When I run our storytelling for leaders program I like to point out that effective leaders are good storytellers. I say “good” because a leader merely has to share a story or two to set them apart from the rest because most leaders communicate entirely with opinion and lofty abstractions–yawn. A leaders’ message really sticks […]

With so much talk about business storytelling you’d think business people were telling more stories. Sadly we see lots of people talking about stories but very few telling them. And quite frankly, you just don’t get the benefits of storytelling unless you are telling a story. Part of the problem is that business people lack […]

Early this year we appointed two business partners in Mexico, one in Mexico City (Jesus Trejo) and the other in Monterrey (Astrolab). Of course this meant translating our Storytelling for Leaders materials into Spanish. We engaged a professional translator in Mexico City who did a wonderful job understanding the nuances of our work and making the […]

Luke Skywalker tills land at a farm on Tattoine but dreams of joining the Imperial Academy as a pilot. Then he meets his future mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, his aunt and uncle are killed by stormtroopers, and he finds himself on a journey to become a Jedi knight and foil the Empire’s new superweapon … The […]

Last year I wrote a post called 9 Video Clips of Business Leaders Sharing Business Stories and it was brought to my attention that 8 of the 9 examples were men. Can we have more examples of business women showing their business storytelling skills? So we hit Youtube and have these examples for you. Please let us know […]

Last week we had a fun online event with our business partners. Using Soundcloud a bunch of us recorded a story or two and shared it with the group. Then we gave each other feedback on our stories. We used the hashtag #storytelling4leaders in case you’re interested in listening to some of the tales. Here’s one […]

Occasionally, a business story resonates deeply with me and renews my belief that we’re here to help others as we journey through this world. This is one of those stories. In April 2014, I attended the first 3D Printing Conference + Expo that was held at the Javits Center in New York City. The conference […]

Ever heard the saying ‘can’t see the wood for the trees’? In my role as a coach, this is often the situation I find confronts most of my clients. Only last week I met with Mary (not her real name) for our first session together. As I sat down in her office, before I could even […]

Every organisation, big or small, needs a foundation story that illustrates what’s important to them, what they stand for. But it’s important to remember that foundation stories are not time lines. They are pivotal moments that shape culture. I was reminded of this on a recent trip to the capital of Mexico, where I came […]

A few months ago, in my car on the way to see a client, I heard an interview on the radio. There was this lady who had been nominated for the title ‘Cleaning Lady of the Year’. The woman told the journalist about her work in a way that completely surprised me. She was so […]