I recently worked with a client who had a tough sell. He needed to persuade his leadership team and board to spend a lot more money on a project they’d already sunk a lot of money into. He faced scepticism and hard questions. He had...
For the past year I’ve been learning applied improvisation to help me by more spontaneous and playful in my storytelling – and help my clients be more authentic and impactful in their presentations and delivery. This month, in London, I had a coach-the-coach session where my 'applied...
We know the drill. A meeting starts with the presenter taking charge and facilitating bullet-point discussions from powerpoint slides. Or worse, reading directly from the slides that are crammed with too much text and numbers. Inwardly, there’s a collective groan. A slow death-by-powerpoint. Amazon takes a different approach. In...
Effective leaders know the importance of a strong and cohesive team. There’s no one-size-fits-all for leaders but a good starting place is to know yourself first - what excites and what motivates you. Reflection helps here. Colleagues you can trust. A good mentor. The ability...
There’s nothing worse than having a conversation with someone, especially on a topic that’s important, and you see the other person’s eyes glaze over. Or stare into the mid-distance. Story listening is essential to being a good communicator. Here’s how to do it well. 1. Remember...
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...