Storytelling with Doug Thompson →

Published June 16, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 16

What strategies and experiences contribute to effective storytelling and meaningful conversation?

Effective storytelling bridges gaps between technical concepts and emotional connections.

Listening is not just on the surface—it’s listening to what they’re telling you, what’s going on, and then doing the number one rule in Improv: yes, and.

~ Doug Thompson (32:58)

The conversation focuses on the art of storytelling, touching on its unconscious development and practical applications in fields like sales and communication. Doug shares his early experiences in radio and technology sales, which helped him refine his ability to craft and adapt stories to connect with diverse audiences. He reflects on storytelling as both a natural inclination and a skill honed through practice.

The discussion also explores tools for storytelling, such as improvisation training and active listening. Doug highlights the importance of understanding an audience’s needs, using relatable language, and adapting narratives to resonate effectively. He discusses the neurological basis for storytelling, emphasizing its role in human connection and memory. The talk concludes with advice on encouraging others to embrace storytelling through interactive activities and social engagement.

Takeaways

Storytelling as a skill — It can be unconsciously developed but refined through deliberate practice.

Improv training — Teaches adaptability, active listening, and the “yes, and” approach.

Neurological basis of storytelling — Stories engage emotions and enhance memory retention.

Adapting stories for audiences — Tailoring language and context to resonate with listeners.

Challenges of modern communication — Technology and brief formats can hinder storytelling skills.

Encouraging storytelling practice — Improv classes, social events, and podcasts as gateways.

Resources

Wired for Story — by Lisa Cron, explores the neurological basis of storytelling and its effectiveness in communication.

Toastmasters International — Provides structured opportunities to practice public speaking and storytelling skills.

Doug Thompson Podcast — Focuses on storytelling and related topics; undergoing rebranding.

Doug Thompson on LinkedIn — Connects with storytelling insights and professional activities.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Scorn and censure →

Published June 16, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 16  ·  ,

He that cometh to seek after knowledge with a mind to scorn and censure shall be sure to find matter for his humor, but none for his instruction.

~ Francis Bacon

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Broke my but →

Published June 16, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 16  ·  ,

In my journey writing thousands of blog posts I’ve developed certain habits and a style. There have been a precious few points where I’ve intentionally made a significant change. I used to lead with the URL followed by the pull-quote, before changing to a more normal style of a quote with a following attribution. At one point I started adding slip addresses, and at another point I started reigning in my use of exclamation marks.

Recently I asked one of my mentors, Jesse, for feedback on some copy, and he made a comment about his personal rule to be very intentional about using the word, “but”. I didn’t think I was overusing it, but [oh no!] I often used it as a conjunction— I often used it as a way to connect two sentences to create a point and counter-point structure— Dammit, Jesse. Now I cannot unsee every “but” as a weasel word. You suck. Thanks for making me better.

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A sneer →

Published June 15, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 15  ·  ,

A sneer is the weapon of the weak. Like other devil’s weapons, it is always cunningly ready to our hand, and there is more poison in the handle than in the point.

~ James Russell Lowell

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Guiding principles →

Published June 15, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 15  ·  

We rarely take the time to capture these guiding principles—even though recognizing them can help steer our actions, lead us to better decisions, and let us live more in alignment with who we are.

~ Chris Bailey from, My 6 guiding principles – Chris Bailey

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As with Bailey, I don’t think I have a clear set of guiding principles. I’m not sure if I’m okay with that. I am sure that I do not want to spiral off and spend my entire day—that’s what would surely happen to me if I begin—thinking about this. Instead, I read his list and spent some time letting my thinking happen spurred by his principles. Just as he described, I did have one principle spring immediately to mind: Curiosity. To be powered by curiosity. To be passionately curious. “Curioser and curioser”, said Alice.

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One day →

Published June 14, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 14  ·  

One day I’ll be a filmmaker! One day I’ll be a famous artist! One day I’ll be a CEO! One day I’ll be a Creative Director! One day I’ll be a Venture Capitalist! And so forth.

Then you get to a certain age and you realize that the time for “One Day” is over. You’re either doing it, or you’re not. And if you’re not, a feeling of bitter disappointment starts hitting you deep into the marrow. Which explains why we all know so many people in their 30s and 40s having mid-life crisis’.

~ Hugh MacLeod

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Nonequilibrium? →

Published June 14, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 14  ·  

I don’t know if you like parties. I don’t know if you’re organized or punctual. But I bet you don’t like rotting smells or long swims in freezing water. That is to say: People are different, but only in certain ways. What’s the difference?

~ “Dynomight” from, Are some personalities just better?

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This article is about personality types, and it goes down the rabbit hole, (in a good way.) We’ve all learned about the theory of evolution, and there are countless examples where it’s used to explain—or at least to try to imagine—how some specific feature of ourselves came to be so.

Way down in that article he mentions in passing that we—us, the people—might not currently be in equilibrium with the current selection pressures. This was a startling thought for me. Evolution can be fast—a gene mutation leading to a significant change in one generation—but I’ve always had the impression that it is most often slow and steady. I’ve always imagined a big-ship with a small-rudder metaphor. And I’ve always had the impression that who we are genetically, (the big ship) has its rudder set for straight-ahead. I’ve imagined that at some point in our distant past, selection pressures made us who we are as a species, and that was then. This is now, when we’ve been on a stable, no-changes evolutionary course for all of recorded history.

What if, let’s say around the time of the invention of the transistor and computers, the social pressures changed drastically. That is to say: Suppose that introduced a major change in the rudder’s position? Suppose we, the big ship with the big pile of DNA-encoded information, are right in the middle of a slow course change. What if right now, important and noticeable features of our biology and psychology are being strongly differentially selected?

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Space with Lorraine Margherita →

Published June 13, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 13

How can curiosity and conversation techniques enhance personal and professional dynamics?

This conversation explores how curiosity fuels both learning and the sharing of insights in professional settings.

My brother used to tell me, ‘They asked you, just say you don’t know,’ and I was like: What? No! I’m going to look for the Answer.

~ Lorraine Margherita (3:11)

The discussion begins with reflections on curiosity and its role in personal and professional growth. Lorraine shares her passion for learning and how this trait influences their consulting and podcasting work. The conversation goes into how decision-making frameworks like flat or teal organizational models can benefit from fostering a culture of curiosity.

Attention shifts to techniques for facilitating meaningful interactions, with a focus on balancing agenda-driven sessions and the organic needs of participants. Tools like the talking stick and the deliberate use of silence are explored as methods to enhance communication and collaboration. Lorraine and Craig also examine the challenges of creating space for authentic dialogue while maintaining productive boundaries.

Takeaways

Curiosity and learning — Curiosity can drive personal and professional growth by encouraging exploration and sharing of knowledge.

Facilitation techniques — Tools like the talking stick and controlled silence can significantly improve group dynamics.

Balancing structure and flow — Effective facilitation requires adapting to group needs while respecting time and objectives.

Decision-making in organizations — Frameworks like flat or teal models benefit from creating spaces for open dialogue.

Silence as a tool — Silence can deepen conversations and encourage thoughtful participation.

Storytelling in consulting — Sharing relatable stories can spark curiosity and engagement among clients.

Resources

The StrengthsFinder test — A tool to identify personal strengths, particularly for learners.

The Little Book of Circle Processes — A method for collaborative conversations without hierarchy.

The Co-Dynamics podcast — Focused on decision-making in organizations, particularly flat and teal

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Depth of commitment →

Published June 13, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 13  ·  ,

If someone were to ask me to identify the single primary quality that an artist or entrepreneur should cultivate in himself, I would say depth of commitment. Because depth of commitment either embodies all the other virtues or establishes the fertile field in which they can take root and grow. Depth of commitment presupposes courage, passion, recklessness, capacity for self-discipline, and the ability to have fun. It implies perseverance.

~ Steven Pressfield

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By which handle →

Published June 13, 2022  ·  All posts on Jun 13

It’s easy to think negative thoughts and to get stuck into a pattern with them. But forcing myself to take the time not only to think about something good, but write that thought down longhand was a kind of rewiring of my own opinions. It became easier to see that while there certainly was plenty to be upset about, there was also plenty to be thankful for. Epictetus said that every situation has two handles; which was I going to decide to hold onto? The anger, or the appreciation?

~ Ryan Holiday from, One Day Of Thanks Is Not Enough: Gratitude is a Daily Practice – RyanHoliday.net

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The idea that there are two handles to every impression is a blazing reminder that impressions are neither inherently good nor bad. It is our own reasoned choice which adds that evaluation.

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