Podcast 534: Business Storytelling for Dummies with Karen Dietz

How many of you have had an opportunity to speak before a group of people and wished you could have conveyed your message in a more compelling way?  I know that this has happened to my several times, and while I have known about the impact a good storyteller can make on an audience I never felt that I was very proficient at the storytelling process.

In my interview with my friend and author Karen Dietz, we discuss her new book entitled “Business Storytelling for Dummies“.   We explore some of the mistakes that many of us make in developing our story as well as practices for organizing a great story.  So just what is a story as defined by the authors : ” A story provides packets of sensory language presented in a particular way that allows the listeners to quickly and easily internalize the material, comprehend it, and create meaning from it.”   Easier said than done, right!!

I must say that “Business Storytelling for Dummies”  is very well organized, and provides the reader with an opportunity to explore, understand and practice new skills in storytelling.   It takes the reader through a step by step process in developing their story no matter what the circumstance.  If you are interested in developing new business opportunities, working on sales and meeting presentations or improving customer service within your organization, then learning how to organize and tell a great story will improve your odds of getting your point across and with excitement, engagement and interest by your audience.

If you want to learn more about business storytelling then I would recommend that you read “Business Storytelling for Dummies” and listen to this podcast.  You can also check out Karen’s website Just Story It by clicking the link, or the Facebook page by clicking here, and Twitter by clicking here.   I hope you enjoy this great interview with author Karen Dietz about her new book “Business Storytelling for Dummies”

 

Podcast 533: The Art of Doing with Camille Sweeney & Josh Gosfield

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Camille Sweeney and Josh Gosfield the authors of a new book entitled “The Art of Doing-How Superachievers Do What They Do and How They Do It So Well“.  In my interview with the authors we explore some of the thirty-six superachievers they profiled in the book.  We also explore the characteristics that superachievers have in common, and the reasons for their success.

I asked questions about actress Laura Linney, Cesar Millan and Tony Hsien the founder of Zappos.  All of them has shared core principles and practices.  While all of their stories are different, the principles and practices are very similar.

I am going to list the practices/principles articulated by the authors,  for I believe this is paramount to understanding what makes each of them tic.  First, they all have extreme dedication to what they profession.  Second, they have what the authors refer to as intelligent persistence. Third, they rely on a community of support.  Fourth, they possess great listening skills.  Fifth, they are all great storytellers.  Sixth, they have a keen ability to test their ideas to determine if they are viable.  Seventh, they know how to manage their emotions.  Eight, they are always evolving their skills and abilities.  Ninth, they are patient and last they have an attitude of happiness.

The authors have articulated the takeaways from each of the thirty-six superachievers, “The Art of Doing” is a great book with wonderful stories and insights into how the super achievers think and act. If you want to learn the principles and practices of these individuals I highly recommend reading their book and listening to our podcast.  You can also check out the book website by clicking here, or visit the Facebook page by clicking here, or Twitter Feed by clicking here.

Podcast 509: Unretirement with Chris Farrell

I happen to listen to National Public Radio a lot, and I was listening to an interview with Chris Farrell about his new book entitled “Unretirement: How Baby Boomers Are Changing The Way We Think About Work, Community, and the Good Life.”  I was so intrigued that I reached out to Chris and he granted me an interview.

You will find that Chris does not buy into the gloom and doom that most economists believe, the sky is falling– Social Security is going to fail and there’s not enough money.  Chris is quite the contrarian and believes that if we the retirees shift our thinking about retirement, including our mindset or  better yet why retire at all if you are healthy and can still make a contribution to society.

You must understand that this is a controversial topic these days, and it is not because their is a conspiracy to convince the baby boomers to take their retirements at age 70 because the government can’t afford the early retirees and payouts, it is because so many baby boomers are living longer are healthier and want to make a contribution to the world.   We are living longer are more active and have much to contribute to society, communities, organizations–so why not continue to make a difference and work.

Chris makes interesting observation from Peter Drucker in “Unretirement”, that every once in a while society crosses a major divide, and that we are crossing the divide now.  We are making the difficult transition toward a different vision of the elder years.  This vision includes, people working longer, making more contributions to society, working in contract jobs, becoming entrepreneurs and volunteers.  Chris’s book is the roadmap for workers of all ages who want to adapt from the work-then-retire mindset.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Chris Farrell about “Unretirement” If you want to learn more you can go to Chris’s website by clicking here.

 

Podcast 508: Refire Don’t Retire with Ken Blanchard & Morton Shaevitz

I recently was invited to a presentation by Ken Blanchard and his co-author Morton Shaevitz about a new book entitled ” Refire Don’t Retire: Make the Rest of your Life the Best of Your Life.”  I was certainly inspired by what Ken and Mort has to say about aging and how we need to shift our paradigm about retirement.

The reality is that baby boomers are living longer and are healthier than previous generations.  It is not uncommon to see baby boomers working into their 70’s and 80’s with more zest and vitality for what they are doing.  Some are required to work because their finances would not allow them to retire, but many are working for the love of contribution to society and want to stay active.

In Ken and Mort’s new book “Refire Don’t Retire” they create a parable and a very compelling story for the reader.  You are taken on a journey of an aging husband and wife who are lucky enough to have a wake up call, and shift their whole perspective about how they see the world.  They have a spiritual awakening along with a realization about their emotional, intellectual and physical well being that gets them engaged with zest, zeal and passion for life again.

If you are considering retirement, or are in retirement you really need to read and understand that their are so many other options.  What contributions can you make to society, how do you want to spend the rest of your life?  These are important questions, let’s face it you can only workout or play golf so much.

Please listen to this very compelling interview with Ken Blanchard and Morton Shaevitz.  You can also learn more about their book by clicking here to be directed to the website for the book.  Enjoy this wonderful interview!!!!

 

Podcast 505: Emergence: Seven Steps for Radical Life Change with Derek Rydall

I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Derek Rydall the author of a new book entitled ” Emergence: Steven Steps for Radical Life Change.  

In my interview with Derek we discussed his unique approach to the end of self-improvement.  As Derek discussed with me, his premise is that if we look at ourselves as being whole and complete just the way we are, we don’t need to change anything.  I actually really like his approach, because it is correct.  Each and every soul that is incarnate on this planet is whole and complete, and if we were to approach life from this perspective we would not come from lack, limitation and fear.  Our ego does a really good job of instilling within us  the feelings of lack, limitation and negative self talk.

Derek uses the symbolism of the “oak tree and the acorn” and calls it the acorn principle.  Because many of us hold a belief that our fate is determined by external conditions and that things we need are “out there”–the reverse of how life really works-we constantly struggle against the nature order of the universe.

The acorn principle allows you to understand your true nature, and how you were designed to grow and thrive.  The acorn already contains the perfect pattern and potential to become an oak, and so do you.

If you want to learn more about Derek and his new book Emergence: Seven Steps for Radical Life Change please click here to be directed to his website.

I hope you enjoy my interview with an author that takes a totally radical perspective to ending our delusion of lack and limitation, and truly helps us see who we really are and capable of growing into.

 

Podcast 394: Creating Good Work-The World’s Leading Social Entrepreneurs Show How To Build A Healthy Economy with Ron Schultz

 

Ron SchultzMy very good friend and author Ron Schultz has hit it out of the park with his new book entitled “Creating Good Work- The World’s Leading Social Entrepreneurs Show How to Build A Healthy Economy“.  In my interview with Ron we discuss his passion for social entrepreneurship and how this movement can and will change the way and focus of how we do business.  “Creating Good Work” shows how using free market principles will solve pressing problems and to make a positive difference in the world.

Ron’s personal contribution is a chapter on “How Change Happens And Why It Sometimes Doesn’t”  An important lesson Ron learned from his mentor Howard Sherman who introduced him to “a theory of business action” is that if the principle is flawed no matter how diligently we try nothing new and novel that can effect positive change will ever emerge from our models if the principle is wrong.  We must realize that at the root of social entrepreneurship we have to embrace change and learn how to thrive in this new environment.

Associate Dean Craig Dunn from Western Washington University contributes a chapter on “Deliberate Disruptive Design.”  Craig states that the term social entrepreneurship, fails to adequately catpure both the head and heart of the matter: thoughtful, caring design that is at the same time deliberate and disruptive, to the point of being fundamentally subversive is what is needed to shift our thoughts and actions about what we do and become in the process of embracing being a social entrepreneur.

Much of “Creating Good Work” is devoted to the amazing stories of individuals who are changing the world through amazing projects and service to our world.  Dorthy Stoneman from Youth Build, Bart Weetjens with Apopo, Bill Shore with Share Our Strength are just a few of the many social entrepreneurs profiled in “Creating Good Work“.  This books guides you from the theory to the practice and ultimately to success stories of individuals making a big difference.

If you have any interested at all in learning about social entrepreneurship and how you personally can make a difference in the world, then I highly recommend that you read and learn from the amazing stories told in  “Creating Good Work”.

Enjoy my interview with author and editor of “Creating Good Work” Ron Schultz.  You can visit his website by clicking here.

 

Podcast 393: Business Model You-A One Page Method for Reinventing Your Career with Tim Clark

 

Tim ClarkIt is not to often that I come across a book that I am as excited about as “Business Model You“. Maybe it is because I am the preverbal entrepreneur and I am always looking for ways to improve myself and how I do business.  If you are like me, then you are really going to enjoy  Tim Clark’s new book for it is loded with amazing techniques and tools to help you transform your career.

“Business Model You” in essence was crowdsourced.  Tim and his collaborators Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur solicited the thoughts and ideas from 328 work life wizards from around the world.   Some of their profiles are included in the book providing the reader with insight into how they used the “Canvas” to reshape their careers and lives.   As stated in ” Business Model You” it will give you a distinct advantage, because while many workers define and document organizational business practices, few formally define or document organizational business models.  Even fewer individuals apply the power of business model thinking to their own careers.

The whole book is based on something called “The Business Model Canvas”, which describes how nine components of a business model fit together, is a powerful technique for painting pictures of how organizations work.   Those nine components are: customers, value provided, channels, customer relationships, revenue, key resources, key activities, key partners and costs.  If you would like a picture of the canvas ( a picture is worth a 1,000 words) please click here to be directed to the downloadable PDF of the canvas.   So why is this important?  Author Tim Clark  shows you how to convert the nine (9) components into “The Personal Business Model Canvas”.  Those same (9) components then then turned into questions that allow you to immediately understand the importance of the canvas: who helps you?, what you do?, who you are and what you have?, what you give?, how you help?, how you interact?, how they know you and how you deliver?, what you get?, how you help?.

I hope you enjoy this great interview with Tim Clark about “Business Model You”.  This book if used properly can truly alter your career and life.

If you are interested in watching a great YouTube video about the book click here.  I also encourage you to visit the “Business Model You” website and join the community of thousands who are collaborating together throughout the world helping one another define new and exciting careers.

 

Podcast 392: Think Like a Futurist, Know What Changes, What Doesn’t, and What’s Next with Cecily Sommers

I recentlyCecily Sommers had the pleasure of interviewing author and futurist Cecily Sommers.  I have always had a personal fascination with people who can predict the future, and while Cecily doesn’t state that she predicts the future she does engage her readers into understanding how to look for signs of how to predict and capitalize on the changes we are all attempting to adapt and adopt too.

Her book teaches the reader how to engage in new thinking in order to connect today’s pressures with tomorrow’s realities.  “Think Like a Futurist” explains how the social, economic and environmental crises of our time spring from just four constant and predictable forces.  Those four forces are resources, technology, demographics and governance and these four forces determine our future trends.  As Cecily state “over time, humans have been able to harness the power of the four forces for their own benefit. In the process, they have moved from a postion of hand-to-hand combat with the forces in a battle for survival, to one of greater comfort and ease.

Cecily’s book is not a book about identifying trends, but rather transcending them, which is crucial in today’s fast-paced world where success is often defined as movement from deadline to deadline (crisis to crisis).  Throughout “Think Like a Futurist” you will learn how to make your perspective both more elastic and comprehensive–you will find a long term vision needed to see opportunities on the horizon and understand how to realize them.

I hope your enjoy this great interview with a fascinating author, extremely knowledgable and wise who knows how to help you see the trends that are shaping our future before they manifest.   You can watch a great video about the book by clicking here to be directed to Cecily’s website or you can watch a great YouTube video by clicking here.

Podcast 391: Uncertainty-Turning Fear and Doubt Into Fuel for Brilliance with Jonathan Fields

Jonathan FieldsThere has probably never been a book that is as timely at Jonathan Fields, “Uncertainty-Turning Fear and Doubt Into Fuel for Brilliance.”   We are all living in a world of uncertainty, filled doubt and fear–let’s face it we are living unprecedented times.

In Jonathan’s new book he speaks about the single greatest determinants of high level success as an innovator or creator in any realm is the ability to manage and at times even seek out sustained high levels of uncertainty, bundled lovely with risk of loss and exposure to criticism. He states these three psychic horseman of creation must often not only be sought, but embraced repeatedly and with increasing levels of intensity over extended periods of time.  In fact, they are often signposts that you’ve entered your next big creation crux move.    Now while this philosophy might seem contrary to the belief that we need to avoid uncertainty  and the associated stress, this is where Jonathan states we receive our breakthroughs and are exposed to high levels of inspiration and creativity.

Uncertainty is about what goes on in your head, your heart, and your gut as you strive to create something truly extraordinary.  It is about the nutty things we do, the gremlins we battle and the decisions we make and action we take in the pursuit of long-term, large scale creative, artistic, entrepreneurial and organizational greatness.   In Uncertainty-Turning Fear and Doubt Into Fuel for Brilliance our author states that it is these three psychic horseman of creation that lead to so much suffering and  in spite of the havoc they so often wreck, that they must remain present.

The best part about about this book is that our author provides transformational personal practices that let you feel the uncertainty, risk and exposure necessary to high-level creation, but experience them more as opportunity rather than deep suffering, anxiety and paralysis.

So no matter what you fear or doubt might be about the uncertainty in your life Jonathan teaches you personal techniques that will help you  cope with and embrace uncertainty and reframe your vantage point by turning it into a positive.  You will also learn to build the tools and strategies into the fabric and culture of your endeavor, allowing them to fuel your own creative efforts and the work of those charged with moving your venture forward on all levels.

If you are interested in learning more about how uncertainty can help you fuel brilliance then I highly recommend reading this book.  The stories and advice Jonathan Fields has for the reader are exceptional.  I hope you enjoy my interview, and should you want to learn more about the author please click here to be directed to his blog, or watch this great TedX video where Jonathan is speaking about fear and uncertainty.