How and When to Use the “David and Goliath” Story Template

David and Goliath

Whether you’re Jewish, Christian or neither, you’ve probably heard the Biblical story of the shepherd boy destined to become a king. David was the shepherd boy who courageously accepted the fight-to-the-death challenge from the Philistine warrior Goliath, a man twice his size. It’s a classic tale of the underdog facing the champion. If you’ve heard […]

The Road Not Taken…

fork in the road

He couldn’t wait any longer. It was time. It was time to make a decision and it had to be now. Putting it off would only add to his anxiety and restless sleep. Any decision is better than this torture living amongst the raging swells in a sea of indecision. It had to be now! […]

The only reason I’ve given up on my New Year’s Resolution already…

Runner

It might be hard to believe that I’m already giving up on a New Year’s resolution, but then again… maybe you’re right there with me. Seriously, it’s not even February and my life-changing commitment has already fallen by the wayside. But why? I’ve found the reason and if you’ve ever given up on a commitment, […]

A Simple Template to Create a Persuasive Message…

team meeting

It was the start of the day and I had just asked my Storytelling class what they wanted to learn today. The Sr. Manager spoke up, “I want to learn how to get people to do something.” As a coach myself, I couldn’t help but respond with… “Can you tell me what you mean by […]

Are You Hiding the Real You?

How to defend your authentic self

Dont listen to enemy

His question was not atypical. “What can I do to look more confident to my audience?” I get this one a lot in my workshops. I paused for a moment and said, “You’ve got to be more confident.” Of course, I had to say that with a smile and a wink. There’s a big difference […]

The Springboard Story

How to inspire your audience into action

runner with ipod

The audience was loud and boisterous as they funneled out of the convention center. Their final speaker for the day left them all inspired and chattering about possibilities. “We could start by talking to our customers and ask them!” Then someone else responded, “I think we should figure out how we could scale this beyond North […]

Do You Want Your Data To Tell a Story?

Borrow this one storytelling technique to make that happen!

red riding hood

What is the most exciting part of any story? What’s the one thing that creates movement in a story? How do Hollywood directors like Spielberg and Howard make it impossible to look away? They do it by creating a sense of flow in the storyline. This sense of flow can be created with many techniques, […]

One Question to Guide Your Career

A Tool for Forecasting Your Future Satisfaction

travel man

Have you ever thought about leaving your current job? Have you ever switched jobs just to find out you’re back in the same situation again? There is always an inherent risk in making a job change. Will you be better off? Or, should you just stay where you are for now? Is there any way […]

5 Ways Engaging Speakers Engage You

It's all taking place in your brain!

people talking

After the conference one of your friends poses the question, “Which keynote speaker did you like the best?” As soon as one person answers everyone else immediately jumps in and says, “YES! Me too! She was so good. Why do you suppose we all loved her so much more than the others?” I can tell […]

Why You Need a Story to Move the Audience

The Purpose for Storytelling

MacGyver

Picture this… We’re watching a movie where our hero is trapped and facing absolute doom with no obvious way out. We begin to feel anxiety and a deep sense of urgency for an escape. We also do something else… our brains are working fast on a solution for the hero. This can’t be the end! […]