. Right. I've never done that, but bless everyone who has.
Catharine (05:54):
I've never done it either, but I know of it, but yeah, I think what I'm seeing in leaders today is at least when they talk to us prior to a workshop is fatigue. I think leaders are tired and I think struggling with a feeling of defeat or, or lack of inspiration. And so I think there's that fatigue. And then I think I've seen a sense of being overwhelmed of I've navigated this change. I've pivoted totally virtual, totally remote. And then there's a question of, are we going to go back in person or are we going to go hybrid? How are we, you know, continuing change while also returning to some things? I think it's a very overwhelming moment right now for leaders.
Erin (06:48):
It truly is. As you're saying this, my almost two year old, just ran by. I'm not sure if you heard, like what sounded like an elephant and I'm sitting here like, okay, it is overwhelming. It is, so I can relate to that. And I know many people who are part of the failed it! Family can really relate to that, that feeling of overwhelm, of not knowing we know what the future used to be, but we don't necessarily know what it looks like coming out of this pandemic for us as leaders, for our teams, for our organizations. And one thing that you and I both I know can agree on is that improv is such a great tool to help professionals be their best selves professionally. So let me ask you this Catharine Savage, what are three tips that you could give the failed it! Fam today from the improv stage that are helping those or that could help those leaders who feel defeated and overwhelmed, flip their mindset? What are three tips that you would say?
Catharine (07:55):
Alright, I would first say, and this is a thing I do on stage when I feel overwhelmed, is to stop, connect with another teammate, and listen to them. And so sometimes on stage, that means I just stop talking or stop trying to come up with the perfect idea, the perfect next choice. And I just look at a teammate and I listen to what they're saying. So I think taking that pause to really listen and not just, not just like, kind of hear what they're saying or get the gist of what they're saying, but like really listen to what they're saying. That always helps me ground myself in the present moment and realize that I'm, I'm not alone and I'm not solely responsible for steering the ship, so to speak.
Erin (08:45):
Oh, I love it.
Catharine (08:47):
So that's the first one. Second one is I think after you've done that support someone look for ways you can support your team in some way. And I think sometimes we want to immediately go to like the big answers of how can we provide big support. But I think just even looking for the small every day, things that you can do for others on your team, whether it's a peer or a direct report or a supervisor, but looking for ways to support others always gets me out of my head. If I'm focused less on, you know, what choices am I making and sort of judging that I can look to someone else and just show up for them.
Erin (09:33):
Mm love.
Catharine (09:35):
And the third I would say is do something silly. This was kind of my favorite, but.
Erin (09:43):
I kinda like it too.
Catharine (09:45):
That's like my favorite my favorite moment in improv is when you're like, you're trying so hard to I mean, you said like very kindly about me, that I played at the top of my intelligence and, and that is very nice to hear. And I think sometimes that causes me to really try and reach for the top of my intelligence. And once in a while, it's nice to just sort of let that go and say to myself, like I've already got it. I've got everything I need. I don't need to be striving to be something I'm not. So I can sit in this current moment and I can just do something silly and take the pressure off myself to be perfect or awesome, or like brilliant and just do something wacky or goofy. And it sort of lowers the stakes and reminds myself that you have to blow off steam and you have to have fun.
Erin (10:38):
Yes.
Catharine (10:40):
It's just not worth it otherwise.
Erin (10:41):
No, Catharine. Okay. Can I recap these for our fam real quick? So number one, failed it! Fam stop, connect, listen, it's almost like the vanilla is stop, collaborate, stop, connect, and listen. Okay. Number two, support someone. And there's so many ways to do that. A little support goes a long way. And then what Catharine said, number three, which you know, I'm sitting here and going, yes, do something silly. And I know a lot of failed it! Family struggles with being a perfectionist, perfectionism. I, myself am a recovering perfectionist turned failfluencer. And it is really hard sometimes because we have this, like you said, Catharine, on stage, you have this certain threshold that you're, you know, you can go to, but when we allow ourselves those moments of just really being, I think that's really what being silly is, is really embracing our inner child, the overwhelm and the fatigue somehow fades away. And that's why improv is such a beautiful teaching tool is because it allows us to embrace that inner child to play learn, have fun. Oh these tips are gold girl. Okay. Let me ask you this for our family. This will be the failed it! Podcast, unless I ask you this question, Catharine, what did you fail at today?
Catharine (12:06):
Today? This feels so silly to me, but I went to the grocery store earlier and I asked my boyfriend if he wanted me to pick anything up for him, because he just adopted a puppy and she actually just got spayed yesterday. So she's in recovery and everything. So I was like, let me get you something. And he was like, you know what? I'm really craving the Mariano's pre-packaged chicken salad. And I was like, sure, you got it. And I went to the grocery store and I could not find this chicken salad. Now I looked high and low. I was searching all around and I was working myself into this like stress ball. Like I can't find it. And he just, he needs me to do this for him and I need to help and I've gotta be supportive. And I don't know, grocery stores in a pandemic also, I haven't let go of the stress of early pandemic grocery shopping. And eventually I just texted him and asked him where it is. And sure enough. It was, he knew where it was and I was able to find it. And I was like, wow, I really put off asking for any help when I could've just asked for help and save myself that, that moment of stress.
Erin (13:19):
Listen, fail. Yeah. Says, and now you have three tips to help you out of those moments. You know what I mean? Three of your own tips. I Catharine, adore that your puppy is cute. Keep that on the ground. We're going to link up to Catharine's IG in the show notes here, but Catharine Savage, you are a light. We are thrilled to have you on the failed it! Podcast. Thank you for these quick tips and failed it! Fam fail yeah. Fail. Yeah.
Catharine (13:53):
Thank you so much for having me.
Erin (13:54):
Oh my God. Pleasure is mine.
Erin (13:57):
Hey friends, thanks for tuning into failed it. I am so happy you were along for the ride. If you enjoyed this show, please head on over to iTunes, leave us a five star review and subscribe to the show. So you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Now, if you're really feeling today's show, please take a screenshot and tag me on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl and share it to your stories. So we can bring more people to the failed it! Family. I'll see you next week, but I want to leave you with this thought, what will you fail at today and how will that help your future successful self? Think about it. I'm so proud of you and you are totally failing it. See you next time.