Workplace Forward

Persuasive storytelling creates extraordinary opportunities, allowing us to engage with customers and partners in a meaningful way.

But how do we craft a memorable story that connects with our professional goals? What does it mean for leaders to let the story do the work?

Esther Choy is the President and Chief Story Facilitator at Leadership Story Lab, a consulting firm that celebrates the art and science of storytelling as an essential element of business success.

Esther also teaches in the executive education programs at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and she is the author of Let the Story Do the Work: The Art of Storytelling for Business Success.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Esther joins me to discuss the three levels of communication mastery outlined in her book, describing what differentiates proving from persuading and why effective leaders need to do both.

Esther explores how her research around wealth creators and experience with family-owned companies informs her work in storytelling for business.

Listen in to understand why the best storytellers are also story collectors and learn to share persuasive, personal stories without divulging your private business.

• Esther's 3 levels of communication mastery (and why most people get stuck in Level 2)
• How self-awareness + an event with a deadline can catalyze us to Level 3 Communication Mastery
• What differentiates proving from persuading and how effective leaders do both
• How Esther is integrating wealth creators into her work around business storytelling
• What Esther learned about first-generation ultra-high-net-worth individuals from her research for 'Transforming Partnerships with Major Donors'
• How family-owned businesses differ from other companies
• The connection between being a good storyteller and a story collector
• What senior leaders struggle with when it comes to storytelling
• How Esther's own leadership has changed in the last 2 years
• Delineating the difference between sharing what is personal vs. what is private
• Why Esther encourages leaders to waste time doing something unproductive

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Learn more about Esther's work at leadershipstorylab.com
• Follow Esther on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
• Subscribe to Leadership Story Lab on YouTube
• Read Esther's column in Forbes
• Buy a copy of Esther's book, Let the Story Do the Work
• Listen to the Family IN Business Podcast
• Download Esther's research study, 'Transforming Partnerships with Major Donors'
• Explore the NPR piece on Dollywood
• Listen to Esther's interviews with Chris Herschend and Robert Pasin
• Register for Esther's monthly Story Lab

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
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• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Innovation is central to the long-term success of any business.

But what can we do as leaders to promote innovation on our teams? What role does human connection play in facilitating new ideas?

Sue Bevan Baggott is the Founder of Power Within Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping clients connect with the deep human insights required to build a successful business. She is also an angel investor, startup advisor and board member on a mission to drive positive change in the entrepreneurial ecosystem through connection and innovation.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Sue joins me to share how she 'accidentally' became an angel investor and explain why she focuses on working with startups to drive the change she wants to see in the world.

Sue describes why it's crucial for leaders to empathize with their teams and how employee insights are key in helping companies innovate.

Listen in to understand how the ambiguity surrounding the pandemic has changed the dynamics of leadership and learn to leverage the power of human connection to foster innovation on your team.

• How Sue 'accidentally' became an angel investor
• The 4 barriers to entry to angel investing for women and people of color
• Sue's focus on working with startups to create a culture of diversity
• What characteristics investors are looking for in the leaders of a startup
• Why it's crucial for leaders to empathize with their employees
• How employee insights help companies innovate
• How Cloverleaf leverages tech to help us build relationships at work
• What leaders can do to show up as the best version of ourselves at work
• Why employees are calling for more freedom, flexibility and autonomy
• The power of human connection in all aspects of leadership

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Learn more about Sue's work at powerwithinconsulting.com
• Follow Sue on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/suebaggott1
• Explore automated coaching through Cloverleaf
• Invest with Queen City Angels or Next Wave Impact

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Liminality comes from the Latin root limen, which points to a threshold, border or beginning.

And while liminality does imply change, it's more than that. Moving through a liminal space has the power to transform us, provided we recognize the opportunity.

So, what does it look like to lead through a liminal time? How can we bring out the best in ourselves and our teams while we find new ways to get work done?

Dr. Deb Loftus is the Founder and President at Liminal Solutions, a consulting firm that provides customized solutions for individual leadership development, team effectiveness and organizational improvement.

Dr. Loftus has a PhD in Clinical and Personality Psychology from Northwestern University and currently serves as adjunct faculty at her alma mater, teaching leadership courses at the graduate level.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Dr. Loftus joins me to explain the idea of liminal space and explore how liminality is playing out for individuals, teams and organizations through the pandemic.

She describes how to turn liminality into opportunity, challenging leaders to bring a spirit of inquiry to the process and be attuned to the bright spots that emerge.

Listen in for insight around the hard conversations Dr. Loftus is having with leaders right now and learn how to guide yourself and others through this period of great liminality.

• How Dr. Loftus defines liminal space and why it's important
• The 3 stages of liminality an individual, team or organization moves through as their identity shifts
• How the concept of liminal space is playing out through the pandemic
• What leaders recognize about the importance of fostering meaningful connection at work
• What questions to ask if you feel trapped in a repeat cycle of falling back into liminal space
• How to turn liminality into opportunity by identifying the bright spots
• What's emerging from the hard conversations Dr. Loftus is having with leaders right now
• Dr. Loftus' insight on the blurred boundaries between work and home life (and what to do about it)
• How leaders can guide themselves and others through this period of great liminality

• Learn more about Dr. Loftus' work at liminalsolutions.com
• Follow Dr. Loftus on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/deb-loftus-ph-d-68aa62/
• Access Dr. Loftus' LinkedIn article, 'Leading Through Liminal Space'
• Look into 'Leadership in Liminal Times' in the Harvard Business Review
• Explore Meg Wheatley's work at margaretwheatley.com
• Read Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip & Dan Heath

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Consumer insight helps brands predict behavior and anticipate what you need—before you even know you need it.

And as leaders, we, too, need to know what motivates our team members, clients and other stakeholders.

But how do you discover this insight into what makes people tick? What skills can you develop and practice that will deepen your understanding of others?

Gina Fong is a consumer anthropologist, insights coach and keynote speaker at Fong Insight, a market research firm that educates organizations around using insight to surprise and delight their customers.

Gina also teaches at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, transforming the classroom into what she calls a curiosity gymnasium that inspires students to think with their head, heart and gut.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Gina joins me to discuss the role of a consumer anthropologist and describe how insight helps us understand what motivates people, predict their behavior and anticipate what they need.

She walks us through the six components of her 'insight muscle' framework, challenging us to build the mindset of curiosity, introspection and empathy required to understand others on a deeper level.

Listen in to understand the skills of observing, listening and inquiring leaders need to gain insight into the people we serve and learn where to go for exercises that will help strengthen your 'insight muscle.'

• The role of a consumer anthropologist in understanding how people use products and helping companies make them better
• What differentiates data (WHAT people do) from insight (WHY people do what they do)
• How insight helps us understand what motivates people, predict their behavior and anticipate what they need
• The 6 components of Gina's 'insight muscle' framework
• How a mindset of curiosity, introspection and empathy helps leaders understand themselves and others on a deeper level
• Gina's insight on the 2 major misconceptions about empathy
• The skill set of observing, listening and inquiring leaders can leverage to gain insight into the people they serve
• What 3 types of questions are most effective in learning what makes people tick
• How Gina's course on customer insights at the Kellogg School of Business impacts her students in terms of leadership
• Why insight takes deliberate and nuanced practice (and where to go for exercises to strengthen your insight muscle)

• Reach out to Gina on LinkedIn at com/in/ginafonginsight/
• Learn more about Gina's courses at the Kellogg School of Business

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Amid a global pandemic, empathy in the workplace has become a popular topic. But is it just a PR thing? Or does empathy really impact the bottom line?

According to social science data, demonstrating empathy at work does matter. So, what is the business case for empathy?

Liesel Mertes is an acclaimed workplace empathy expert with a deep understanding of what employees need to feel supported at work after a disruptive life event. She has developed trainings and talks around issues such as loss, returning to work, compassion fatigue, cultivating resilience and the brain science of empathy.

Liesel founded Handle with Care to help forward-thinking organizations boost employee engagement and attract and retain better talent, and she is committed to helping people survive, stabilize and thrive in the aftermath of adversity. Liesel is also the host of the Handle with Care: Empathy in the Workplace Podcast.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Liesel joins me to define empathy and explain why it's crucial in the workplace right now, challenging leaders to view empathy as a skill rather than a fixed personality trait.

She offers insight on the brain science behind empathy in the workplace and describes what gets in the way of leaders and teams demonstrating empathy well.

Listen in for Liesel's insight around how empathy impacts productivity and get her simple tips for practicing empathy in the workplace straight away.

Themes explored in this week's episode:

• How Liesel defines empathy and why it should lead to compassionate action
• Why empathy is crucial in the workplace right now
• What makes empathy a skill rather than a fixed personality trait
• How empathy impacts the bottom line, i.e.: productivity and talent retention
• The brain science behind empathy and how it helps people work effectively through disruptive life events
• Liesel's insight around the grief we've all experienced the last 2 years (and why leaders need empathy reciprocated to them)
• Why it's important to understand our feelings and how Liesel helps clients acknowledge and name their emotional experiences
• Why leaders should continue to display care even if team members don't respond
• What gets in the way of leaders and teams demonstrating empathy well
• Liesel's tips around how to start practicing empathy right away (and what cliches to avoid)
• How to build care and intention into your calendar

Resources from this episode:

• Follow Liesel on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Learn more about Liesel's work at lieselmertes.com
• Listen to Liesel on the Handle with Care Podcast
• Access Brene Brown's work at brenebrown.com
• Read the Businesssolver's State of Workplace Empathy Study
• Explore the Feelings Wheel
• Hear Liesel's interview with me on Handle with Care
• Get Forbes' take on empathy as a leadership skill

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

The last two years have tested leaders, pushing us to operate under intense pressure at an unprecedented pace. And while these Crucible Leadership Moments can be incredibly challenging, they are also opportunities for accelerated growth and transformation.

In fact, Suzanne Coonan suggests that intentionally putting ourselves in circumstances of 'desirable difficulty' helps leaders develop the resilience we need to thrive in these complex and uncertain times.

Suzanne is an accomplished leadership development expert and executive coach who partners with high-performing, high-achieving leaders to navigate challenging and complex environments, advance their careers, manage their energy and find more meaning and balance in work and in life.

Suzanne has 20-plus years of experience, most recently serving as Senior Executive Coach for one of the world's largest global technology companies, and she is passionate about helping leaders embrace the opportunity in these evolving times.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Suzanne joins me to explore how navigating challenges brings out the best in leaders and share her top strategies for building resilience in uncertain times.

She offers insight on navigating Crucible Leadership Moments, encouraging leaders to share these transformative experiences with their teams and make time to reflect on both planned, positive challenges and unplanned, negative ones.

Listen in for advice embracing novelty as an opportunity for growth and engage in Suzanne's challenge to take on a 'desirable difficulty' of your own in 2022!

• Suzanne's top 2 values (connection and possibility) and how they influence her work
• How navigating challenges has brought out the best in leaders over the last 2 years
• Suzanne's top strategies for building resilience in leaders
• How Suzanne defines Crucible Leadership Moments and how she coaches leaders through negative, unplanned experiences
• The benefit of intentionally giving yourself 'desirable difficulty' during these complex and uncertain times
• How to navigate a 'desirable difficulty' without letting it take you under
• Why Suzanne encourages leaders to share their Crucible Moments out loud with their teams and offer their team members desirable difficulties to support their growth
• How to create a process for reflecting on your Crucible Moments and why it's important
• Suzanne's challenge to put yourself in a situation of 'desirable difficulty' in 2022 and the criteria for choosing it (mastery, mindfulness and meaning)
• Suzanne's take on how leaders of the future will embrace novelty as an opportunity

• Follow Suzanne Coonan on LinkedIn
• Listen to Jim Collins' conversation with Brene Brown on the Dare to Lead Podcast
• Read Jim Collins' book Good to Great
• Get Suzanne's insight on resilience on The Life & Leadership Podcast S2EP5
• Explore David Cooperrider's work on language and leadership
• Access Warren Bennis and Robert J. Thomas' 2002 article 'Crucibles of Leadership' in the Harvard Business Review
• Learn more about David Peterson's take on 'desirable difficulty'
• Find out more about languishing in Adam Grant's New York Times article or TED Talk

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

What we ask of leaders has changed dramatically in the last two years.

The systems we operate in have been overtaxed, and we've had to lead despite the ambiguity and volatility.

So, how might leadership continue to evolve? What will it take to be a leader of the future?

In the trailer for Workplace Forward, I explain how the podcast was born to help you navigate the changing landscape of leadership and take care of yourself in the process.

I describe how leaders are being asked to do things they have never done before like, taking a stand on political and social issues, attending to our employees' human needs and increasing our education around systemic racism.

Listen in for a sneak peek at the experts, authors and innovators appearing on upcoming episodes and find out what you will learn about the behaviors, beliefs and skills required of leaders of the future.

Themes explored in this week's episode:

• How what's being asked of leaders has changed dramatically in the last 2 years
• Why leaders are being asked to take a stand on political and social issues
• What it looks like for leaders to be emotionally available and take care of their employees' human needs
• The growing demand for leaders to increase their education around racism
• How the Workplace Forward Podcast was born to explore the behaviors, beliefs and skills required of leaders of the future
• The experts, authors and innovators who will appear on Workplace Forward
• What you will learn in upcoming episodes about growing from desirable difficulty, exercising your insight muscle and leading in liminal space

Resources from this episode:

• Pick up a copy of Dorie Clark's new book The Long Game
• Learn more about Debra Loftus at Liminal Solutions
• Explore Suzanne Coonan's work by connecting with her on LinkedIn
• Exercise your insight muscle with Gina Fong