It was the spring of 1967. The producers at WQED, a small public television station in Pittsburgh, had a problem.

“They had launched a children’s program—an odd, quiet little show that aired across the East Coast—and now that show was out of sponsorship money,” Daniel Coyle writes in his book Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment.

The producers worried the show would be a tough sell … continue reading

1: What happens to your brain when you connect with someone or something bigger than yourself?

In moments like this, you experience “presence,” Daniel Coyle writes in his book Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment.

Lisa Miller, a psychologist at Columbia University, has spent years studying what happens in the brain during these deeper connections.

In one study, she tracked brain changes in twenty-seven people … continue reading

1: “Iain McGilchrist lives on the far edge of the Isle of Skye, off the coast of western Scotland, at the end of a one-lane, four-mile-long road,” Daniel Coyle writes in Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment.

These were the instructions Iain provided to Daniel, who was traveling to Scotland to conduct an interview: “At the bottom the road gives out. You are nearly at … continue reading

1: In the fall of 1979, Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer set out to build a time machine.

But this wasn’t the kind of time machine from Back to the Future. There was no DeLorean with gull-wing doors.

Instead, Ellen rented an empty monastery in the woods near Peterborough, New Hampshire.

“The color television was swapped for a black-and-white version,” Daniel Coyle writes in Flourish: The Art of Building … continue reading

1: You and your friends are at a karaoke bar on a Friday night.

The moment has arrived. It’s your turn to hit the stage and grab the mic.

Picture yourself saying, “I’m excited.”

Will you sing better if instead you say “I’m nervous”?

2: “Many people would probably say no, because we presume that singing ability is a stable skill, dependent on factors like experience, interest, and practice,” Daniel … continue reading

1: “Why does this matter to you?”

That’s the question author, consultant, and facilitator Peter Block asked Daniel Coyle

They had just met. Daniel, a writer, had set up an interview with Peter. They met at a coffee shop in Cincinnati, which is where Peter now calls home.

“A rangy eighty-five-year-old, Peter had settled into his chair and gave me a fond, knowing smile, as if we’d met each other … continue reading

1: Back in the early 2000s, a fatal shooting occurred in the Clifton Heights neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio.

“The community was disturbed and anxious, looking for answers,” Daniel Coyle writes in Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment.

A few days later, a local civic organization asked Peter Block, a neighborhood resident, to lead a public gathering. Peter is an author, consultant, and facilitator. For more … continue reading

1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew 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.

This week, we’ve been exploring the twelve tactics for building psychological safety outlined by Daniel Coyle in his terrific book The Culture Code.

He is writing about our professional … continue reading

1: “You know that pitcher?” 

The question was asked by one of the coaches of the Johnson City (Tennessee) Cardinals, the St. Louis Cardinals major league baseball team’s lowest-level minor-league club. 

The Cardinals are “renowned for their culture and their ability to develop young players into big-league talent,” Daniel Coyle writes in his book The Culture Code.  [Note: as a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, it pains me to share … continue reading

1: Gramercy Tavern. New York City.

The lunch crowd has lined up on the sidewalk, waiting to get in.

“Whitney Macdonald was minutes away from a moment she had long anticipated,” Daniel Coyle writes in his book The Culture Code.

“It would be first-ever shift as a front waiter. and she was excited and a bit nervous.” 

Gramercy Tavern is a legendary New York restaurant “whose staff ranks as … continue reading