Blog Posts

Are You a Duck or an Eagle?

By Jean Storlie / August 26, 2013 /

Emerging from the airport to stand in the cab line, Harvey was shaking the travel cobwebs from his brain and looked up to see a bright, shiny taxi. The cab driver jumped out and said, “Hi, I’m Wally. While I load your luggage, I invite you to read my mission statement.” Wally handed him a…

Read More

Bricks, Walls, Cathedrals: A Story-bite to Lead with Vision

By Jean Storlie / August 14, 2013 /

A man came upon a construction site where three people were working.  He asked the first, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him humming a…

Read More

Rocks, Pebbles, Sand: A Story-bite about the Important Things in Life

By Jean Storlie / August 7, 2013 /

A teacher walks into a classroom and sets a glass jar on the table. He silently places 2-inch rocks in the jar until no more can fit. He asks the class if the jar is full and they agree it is. He says, “Really,” and pulls out a pile of small pebbles, adding them to…

Read More

He Who Beats His Horse: A Story-bite to Overcome Resistance

By Jean Storlie / July 31, 2013 /

My colleague, Annette Simmons, shared an insightful story:  A new supervisor, who had been promoted for her track record in delivering outstanding results, was getting resistance from her team for being over-controlling and harsh in her feedback. Her manager was receiving feedback from disgruntled team members — mutiny was brewing. In their next 1:1 update,…

Read More

It’s Like a First Date: A Story-bite that Drives Focus

By Jean Storlie / July 24, 2013 /

In the process of changing to a new budgeting process, my client called a meeting to bring alignment between different factions in preparation for a presentation to the executive team. One team had created a budget proposal, while another team had been challenged to assess the proposed budget against strategic priorities and identify gaps. As…

Read More

Not the Pencil, It’s the Window: A Story-bite that Leads to Deeper Understanding

By Jean Storlie / July 17, 2013 /

In the midst of a chaotic episode of office politics, my boss said to me, “Jean, you need to understand, it’s not the pencil, it’s the window.” As I stood puzzled, she explained the story. Eva and Ron were peers in a company, but Eva had a cubicle with a window. If this wasn’t enough,…

Read More

Storytelling and The Language of Flowers: Writing Content that Takes Root

By Jean Storlie / July 9, 2013 /

A few weeks ago, our book club gathered in my garden to discuss The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Kelly arrived first carrying a plate of appetizers labeled with the herbs she’d used and their meanings (basil stands for hate and rosemary is remembrance). Rachel arrived next with her copy of the book in…

Read More

Creativity Summer Camp: My Inaugural Experience at CSPI

By Jean Storlie / June 27, 2013 /

“If everybody is thinking alike, somebody isn’t thinking.” –George Patton’’ As I arrived on the University of Buffalo campus to attend my first Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI) Conference, the first person I met, Laura, approached me warmly and we struck up a conversation. She is from Monterey, Mexico, and co-owns a private school with…

Read More

Beyond Spreadsheets: The Storied Side of Persuasive Communications

By Jean Storlie / June 20, 2013 /

A year ago, my lay-off and retirement from General Mills triggered the need for my husband and I to find a new financial planning service. The process of gathering all of our financial data, interviewing financial counselors, and grappling with the uncertainty of our future was daunting and depressing. For me, personal financial planning and…

Read More

Success Can Be As Defeating as Failure

By Jean Storlie / April 21, 2013 /

When I launched my career as a dietitian with an MS degree in adult fitness/cardiac rehabilitation, I was filled with passion to transform lives. I created a weight loss program, called NUTREXERCISE, and thought I had the tools to help people lose weight. A woman – let’s call her Pat – joined the program and…

Read More