Esther Choy, Author at Leadership Story Lab

Overcome Incongruence and Align Words, Actions, and Emotional Presence

We have all witnessed moments of incongruence: those times when a person’s words and body language don’t match—when we almost suspect they have their fingers crossed behind their backs. Or when the speaker at the front of the room isn’t sending out the emotional signals the situation requires—maybe by appearing too cheery during a somber…

Metaphor: As Simple As A Piece of Velcro

As much as everyone loves a good story, one misconception persists. When my clients hear the word ‘story,’ they often imagine popcorns, soft drinks, and at least two hours of their lives coming and going. Many of them don’t have two minutes to spare, let alone two hours. So the thought of having to set…

Crafting Your Founder’s Story: Where To Start

A founder’s story case study with Morningstar CEO Joe Mansueto’s Story. “Let’s start at the very beginning,” sings Maria in The Sound of Music, strumming her guitar in an Austrian meadow. But when you are telling a story from your life—or the life of your company—the “very beginning” might have been a long time ago,…

Convey Compassionate Leadership With Stories

Telling stories makes us more compassionate leaders. It sharpens our own emotional intelligence as we look back and explore what our experiences have meant to us. It helps us sort out difficult situations from the past so that we can move forward with greater grace and understanding. And it helps us use the meaningful…

Data Presentations: How Storytelling Makes Your Job Easier

Four years ago my family and I moved into a bigger house. This move left me with lots of interior decorating tasks. Though the process itself was fun, working with the decorator could be frustrating. Why did it frustrate me? I couldn’t articulate the reasons until two weeks ago, when I had an in-depth conversation…

Telling Family Stories: Why Capturing Family Memories Matters

May 7, 2015 – A personal notebook entry reads, “Tonight the girls are trying to go to sleep with Dad keeping them company in the rocking chair. All of a sudden Alina (my six-year-old) sits up on her bed and begins a dramatic episode of ‘I’m-too-scared-to-sleep.’ Then, Melia (my three-year-old) lifts herself halfway up and…

How to Merge Story And Data

Karen Kane attended a storytelling workshop last year. She recently was honored by a Chicago charity that provides early education programs. We are delighted to share her speech as an example of how to merge story and data. Many of you know I work in financial management. I am as they say … a numbers…

How to Make ‘Em Talk: Eliciting Client Stories

A colleague recently shared a research that really opened my eyes. In October of 2013, U.S. Trust published a report entitled, “The Philanthropic Conversation: Understanding Advisors Approaches and Clients’ Expectation.” The report explores how advisors such as financial/wealth advisors, trust/estate attorneys and tax professionals/accountants promote philanthropy and discuss philanthropic opportunities with their clients. Many…

Telling Stories About Yourself: It’s NOT ME; It’s YOU!

The story OF me isn’t ABOUT me. That’s good news when it comes to telling stories about yourself. Of all the presentation, speaking, workshop, and training events I have been a part of, the most enjoyable segment is always the last: the Q&A. No matter how interactive and engaging the events have been, it’s when…

The Secret to Writing A Powerful LinkedIn Profile Summary

Picture this. You are walking down a long aisle of chandeliers at Home Depot looking for one to take home. The holiday season is fast approaching and installing a new chandelier has been on your to-do list since January 2014. Suddenly, a stranger stops you in your tracks. He doesn’t exactly look like a complete…