Optimize for Interesting with Dorie Clark

Dorie Clark has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50. In addition to being a consultant for brands like Google and Microsoft, Dorie teaches at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School, and she is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast.

About Dorie Clark

Dorie Clark helps individuals and companies get their best ideas heard in a crowded, noisy world. She has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50. She was honored as the #1 Communication Coach by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards and one of the Top 5 Communication Professionals in the World by Global Gurus. She is a keynote speaker and teaches for Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School. She is The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine.

A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, Clark has been described by The New York Times as an “expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives.” She is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and consults and speaks for clients such as Google, Yale University, and the World Bank. Forbes has declared that “her insights connect marketing, social media, communications, learning technologies, and personal discovery to give us a blueprint for success in the future economy.”

She is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, a producer of a multiple Grammy-winning jazz album, and a Broadway investor.

Episode Highlights

Leading with “the fun part” … I kicked off the interview by asking Dorie about some of her interesting activities like investing in Broadway shows and producing jazz albums. This led her to one of the big ideas of her latest book The Long Game …

Optimize for interesting. “We’re often told to follow our passion but many don’t know what their passion is—they have passion shame.” That’s why Dorie encourages people to optimize for what’s interesting in their lives. If there’s a seed of something you like, work to add more of that in your work. In turn, this helps you stand out as a personal brand.

What if you’re stuck? What if you don’t know what the inserting part of your life is? Dorie had a couple of idea starters for this. “First, what did you like to do as a kid? Chances are, you still like the same things now.” You’ll have to listen to the show for her other handy hacks.

“I look for positive constraints in business,” says Dorie. “Constraints can make us more creative and efficient.” She then noted Parkinson’s Law, which says that work will expand to fill the time allotted.

What brand has made Dorie smile recently? Dorie cited the fun summer (and sustainable) shoe brand Suavs for all of the good they’re doing with their innovative products. “We all consume too much plastic. It’s good to see someone doing something about it.”

To learn more about Dorie and to take her free self-assessment that goes with The Long Game, head to dorieclark.com/thelonggame.

Want more Dorie Clark On Brand? Check out her first appearance back in 2015 when Dorie was one of the first guests on the show!

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