Posts by Esther Choy
7 Storytelling Tips for Virtual Networking Events
That virtual networking event you’ve spent weeks planning is probably missing a huge opportunity. Online meetings fall into patterns that few of us question. But Eva Niewiadomski, founder of Catalyst Ranch, a creative meeting and event space in Chicago, has observed that it’s commonplace to squander the first few minutes of virtual networking events. “I haven’t seen…
Read MoreWhy Leadership Storytelling Revolutionizes Team Building
One of the many repercussions of the pandemic is the way it has destabilized workplace culture. “In a situation like this, everybody is in their little bubbles,” Cynthia Wang, a clinical professor of management and organizations at Kellogg School of Management, told Kellogg Insight recently, “and it’s hard to actually reinforce the shared values and goals of people…
Read More4 Reasons Leadership Storytelling Matters Now
How do you convince a healthcare customer that your product can cover everything they need in order to capture and calculate daily Covid screenings for their entire staff? And not only that… to be able to visualize this data for their leadership? And then, in the end, to be able to share meaningful data with…
Read MoreUse Storytelling In The Workplace Every Day
Our workshop participants work hard to master key storytelling techniques they can use in their workplace. Once they have this tool in their leadership kit, they often ask me how they can make the most of every opportunity to tell stories. After all, once you’ve invested in learning a skill, it only makes sense to…
Read MoreBest Practices for Performance Reviews: 12 Tips
Performance reviews can be nerve-wracking for everyone involved. Massive career decisions hinge on the results. When we are the ones being evaluated, can we make the process less anxiety-inducing? More importantly, are there ways we can make sure our accomplishments get the notice they deserve? Fortunately, the answer to both questions is a resounding “yes”–…
Read MoreThe Best Storytelling Technique For Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
As you advance as a leader, people will often ask you to offer intelligent opinions on subjects you know very little about. And you will often need to hold your own with experts and ask them astute questions. You may feel like you need to earn a Ph.D. before you dare to offer an opinion…
Read MoreThe Shocking Secret To Telling Brief And Brilliant True Stories Within the Job Interview Format
Telling brief, relevant and compelling stories during a job interview sets you apart from your competition. However, the reality is that job interviews have many constraints. There’s a set amount of time and an expected script. And, of course, you’re limited by your circumstances. If you’ve recently been laid off, you’ll have to acknowledge this.…
Read MoreDon’t Overlook These Two Perspectives In The Job Search
When Brent Dykes, a well-known data scientist, was laid off in April, he said it was “one of the worst nights of sleep of my life.” He wondered how he would take care of his family. What sacrifices would they have to make? “Oh, and by the way,” he said, “there’s Covid raging in the…
Read More6 Tips For Telling Personal Stories In Business Without Oversharing
“Being vulnerable makes you relatable.” This is excellent advice for leaders. We’ve all been moved by vulnerable stories from leaders we respect. We learn that Steve Jobs was adopted and never formed a relationship with his biological father. We learn that Oprah grew up so poor her clothing was made from potato sacks. But on the other hand, the…
Read MoreThe Storytelling Secret To Being Concise
You’ve been working on a project for two years. Now you have ten minutes to explain it to a cross-functional team. Or you’ve developed a life-changing product and want to reveal all its complex facets. Your audience doesn’t have a clue how it works. You have five minutes to teach them. Every day, leaders face…
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