What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

http://www.thegreatstoryworkshop.com/

Dawn Ziegerer, The Great Story Workshop, State College, PA (2026)

11/16/2025

Last year, I was invited to lead a workshop at the WE Connect conference. My immediate reaction? Resistance.

They wanted 60 minutes. All my leadership development workshops are half-day or full-day sessions. I was convinced I couldn't deliver anything worthwhile in just an hour. Honestly, I wished everything I did could be a full day.

Here's the irony: My entire approach centers on helping leaders move beyond monologues. When communication feels like an edict rather than a conversation, it rarely creates the impact desired.

People aren't moved or influenced. Their attitudes and behaviors don't change.

In my workshops, we teach leaders to consider their audience's perspective first, then create messages that land, rather than simply broadcasting what they want to say.

Then it hit me. I was doing exactly what I counsel against.

I wanted to communicate my way, on my terms, without considering what my audience actually needed.

The conference organizers needed a 60-minute session. The attendees needed something energizing and engaging.

So I adapted. I created a one-hour workshop, though I was genuinely nervous.

What if it fell flat?

But I was wrong to worry. While they didn't have time to master a new skill, they connected, laughed, and experienced how storytelling brings us together.

Here's my challenge to you: What are you resisting because it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar?

Maybe you think WE Connect isn't for you, or you feel shy about attending. Question that resistance. Step outside your comfort zone. You'll learn something and connect with wonderful women right here in Happy Valley. But hurry as I know there are only a few seats left: https://happyvalley.launchbox.psu.edu/w-e-connect/

11/16/2025

𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸. Someone important. Maybe it’s your boss. Perhaps you’re at a fundraiser.

😒 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱. The slides are packed with bullet points as the speaker works through dense data.

You and the people around you are checking phones and wondering what’s on Netflix tonight.

When the presentation is over, you can't remember a single thing. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱.

𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. You’re just glad it’s over.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Presentations that don't change attitudes. Meetings that don't shift behavior. Leaders talking 𝘢𝘵 people.

𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

You might be thinking: Why would I take a day out of my overwhelmed schedule for a storytelling workshop?

Because, you'll ultimately save time.

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴.

⬇️ Most of us default to top-down communication.

We tell our audience what we want them to know. We organize facts and logic.

But people don't change their attitudes or behaviors because of data.

If logic and data were so powerful, none of us would smoke. Or overeat. Or binge watch a series until 2 AM. And we could convince our 8-year-old to eat broccoli. 🥦 🥦

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Emotion.

What if you told a personal story instead?

😩 Not one where you're the hero the whole time, but one where you struggled.

When you share that story with honesty, your audience sees their own hardships reflected. Suddenly, they become the person who will also overcome.

Last week, I taught six remarkable women who work for nonprofits in central PA. They need to motivate donors. So they told personal stories about why the work matters to them and the people they serve.

Because when these organizations don't raise the money they need, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳.

Families are left alone to manage challenges. Women and children remain in unsafe situations. Kids deal with grief alone. People wonder if life is worth living.

But with the right donors?

🌈 JUST IMAGINE.

These six women learned how to tell compelling stories that stick. Now, when they stand in front of donors, they'll share stories that make people feel something. 😁

💰Stories that make people feel thrilled to donate.

Here's your choice: Keep preparing presentations the same way, getting the same lackluster results.

𝘖𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦.

When you tell a story that moves people, attitudes shift. Behaviors change. Donors give. Teams act. Lives transform.

That's not just better communication. That's leadership.

11/16/2025

Every season unfolds like a drama series, complete with plots, compelling characters, and high stakes.

Your company needs to adopt the same approach to engage your team.

📗 𝟭𝘀𝘁: 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁

The NFL structures its season as a journey with clear story arcs. There are underdogs rising, dynasties challenged, and redemption stories unfolding.

If you’re a football fan, I’m guessing you have thoughts about the Chiefs, the Lions, the Rams, and the Colts. 🏈

Each game becomes a chapter in a larger narrative that fans can't stop watching.

Your company should do the same.

Frame your quarterly goals as chapters in a larger story.
• Where are you going or where did you come from?
• What obstacles are you facing?
• Are you the scrappy startup taking on industry giants?

Make your team feel like they're part of something building toward a climactic moment, not just another end of the fiscal year.

👥 𝟮𝗻𝗱: 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

The league makes stars out of players by highlighting their unique backgrounds and personalities.

Patrick Mahomes is the golden boy chasing dynasty status alongside his coach Andy Reid.

Travis Kelce became a crossover celebrity who brings personality (and Taylor Swift).

Tom Brady was the ultimate protagonist as the underdog sixth-round pick who became the GOAT.

Maybe you love Ed Oliver, Emeka Egbuke, or Justin Herbert?

And yes, the NFL loves its villains too. Players who fans love to hate create natural tension that makes every game more compelling.

Maybe you hate Jalen Carter or Aaron Rodgers? Or, any of the teams or players I already named.

Take those emotional connections to your work comms.

What's the company’s comeback story?
Who's the rookie exceeding expectations?
Who's the veteran mentor guiding others?
What are your wins?
And who are the villains? (Is it the competition?)

People connect with people, not jargon and spreadsheets.

🥇 𝟯𝗿𝗱: 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀

Every NFL game matters because the stakes are clear.

💔 The playoff hopes hang in the balance, legacies are made or broken, and the one-and-done playoff format means lose once and your season ends.

🏆 The Super Bowl isn't just a game. It’s where careers are defined forever.

Your team needs to understand what's at risk and what success looks like.

• What do those numbers mean for the company and their careers?
• What’s the “so what?”
• What happens if you win this quarter?
• What are you building toward?
• What's the championship moment you're chasing together?

𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.

Your team deserves a story worth believing in.

And if you need help figuring out how to tell your story, I can help.

11/16/2025

I help leaders and managers figure out how to talk so people want to listen.

But, if you want to instantly build a deeper connection with your team, you might be overlooking the simplest trick: the impossible dream you keep hidden.

One that has nothing to do with your company's mission statement.

🎶 My secret: If I could have any job I'm utterly unqualified for, I’d be a rock drummer.

👩‍🦳 A full-on, touring-the-world, grooving-like-Sheila E and Neil Peart badass. I'd have the same wild hair, but I'd also have a really great singing voice.

When I share that ridiculous, unattainable fantasy, two things happen:

People smile. Then they share their impossible dreams.

🥮 The finance manager who wants to be a pastry chef.
🚖 The IT director who dreams of restoring vintage cars.
🏄‍♀️ The professor who wants to be a world-class surfer.

Everyone has one. And as a leader, sharing yours is a subtle, yet powerful act.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿

Here’s why it works:

❤️ 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥.

Leaders often feel pressure to be polished and predictable. This makes you feel distant. When you admit you value something unexpected, you stop being a job function and start being a human being. Your team learns what energizes you, revealing personal values.

🧞‍♀️𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘝𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺

When you share a personal fantasy, you signal that it's safe for others to share too. You give your team permission to be themselves. They realize they don't have to leave the other versions of themselves at the door. This unlocks creativity by deepening psychological safety.

😃 𝘐𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦

"What do you do?" is a boring question.

Imagine asking: "If you could do any job you're totally unqualified for, what would it be?"

This question gets straight to the core of their energy and passion.

And this information is gold. It helps you understand what motivates them, allowing you to connect their current work to their personal drivers.

💡𝘐𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦

If you're great at your job, people can sometimes put you on a pedestal. Sharing that you have a road not taken reminds everyone that expertise doesn't mean you've stopped being a whole person. It makes you the relatable, human leader everyone wants to follow.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗝𝗼𝗯

Share it as a genuine piece of who you are.

Because when you do, your team can see how you think and why they can trust you.

🥁 Rock on!

11/16/2025

Now, I’m 61. But let’s go back to 2006.

I’m 42.

📻 I’m sitting in a radio studio. State College, PA.

And I hear a song with the lyrics "Cuz I'm the son of a third generation farmer. I’ve been married ten years to the farmer's daughter. I got two boys in the county 4-H, I'm a lifetime sponsor of the FFA…..Hey!"

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸, “𝗠𝘆 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗜 𝗴𝗼 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴? 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹?"

🐸 Big Froggy 101. The Morning Splash with Boss Frog and Ann Phibian.

I’m “Ann Phibian.”

𝗦𝗼, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗜 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

Well, I’m in grad school. Penn State.
I have a huge paper due in the morning.
So I better go out for a jog to wake me up.
👟 I’m jogging.
And my left arm hurts.

Weird.

Long story short, I call my neighbor when I get home.
She takes me to the hospital.
I’m having a heart attack.

I lived, obviously.

❤️‍🩹 A few weeks later, I’m on the phone with my cardiologist. He asks me if I can go to some local radio stations and talk about what happened for a heart health day called 𝘎𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯.
So I do. And they offer me a job.

And, that first week was rough.

I seriously couldn’t believe that anyone who wasn’t married to their sister would listen to this stuff.

And then…over the course of time, I started to dig it. Like really, really like it.

Luke Bryan had just come out with a song called "Country Man," so I drove by myself down to Towson, MD where he was performing in the student union!!!!

And then I started going to fairs and venues to meet the artists and see shows.

And when it came time to pick a topic for my Master’s thesis, I decided to write about the horrific lack of country music in national TV ads - unless it was for beer or trucks.

Now, country music is one of my favorites. And even though I no longer work in radio, I still go to the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville every year.

And I still cherish the memories of all the musicians I got to meet, concerts I went to, and radio folks I befriended along the way.

My journey from country music skeptic to superfan isn't just about discovering a new genre—it's a reminder of how powerful storytelling can be in shifting our perspectives.

Every song I heard on Big Froggy 101 told a story, and those stories chipped away at my preconceptions until I found myself genuinely moved by the very music I'd once dismissed.

This experience taught me that stories have an almost magical ability to bypass our defenses and open our minds in ways that facts and arguments never could.

Whether it's a three-minute country ballad or a personal narrative shared over coffee, the right story at the right time can fundamentally reshape how we see the world—and that's something worth celebrating.

11/16/2025

When I was 19, I was modeling in New York and Germany.

At 22, I spent a summer volunteering in the Mission District in San Francisco and living with nuns.

That same summer, I also worked backstage at the Missouri State Fair just so I could meet my favorite band, Mr. Mister.

At 23, I interned at MTV in New York back in 1987 when they still played music videos. And in the late 80s, I spent a semester going to school in southern Sweden.

People often asked me: "How did you make all that happen?"

The answer is both simple and not simple.

Simple because I had a blissfully ignorant streak in my personality and never assumed anything was impossible. If I wanted something, I simply went after it.

Not simple because it required putting myself out there, over and over. I entered a modeling contest with Elite, then spent a year modeling.

When it was time for a college internship for my Broadcasting degree, I sent resumes to Johnny Carson and MTV and got accepted to both.

I called the Missouri State Fair and asked point-blank if I could work backstage. And that's how I ended up spending a few days on the road with Mr. Mister—some of the kindest men on the planet.

As for that semester abroad, one of my favorite professors invited me to go and said I'd be crazy not to—so I went.

Each time, I created opportunity by asking. Or by saying yes to an invitation.

Decades later, that lesson still rings true. Recently, I met a friend named Jason who facilitates workshops. Instead of admiring from afar, I asked him about it.

He generously shared tips and connected me with Scott at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. I followed up with Scott, who invited me to watch Jason speak at a local event.

The night before, I saw Jason at a Rotary Club social. When I mentioned I'd be at his presentation, he unexpectedly invited me to speak for a few minutes about storytelling and persuasion during his session on team communications.

Another chance to share my passion and serve others.

Here's what I've discovered: None of this happens without asking—or at least being open to opportunities when they present themselves.

I want to be honest with you: this isn't always easy. It can feel challenging and scary to put yourself out there. Sometimes it's downright anxiety-provoking.

But here's what I've learned: that anxiety you feel isn't a stop sign. It's just a feeling, and you can learn to feel it and move forward anyway.

What's waiting on the other side of that discomfort?

Connections. Experiences. Growth. Moments you'll remember for decades. The chance to share what you love with people who need to hear it.

You don't need to be fearless. You don't need perfect confidence. You just need to be willing to try.

So what if you stepped outside your comfort zone? Sent that email. Made that call. Proposed that idea. The opportunities are out there, waiting for you to reach for them.

Your next great experience might be just one question away. All you have to do is ask.

09/16/2025

The Communicator's Golden Rule: Make Listening as Easy as Binge-Watching Netflix

We've all been trapped listening to a speaker where our minds wander to grocery lists or counting ceiling tiles.

And that is the last thing you want when you’re speaking.
The Golden Rule: Make listening EASY for your audience.
Here are your DOs AND DON’Ts:

1) Don’t Use Jargon
Speakers sabotage themselves by throwing around unexplained acronyms, assuming everyone knows what "ROI" or "KPIs" mean. If you decide to use jargon, make sure everyone in the room knows what you’re talking about.

2) Don’t Make Us Do Mental Math
I learned this one the hard way. I opened a story with “It's 1986 and I'm 22 years old..." and I lost my audience immediately. They stopped focusing on what I was saying and turned into human calculators trying to figure out how old I am. So, always start with "Today I'm 61, but let's go back to 1986…"

3) Don’t Go Off On Tangents
This is speaker kryptonite. We suddenly remember a funny thing that happened last week at our cat’s birthday party and spend five minutes blabbing about it. Meanwhile, your audience drifts away along with your point. Many of us think these anecdotes are wonderful, but it’s better to be concise. Just ask yourself if that thing you really want to mention amplifies your point.

4) Do Provide Context
Don’t name-drop people unless we all know who they are…"As Jenny from accounting always says..." Who's Jenny?
And don’t assume everyone knows about current events, history, former partnerships, projects, etc. Give them the context they need.

5) Don’t Bury the Lead
That said, some speakers bury the point by going overboard on context. Twenty minutes of background later, we're wondering if there's actually a point to the story. Let your audience know quickly why they should care about what you’re saying.

6) Do Sew Up Loose Ends
I learned this the hard way when I told a story about having a heart attack at age 42. After mentioning my neighbor drove me to the hospital after my young son got off the bus, audience members asked, "But where was your son? Was he home alone?"
I'd left a crucial loose end untied, and instead of being moved by my story, they were worried about him. (My three kids went to a different neighbor’s house.)

7) Don’t Assume Your Passion Translates to Theirs
I love music. And if I could be anything in the world, I’d be a rock drummer like Phil Collins or Neil Peart. Or Taylor Hawkins. Or maybe Chester Thompson.

See what I did there?

I assumed you cared. (And I bet you don’t.)

It’s vital to know if your passion is something your audience cares about. Too many speakers assume their enthusiasm automatically translates to the audience. So they spend ten minutes on details that bore everyone else. It’s okay to mention your passion if it adds to your story, just be careful not to go overboard.

8) Don’t Show Us How Smart You Are
It's alienating to an audience when you spend too much time showing us that you understand big words. You don't need to use big words, in fact, you'll communicate much more effectively if you don’t.

9) Do Connect the Dots
Don't make your audience work to figure out why your story matters. Just tell them. Don’t assume they get the moral of the story because often, they won’t. And sometimes there are many themes in one presentation. So voice the one that matters to the audience. Help them see the connection between your experience and their world.

The Solution

Make it easy to understand you. Tie up loose ends. Provide context upfront so we're not doing mental gymnastics. Explain why your story matters to us, not just to you.

Great storytelling isn't about impressing people with big words or complex theories. It’s about connecting with them. Your audience's brain power should go toward absorbing your brilliant insights, not solving the mysteries of your vocab.

Make that connection effortless. Because let's face it, that's exactly what we're all hoping for when we sit down to listen.

09/16/2025

Why Do We Beat Ourselves Up for Failing at Things We've Never Been Taught?

You’re in another meeting. You think, I'm so boring. I sound like really bad AI reading an obituary. Across the table, Janet tells a quick story and everyone's leaning in and smiling.

So you beat yourself up. I'm just not good at this. Some people are natural storytellers, but I’m human va**um.

But those natural storytellers? They learned this stuff somewhere. And they had to practice. It just looks like innate talent.

The Awkward-First Rule: You have to be willing to be awkward at something before you can be smooth at it.

If you’ve ever played a musical instrument or a sport, you know that natural talent is just part of it. Serena Williams had to learn how to play tennis and then spent a lifetime on the court.

So, maybe you’re not a riveting speaker right now.

But, you’re not broken. You just never learned the skill. Or you just need to brush up.

Take Janet from the meeting. She saved a colleague from quitting not because she was born with some magical gift, but because she knew how to share the right story at the right time.

That's not natural talent. That's learning and experience.

My storytelling workshop teaches you both sides of the equation:

How to CREATE better stories: We dig into your life and work to find the gems you've been overlooking. I’ll show you how simple it is to turn your experiences into stories people want to hear.

How to DELIVER them like a pro: No more mumbling through anecdotes or rambling without a point. You'll learn exactly when to pause, how to use your voice and gestures, and how to land the ending so people actually get it.

We practice with your real work situations, so you leave with actual stories ready for Monday morning.

Stop beating yourself up for not knowing something you were never taught. Learn the skill instead.

Time to give yourself a break? Send me a message and let's talk about how my storytelling workshop can help you go from "human va**um" to someone people actually want to listen to.

Everyone deserves to feel confident when they speak.

09/16/2025

The Empathy Gap: Why Your Brilliant Ideas Fall Flat

Ever mess up a presentation? Here’s one explanation.
Let’s start with Sarah.

She walks into the company meeting with a huge smile. She has amazing news to share about a new project, complete with charts and data. Her masterpiece.

It looks weeks to prep. And lots of practice: in front of the mirror, while she was driving, and in front of her 3-legged Doberman.
But as she talks, she notices everyone looks like they’d rather be somewhere else.

They're staring at her with the same face she always had when Father Benedetto droned on and on about "The Seven Deadly Sins.” Her audience looks like they’re already in hell.

What Sarah didn't know was that her audience was still upset. They’d just spent months working on a different project that completely bombed. While Sarah was bubbling with excitement about the future, they were still feeling bad about losing a big account.

Here's what Sarah should have done instead: She could’ve started by saying something like, "I know the Wilson project didn't go as planned, and I can see how disappointed you are."

Then, she could’ve shared a story about a time one of her own projects failed. She could’ve acknowledged their feelings first, before asking them to get excited about something new.

The Simple Rule for Better Communication:

Figure out how people are feeling right now - Are they stressed? Excited? Worried? Tired?

Start by acknowledging those feelings - Let them know you get it.

Slowly move them to where you need them to be - Don't jump from sad to excited in one leap.

End with how you want them to feel - Hopeful, motivated, or whatever fits your message.

Most of us make this mistake. We get so caught up in what we want to say that we forget to think about what the other person is ready to hear.

Think about it: If you're worried about paying rent, you're not going to care about investment opportunities. If you're still hurt from an argument with your spouse, you're not ready to plan your next vacation together.

And if your team just had a major setback, they're not ready to hear about the next big thing.

Before you say anything important, ask yourself: "What's going on in their head right now?" Then start there.

The best communicators don't start with their message. They start by showing they understand what the other person is going through. Once people feel heard and understood, they're much more likely to listen to what you have to say.

And if you need help crafting good stories that show demonstrate both understanding and inspiration, I’d be happy to help you and your team too.

09/16/2025

What Being A Server Taught Me About Leadership in 1983
It's 1983.

Sedalia, Missouri. I'm working at Ken's Pizza while going to State Fair Community College.

It’s midnight on a Saturday. The last of the high school kids are headed to their cars for one more cruise down “the strip.”

That means it's time for us to get the place cleaned and closed. The jukebox is blaring “Billie Jean,” “Heart and Soul,” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which makes what’s ahead much more tolerable.

We’ll break down the salad bar, do loads of dishes, mop - and one of us gets to clean the bathrooms. Barf.

And like clockwork, Brad has vanished.

Maybe he's "taking out trash" that somehow requires a 20-minute cigarette break. Or, once again, he’s "organizing" the walk-in cooler (aka eating shredded mozzarella straight out of the box).

Here's what a 19-year-old working for $2.50 an hour taught me about leadership that I still remember today: The manager who doesn't address the problem becomes part of the problem.

The Brad Rule:Your Silence Speaks Louder Than Their Slacking
At Ken's Pizza, our manager, Jimmy, had two choices every time he closed:

Call Brad out on his disappearing act.

Accept that the rest of us would resent both Brad AND him.

There's no magical third option where Brad suddenly develops a work ethic.

Night after night, Jimmy watched the same pattern. Brad would be Mr. Refill King during the dinner rush when customers were tipping, but the minute it came time for the icky work, he vanished like a pitcher of Miller Lite on a hot day at the fair.

Meanwhile, the rest of us were busting our butts, staying late to finish what should have been Brad’s work. We'd exchange those looks—you know the ones.

The one that says I hope Brad slips on the wet floor and breaks a patella.

Jimmy kept thinking Brad would figure it out on his own. Spoiler alert: He didn't.

What I learned way back then: The moment you stop protecting your best people from your worst people is the moment you become the problem.

The courage to have one difficult conversation today creates the trust for a thousand easy ones tomorrow.

09/16/2025

What’s happening vs. Why it matters.

Have you ever used facts in a presentation or meeting in the hopes of convincing someone of something?

Most of us do..

But there’s a better way to communicate effectively.
But first, let’s talk about facts

They’re logical. They tell us what’s happening.
You might say “72% of customers will ditch you for a competitor after just one bad experience.”

But, there’s something else that works much better than simply stating that fact.

It’s telling us why that matters.

When you only give people facts, their brains don’t really engage.
It’s the difference between learning facts about the Great Depression in a middle school history book vs. reading the book “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah. No comparison.

Facts are easy to forget. Stories are not.

And it’s the same in workplace communication.

You can tell your team that poor customer service accounts for lost business, but they may not know what you mean….exactly.

But what if you talked about customer service like this…
“For eight years, Sarah’s been a walking billboard for her favorite nail salon. Her nails are tiny canvases. Every two weeks, she'd have a new masterpiece created.

It’s how she expresses herself. They’re a conversation starter.
People often ask her where she gets them done and she always has the same answer, “Polished Perfection. Just ask for the owner, Tammy.”

Sarah sent dozens of new customers through their doors over the years. She was fiercely loyal.

And then, one day, Sarah arrived for an appointment with a coupon she’d tucked away in her purse, 10% off a set of gel nails. It had expired a week prior.

"I'm so sorry, but we can't honor this," said Tammy.

Sarah didn’t know what to say. So she got her nails done, then left. She knew she’d never go back. Truth be told, she was a little hurt.

It wasn't about the few dollars she would’ve saved. It was about the lame refusal after so many years of being their biggest cheerleader. It was like her decade-long relationship with the salon meant nothing.

She couldn’t believe Tammy risked their relationship over a measly $5.

The impact? Sarah went to a new salon and started referring people there instead. Over the course of time, it meant lost money for Tammy. And a disheartened former customer.

And the lesson?

Facts tell you what is happening.

Stories show you why it matters.

While spreadsheets and data are essential, they don’t inspire action or build loyalty.

Only using facts is like trying to get your kids to eat vegetables by showing them a nutritional chart. It’s logical, but it won’t work.
This is where the power of storytelling comes in.

Stories make things stick in the brain because they:

engage our emotions

activate multiple parts of the brain

cause our brains to release hormones that help us empathize with the characters and remember the plot

connect events, causes, and effects in a way our brains are wired to process

make the info easier to recall later

So the next time you find yourself ready to give a bunch of facts, take a minute to think of why they matter. And then tell a short story that illustrates that impact.

If this post was helpful, please share it and follow me here.

If you’re interested in having your own storytelling workshop, reach out to me at [email protected] or book some time here https://calendly.com/dawnziegerer/workshop-consultation

Dawn Ziegerer, The Great Story Workshop

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