Get unstuck: 10 ways to banish writer’s block
A note from Beth: I first published this advice on the Spencer Grace website and LinkedIn, way back in May 2015. Though I do sometimes change my tune, this remains one of my loudest anthems. If you're tired of singing the sad song of writer's block, [...]
A creativity wish list for grown-ups
We finish a season of wish lists and enter a phase of resolutions. We’re always wanting something, aren’t we? I’m writing this post in that strange and wonderful week when Christmas Day has past, Hanukah is in progress, and New Year’s Day is soon to [...]
How To Be An Artist In 5 Minutes or Less
I’m sitting in a coffee shop at F and 7th NW. The sound is deafening, crowds of people and every seat taken. Because I am a stranger here in D.C, I have to ask where the line is to order. Shockingly, there is no one [...]
Tigger and Eeyore walk into a room …
Anyone who’s been in a Story Mode workshop will attest: Jill Pollack and I do not play it safe. We seldom use PowerPoint. We crack jokes and tell stories. We get everyone on their feet, talking to us and to each other—usually within the first five [...]
The good stuff takes time
Once in a great while, brilliance bursts forth in an instant. An aha! A big idea! A flash of inspiration! These rare moments are a gift. When you get one, thank the universe. Profusely. And then start adjusting your expectations—and your creative process—for next time. [...]
Want a positive outcome? Adopt a positive attitude.
My husband lost his job this month. Quite unexpectedly, and effective immediately. For his employer, this was purely a business decision—a cost-cutting measure that would save the company some money by eliminating some salaries and overhead expenses. For Jim, this meant immediate change. He walked [...]
Colleagues? Clients? Consumers? People!
As a career-long business communicator, I’ve been challenged to refer to human beings in many ways. Whether driven by industry standards, corporate culture, or the druthers of a senior executive, most of us have adopted some peculiar labels for the people in and around our [...]
To get more than eyeballs, make marketing a conversation
What happens when you dare to not follow Conventional Wisdom? What does conventional wisdom even mean, and who gets to decide what is wise and what is folly? In 1958 John Kenneth Galbraith was trying to persuade the people of the U.S. that our economic [...]
Silence isn’t golden (or, why your email is tarnishing the conversation)
Dear Corporate Poet & Cutter of Crap: Last week I sent my team an email message about something important. As thorough as I tried to be, I totally expected questions and comments. So, as always, I closed the message with “please let me know if [...]
Who wrote the book on storytelling? It could be you …
Ask me how to be a better storyteller. What’s the one thing I need to focus on to tell a better story? Where should my story start? Why are my stories so boring? In Story Mode, we field questions like these all the time—especially from [...]
Your best work is just a few paces away
“When it comes to creative work, I have a pace in mind. But lately, about the only pacing I’m doing is back and forth in my shop.” My brother Paul said this to me and our sister Norma yesterday. His comment was in the context of [...]
If you’re not creating, you’re not communicating.
I call myself The Corporate Poet and Cutter of Crap. I have tattoos and a nose ring. And I wear Wonder Woman high tops to work. Some days, I swap the high tops for more formal footwear. But the tats and piercing are permanent, and [...]
Chances worth taking: 10 ways to build your team’s creativity
As I handed her my business card, the woman smiled and said, “You must really enjoy your work.” I answered without hesitation: “I am having the time of my life!” In the days since that quick exchange, I’ve been mulling why I love my job. Many of [...]
All form and no substance makes your story a waste of time
While I was stewing about what to write for this month’s post, “Every TED Talk Ever” entered my line of sight. Care to watch it without spoilers? Go ahead. You can meet me in the next paragraph in five-and-a-half minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9advgMBbdo&feature=youtu.be Hilarious! At least [...]
No one’s asking you to be weird. Just don’t be boring.
I want my presentation to be engaging and memorable. I want the audience to remember me and my message. I want to be amazing! Sound familiar? Sure. Who doesn’t want to be a killer presenter? But what if the following also rings a bell? I’m talking [...]
These conflicting ideas will make you a better writer
“Easy reading is damn hard writing.” I wish I had said that, but it was the author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Regardless of how you felt about The Scarlet Letter when you read it in high school, your grown-up self must see the wisdom in these words. If [...]
Super communicators, unite! We need to build a league!
Congratulations! Through practice, focus, and sheer brilliance, you have developed an invaluable superpower—and a reputation for making your business look and sound amazing on the page. You are The Wordsmith, the Slide Generator, the Master Messenger. There will always be work for heroes who can convert [...]
An anti-chaos guide to managing the messages you consume and create
No matter what your bias or views, if you’re paying attention to U.S. politics, you’re probably exhausted and overwhelmed by the relentless churn of information. So many voices. So much conflict. So much activity, yet so much inertia. Some workplaces are like that, too. Homes, [...]
Don’t can your story; tell it fresh
Congratulations! You’ve finally booked a meeting with that Very Important Person—the one you’ve been dying to reach in order to grow your business, prove your value, or advance your career. In preparation, you carefully and strategically plan what you will say. You organize your thoughts, choose [...]
Email much? Here’s our wish for you.
May your WiFi be strong and your inbox be light May every address in the “to” field be right May your subject be noticed And your content be focused May your words be retrieved And your intentions received May your hyperlinks click And your unsubscribes [...]
How To Not Write
1. Wake up early, before your alarm clock. Tell yourself it’s too early and go back to sleep. 2. Stretch, breathe deeply, then pick up your phone and play Candy Crush Saga for 32 minutes. Check off “meditation” in your habit tracker app because the [...]
Cut to the chase: how to stop rambling and turn talk into action
I was coaching a rising star the other day. A professional with amazing ideas, strong leadership abilities, and excellent presentation and storytelling skills. What did she need from me? “I want to improve my executive presence,” she said. “What would that look like?” I asked. [...]
With visual vocabulary, ZERO is a reasonable wordcount goal
To the delight or (more accurately) dismay of participants, when Jill Pollack and I are leading Story Mode workshops, we routinely challenge students to compress their messages down to micro length. This activity can take a few minutes, an hour, or the better part of [...]