What do Ann Richards, Rodin, Hamdi Ulukaya, Wilbert L. Gore and Maria Grazia Chiuri have in common?Answer: they are all weirdos.(Oh, and John Ritter. He's a weirdo, too.) Or at least they are all different from the society around them.The key is that they were able to take that … [Read more...] about Cultivate the Weirdos
Get A New Story
You might not realize it, but you spend a lot of time broadcasting your story to the people in your life.Every time you share that you are "not good at" something like public speaking, taking risks or being courageous, you reinforce a narrative about yourself and how you want people to receive … [Read more...] about Get A New Story
“Expectation Is The Root Of All Heartache” – Shakespeare
What do you do when you have to speak in front of a large group of people or when you are expected to present information at a high-stakes meeting?There are three basic steps that everyone has to do in order to prepare themselves to be at their best when presenting in front of a group:Know what … [Read more...] about “Expectation Is The Root Of All Heartache” – Shakespeare
Worrying – Would It Help?
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVZRVi-KNog[/youtube]This is a clip from this summer's Spielberg movie, "Bridge of Spies." If you haven't seen the movie, the clip takes place during the trial of a Russian spy Rudolf Abel (played by Mark Rylance) and captures his conversation with his … [Read more...] about Worrying – Would It Help?
Give ‘Em Space (To Earn Trust)
Have you ever been in a situation where you are trying to communicate something important to another person, only to find that the more you talk the less they understand?If your answer is "no" then I'm going to assume that you have never tried to teach a teenager how to drive a car.No matter how … [Read more...] about Give ‘Em Space (To Earn Trust)
Authenticity Takes Hard Work
While there is so much talk in business and culture about authenticity (like here, here and here), there is very little talk about what it takes to get it.It's a little like the advice you'd get as a kid before going to a big interview or asking someone out on a date: "Just be yourself."Yes! So … [Read more...] about Authenticity Takes Hard Work
Your Leaky Face
Many of you might be unaware that your face is telling a story.Our faces have many muscles and nerves (I'm going to say a gazillion because I am very scientific about these things), and they all work to convey subtle emotions and communicate feelings. Other people are reacting to these emotions … [Read more...] about Your Leaky Face
Nobody Really Understands You
Perhaps you worry about whether people can hear your thoughts or know how you are feeling inside (especially when you are nervous), and that you are an open book to the world. The truth, however, is that people rarely see beyond their own thoughts and feelings. In truth our perception of how people … [Read more...] about Nobody Really Understands You
Trust Yourself (In Order To Change)
What does it take to change successfully?Anyone can change the outer form of an organization. We can change the buildings, the organizational structures and our titles, but how do we make that change meaningful?How do we effectively guide an organization, a team, a family and ourselves through … [Read more...] about Trust Yourself (In Order To Change)
Be Awesome Today (3 lessons in better presence)
Before we get started, let's quickly establish that there is no point in trying to be awesome. Especially since you already are. The act of trying implies that you need to prove something, and that will interfere with your general awesomeness.When we are preparing for a big interview or an … [Read more...] about Be Awesome Today (3 lessons in better presence)
Risking Embarrassment
I always hated to feel embarrassed.There is something existentially threatening about everyone seeing me with my (proverbial) pants down.And over the course of my life I have made choices that helped to avoid that level of embarrassment and always to my detriment. I didn't raise my hand to … [Read more...] about Risking Embarrassment