Did you know that empathy doesn't just mean conjuring up feelings to understand someone? That actually can discourage true empathy. Empathy is strategic and can be learned!

This is one of the most impactful episodes we've recorded in the series - IDEOS founder Christy Vines joins us to talk about how they're leading a grassroots movement throughout the U.S, bringing people together that are different from each other. If you've experienced division and toxic polarization, this episode is a must listen. 

For more on IDEOS, visit them at https://ideosinstitute.org.

If you want to be a part of practicing empathic intelligence, you can! Join the upcoming national day of dialogue here AND/OR download the Empathy Mapping Guide to get started on your personal journey. 

P.S - if you want to know when the book is coming out, freebies, all the good things - you can subscribe here to stay updated.

I've been working on a project for a few years now....it came to me in a very distinct moment of clarity - what would it look like if we really could see, know and hear each other and how would it change the world?

I'm excited to share with you that I've been writing a book all about what I'm learning, and I'm going to be highlighting that work here in this season of the podcast. I hope you'll listen in with me as we interview experts and thought leaders in the space, as well as share of my own writing before the book comes out. And share it with your friends! Anyone this series will help, please pass it on. This is about something much bigger than ourselves. 

- Lauren 

P.S - if you want to know when the book is coming out, freebies, all the good things - you can subscribe here to stay updated. 

Every year around this time many of us look backward and forward – review the past, examine our wins/losses, then focus on the future goals/strategy/plans. These are good things to do both personally and/or as a founder/solopreneur. 

While it is important to think through these things, I’d like to suggest a better starting point—look inward at WHO you are and WHO your business is.  

Asking WHO questions really need to precede the what and how questions which are typical of year-end reviews and New Year’s goal setting.   

Guest contributor Jen Fonseca shares on the StoryWork blog and we recap her powerful questions here - listen in for 4 questions you need to ask yourself before setting any goals for next year.   

Read the blog post here.    

Link to The Strategy Masterclass referenced.

Do any of these sound familiar?   

This episode for you - I'm sharing 4 ways to break out of survival mode.  

Read the full blog post here.

Do you ever have seasons where you feel like you're so foggy you can't walk straight? Your head is swirling with thoughts, and you can't make sense of them? I do. There's a lot of "noise" on many levels that we have to contend with when it comes to our minds: our own emotional state, the state of our family or relationships, the state of our community, and the state of our world. Whether we acknowledge all of these levels or not, the thoughts still exist somewhere in our subconscious minds about all of these things. Layer in social media, emails, texts, tweets, emails, snapchats and you've got a total swirling mess of fog inside of your brain.  

This episode will show you the one simple secret to gaining clarity in your life.   

For more, head to www.storywork.co.   

For Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way - head here: https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary/dp/0143129252.

You know what's wild about the things that seem like "the end of the road?". I've come to realize, often times, they're just the beginning.   

They're the beginning of a new path, a new way, a new mindset, a new road - if we're watching for it. 

Be watchful - observe your surroundings right now. Look for certain signs, pay attention to things that seemingly "just happen".   

Sometimes, the end of the road comes when we need it most. The end of something means the beginning of something else.   

For more, head to www.storywork.co.

The louder the world's noise gets, the more I want to seek out quiet, solitude, and rest. There are places and spaces we can continually create, regardless of the circumstance, and when we learn to walk in these regularly, I believe we can become great leaders - in our homes, workplaces, with friends, and with everyone around us.   

Listen in as we share why it's important to rest, the different types of rest, and how you can start practicing this.   

For more, head to www.storywork.co.

Recent studies have shown that taking the time for silence restores the nervous system, helps sustain energy, and conditions our minds to be more adaptive and responsive to the complex environments in which so many of us now live, work, and lead.

Listen in as we unpack what it looks like to incorporate this superpower into your daily life, and how it's directly connected to new idea and strategy generation. 

For more - visit www.storywork.co. 

Your team is a large part of your fuel, if they aren’t connected to you and the larger purpose, they lose momentum, just like you do.  

And when they feel connected, they want to work harder for you because they see that you genuinely care about their progress.  

In this episode of The Strategy Game Podcast, we're sharing 3 solid ways that you can get connected to your team tactically right away.   

For more on The Strategy Masterclass - head to https://thestrategymasterclass.teachable.com.

Making space to ask WHY leads to evaluation and realization.

When we ask WHY on the things that we’re taking for granted, we open up space to consider new ways. 

New and different ways from the industry “standard”, and this makes space for Blue Ocean Strategy….the opportunity to create a business model that is unique, nothing like the competitors in the market.

So make space to ask why today….write a list of things that you might consider “standards” and ask why - there might be a different way, a better way that can create more revenue, cut expenses, or increase efficiency.

Your business is like a rubiks cube, as an entrepreneur when we iterate and shift those tiles around, we discover the convergence of factors that becomes our “secret sauce”.

For more - head to www.storywork.co