Getting better at getting better is what Rise With Drew is all about.
Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we are working on at PCI.
Last month, we received some exciting news. Fortune magazine named PCI the #55 Best Medium Workplace in the U.S. This represented the achievement of our long-term vision for … continue reading
1: The year was 1984.
“Guy Laliberté, a former accordion player, acrobat and fire-eater in Montreal, looked at the existing circus industry and saw a losing proposition,” writes Stephen Denning in The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling.
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey dominated the struggling circus industry, whose shows primarily attracted children. Expenses were high due to the cost of transporting and caring for the many animals. … continue reading
1: “Seven hundred happy passengers reached New York after the Titanic’s maiden voyage.”
This week we are looking at the key elements of what author Stephen Denning calls a “springboard story.” This specific type of narrative “performs the most useful thing a leader can do: communicate a complex new idea and inspire action to implement it,” he writes in The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling.
A springboard story is authentically … continue reading
1: Imagine… We are giving a speech or a talk. For each person we can see in the audience, there are actually two listeners: the person we see, and a second listener, also known as the “little voice in the head.”
“I’ve got all these problems back in my office,” says the little voice in the head. “My inbox is filling up, I’ve got email to answer. If only I … continue reading
1: Imagine we are leading an organization. We have a challenge. We must ignite action to implement a radical new idea.
How should we proceed?
“The conventional management approach to this challenge is to give people reasons,” writes Stephen Denning in The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative.
The only problem with this approach? It doesn’t work. “Asking people to stop doing the … continue reading
Getting better at getting better is what Rise With Drew is all about.
Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we at PCI are doing on our quest to earning a spot on Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.
1: Last month we learned that PCI had achieved our long-term vision. Fortune magazine named PCI … continue reading
1: Who hasn’t been there?
The conference where everyone networks by presenting our “best selves” and sharing how smart we are.
The lunch or dinner where people exchange surface-level pleasantries.
What’s lacking?
Authenticity.
What’s lacking?
Heat.
What makes some events memorable and other just so-so?
Stories.
How do we tap into “the heat” just below the surface?
Stories.
2: This week, we’ve been looking at some lessons from Priya Parker’s … continue reading
1: The Harvard Kennedy School of Government is an intense place.
“The culture taught us to avoid sounding stupid in front of one another,” writes Priya Parker in The Art of Gathering. “It was important to show your strength.”
When students asked, “How are you?” they responded with smiles and false positivity, she recalls. “The up-and-down facts of our lives smoothed into ascending narratives, our accomplishments were humble-bragged, and … continue reading
1: Imagine a family gathering. Aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
“Normally at such dinners, no one reveals anything fresh or surprising,” writes Priya Parker in The Art of Gathering. Cousins will hang out with other cousins, grandparents will talk among themselves, and most of the conversation will be small talk. We “eat, drink, get sleepy, and call it a night.”
Not necessarily a bad evening, … continue reading
1: The World Economic Forum (WEF) brings together the rich and powerful several times a year, most notably in Davos, Switzerland.
Priya Parker and a colleague were charged with creating an event at the annual WEF conclave in the United Arab Emirates, several months before the major event in Davos. One of the objectives of this earlier conference is to surface ideas and agendas for Davos.
Conferences can be a … continue reading
