Stories are difference-makers
"Stories are how we think. They are how we make meaning of life. Call them schemas, scripts, cognitive maps, mental models, metaphors, or narratives. Stories are how [...]
Leaders Clarify
In a subtropical forest in Africa a troop of gorillas is in the midst of their daily activities when a twig snaps in the brush. [...]
Victims, villains and rescuers
Dudley Do-Right was the hero of a segment of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, a cartoon entertainment show from my youth. Dudley was a dim-witted [...]
Are you a good lie detector?
According to TIME magazine article "Lies, Lies, Lies" (Oct 5, 1992), "Lies flourish in social uncertainty, when people no longer understand, or agree on, the [...]
Change begins with inquiry
My friend and colleague, Jim Kranzusch, is a chimp. I'm pretty sure he's always been a chimp. He has even turned "chimp" into a verb ("I [...]
No more presentations!
Years ago at IBM I was promoted to a job in division headquarters. It was a nice step up on the corporate ladder, a chance [...]
The best story wins
Monty Roberts is a horse whisperer. He is one of a few horse trainers that use specific methods to start horses rather than break them. [...]
If you could make God bleed…
"If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in Him... there will be blood in the water, and the sharks will come." [...]
Speak as if you’re right; listen as if you’re wrong
Do you ever feel like you're arguing with idiots? Most of them actually aren't (idiots). Some probably are. For those, remember, "It is impossible to [...]
The smell of leadership?
We all need to get away sometimes. "Away" doesn't have to be somewhere exotic, or some place that involves boarding passes or long car trips. [...]