Schizophrenic Advice To Storytellers

So many voices in my head. Telling me what to do. Or how to do it. Or how to think about storytelling. The difference between what to think and how to think It’s always been that way. There’s always a battle between the rules and principles. For example, once upon a time there two titans […]

Go! No! No Go! Oh, No.

To The Big Uneasy

You’ve probably been here before. In fact, there’s a really good chance you’re here right now. Feeling uneasy. With that queasy little flutter in your stomach With that voice in your head questioning if what you are doing is worth all the extra time and effort and pain. Wondering if you’ll ever break through. Because […]

Positioning A Purpose

How do you position an organization in the rapidly changing branding world? Find your tribe, Pilgrim. Find a tribe of marketing change agents at business-to-business firms who see the world the way you do. Then, it might be wise to define your purpose in a way that resonates with them. In this case, it’s a […]

Draw The Line On Differentiation

Looking for brand differentiation inside your organization is like looking for a needle in a Betty Ford Clinic. Because differentiation doesn’t exist inside your programs, your offerings, or your organization. It only exists inside people’s minds. A cautionary tail Once upon a time there were three little piggies trying to differentiate themselves in the world. […]

To Those Who Dance Alone

Bob Fosse was a dancer who didn’t dance very well. His feet turned in instead of out. He hunched. He wasn’t flexible enough. But Bob incorporated his “bad” dancing habits into an original style that demolished the status quo of his industry. And Bob Fosse’s choreography changed the world of dance. So If you want […]

On The Road To Transformation

The route to your organization’s true purpose (the one that doesn’t have to do with making money) is seldom straight and never smooth. If it was, just anyone could do it. And then it wouldn’t be transformative. Status without the quo Organizations that are driven by purpose are special because they change people, they overturn […]

To The Trail Less Traveled

It’s a shame, but you won’t find the path to being truly unique in the hallowed and often hollow halls of corporate America. In fact, you’ll find it in the most unlikely places. Places where people see things differently, think differently and do things differently. Like at Larry’s place Larry fixes bikes. For every bike […]