Sources of Insight

Better Insights. Better Results.

Communication

The 3 Stories as a Leader You Need to Tell

As a leader, you need to tell 3 stories: 1) your personal story, 2) a group story, and 3) the dream story. Your personal story communicates your beliefs and values. The group story helps create a shared sense of destiny. The dream story inspires people to a better future. Whether you're a leader of a small team or large group, have these stories under your belt. If you lead a family, you can use the 3 stories too. If you just need to lead yourself, then have a personal story and dream story to remind yourself who you are and to inspire yourself to where you want to be.

Read moreThe 3 Stories as a Leader You Need to Tell

How To Write Better By Chunking Up Your Phrases

Have you ever had to wait too long for somebody to make a point? Their sentences run on but leave you hanging and you have to keep it all in your head to try and follow along. They make you work too hard to follow the information. Surprisingly, it's not how long the sentences are that make them complex. It's how long it takes to complete the phrases. We understand concepts phrase by phrase, not word by word. As an author, when you know this, you can write simpler and more effectively to make your points. As a reader, now you know why some writing is harder to follow than others.

Read moreHow To Write Better By Chunking Up Your Phrases

How Concession is Like Rhetorical Judo

How do you use your opponent’s argument to your own advantage? You use concession. My dictionary says that concession is "admitting of a point claimed in argument." You give a little to get a lot. One way to think of it is finding a way to agree. You can then use the agreement as a bridge to make your point. This works because you are letting your opponent score points. This also works because people like to be consistent with themselves. They don't want to backtrack on what they just agreed to. Concession also works because you seem flexible rather than dogmatic or rigid in your opinion. Most importantly, it indicates that you're listening. You validate them.

Read moreHow Concession is Like Rhetorical Judo

How To Influence Without Authority

“If you were born with the ability to change someone’s perspective or emotions, never waste that gift. It is one of the most powerful gifts God can give—the ability to influence.” — nnon L. Alder I got some relevant training for today’s world.  The training was “Influencing without Authority” and it was based on the …

Read moreHow To Influence Without Authority

Shift Tense to Resolve Conflict

"For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate." — Margaret Heffernan How can you improve conflict resolution?  Do you find yourself stuck in conflicts or arguments that go nowhere fast?  You know the ones, where the longer you argue, the more you spiral down.  If you don’t know the secret …

Read moreShift Tense to Resolve Conflict