storytelling

I have been keeping a running list of lessons and reminders my wife and I regularly share with our children. And over the last several weeks, here are some of the ones that I wrote down: Always show gratitude when someone does something nice for you. You will never go wrong saying “thank you.” If […]

Earlier this summer, I wrote a short post about giving up my mobile devices for part of my vacation. So many of us struggle with the balance between being connected with the world vs being connected with the people right in front of us. And our mobile devices have become toxic roadblocks to attention span, […]

We had a fascinating conversation with a workshop participant last week. He shared a real story, about a presentation he gave soon after he joined his current company. He worked hard at it, he prepared, and he was nervous, but ready. He made the presentation, it seemed to go OK, and then afterwards he asked […]

I spent the last week on vacation with my family. Which means that for a few days prior to the beginning of vacation, my wife and I had our annual negotiation about mobile devices and the boundaries during vacation. In general, she and I agree on the basic premise… it is healthy to turn off […]

During a client workshop recently, the participants and I were talking about how different the world is now, compared to even twenty or thirty years ago. We were telling stories about life prior to email or the internet or 1000-channel-cable menus. I shared the fact that my kids have hardly ever seen a commercial because the television […]

We recently published a couple blog posts about the “inner voice” that often creeps inside us, and attempts to shake our confidence before a big meeting, speech, or presentation. We included some strategies about how to quiet that voice, and help alleviate some of the self-doubt and negativity that comes when that voice gets loud. […]

We recently wrote about that voice of insecurity that comes into our heads when we are experiencing self doubt. We all know that voice. Some of us hear it more often than others, but we have all heard it… the voice that says you aren’t good enough, you aren’t ready, you are going to under-perform. […]

Note: We recently added to this post an audio version, as the latest installment of our Soundwaves podcast. Listen via the audio player at the bottom of this post, and be sure to check out the entire library of Soundwaves episodes available on iTunes, or via your favorite podcast player. There is this voice inside […]

I was listening to a speaker recently, while sitting in the back of a ballroom at a company conference. I was scheduled to speak later in the day, so I came early to “breathe the air” and hear themes being discussed at the conference. As I was listening to the kickoff speaker, a senior member of the […]

I’ve been writing this blog for many years now. And as I look back over the hundreds of posts, the ones I have enjoyed writing the most are the really personal ones, where I tell a story about a family member or a friend, that helps me illustrate a relevant point for you. This past […]