Oh no, not again: it’s the souvenir-vendors. I’m here on business, but they’ll mob around anyone here who even looks like a tourist. And every time it’s the same: “You want to buy? Low price, low price” – as if price itself is the only reason anyone would want the item. No attempt at a […]

Last week I returned to Australia from the US after a three-week business tour. (It was a remarkable time to be there, though my sense is that while emotions are understandably running high over the election result, there is also a feeling that the US system is resilient.) I started the trip in Seattle, working […]

My involvement with storytelling in business started back in 1998, when I joined the UK Audit Commission as a researcher. At that time, the Audit Commission was the public sector watchdog in the UK. It was well known for its hard-hitting and evidence-based research reports, which exposed poor performance, fraud and waste in the public […]

Billy Crystal steps forward on stage, smiles and in that familiar way a relative walks into your house and asks for a cup for tea, Billy says how much he loves Melbourne and launches into his first story (this is how I remember it). “You guys are so good with your cell phones. So respectful. […]

Just four years ago, Peter took up the role of CEO of a company which for years had supplied maintenance services to the mining industry, called Mitchells Maintenance. The business came with over a thousand staff and a good reputation with its customers. The previous year, one of its contracts had gone awry. The board […]

I recently attended my local IABC chapter’s 2016 kick-off event, talk55. Twelve speakers had five minutes each to share an idea using only five slides. I shared five tips for business storytelling. Here are my slides. At the networking drinks after the talks I met Tim Reid, a towering figure with a chiselled jaw who […]

Emil Zátopek was a giant of long distance running. His record still stands as the only person to win gold in the 5000 metre, the 10000 metre and the marathon at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics. Apparently running the marathon was a last minute decision. In 1968 Australian runner, Ron Clarke, visited Emil in his […]

Shawn’s post last week got us sharing some of the great examples of small acts of leadership that demonstrate humanity and which make a difference. We will share some of these in the coming weeks. This is an example I heard last week while running a business storytelling session in Queensland. Back in the 1990s, […]

“The biggest improvements come from small things done consistently over time in strategic places.” — David Allen A company was all travelling together to their yearly retreat in Queensland. The company had grown over the years and was now quite a large number so the management team decided that everyone will travel economy class. They were all booked on […]

In July my family went to Germany for a holiday – a camping trip to Potsdam, near Berlin. My wife Anouk and I had decided beforehand that we wanted to teach our children, Anemoon (aged 7) and Jasmijn (aged 4), something about how to handle money. So we gave the kids 10 euros each, to […]