Repeatedly, we make the mistake of following the traditional path to making a change happen by doing the following. We find the problem. We figure out a solution. We tell the story of the solution aka marketing our solutions. Where in this process do we ask ourselves the question, "Who is the audience?" Now, you may turn around and say, the story is for our customers or our teams or our leaders...

The most basic rule of data storytelling: I must tell the story that only I can see, but they can't. Chris is 28 years old and working as a data analyst for an e-commerce company. Everyday, her computer screen is filled with numbers that she analyses. When asked what exactly is her role in the business? Her response is, "I make meaning of the numbers I get from an excel spreadsheet, which I...

Its 11.30 PM, I am lying on my bed and thinking through the week this has been so far. We have delivered a lot of work this week which has required us to collaborate with vendors, partners and suppliers. These interactions have shaped my views about the people we work with. When you are time pressed, you notice more, say less and decide quickly. Here are some stories that have left me thinking at...

When we see great work done by others, we tell ourselves either one of these stories: Story 1: We call this the bystander's story, where we justify someone's ability to do great work by telling ourselves that she has done great work … because she has established herself a long time ago. because she has a team supporting her. because she looks good and as a result she gets the attention. All the...

Sure we get disappointed with things in life but does that level of disappointment justify our choice of words? When food doesn't taste good, our reaction is, "It's awful!" When a student doesn't do a good job with her homework, our reaction is "It's terrible!" When there's traffic on the road, our reaction is "It's horrendous!" The words we use to express our disappointment on daily matters may...

At the start of each year, corporate organisations generally allocate a certain budget for learning and development. To ensure this budget is used effectively, a learning needs analysis is carried out. Workshops are designed. Learning partners and venues are carefully chosen. The courses are then rigorously socialised to get optimal number of participants. However, the most important thing seems...

A muskmelon purchased from Sembiyika, Japan's oldest fruit shop, costs anywhere from 20,000 yen ($200) and above. A Sembiyika mango costs 10,000 yen ($100) per piece, and these high prices have caused many to shy away from purchasing these fruits, let alone consuming them. Unless one skins the fruit, cuts it to pieces and consumes it, he or she will not be able to appreciate the true value of the...

Over the years, I have built a strong, professional relationship with Jeff. He helps with all the printing work for my business. He is an individual with varied interests and his life beyond work often becomes the topic of our conversation. When the pandemic hit, all printing work went out of the window, and there was no longer a need for me to keep in touch with Jeff. However, sometime in May, I...

If I say, early mornings, you'd probably say, "I know that already!" because mornings are known to be the best time for most people to deliver their best work. However, I would like to dig deeper and share what most people don't realize. I do most of my work that demands cognitive focus (what Cal Newport calls "deep work") in the morning. After a couple of hours, I would normally go for a run or...

I am watching videos of corporate leaders such as Indra Nooyi, Meg Whitman, Ginni Rometty and Sheryl Sandberg to learn how successful women communicate? There is a clear link between these women's online success and the vulnerability they demonstrate. Their vulnerability creates connection. So, it's tempting for one to think, "I am also going to be vulnerable because that is what leads to...

What a question! Who should we learn from? Of course, we should learn from the best. We should learn from those who are experts in their fields. This has been one of my criteria for selecting my teachers, coaches and mentors all these years. I now realise I've overlooked another important criterion, which is whether the expert is a practitioner in his/her field of expertise. For example, if I am...

A couple of weeks ago, a potential client and I were on a call. This client came to us via a blog post I had written back in 2015. The client is based in the United States of America, and we were on a call at an odd hour. The potential project we were discussing involves working with 10 country heads and getting each of them ready to tell the company's forward story, i.e., post-pandemic story...

Look at this image, like a fish, when we no longer "see the water" it's a clear signal that we have assimilated into our surroundings or culture. Back in 2005, when I was working in Australia, I remembered working so hard to fit in and be like an Australian that I had put a lid on the diverse perspective I could have offered. Instead, I should have focused on whether I can get the job done...

When I was growing up, we watched TV together as a family at 8PM everyday. We had no control over what was broadcasted and because TV was our only source of media entertainment, we engaged with whatever that was shown. However, watching TV at 8PM together as a family no longer exist for many. We now live in a world, where we can watch whatever we wish to and on various platforms, such as Netflix...

On 14 July 2016, I wrote a blog Data tells you what's happening. Stories tell you why it matters with the following featured image. Today, as I look back I can see how I was wrong to use an image that speaks about data being less than stories. In my storytelling work, I have always witnessed a war between stories and data, but what I now know is that there has to be a marriage between the two in...

If you observed the trainings at the Badminton Training Academy, you will notice that there are two styles of training that are being conducted. One group of kids undergo intense training and are pushed harder by the head coach, while the other group of kids experience less intensity in their training. Anyone observing this would perceive the first group of kids to be privileged and have...

Last week, a client called and said, "I really need my sales people to be better storytellers. Can you conduct a one-hour storytelling workshop for them?" To help someone become a storyteller within an hour is a big ask yet not uncommon. Time seems to be a very important topic of discussion when it comes to our learning initiatives but not when we are watching Netflix, browsing or posting on...

These days, we post almost any and everything on social media. When we attend a workshop, eat or work on a speech, we post our activities on social media. During the times of Circuit Breaker and now, the new normal, we post our Zoom call screenshots! The story we tell ourselves is the need to shape our narrative through the consistent posting of our activities, thoughts and ideas. These posts are...

Recently, Sarah (not her real name) told me that she had received feedback from her boss that she needed to demonstrate more empathy. She was perplexed because she considered herself to be someone, who was not only professional but had strong social intelligence. Feedback on personality traits and workplace demeanor can be a double-edged sword —women have been known to be penalized for...

While I was in high school, I lost a debate competition. I was devastated, especially because before the results were announced so many people had walked up to me and said, "You spoke so well." I was quietly confident that the trophy would be mine but to my shock that didn't happen. Perplexed, I went to my teacher. I was hoping that she would tell me the results were unfair and that I deserved...

I was observing my 12-year-old daughter Maya incessantly memorise facts about the Opium war, and I was quick to say, "What for ?" I am a believer of what Seth Godin said, "Anything that can be looked up is not worth memorising." Maya can easily look up such facts when she needs them. But I was wrong. Yes, she may not need to memorise the factual content but the process of memorising information...

I am reading an article in Her Words titled "I'm Teaching Into a Vacuum: 14 Educators on Quarantine Learning." In this article 14 educators share their feelings, experiences and opinions about teaching online. There is one particular teacher whose words grabbed my attention. In particular, the line "Teaching is so nuanced – you get to know your kids well enough that if someone cocks their head...

2020 started with a big bang with our vision, mission, business strategies, organisational goals and plans in place. In just a few days, the world came to a standstill. Our growth story slipped through our hands like sand, and every leader now has to convey a new hope, resilience, and a forward story of success in the new normal. You are one of the few who has already built that story, and you...

I am Jane and I am 41 years old. is a very different statement than I am Jane, 41 years old and I am a runner. In the first case, there's not a lot I can tell about your "am". It gives me some facts about you and no real insight in to your character. In the second, I get to know about your character. Anyone who can confidently say, they are a runner, signal, strength, discipline and...

After my routine, long run that weekend, I was looking forward to the usual family breakfast tradition. However, that day, I decided to takeaway breakfast because COVID- 19 seemed to show signs of continued spread. I was being careful. As I was leaving the lobby of our apartment building for the car park, I saw an ambulance pull up. My heart skipped a beat. Is someone sick? Is this person...