Anecdotally Speaking

Have a plan B and keep it top of mind. Listen to hear how a desperate cry for help saved a man’s life just last month. The post 140 – When you desperately need your plan B appeared first on Anecdote.

You don’t have to follow the path people expect you to take. Listen to hear why an Australian actor refused to sign a contract worth more than one million pounds. The post 139 – Contract bondage no good by George appeared first on Anecdote.

Pushing ideas and actions on people will only lead to resistance. Listen to hear how Captain James Cook used a pull strategy to save his crew from scurvy. The post 138 – Scurvy sailors served sauerkraut appeared first on Anecdote.

A team philosophy will help soothe your colleagues’ concerns in stressful situations. Listen to hear why the Beatles reminded each other that “something will happen” when tensions rose. The post 137 – Journeys of heroes and Beatles appeared first on Anecdote.

Suggestion and argument alone don’t change minds, but experiences do. Listen to hear how one husband finally persuaded his wife to buy herself a new and improved bike. The post 136 – It’s like riding a new bike appeared first on Anecdote.

Empathy will help you help other people. Listen to hear how a woman stopped a child’s crying by showing that she could really understand how they were feeling. The post 135 – Noticing the cut versus feeling the pain appeared first on Anecdote.

You don’t know what other people are going through. Listen to hear why Hugh van Cuylenburg will never stop pushing his organisation’s (The Resilience Project) message. The post 134 – Look for the good and trust in the work appeared first on Anecdote.

Don’t wait for someone to come along and solve your problems—step up and make things happen. Listen to hear how a clever Storytelling for Leaders participant used an anecdote from a popular franchise to connect and build rapport.  The post 133 – Potter spells initiative appeared first on Anecdote.

What impact does your leadership have on your organisation? Listen to hear what lessons the reintroduction of a species into an ecosystem can offer business. The post 132 – Wolves, cane toads and tubby ships appeared first on Anecdote.

Follow your passion without thinking about the outcome, and success will follow. Listen to hear how a mother’s happy accident aided Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s tennis career. The post 131 – Did you have a nice Grand Slam, darling? appeared first on Anecdote.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’” Listen to hear how one woman persisted with her vision and changed the lives of over a million people. The post 130 – Superwoman with x-ray vision appeared first on Anecdote.

It’s not enough to just say something—you need to act too. Listen to hear how Nelson Mandela showed the world that he wholeheartedly believed in reconciliation. The post 129 – The unexpected supporter appeared first on Anecdote.

Collaboration and diversity bring progress. Listen to hear how one woman defied gender norms to receive recognition for a scientific breakthrough. The post 128 – Collaboration and diversity is how you make progress appeared first on Anecdote.

Not all mistakes lead to failures. Listen to hear how one scientist’s carelessness resulted in a life-saving discovery. The post 127 – The mould that broke the staph appeared first on Anecdote.

Company values enable your people to act quickly and have confidence that they’ve made the right decision. Listen to hear a story of values in action from Mars. The post 126 – Shattering decision on pet food quality appeared first on Anecdote.

Great leaders communicate in ways that change minds and inspire action. Listen to hear how Franklin Roosevelt used an analogy to shift the events of World War II. The post 125 – Lending a hose to neighbours on fire appeared first on Anecdote.

No matter how unlikely an event seems, it pays to prepare. Listen to hear the inspiring but tragic story of Rick Rescorla, whose meticulous planning saved almost 3,000 people on 9/11. The post 124 – When the stakes are sky high appeared first on Anecdote.

Choosing to remain a bystander can have disastrous effects. Listen to hear how 37 people assumed another person would take responsibility and, as a result, a young woman lost her life. The post 123 – Tragic consequences of standing by appeared first on Anecdote.

Imperfect conditions don’t equate to imperfect performance. Listen to hear how a solo jazz pianist made the most of what he had and recorded the best selling solo piano album of all time. The post 122 – Grumpy maestros and all that jazz appeared first on Anecdote.

When you need to solve a problem or initiate a behaviour change, think beyond the obvious solution—you’ll likely find a more effective one. Listen to hear how a small town in Germany flipped a problematic march on its head. The post 121 – Charitable causes for problematic pilgrims appeared first on Anecdote.