348: AI Anxiety at Work? Let’s Figure It Out Together

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin tackles AI anxiety and how to address it on your own and with your team at work. If you've ever wondered whether AI is coming for your job, felt overwhelmed by new technology, or weren't sure where to begin, this episode offers a practical, human-centered approach to navigating AI with confidence. Erin shares a simple framework to help leaders and teams embrace AI without losing the creativity, connection, and humanity that make work meaningful.

Inside This Episode:

• Why AI Feels So Scary Right Now: Erin breaks down the most common fears surrounding AI, from job displacement to information overload, and explains why uncertainty (rather than technology itself) is often what makes change feel uncomfortable.

• Leadership's Role in the AI Era: Every major workplace shift requires leaders who can guide people through ambiguity. Learn why curiosity, transparency, and empathy are essential leadership skills in the age of AI.

• The Four-Step "AI Scene" Framework: Inspired by improv, this practical approach helps leaders and teams navigate AI adoption with less fear and more confidence:

  • Accept the Scene: Acknowledge that AI is here and part of the workplace conversation.
  • Improvise Your Entry Point: Start small by choosing one task where AI can support your work.
  • Build the Scene with Your Team: Create shared learning experiences and normalize experimentation.
  • Take Your Encore: Integrate AI intentionally in ways that enhance human creativity and impact.

• How to Create an AI Playground at Work: Discover how low-stakes experimentation can reduce fear and build confidence. Erin shares ideas for creating safe spaces where teams can learn, test, and explore together.

• Small Experiments Create Big Confidence: Forget mastering AI overnight. Learn how simple 15-minute AI labs can help you build skills, uncover opportunities, and reduce overwhelm one step at a time.

What to Do Now:

1. Start With One Task: Identify a single repetitive task you do each week and explore how AI could support or streamline it.
2. Create a 15-Minute AI Lab: Set aside fifteen minutes this week to experiment with an AI tool. Just for curiosity and play!
3. Build an AI Playground: Invite your team to share wins, lessons learned, and questions about AI in a judgment-free environment focused on learning rather than perfection.

Your Freebie

How do you lead through failure and uncertainty?

Today’s workplace demands adaptability, creative problem-solving, and leaders who can navigate uncertainty without freezing in perfectionism.

This quick quiz will reveal your unique approach to failure and uncertainty, plus give you simple ways to strengthen your adaptability muscles and help your team thrive when things don’t go according to plan.

Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!

• Leadership Playground online membership community
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• Erin’s LinkedIn
• improve it!’s website
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For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.