In this episode, we are joined by award-winning author, David Pearl, to discuss his career as a creative confidante and personal development advisor to a number of the world’s top CEO’s and organisations. David is a respected public and keynote speaker and is the founder of Pearl Group, Opera Circus, Lively Arts and Impropera, as well as the non-profit organisation, Street Wisdom.

What Was Covered

• How looking at business meetings – what David calls “the engine of post-industrial life” – through a different lens, say a theatrical one, can unleash the creative power of bringing the group together
• How storytelling can be used innovatively in leadership and how meaningful narratives can help to create meaning with business teams
• The benefits to being open and accepting of past failures and how sharing these as a leader can have a positive impact on employees
• The importance of self-introspection, understanding your past experience before future experiences, and how this leads to discovering your ‘why?’

Key Takeaways and Learnings

• David’s philosophy that colleagues must ‘really meet, not nearly meet’ and how creativity is born in the space between us, not from us as individuals
• The potential impact within stories at work – and how a compelling narrative can engage people far more than simply a set of facts
• How re-framing low points as turning points in which maximum learning was achieved can help encourage talk and creative collaboration
• How, as a leader, your own personal ‘why?’ should always be overlapping with the ‘why?’ of your business

Links and Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• David Pearl's website
• Stories for Leaders by David Pearl
• Will There Be Donuts? by David Pearl
• Street Wisdom