Blogs
Insights on communication, personal power, persuasion, and executive presence for rising leaders.
Power through Uncertainty
During the dot-com bust, CEO Mike McCue saw death on the horizon for his company Tellme. The future had become…
Overachievement Culture
Energy drinks are full of energy – caffeine, guarana, taurine. You drink one, you get pumped and ready to conquer…
Emotional Power Pose
Last month at New Orleans Bookfest, I shared to a full room the emotional power pose. What is the emotional power…
Power When Pitching
The startup founder’s dream is a successful business. Between the reality of today and the dream of tomorrow is the…
The Science of Gratitude
A modern spiritual sage in Rishikesh, India, was asked if she could only follow one spiritual practice, what would it…
Being and Becoming
Have you ever sat in an important conversation but couldn’t concentrate? I recall sitting with my mentor at Stanford years…
Startups as a Service
“All happiness… comes from the good heart cherishing and wanting to benefit others.” HH Dalai Lama Last week I attended…
Power in Surrender
Recently my life flashed before my eyes in a taxi. The moment became a masterclass in overcoming stress, and reminded…
The Struggle with Being Nice
“Nice guys finish last.” A burden men tell themselves, met only with the pressure women feel to “lead with likeability.”…
Lack of Leadership (Communication)
Leaders must appear powerful to be leaders. When we look at the events of the past week through the lens…
The Empowered NO
Professor Vanessa Patrick wrote a book called The Power of Saying No. I love this book because it shows so…
Giving and Receiving: Does one need the other?
Take two situations: the first, your colleague works late into the night. You feel generous, so you decide to stay…
Can ChatGPT Craft Your Next Pitch?
This week Chat GPT4 took center stage by pitching better than humans. Pitch decks created by GPT4 were 3x more…
Engaging in Meetings When You’re not on Top
Meetings are venues to strut your stuff. When you’re not king of the castle, meetings provide you the visibility to…
Acting with Power: Interview with a Research Expert
In this podcast interview, UC Berkeley professor Dacher Keltner and I discuss the benefits of acting with power in the…
How to Network Effectively
Networking is tough because it can feel inauthentic and salesy, yet it’s important for success. When everybody goes to a…
Stay Curious! Q&A
Nothing can feel more intimidating than stepping into a room to meet investors. After all, they can be rich, they…
Crushing It on the Demo Floor
To crush it on the demo floor at startup conferences, read on. In 2011, we pitched in Startup Alley. We…
Pitching Problems – the 30/90 rule
Over 90% of funded pitches share one thing in common. Successful startups like Mint.com, airbnb, and ZocDoc all began their…
6 Rules to Win TechCrunch Disrupt
Want to score major investment and massive PR? Just win TechCrunch Disrupt at their next conference. The winner walks away…