I run a small NGO with the over-arching goal to “make a difference”. While that goal can be applied as the lofty target of most organizations, it still serves as guiding mantra for those of us that voluntarily dedicate our sweat and tears to protecting aquatic biodiversity. Why spend the considerable time and effort designing […]
Have you ever had a driveway moment? This is the instance when you are in the car listening to something on the radio and the story is not quite over when you pull into the driveway, so you sit there until it is finished. This happens to me often and sometimes it is rather annoying: […]
After my first Story Circle experience, I immediately began using the ABT in emails, policy briefs, and presentations. I found it incredibly effective, not only for keeping an audience’s attention but also for helping me focus my message. However, figuring out how to apply the ABT, or other narrative devices like the Logline Maker, to […]
I love my New York Times newsletters. I would probably read them even if they weren’t usually in an ABT format. But they are! So I don’t have to worry about the content losing my attention. Here’s an example from the “Climate Fwd” newsletter, written by Henry Fountain and published on Jan 19, 2022: “When […]
About half way through the very first USDA Story Circle session one of our members was unable to attend one of our meetings. This meant cancelling the meeting as all were required to attend. But the degree to which ABT had become second nature was evident in her brief email which said, “I was on […]
A colleague and I were invited to give a talk at a major national meeting on the subject of technology in agriculture and USDA’s role. The other presentations were dense descriptions of specific aspects of emerging technology and agricultural policy. Ours was different. Following a brief introduction about USDA my colleague said, “There is much […]
‘… and you’re becoming the ultimate role model of someone who did the course once, got down the basics, and is now back for the second round where it’s connecting at a deeper level.’ (Randy Olson – January 2021). Having the ABT-Cult Leader (aka Head Dodo) complimenting you as having potential to be a ‘role […]
As mentors, we guide students through the process of learning skills to absorb and parse knowledge, and it is rewarding to see students transform from novices to skilled professionals. But certain ‘tricks of our trade’ fail to translate through this process, a situation particularly puzzling when the student is hard-working, motivated, and technically competent. What […]
One of my favorite parts about working as a scientist is attending scientific conferences (at least, before covid). These conferences are great opportunities to meet and network with like-minded professionals, catch up with friends, and see and hear the hottest and latest new research. They can also be a bit overwhelming, like drinking out of […]
In 2018 I was invited to give a talk to the geology students at my undergraduate institution, Cornell College (that’s the Cornell in Iowa, by the way). I had been working with the Geologic Resources Division of the National Park Service for a few years at that point, and my former professors wanted me to […]