A new type of speaker is emerging: part personal adviser, part comedian. I have two examples in mind. One is a researcher who spent 20 years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. The other is a comedian who gained his stand-up chops in the comedy clubs of New York. The researcher starts with human insights […]

Sheenagh and I watched the Star Wars-based TV show The Mandalorian recently. When we watched the first episode and got our first glimpse of Baby Yoda, there was an audible ‘aawwww’ from both of us. Baby Yoda is so damn cute. Since then, Baby Yoda has become an internet phenomenon, and the little fella is popping […]

It’s too easy to let unconscious bias impact our decisions. Here are three stories you can share to encourage others and remind yourself to keep an open mind.  In this week’s episode of Anecdotally Speaking, we’re mixing things up! Instead of sharing one story, we’re sharing three, each one illustrating the importance of keeping an […]

Luke Brown shares the story of how his mantra went from ‘plan the work, work the plan’ to ‘plan the work and work with the people’ and illustrates the importance of building strong relationships at work. In this episode of Anecdotally Speaking, we welcome another guest! Luke Brown has been a friend of Mark’s for […]

Some 100 years ago, Oxford’s New College faced a crisis. This crisis had been foreseen by the college’s founders, who implemented a plan to be fulfilled 500 years in the future. In this episode, it’s Shawn’s turn to share a historical story. He recounts a crisis faced by Oxford’s New College about 100 years ago.  […]

Disregarding ideas that don’t adhere to our standard way of thinking can inhibit progress. This story illustrates the importance of having an open mind.  Here at Anecdote, we’re gearing up to turn 15 years old! We’ve been taking a trip down memory lane as we prepare for our big day. Keep an eye on our […]

Bringing your data to life is crucial in making others understand why it’s important. In this example, we hear how John Snow had to be creative and clear with his data to prove his theory right. If you work with data, this story is particularly useful for you. While we disagree on some things in […]

What do you do when you have high turnover? Henry Ford’s solution made his shareholders angry. In this example, we see how Henry Ford ignored what everyone around him thought and went ahead with a decision that would more than double his profit. We discuss how this is a great example of how a company […]

When people don’t understand what we’re trying to convey to them we get frustrated. Sometimes we wonder why they aren’t getting something so simple. This is called the curse of knowledge. This week’s story is my favourite type – a scientific experiment story. It’s about Elizabeth Newton, a Stanford University graduate who conducts an experiment to […]

An important part of leadership is taking care of your team. This story is a beautiful example of how taking care of others and helping them through tough times is beneficial for everyone. The focus of this story is U2 at their 1986 Tempe concert, and how a death threat almost led to them cancelling their […]