I was sitting in an Uber a few weeks ago when the driver raised the topic of communication. ‘Young people just don’t know how to keep a conversation going,’ he said. ‘They’re losing the art.’ I wondered aloud if it’s because they’re distracted, on their...
Last week, I delivered a presentation to 100 senior leaders. I always start with a connection story to build rapport with the audience and to reveal something about myself. But finding the right connection story takes time. I’ll usually come up with two or three...
'Storytelling is fundamentally how we construct identity and a sense of purpose,' says Mark Strom, author of Lead with Wisdom. 'Tell a story and people will grasp what you are saying.' We all know how a well-placed and well-timed anecdote can tell us so much more...
Ryan McCarthy CA is a winner in management, as well as in the boxing ring. Acuity asked him for his formula for creating good workplace culture and bringing out the best in people. BEFORE STEPPING into the ring for his first boxing fight, Ryan McCarthy CA...
Happy New Year to you all! It’s hard to believe it’s already February. Despite everything that is going on in the world and I think you’d agree, things can feel pretty crazy right now, the stories we tell ourselves and others are more important than...
Welcome to the relaunch of Wordstruck! This is where you can find stories that can help you change how you engage at work. Stories that inspire, persuade and make a difference. It’s well known that employee engagement is down. I mean really down. A recent Gallup...
To be a leader who people remember and who triggers stories, is to be a leader who acts. Chris Beer, former CEO of Luxottica in the Asia Pacific Region, and now CEO at Performance Hub, was well aware of this. In 2012 he became...
The hottest phrase on people’s lips at the moment is unconscious bias. I’ve been speaking to CEOs in insurance, professional services, in start-ups and in government, and they are all saying that to improve gender diversity we need to address our unconscious biases. Google kicked...
A fortnight ago I met up with Tony Tow, General Manager of 40K Globe, an Australian organisation striving to train thousands of young Australians in social entrepreneurship. Tow, 27, knows how important it is to have a strong team around him. He not only manages...
Have you ever had that experience when you're talking to someone and their eyes glaze over? Or you're presenting to your team and you see people shuffle their papers, or worse still, glance down at their watch? It’s not a good feeling but it can...