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The Delicate Power of Stories
This beautiful talk by writer Elif Shafak has had me thinking about stories. As with any good story, Shafak’s talk is filled with humor, nuance and symbolism, as she gracefully describes her family background and experience of living as a child of a divorced mother in Turkey, going to international schools when her mother became a diplomat,…
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Advertising Gives Value: TED Talk by Rory Sutherland
In this entertaining talk, ad man Rory Sutherland points out that while advertising is often given a bad rap, it actually plays an important role in giving value and appreciation to what we already have. “We are perishing from want of wonder, not for want of wonders.” – G.K. Chesterton
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Earn the Right to Whisper
Last week I had the chance to go to the Chick-Fil-A Leadercast, a one-day conference with 85,000 people tuning in live from sites around the continent. The day was filled with great speakers, one of whom was Seth Godin. In speaking about marketing, Seth made the following statement that resonated with me: “Don’t yell; Earn…
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What Jip en Janneke Can Teach Us About Storytelling
As I mentioned before, I’ve been admiring children’s books lately. Since coming to Holland we’ve been spending a lot of time in the kids’ section of bookstores, looking for books that will help Olivia learn Dutch language and culture. Lots of fun! I’d like to introduce you to one of this country’s favourites. Jip en…
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Stats That Tell Stories
Stats aren’t just numbers, they tell stories. Often statistics are seen as boring, but if they’re interpreted and presented in the right way they can offer incredible insights. No one has demonstrated this more clearly than Hans Rosling. If you haven’t yet, check out his TED talks: The Truth About HIV, New Insights on Poverty,…
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Infectious Passion & Shining Eyes: Benjamin Zander
Benjamin Zander has an irrational love for classical music. But instead of hanging his head at the fact that only 3% of the world share his love, he, the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic and a hopeful optimist, has set out on a mission to show people that they really do love classical music, they…
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The Power of Cartoons
Patrick Chappatte is an editorial cartoonist who gave the following talk at TED this year about the power of cartoons. While quite to point out (and laugh about) the grim future of the newspaper, Chappatte displays the enduring power of visual communication. Watch this talk if, for nothing else, the clever use of his cartoons…
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A Napkin Can Make You a Better Communicator
Last week we took Olivia to a pediatrician. After the Doc had asked a bunch questions and done the basic check-up stuff, he proceeded give some suggestions for Olivia’s health. Often a doctor will rattle off a bunch of important info during an appointment, then you struggle to remember it a couple weeks down the road…
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From the Whiteboard: The Surprising Science of Motivation
Recently a co-worker showed me this fun “whiteboard animation” of a talk by Dan Pink. Watch it and you might be surprised by (and be able to relate to) what motivates us to do our work. I’ve referenced a similar talk that Dan Pink did at TED before (you can also watch it below). What…