In this illuminating conversation, host Harris III sits down with Jason Locy, founder of Five Stone agency and author of "Culture Bending Narratives," to explore the crucial distinction between storytelling and narrative in business and culture. Together, they unpack how organizations can move beyond simple storytelling to harness the transformative power of narrative to create meaningful change in the world. You'll learn:

• The fundamental difference between stories and narratives, and why focusing solely on storytelling might be limiting your organization's impact
• What makes an organization "culture-bending" through the three key characteristics: imaginative, interconnected, and generative
• How to identify and challenge the dominant narratives that shape business decisions and organizational behavior
• Why transcendence matters in business and marketing, and how to create narratives that inspire positive cultural change

Whether you're leading a large organization or building your own brand, this episode offers valuable insights into how deeper narrative work can transform not just how you communicate, but how you think about and structure your entire organization.

LINKS:

• Jason Locy
• Istoria Collective

Join host Harris and Sarah Selecky, founder of Sarah Selecky Writing School, as they explore how embracing childlike curiosity and creative influences can transform your writing practice. In this final installment of their four-part series, Sarah shares profound insights about reconnecting with wonder and discovering inspiration in unexpected places. You'll learn:

• How observing a child's genuine curiosity can lead to a breakthrough in your creative process
• The concept of "writing under the influence" and how to intentionally learn from other writers
• Practical tips for maintaining an influence journal to track your creative inspiration
• Alternative storytelling structures beyond the traditional three-act format

Whether you're a writer or simply someone interested in living more creatively, this episode offers valuable perspectives on approaching your work with renewed wonder and openness to influence.

LINKS: 

• Sarah Selecky
• Sarah Selecky Writing School
• Pre Order Story Is A State Of Mind
• Istoria Collective

In this episode, Harris III and executive coach Shane McKenzie dive deeper into the critical role of communication in leadership. 70% of conversations are characterized by misunderstanding and misconception; Shane talks about practical strategies for providing clear expectations and direction. You'll also learn:

• The five most important questions every team member is silently asking
• How to shift from judgment to curiosity in your leadership approach
• The importance of tapping into individual motivation when setting expectations
• How to use curiosity to elevate your team's thinking and problem-solving skills

Whether you're an experienced leader or a new manager, this episode offers practical tools to enhance your communication skills and leadership effectiveness. Shane's insights on curiosity-driven leadership can help you create a more motivated, innovative, and productive work environment. By applying these principles, you'll be better equipped to navigate the complex landscape of team dynamics and drive meaningful results in your organization.

Dr. Seuss may be the most successful and creative children's author of all time, so there's a lot that we can learn from him. This particular story is applicable to any project that you may be working on, big or small.

For more creative tips and resources, visit www.STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit www.STORYGatherings.com.   

David Hutchens is a writer and storytelling consultant who works with leaders and companies to help them tell their story. He claims that if you're the leader, you are the narrator and he's on a mission to help companies transform their systems by helping them write their stories. 

To learn more about David, visit http://www.davidhutchens.com/. To gain access to more resources and to learn more about STORY, visit www.storygatherings.com.

Practicing this simple exercise can help combat your inner critic before they even speak. Listen to this short episode to learn how.

To gain access to more creative tips and resources, visit STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit www.STORYgatherings.com.  

Sometimes the smallest actions can really boost your work ethic and level of creativity. This week's tip is an easy action that few of us actually participate in, but could change the trajectory of our work. 

To gain access to more creative tips and resources, visit www.STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit www.STORYGatherings.com.  

During part 2 of this conversation with Seth Worley, we talk about some of the exercises and tools that Seth uses to grow as a storyteller. 

To learn more about Seth and his work, visit https://plotdevices.co/. To learn more about STORY, visit www.storygatherings.com.

Having this one thing could change the trajectory of your career and life. Listen to this short, 5 minute episode to find out what it is. 

To gain access to more creative tips and resources visit www.STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit www.storygatherings.com.

Writer and Director, Seth Worley, got his start filming video effect tutorials. Now, you can find him working on projects for JJ Abrams and starting his own company called Plot Devices. But how did he get there? We talk about that and so much more, this week on the STORY Podcast.

To learn more about STORY, visit www.STORYgatherings.com 

These simple steps could help you get unstuck when working on a new idea. Listen to this quick 5 minute conversation to learn how to break through your next creative block.

To gain access to more resources and creative tips, visit www.STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit www.STORY2018.com

Try this the next time that you feel like you're hitting a creative block. It might help you get unstuck.

For more creative tips and resources, visit STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit www.STORY2018.com.

Danae is a Managing Principle at one of our favorite companies, Visioneering Studios. They work with clients to help their offices and stores tell their stories. Danae believes that design principals, from all disciplines, should create solutions that address our most pressing cultural and social issues. We talk about management, the creative process and so much more during this incredible conversation.

We loved learning from her during this episode and we can't wait to learn from her on the #STORY2018 stage! Learn more at www.STORY2018.com.

In this insightful episode, join Harris III and executive coach Shane McKenzie as they dive deep into the challenges of leadership and team development. Shane drives home the point of why people are the solution, not the problem, in any organization. You'll learn more about:

• The crucial difference between equipping and developing team members
• How to overcome the fear of becoming "unnecessary" as your team grows
• Strategies for elevating your team's decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Practical techniques for empowering your team without losing control

Expanding your vision is key to embracing true leadership; whether you're a seasoned leader or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable insights on moving beyond micromanagement to create a thriving, self-sufficient team. Shane's framework provides a fresh perspective on leadership that can help you unlock your team's potential and drive your organization forward.

LINKS:

• Leadership Cohort with Shane McKenzie
• Istoria Collective

Do you sometimes wonder if you have a story? Or maybe you know that you have one, but you're not sure how to tell it in a compelling way. This framework could help shape you tell your story in a way that will help with your leadership, your community and inspire those around you.

To gain access to more resources visit STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit STORYGatherings.com.

As artists and storytellers, it seems like we give fear a lot of power in our narrative. But what if we could shift the way that we view fear and the effect that it has on us and our creative work? 

Jason Michaels is a speaker and illusionist who has had to face a lot of fears in his career. During this week's episode we talk about how he overcame them and how you can too. 

To gain access to more resources, visit STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit STORY2018.com.

How you fill your calendar says a lot about you and your work. How can you use it to value yourself and your creativity. Listen to this week's STORY Craft episode to find out.

To gain access to more resources, visit STORYCraft.co. To purchase tickets to STORY 2018, visit STORY2018.com.

When's the last time that you hit pause on Netflix and drove to the movie theater? During this week's STORY Craft episode we talk about how going to the theater can boost your creativity. 

To gain access to more creative tips and other resources visit www.storycraft.co. To learn more about STORY visit www.STORY2018.com.

What is the Creative Revolution? It's the time that we are living in right now. If you've ever struggled with identifying as a "creative" this conversation is for you. If you're proud of of being a "creative", this conversation is for you. 

Todd is the author of 4 books all about living the creative life. He’s a speaker, a consultant, and he also hosts the podcasts “The Accidental Creative” and “Herding Tigers” where he delivers weekly tips and ideas for staying prolific, brilliant and healthy.

Todd can also add STORY 2018 speaker to his resume. We're so excited to learn from him this Fall. If you don't have you ticket yet, head on over to www.STORY2018.com to snag your seat now! 

If you're looking for a small way to shake up your work week and get your creative juices flowing - this week's tip is for you.

To gain more access to additional resources and premium content, visit STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit STORY2018.com.

Curious of what STORY 2018 will be like this year? Tune in to get a special preview from the STORY Team about the theme, the speakers and the format of this year's event. 

Learn more and secure your ticket for this year's event at story2018.com

Wonder is pertinent to your creative work. If you aren't wired for curiosity and imagination, creating something new will always be difficult. This is why this week's tip is so important, but it's also very simple. Listen in to see how this one act could reawaken wonder in you.

To gain access to more resources visit STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY and our 2018 conference, visit STORY2018.com.

What does one of the most successful storytellers do every single day? Find out on this week's STORY Craft Episode and learn a simple way to stimulate your creativity on a daily basis.

To gain access to more resources and connect to the STORY Community, visit STORYCraft.co. Learn more about our workshops and gatherings, click here.

Do you feel like you don't have a story? Or that your story isn't worthy of telling? This week's episode we talk about the one thing that will make or break a story. And you'll be surprised at how liberating it will be to hear what it is. This will help you tell your story, no matter how big or small it may seem to you.

To gain access to more resources like this one, go to STORYcraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit STORYGatherings.com.

In this candid and insightful episode, you'll hear from executive coach Shane McKenzie as he shares his personal journey and hard-earned wisdom about leadership. You'll learn:

• Why leadership is often misunderstood and how to reframe your perspective on it
• The sacrifices required for effective leadership and why many shy away from them
• How personal narratives and past experiences shape our views on leadership
• The importance of empathy and self-awareness in leadership roles
• How to start changing organizational culture by focusing on your own growth first

Shane offers practical advice for navigating leadership challenges at any level of an organization. Whether you're an aspiring leader, a seasoned executive, or someone who's skeptical about leadership, this episode offers a refreshingly honest look at what it really means to lead. Shane's personal anecdotes and lessons learned provide valuable insights that can help you become a more effective influencer and change-maker in your sphere of influence.

Amena Brown is an author, speaker and spoken word poet who strings words into beautiful phrases while speaking truth. During this conversation she talks about embracing vulnerability in her work, dealing with criticism and how storytellers can shift cultures through creativity.

She gave a powerful talk at STORY 2017 that was a blend of spoken word and soul-filled creative genius. It was one of our top rated presentations and you can view it now on STORYCraft.co if you become a premium member.

Have you ever held on to an idea so tightly that you didn't leave room for improvements or perhaps an even better idea? This week we talk about why you must be willing to fall out of love with an idea in order to come up with something better.

To gain access to more creative resources, visit STORYcraft.co.

Do you ever find yourself waiting for inspiration to strike? Or waiting for the big idea to just come to you? This week we talk about how you have to meet your creative work in the middle and how to do just that.

To access more creative resources and learn more about STORY, visit storycraft.co

Jim Krueger is an award-winning filmmaker, New York Times best-selling author, copy-writer, video game developer and comic book writer and graphic novel legend. He is quite literally one of the best storytellers we’ve ever met. 

We always learn something from him and this podcast was no different. Listen in as we learn about the one thing that every good story needs.

If you want to learn more from Jim, we are hosting a one-day workshop with him on March 24th in Chicago! Click here to learn more.

What's the difference between your limbic and executive brain? And why is it important to stay in your limbic state while creating? Learn why it's best to create without rules and before looking at your phone in the morning during this week's STORY Craft episode. This could be key for your next project.

To listen to Ally Fallon's conversation and gain access to other resources, go to www.storycraft.co

As storytellers, we like to use the excuse "My work speaks for itself". But our audience is longing for more beyond the creative work. Humans want to dig deeper and learn the backstory of the project. Learn what you need to share in order to make a larger impact with your work in this week's #STORYCraft Episode.

To gain access to more resources, visit STORYCraft.co. To learn more about STORY, visit STORYGatherings.com.

Laura Youngkin is a theatrical producer, creative consultant, and proud Millennial, but she’s also so much more….

During this conversation we talk about the tension of living in a culture inundated with social media and praises the amount that we work. We'll also talk about the stereotypes that have been given to millennials and how we can navigate through them in the workplace.

You can learn more about her organization The Brave Millennial here. Learn more about STORY and gain access to other resources visit www.storygatherings.com.

If you warm up your body before a workout, why not warm up your mind before a meeting or getting started on your next project? This week's creative tip will help you get your creative juices flowing when you need it the most.

For more resources from STORY, check out www.storycraft.co

This week's #STORYCraft tip might help your team come up with the best idea you've ever had. 

Listen to this week's creative tip and learn how this one thing can change how you brainstorm.

MacKenzie Huynh is a Creative Lead at Pinterest where she found a space where her storytelling abilities and creativity collided. She's been working on a campaign this year about stepping into a "What if" moment, to push people to embrace that thing that they want to do. 

MacKenzie's "What if" moment happened on the STORY 2017 stage where she shared the fact that giving a talk was her one thing that she was scared to do. She ended up being one of our highest rated speakers. During this conversation you'll learn how to step into these moments and how shifting your perspective can change everything about your work and your life.

To learn more about STORY visit www.storygatherings.com.

In this thought-provoking episode, you'll hear from executive coach Shane McKenzie as he challenges common perceptions about leadership and accountability. Shane presents a fresh perspective on handling team dynamics, particularly when people fail to meet expectations. Shane helps us reframe accountability as a conversation rather than a punishment, and provides practical steps for having effective accountability conversations. You'll also learn:

• Why people are not the problem, but the solution
• The importance of leaders modeling accountability themselves
• Insights into the current leadership crisis and how to address it
• Ways to maintain healthy relationships while being candid about performance issues

Whether you're a seasoned leader or an aspiring one, this episode offers valuable insights on fostering a culture of accountability and growth within your team or organization. Shane's approach encourages curiosity, empathy, and proactive leadership, providing you with tools to navigate challenging situations and drive better outcomes.

During this week's #STORYCraft episode, we'll talk about the one act that you have to make time for in your creative process. No matter what canvas you are creating with, this step will help make you're project better.

Learn more about the producers of STORY at www.storygatherings.com. To gain access to more resources and creative content, visit www.STORYcraft.co 

Each week, the STORY team is going to bring you a creative tip that will impact your work and life in five minutes or less. No matter what vein of work you are in or what kind of medium you use to tell your story, these five minutes will help you to create your best, most creative work.

This week will talk about how to ask the right questions and why this is the first step to discovering the right answers.

For more creative tips and resources, visit www.storycraft.co.

Matthew Luhn is a 20 year Pixar veteran, who worked on some of their biggest films including Up, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Monster’s Inc, Cars and so many others. He began as an animator, but most of his career at Pixar was in the key role of Story Supervisor. He now spends his time as a branding consultant, a creative writing instructor and a workshop leader.

During this conversation you'll learn about Matthew's journey to Pixar, how to bounce back from failure and how to create space for your best creative work.

Learn more about STORY at www.storygatherings.com. Learn more about our members-only platform STORY Craft at STORYCraft.co.

To kick off 2018, we gathered some of the most successful and creative people that we know to talk about how they set their year up for success. It was two hours jam packed with incredibly useful information. 

You can hear some of the insightful conversation during this first episode of Season 02 of the STORY Podcast. If you want to watch full replay of the interactive live stream with Jason Jaggard, Gillian Ferrabee, Jon Acuff, Brad Montague, Nikkolas Smith and Jim Krueger CLICK HERE.

You will need to sign up for a free membership on our brand new site, STORY Craft. When you create an account, you will gain access to other talks from our annual conference. We hope that you'll join us!

He calls himself a "Hope Slinger" and we couldn't agree more.

Carlos Whittaker is a People’s Choice Award winner, a former recording artist signed to a major label, a social media maven, and currently spends the majority of his time writing books and speaking on stages around the world.

On this episode we talk about what it means to "hope sling", how he became a storyteller on every medium, and how "Killing the Spider" can lead you to a fuller, more hopeful life.

If you've ever struggled between the tension of commerce and art, this episode is for you.

Ed Nash is a book salesman turned Art Dealer, Appraiser and Artist. His work can be found in collections across the US and UK and is represented in galleries in New York, Atlanta, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville TN.

But this journey didn't happen overnight. Learn how a kid from the UK made his way to Nashville to become the successful artist that he is today.

Find out more about STORY at www.storygatherings.com.

Bethany Haley Williams has a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and masters and license in clinical social work, and she is a leader in the field of war-affected child rehabilitation.

In addition to her work through Exile International, the organization she founded, she also works with organizations like the United Nations. She is an activist, committed to amplifying the voices and stories of war-affected youth through art therapy.

We love that she had a moment where she knew that she couldn't not do it. And so she did something. Learn how she started an organization where her passions and skills met an unmet need and how you might be able to discover where you can use your art to do the same.

Learn more about STORY at www.storygatherings.com.

Steven Chaparro is the Vice President of Strategic Design at Visioneering Studios where they envision and design spaces that matter and tell stories.

During this talk at STORY 2016, he discusses the importance of creatives to find our identity outside of our work and our job as storytellers.

This talk was given on stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN. If you would like to watch the talk, visit www.storygatherings.com.

Author and entrepreneur, Hannah Brencher talks about the different stages of writing and the creative process.

During this talk you will learn about fighting with fear, insecurity, and comparison during the journey of starting something new. Hannah also shares why and how you should set boundaries around your creative process and how to stay authentic in your writing.

This presentation was given at #STORY2016 at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN.

Communicator and entrepreneur, Hank Fortener gave this talk about how moments in our life define us to close out #STORY2016.

In this presentation, he dissects different emotions that may effect how we view life and how we treat others. This insightful and creative talk will help you shift perspective and open your eyes to how moments have defined you and motivate your actions.

If you'd like to watch this talk, visit www.storygatherings.com.

This talk was given at STORY 2016 at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN.

Ken Black is the former VP of Design Future at Nike and a creative powerhouse in the world of sports and design. In this inspiring episode, Ken shares his wealth of experience and insights on leadership, creativity, and standing out in a crowded field. You'll learn the importance of having a clear vision, not getting bogged down in the "how" too early, and why authenticity is crucial in leadership. 

Additionally, Ken will challenge you on:

• How to lead from the center of who you are
• The value of "building in public" and articulating your vision to attract help and support
• How to balance organizational goals with your unique leadership style
• Lessons from the Chicago Bulls on teamwork and individual authenticity
• The concept of "don't bring sand to the beach" and how to be distinctive in your field

Whether you're a leader in a large organization, an entrepreneur, or a creative professional, this episode offers valuable perspectives on making your mark and leading with authenticity.

LINKS:

1. Story Salons
2. Istoria Collective

Executive coach and author, Jason Jaggard talks about how our imagination can sometimes rob of us of the life we were meant to live.

During this talk, you will learn how to see the boundaries that you create for yourself and discover how to break them in order to define new possibilities for your work and your life.

This captivating talk will challenge you to dream bigger, and give you the tools to reach those dreams. This talk was giving at STORY 2016.

Learn more about STORY at www.storygatherings.com.

Welcome to a special episode of our show, where we sit down with Ian Morgan Cron to walk through each of the 9 numbers of the Enneagram. Along the way, you’ll gain some insight into your potential number, how it might help you understand yourself better, and what it all means for how you interact with others both at work and at home. Learn more about STORY at www.storygatherings.com.

We all have a contribution to make as artists…we just have to keep it within a reasonable idea of who we are. But who are we? Isn’t that a questions we as artists and storytellers so often struggle with?

We talk about that and so much more with best-selling author, artist, psychotherapist and priest, Ian Morgan Cron. It's pretty easy to say that he has a unique perspective on life and he wants nothing more than to invite you to live it to your fullest.

Learn more about STORY at www.storygatherings.com.