Linked – The Art of Storytelling: A Guide to Becoming a More Effective Storyteller

Linked – The Art of Storytelling: A Guide to Becoming a More Effective Storyteller

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 2 minutes

I was part of a conversation at work recently about giving good presentations, and the art of telling a story was a big part of the discussion. Stories matter. Whether giving a presentation, pitching a new idea, making a sale, or training customers, the story brings people along to what we’re trying to tell them. The story puts everything in context. When I’m training, it’s the stories about how we used that technology to make things easier or what happened when we failed to properly use the technology that helps people understand the “why.”.

Linked – Research: Where Managers and Employees Disagree About Remote Work

Linked – Research: Where Managers and Employees Disagree About Remote Work

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 2 minutes

They point out a hypothetical situation where the employee looks at their “work” day to include the commute and maybe some other time, but the manager isn’t. That’s a huge disconnect. Speaking for myself, I will never volunteer to go back to an in-office or even a hybrid position because of how much time you spend going back and forth and the limiting factor of needing to be in that place for the entire time in between. Why? If the work can get done from anywhere, why would we expect anyone to spend so much time going somewhere else every day?

The Benefits of the Arts in Business
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The Benefits of the Arts in Business

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 2 minutes

My point was that as a trainer, I do quite a bit of presenting and public speaking. I also do a fair bit of storytelling, but I didn’t learn that skill in business school or from my technical education. I had to learn those skills later in my professional life. So, I take every opportunity to encourage young people to learn those skills. You may not be looking for a career as a speaker, actor, or Improvisational Comedy, but the skills you learn there will make you stand out in the workplace when it comes time to do a presentation or speak up for your ideas.

I was reminded of this again last week when I listened to my friend and former colleague Laura Prael being interviewed on the Aussie podcast Two Drunk Accountants.

Shared Links (weekly) June 26, 2022

Shared Links (weekly) June 26, 2022

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 1 minute

Linked: A Return to the Office Doesn’t Have to Mean a Return to Boring Presentations
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Linked: A Return to the Office Doesn’t Have to Mean a Return to Boring Presentations

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 1 minute

The number of people who can read one thing and listen to another is very small. It might be zero. Our brains can’t process two different things that require our understanding simultaneously.

Of course, that also doesn’t mean that you just read your slides. That’s just boring. No one likes boring either.

Visuals. It’s all about the visuals.

Shared Links (weekly) April 3, 2022

Shared Links (weekly) April 3, 2022

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 1 minute