STORYTELLING FOR THE MODERN USER 

Storytelling is as old as the human experience.  At its essence, story helps us develop and maintain connections and community, and we now know more about how the human brain responds to story than at any other time.  The history of American business is filled with great storytellers, from Walt Disney to Steve Jobs and yes, even Elizabeth Holmes. The best among them used their story to change the world. And while we are inundated with data and information, story undeniably remains a pillar of power and influence.

In this session, you’ll learn:

• Why our brains love story — and what makes a great one 
• Why storytelling is critical to building and maintaining influence 
• The elements of story and examples of where it’s appropriate

STORYTELLING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Most professionals know that business is about building trust and relationships, but how exactly do you build a relationship from the ground up? Do you really need to be meeting all those people for coffee every week and going to a hundred awkward networking events? This program will transform what you feel and think about business development. This training is infused with humor, heart and humanity to teach you to do business development elegantly and ethically. This program is not a pep rally. This is a game changer.

Participants will learn:

• How to build your social capital, have meetings that move people, and build influence
• How to craft a business development and marketing plan that aligns with your distinct personality and style
• How to distinguish between business development and marketing and to understand the differences between internal and external marketing
• The role of cross-functional sales
• How to differentiate yourself in a crowded marketplace

MEDIA TRAINING

We are in a time unlike any other. Everywhere we turn, we are pummeled with information  in a media marketplace that’s increasingly crowded: from Facebook to blogs to traditional print outlets and 24-hour news channels, we now have access to more stories than ever before. And as the landscape evolves, one thing remains clear: he or she who tells the best story wins.  

For the uninitiated, navigating media can be complicated and nerve-wracking — but it doesn’t have to be. Our media training is designed to demystify the process of crafting media pitches and landing and executing media interviews with finesse, elegance, and authenticity.  

Participants will learn: 

• The ins and outs of creating effective media pitches that snag reporters’ attention 
• Practical ways to elevate themselves as subject matter experts journalists call on for comment when news breaks
• The rules of engagement for interactions with journalists — and how to avoid pitfalls common to radio, TV, and print interviews 

STORYTELLING AND PERSONAL BRANDING 

To succeed in the workplace, you’ve got to know your brand. Communicating your value and selling your ideas revolve around how well you tell your personal story, and nobody else can (or will) do it for you.

In this interactive session, you’ll learn:

• How to identify your differentiators — what makes you stand out — and develop a memorable narrative about what you bring to the table
• How to promote your value proposition and sell yourself to a variety of internal and external stakeholders through creative, engaging storytelling
• Strategies to advance and leverage your ideas, your capacities, and yourself in the most effective, thoughtful way possible.

You’ll also learn how to use your personal brand as a springboard to better approach high-stakes conversations, express what you want, and push for more. You’ll leave the session with specific, actionable ways to champion who you are and what you do. 

SPEAKER SCHOOL

A powerful speaker is an industry leader who can move an audience toward action. Content is only a small piece of delivering a high-impact speech. How you deliver your content, tell the story behind your data, and use presentation tools is critical to developing an emotionally intelligent, high-conversion speech.

The Speaker School teaches participants to move from reporters of content to high-impact speakers. This full-day training includes: 

• Developing the structure of your speech
• How to use visual aides
• How to integrate storytelling into your speech to support your data or information
• Establishing presence
• The Know, Do, Feel Rule
• Why your speech matters and how to create a powerful ending
• Creating marketing material around your speech

STORYTELLING AND EXECUTIVE PRESENCE 

Executive presence is the embodiment of confident, empowered leadership. How we show up physically and emotionally informs how we behave and how others inside and outside an organization receive us. Executive presence can often be an extremely amorphous concept that while easy to identify can be hard to quantify.

This highly interactive workshop will focus on defining what constitutes executive presence as well as how to engage with behaviors that contribute to elevating one’s executive presence. 

Participants will leave the workshop understanding:

• The role authenticity plays in engaging as our best and highest selves
• How to display confidence before we feel confident
• How to “take up space” in a positive, respectful fashion
• How to be leaders of action and why decisiveness is critical to executive presence
• Why mindset and cognitive behavior are critical to building executive presence