Image credit: grinvaldsAfter a year of podcast interviews and conversations researching my book, I can sum up the most powerful leadership tool in two words (that aren’t “yes, and”):Shut. Up.Sound harsh? Sorry.Nah, not really. Because this is a universal message I kept hearing over and over. Every leader who successfully led change, got buy-in, navigated

Why Your Best People Can’t Get Things Done (And the 2-Word Fix)

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Candace “Candy” Campbell – nurse, actor, filmmaker, and international speaker – to talk about improv, healthcare, and what it really takes to communicate courageously in high-stakes environments.Candy’s journey is wild and inspiring. She started with a degree in acting and was headed for New York… until a

Say “Yes, And!” to Improv, Nursing, and Leadership with Dr. Candy Campbell

Image credit: alphaspirit“Where did you train?”The woman at the National Speakers Association meeting looked at me expectantly.“I taught myself,” I said.Her face scrunched up. “No, I mean where did you learn improv?”“That’s what I’m saying. I read books and figured it out.”She looked at me like I’d just admitted to performing surgery after watching YouTube

Why Your Biggest Insecurity Might Be Your Greatest Superpower

Image credit: Xalanx“Can you make the improv exercises industry-specific?”I get this request from learning and development (L&D) professionals. My answer is always no.And they look at me like I’m wasting their time, like I suggested replacing their quarterly reviews with interpretive dance. Though now that I think about it…But I’m not being stubborn. I’m protecting

Your Training Is Too Relevant – That’s Why It’s Failing

When everything feels messy, most leaders reach for more tactics and more meetings. In this conversation, I sit down with Maartje van Krieken – engineer, skipper, crisis strategist, and host of The Business Emergency Room Podcast – to talk about how to triage chaos, make cleaner decisions, and realign people and processes without burning everyone

Say “Yes, And!” to Navigating Chaos with Maartje van Krieken

Image credit: Freigeist67“How can we do that?”Five words. Two completely different meanings. One choice that determines whether your organization thrives or dies.After 20+ years as the World’s Only Motivational Improviser (Yes, I made that up. No, no one has ever contested it…yet.) teaching thousands of leaders how improv principles can transform organizations, I’ve discovered this

The 5-Word Question That Predicts Whether Your Team Will Thrive or Die