The Plant Yourself Podcast Visual Leadership and Storytelling for a Volatile World: Todd Cherches on PYP 626
Remember Donna the Deer Lady, and her call to a radio talk show that electrified the nation?
To refresh your memory, she was wondering why the highway department place the "Deer Crossing" signs at the busiest sections, where the deer were most likely to get hit by a moving vehicle. “Why are we encouraging deer to cross at the interstate? I don’t get it. That’s a high- traffic area,” she said.
That’s exactly the kind of oddball story that grabbed me from minute one with Todd Cherches — a man equipped to wring out profound and useful truths from tales like that one.
Todd is not your typical leadership guru—he earned his stripes in Hollywood, teaching actors how to deliver scenes, and later as a project manager sketching theme parks in China.
These days, he coaches executives and trains leaders using what he calls visual leadership—a way to help people "see" what you’re talking about, not just hear it.
In this episode, Todd unpacks how metaphors sneak into everyday chat (“Feed me, Seymour!” anyone?), why a CEO fetching potato chips for the staff says more about leadership than a big speech, and how to stay real and connected when half your team is working in slippers on Zoom.
Show Highlights
- How a radio caller’s confusion about a deer crossing sign turned into a killer leadership metaphor
- Why metaphors are baked into 50–70% of our language—and how to notice when you’re spooning them out
- Todd’s Hollywood adventures—including delivering lunches for Aaron Spelling and battling Mt. Hollywood traffic for extra chicken salad
- The three lenses of leadership: microscope, telescope, and kaleidoscope – and why you’ll need ’em all in today’s hybrid, VUCA world
- Digital leadership in 2025: making hybrid teams feel seen when you can’t just pop by their desks
- AI’s place in education and leadership—and how to stay mentally fit in spite of its pull
- The four G’s of leadership everybody can start practicing today: Genuine, Generous, Gracious, and Grateful
- How a single thank-you note from a student or client can become your secret stash of joy
- About Todd Cherches
Todd is the CEO and co-founder of BigBlueGumball, a management and leadership consulting firm. He’s the author of Visual Leadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life, and a globally recognized speaker and executive coach. A two-time TEDx speaker, Todd teaches at NYU and Columbia University and brings a unique blend of pop culture, practical tools, and visual metaphors to leadership and communication.
Connect with Todd on LinkedIn
Learn more at toddcherches.com and watch his TEDx talk on visual thinking