Brain Food: the Brain Spa of Ideas
Articles on Storytelling, Change, Culture, Leadership & Communication
Karen writes about the real challenges leaders face every day: how to tell memorable stories, how to turn data into something people actually act on, how to lead through constant change, and how to build a culture where people do their best work.
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Just Like Me: How to Build Curiosity and Empathy Using Stories
Want better interactions? Start with curiosity and empathy
10 Questions To Ask In a Job Interview
Use these questions to understand the culture when interviewing
There Is No Going Back
Culture can only be shaped going forward. There is no way to return to the way things were. Here’s how to look forward.
The Story That Makes You Cringe
Start your story considering your audience to avoid adding details that would make them cringe.
What story should I tell?
Why the advice that there are four stories you need to tell is limited and incorrect.
The Fainting Goat
Conflict at work includes moments of frustration when people shut down. Here’s how to avoid that.
Make Everything Earn Its Place
How to edit your story so everything is meaningful and moves it forward.
Better Than Yesterday
Why the smallest improvements can make a difference in your growth. How to be 1% better.
The (J.C. Penney / Sears) Toy Catalog
How nostalgia can tap into people’s emotions in stories.
Everything I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
The rules we followed in elementary school make a good foundation for how to lead.
Burn It Down
In leadership, we don’t rise to the situation, we sink to our level of understanding and training.
NASA's Culture Problem: What Challenger and Columbia Teach About Trust
How NASA transformed to a safety culture and what we can learn from them.
You Don’t Predict The Future, You Imagine It
You don’t predict the future, you imagine it.
Make Waffles Not Spaghetti: How Leaders Can Help Employees Navigate Change
How to help employees navigate change and uncertainty.

