In my upcoming book, The Power of Story, I highlight the three qualities of powerful storytelling that build connection. I will tease them out here because you are my community, and I’d welcome your reactions to this as I finalize the book this month and send it off to the editor! (screams with glee and terror)

I arrived at the venue an hour before my workshop began. The podium was encased in a plexiglass cage. As I walked around distributing colorful markers on the tables, I aligned the butterflies in my stomach by thinking about how I was about to help the 20 or so leaders about to file into the room.

“Trust me.” My dad used to say this, and whenever he did, we all rolled our eyes in fear and perhaps a tinge of distrust. There is something that prefaces a situation with “trust me” that actually encourages us to think the opposite.

Lately, I’ve been curious about the universe, energy, and a world we don’t know about. I believe there is a lot beyond our perception, and how can we possibly understand what we don't know or even perceive? Questions like “Does everything happen for a reason?” and “What happens when we die?” - no one knows for a fact.

I am often asked how best to tell a story, and my response is usually that I’m less concerned about how you tell a story and more interested in what story you tell. 

As I type this, I have one more week of big delivery this week, and then everything comes to a glorious screeching halt, and the holiday season is officially upon us.

When I was a kid and on vacation with my aunt, who is like a big sister to me. One morning, we were both brushing our teeth at the same time.

First, I want to welcome new friends/readers from Fostering Idaho.  I had a great time with you all last week at the Power of Story workshop and am glad to stay connected with you here. 

My client had butterflies in her stomach as she took the microphone during a reception for a large client event with major vendors and sponsors in attendance.

“I don’t have time for this storytelling fluffy, poofy stuff. I have a lot to get done. I have too much on my plate. It’s faster to do the thing myself than try to “connect through a story.” - The Taskmaster.

Everyone talks about the impact stories have on the audience. But what about the intangible impact the story has on the teller?

Everyone is talking about your “why” story. But it’s more important to know their why.

There’s this little thing called the #Erastour happening, and I have been obsessed with Taylor Swift’s ability to connect so meaningfully and personally with, oh, millions and millions of people. Sure, it’s her brilliant storytelling – I don’t think that’s news to you, but I think it’s more than that.

One winter morning last December, P walked into the kitchen asking me when I planned to “start my stuff.” 

Usually, I’m a fan of brevity.The satisfaction in replacing four or five words with one can be hard to beat. Some people like playing golf and hitting the ball just right, others like leveling up in video games, me - I just want to see how few words I can use to communicate something.

Why do stories make people lean in? Chad Littlefield was running a session teaching facilitators how to design for contribution.

There is a buffalo on a ranch I drive by almost every day. I’m not sure, but the buffalo looks sad and lonely. I wish it were free to roam around and that it had friends.

In Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey contemplated the lives of ancient cliff dwellers who made their homes far up above ground in caves in the rock of the Utah desert: