Posts by Esther Choy
New Leadership Tool Brings the Power of Stories To The Workplace
It’s no secret that work teams that are able to connect interpersonally and build positive relationships are more productive, more creative, and more satisfied. But not everyone knows how to build those positive connections in the workplace, especially in the current period of divisive politics and hot button issues. Many people avoid sharing personal opinions…
Read MorePerspective: The Best Leaders Quickly Admit When They Don’t Get It
What do you do when you encounter a person who holds a fundamentally different perspective than you? Think climate-change denier aunt eating Thanksgiving dinner next to her climate activist niece. With so many polarizing issues, encountering disagreement in our homes and workplaces is not hard to imagine. Julia Minson, Ph.D., an expert in the psychology…
Read MoreDon’t Let Perfection Get In The Way Of Connection
In 2022, I got to lead a workshop for the Kellogg School of Management annual alumni reunion – a much anticipated event after two years of delay due to COVID. I arrived for the weekend prepared and excited to speak to a room full of people again, and they probably weren’t shocked to see me…
Read MoreCultivate Curiosity: A Simple Way To Navigate The Holidays
This month on Forbes.com, I shared about the necessary skill of leaning into our incomprehension when we encounter people and situations we don’t understand. I was inspired by the work of author Ann Morgan. She shares about the revelatory experience of learning to be comfortable with discomfort in her forthcoming book Relearning To Read: Adventures…
Read MoreStorytelling Unlocks New Tool “What’s Your Enough?” To Empower Families
“What is enough?” That question seems starkly at odds with the widely accepted assumption that more is always better. Authors and family philanthropy advisors Elaine Gast Fawcett of PhilanthroComm and Sue Schwartzman of Schwartzman Advisors found this question coming up when working with donors and families. They wrote a children’s book, Two Measly Spots, to…
Read MorePerformance Reviews: 3 Simple Storytelling Tips To Make You Succeed
No one loves annual performance reviews. While they are necessary to make sure employees and employers are staying on track and striving for growth, the process is time consuming and nerve racking for both the managers and the employees. So how can you make the process more enjoyable for both you and your manager — while…
Read More3 Simple Elements You Need To Tell A Riveting Business Story
Valerie’s team was ready for the presentation. They demonstrated their knowledge and experience, relying on logic and facts. Valerie felt confident that they outpaced all the competitors in the expertise needed to win this $50M project. Since the procurement process was public, Valerie was able to watch the other teams present their pitches. She saw…
Read MoreData-Driven Leader Finds Storytelling To Be Crucial Leadership Skill
Kennith Jackson (KJ), Director of Professional Services, AI Solutions at Google, realized that storytelling was a crucial leadership skill. Specifically, his team experienced a major transition, and he needed to be able to explain their purpose and impact persuasively. So he came to Leadership Story Lab for coaching. After working with me for 12 weeks,…
Read MoreWant To Build Trust? Here Are 3 Stunningly Simple Tips
How well do you know your audience? Not just the superficial data about buying habits and demographics, but truly know someone? From presidential candidates seeking votes to consumer brands interested in increasing customer loyalty, the holy grail for leaders is understanding their audience. How do you build trust with someone? The best way to get…
Read MoreLeadership Development Course Celebrates The Art of Story Facilitation
Unlocking Leadership Transformation through Story Facilitation Leadership Story Lab celebrates the graduation of its newest cohort of Certified Story Facilitators (CSF). A unique program designed for leadership transformation through storytelling facilitation, CSF graduates are equipped with facilitation skills and storytelling curricula that allow them to empower others to tell their stories. Unlike most storytelling courses,…
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