The Elements of Story (6/11/2018) I never thought I'd learn about while alone on a small boat at sea, but here's the story: When I was a young man still in college, I found myself—quite through happenstance—in the company of an odd band… READ ON
Every Sailor Runs Aground Sooner or Later (3/12/2024)   Every sailor runs aground sooner or later! How do you know if a really brings the they claim to? I was sailing along through clear turquoise water over a pure white sand bottom. A jagged line of… READ ON
Zero, Infinity, and the Search for Meaning (2/27/2024) 13.7-billion years ago, the universe expanded from a single point. Some of the light we see in the sky took billions of years to travel across space—at 186,282 miles per second—to reach our eyes. Will the universe expand outward indefinitely—infinitely?… READ ON
The Best Speakers Tell Stories About You!the best speakers tell stories about YOU! (2/13/2024) The best speakers tell stories about YOU! A speaker walked onto the platform wearing a rugged jacket and hiking boots. He set an ice axe down on a small table, pulled off his snow goggles, and began to recount his… READ ON
Meeting Success is Hiding in the Lightmeeting success is hiding in the light (1/30/2024) success is hiding in the light. Here's another innocent mistake so many event organizers make. True story: Joe was hired to at a huge conference—you know—a fancy stage with multiple iMag screens and colorful lights.  He planned to… READ ON
The Speaker's Real Job (1/16/2024)   What is the speaker's real job? We've seen it too many times: A dynamic, charismatic speaker gets the audience on their feet, makes them dance, gets them to shout, “Oh Yeah!”—and works the room like a Baptist preacher in… READ ON
PowerPoint Mistakes: Bullet Points! (1/2/2024) How deadly are your bullet points? There are seven elements that every speaker must consider when crafting a : ✅ Timing ✅ Volume ✅ Pauses ✅ Presence ✅ Facial Expressions ✅ Body Language ✅ And Dynamics Let's talk about timing… READ ON
They Don't Have a Clue!  (12/18/2023)   They don't have a clue! In 1991, I sailed a wooden boat 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.  During my 38 days at sea, I battled seasickness, faced storms and calms, adjusted the sails, and minded the compass. Do… READ ON
‘Twas the Month Before Christmas (12/5/2023)   Here's a little holiday fun. Thanks for reading my storytelling posts. Have a safe, happy, and prosperous season. 'Twas a month before Christmas, when all through the land Every forklift was stirring, precisely as planned Products were lined on… READ ON
Thoughts on Thanksgivingthanksgiving (11/21/2023) When the urge to gripe arises, consider that no matter what dark clouds may loom on the horizon, you threaded the needle of human history. Imagine what life would have been like had you been born not so many years… READ ON
Two Stories Professional Speakers Never Telltwo stories to never tell (11/14/2023) Here are two great stories to NEVER tell: One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking things up and gently throwing them into the ocean. “Hey kid, what are you doing?” “Throwing starfish… READ ON