Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

Guest Valerie Gordon is a 10-time Emmy-winning television producer with over 20 years of producing and overseeing award-winning content for HBO, ESPN, CBS, and the Olympic Games. She knows what makes a story meaningful and memorable and the incredible power of stories to engage, educate and entertain. An engaging speaker with innovative programming, Valerie offers audiences and individuals the storytelling strategies to stand out, whether they want to land a job, secure a promotion, nail the presentation, close the sale, or plan their next chapter. Summary Valerie and I discuss the importance of storytelling in leadership and how to improve storytelling skills. We dive into her highly readable book FIRE YOUR NARRATOR: A Storyteller's Guide to Getting Out of Your Head and Into Your Life, which explores the impact of our internal communications on external communications. Valerie shares her own internal voice, "Squash," and how it hindered her growth. We explore a few of the ten narrator archetypes and some strategies for reshaping personal narratives and achieving healthier perspectives. The book also combines personal stories, neuroscience, and humor to help readers improve their storytelling skills. References/Links Website: https://thestorytellingstrategist.com/ More on the book: https://thestorytellingstrategist.com/fire-your-narrator/ (Available on Amazon and BN.com) Connect with Valerie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriejgordon/ Follow The Storytelling Strategist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheStorytellingStrategist/ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytelling_strategist/

Guest Paul Glover is the No B.S. Executive Leadership Coach, assisting leaders in organizations with revenue up to one billion dollars. He's a Tedx speaker, an approved Vistage and YPO Speaker on leadership in the Post-Pandemic work environment, the author of WorkQuake™: Making the Seismic Shift to a Knowledge Economy, a Forbes contributor, a "recovering" federal trial lawyer, an ex-felon, a Starbucks addict, and a Chicago Bears fanatic. Summary: Why this discussion matters In this candid and compelling conversation, Paul Glover shares his journey from successful labor lawyer to convicted felon and how a transformative prison experience led him to embrace vulnerability, personal accountability, and leadership coaching. Drawing on the metaphor of the "medieval fool," Glover emphasizes the value of truth-telling advisors and the importance of self-care and legacy in leadership. His coaching philosophy demands commitment, honesty, and hard work. Three Takeaways The Power of a "Fool": Inspired by the medieval fool who had the psychological safety to tell the king hard truths, Glover advocates for everyone to have a "fool" in their life – someone who provides honest, unfiltered feedback to expose blind spots and ensure accountability. His wife played this critical role during his imprisonment and continues to do so. Accountability as a Catalyst for Change: Glover's own profound transformation was rooted in taking full responsibility for his illegal actions and the devastating impact on his family. He emphasizes that true change and growth, both personally and in leadership, require unwavering personal accountability. Legacy and Self-Care in Leadership: Glover's coaching philosophy prioritizes building a lasting legacy—improving an organization for future leaders—over short-term, ego-driven gains. He also stresses that dedicated self-care is non-negotiable for effective leadership. Social Media Paulglover@sbcglobal.net paul@paulglovercoaching.com paulgloverspeaks.com TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsVweR4yXz4

Guest Tony K Silver is a multi-award-winning LinkedIn expert, who has been helping people on the platform since 2008. He works with individuals and teams. He also presents on LinkedIn at conferences, expos, and company events, live and Online. Because LinkedIn is the preferred platform of professionals, he can work across many different industries, which include professional services, financial, coaches, and speakers, and has clients worldwide. Summary – Why this discussion matters In this episode, I speak with Tony K. Silver, known as "the LinkedIn profiler," about how to optimize LinkedIn profiles for maximum impact. He emphasizes the importance of understanding users' limited attention spans (the "seven-second syndrome"), strategic keyword placement for improved searchability, and creating valuable, consistent content. Tony stresses the importance of a strong "top card" (banner, headshot, headline) and the "About" section with a clear call-to-action. Takeaways You Have 7 Seconds: LinkedIn users judge profiles quickly—your banner, photo, and headline must clearly communicate what you do and why you matter. Use Keywords Strategically: Being found on LinkedIn depends on having the right keywords strategically embedded throughout your profile. Content Quality and Consistency Matter: Posting informative and engaging content regularly (even just biweekly) builds visibility and trust. Social Media WWW.tonyksilver.com

Guest Colleen Kelley Creating fun and accessible chemistry stories has been a labor of love for Colleen, as a retired chemistry professor and author of a series of kid's chemistry comic books. In 2023, the PBS short documentary, "Comic Book Chemistry," was awarded an Emmy. Colleen holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Penn State University and was a tenured professor with research expertise in environmental toxicology, medicinal chemistry, and chemistry education. Why This Episode Matters In this interview, Dr. Colleen discusses her journey from teaching college chemistry to developing "molecular literacy" programs for children ages 4-10. Inspired by her childhood experience with the Three Mile Island incident and challenges teaching college students, she created comic books with character-based storytelling to make chemistry accessible. She believes building neural pathways for understanding chemistry symbols early helps overcome traditional learning barriers and promotes lifelong scientific curiosity. Three Important Takeaways Chemistry education faces significant challenges, with a 50% failure rate among college students, often because they lack foundational understanding of molecular symbols and concepts. Teaching "molecular literacy" through storytelling and character-based learning engages young learners and creates neural pathways that make advanced chemistry concepts more accessible later in life. Chemistry education should extend beyond traditional classroom settings to help people of all ages (8-108) understand scientific concepts relevant to climate change, health issues, and daily life. Referenced https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-kelley-ph-d-049aa91ab/ https://www.youtube.com/@ChemistryColleen

Guest In a career that spanned a quarter-century, Ted Czech covered crime for newspapers in three states. Disenchanted with how journalism was taught and practiced, Czech launched a second career in public relations in 2021 and began work on Saving the Beast: A Recovering Reporter Reflects on America's Broken Media and How to Fix It. Why This Episode Matters This episode explores the state of American journalism with Ted Czech, a former newspaper reporter and author of Saving the Beast. Czech critiques the decline of objective reporting, attributing it to sensationalism, ideological bias, and personality-driven news. He advocates for a return to balanced, fact-based journalism. Key takeaways: Journalism must separate fact from opinion to maintain credibility. Media polarization feeds public echo chambers. Restoring trust will require structural and cultural change. Referenced / Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-czech-815b8822/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RecoveringReporter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ted.czech/ X: https://x.com/TedCzech About Jeff Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. "Quetico" (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government. Jeff has hosted the "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity" podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness. Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change. Show Credits "Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It's brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for. "Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.

Guest Jon Waterman's immersive explorations of wilderness and environmental issues are distilled within his 17 books, in a mission to inspire readers to protect the planet's natural wonders. His book Into the Thaw: Witnessing Wonder Amid the Arctic Climate Crisis is drawn from some of his life's most profound journeys. By taking risks and tackling difficult issues, his work transcends traditional outdoor yarns and has garnered numerous awards, such as a Literary Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts. Summary In this episode, writer and Arctic explorer Jon Waterman shares insights from his decades-long journeys across Alaska's Arctic wilderness. He paints a sobering picture of climate change's accelerating impact—melting permafrost, vanishing sea ice, shifting wildlife patterns, and imperiled native villages. As the Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet, Jon calls it "the canary in the coal mine" and urges us to recognize the global implications—and take action. Three Important Takeaways The Arctic Is Warming Rapidly The region is experiencing climate change nearly four times faster than the rest of the globe, leading to permafrost melt, disrupted ecosystems, and rising sea levels. Local Impacts Have Global Consequences Thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gases like methane, while diminished sea ice alters ocean currents and contributes to extreme weather patterns far beyond the Arctic. Witnessing Wilderness Fuels Urgency and Hope Despite alarming trends, Jon emphasizes the importance of experiencing nature firsthand to foster a sense of wonder, connection, and responsibility to protect it.

Guest Matt Ence is a teacher at Bountiful High School in Bountiful, UT. Matt retired from the military in 2017, when he began his teaching career. He teaches a course on the Holocaust, as well as courses in AP World History and US History. Matt became a Museum Teacher Fellow at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2023. Summary Matt discusses teaching a dedicated Holocaust course. He covers the chronology of events from Hitler's rise to post-liberation challenges using survivor testimonies, primary sources, and interactive activities. Matt emphasizes personalizing the Holocaust beyond statistics, exploring collaborators and bystanders alongside perpetrators, and connecting this history to other genocides to help students recognize warning signs and develop empathy for different groups. Three Important Takeaways Teaching chronologically helps students understand cause-and-effect relationships in Holocaust history, while personal testimonies humanize the statistics of 6 million victims. Holocaust education should include an examination of four groups: perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, and rescuers, showing the complexity of human choices during this period. Connecting Holocaust history to other genocides helps students recognize warning signs and potentially prevent future atrocities through informed action. Contact/Social Media Matt's email: matthew.ence@gmail.com U.S. Holocaust Museum's website: https://www.ushmm.org/ Matt featured in Medium Museum's Social media: https://www.instagram.com/holocaustmuseum/ https://www.youtube.com/ushmm https://www.twitter.com/holocaustmuseum https://www.facebook.com/holocaustmuseum Yad Vashem

Guest Jennifer Raff is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Kansas. She works with Indigenous communities and tribes across North America who wish to use DNA as a tool for investigating questions of recent and more distant histories. Her first book, "Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas," is a New York Times bestseller and has won multiple awards, including the Phi Beta Kappa book award in science. In 2024 she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship (General Nonfiction) to support work on her second book. Why This Episode Matters Professor Raff discusses how genetic evidence has changed our understanding of the peopling of the Americas. Rather than a simple crossing of the Bering Land Bridge 13,000 years ago, DNA research suggests a more complex story involving population isolation during the Last Glacial Maximum (26,000-20,000 years ago), followed by multiple migration waves. Recent discoveries, like footprints at White Sands dating to 25,000+ years ago, continue to challenge existing theories. Three Important Takeaways Genetic evidence shows the ancestors of indigenous Americans descended from an isolated East Asian population that experienced gene flow with ancient North Siberians around 25,000 years ago. Beringia wasn't just a narrow "land bridge" but a lost continent twice the size of Texas, with its southern coast relatively habitable during the Last Glacial Maximum. Research in this field requires a multidisciplinary approach that respectfully incorporates indigenous knowledge and perspectives alongside scientific methods. Referenced Origin: A Generic History of the Americas https://anthropology.ku.edu/people/jennifer-raff

Guest Reuben Swartz is the founder of Mimiran, the fun, anti-CRM for independent consultants. He founded Mimiran out of his experience as a sales and marketing consultant for the Fortune 500 who struggled with his own business development efforts. He's also the host and chief nerd on the Sales for Nerds podcast. Summary – Why this discussion matters This episode explores how solopreneurs can effectively differentiate themselves, refine their niche, and build meaningful relationships. Reuben shares insights on the importance of defining a unique "secret" that sets a business apart, the power of genuine conversations in client relationships, and why narrowing one's focus leads to greater success. He also discusses overcoming sales and marketing challenges, particularly for introverts, and how technology should support, rather than replace, human connection in business growth. Takeaways Solopreneurs Need a Unique "Secret" – Clearly defining what makes you different helps cut through the noise and attract the right clients. Conversations, Not Just Technology, Build Relationships – While digital tools help, authentic human interaction remains the foundation of trust and business growth. Narrowing Your Niche Increases Success – Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, focusing on a specific audience makes sales and marketing easier and more effective. Social Media Founder, Mimiran: the fun, "anti CRM" for solo consultants who love serving clients but hate "selling" Host & Chief Nerd, Sales for Nerds Podcast Blog | LinkedIn Free Training: Simpler Messaging for More Referrals About Jeff Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. "Quetico" (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government. Jeff has hosted the "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity" podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness. Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change. Show Credits "Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It's brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for. "Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.

Guests Jane Kelly founded Eat Your Books in 2009 with her sister Fiona Nugent because she wanted to easily find recipes in her extensive cookbook collection, and reasoned there are other cooks with the same need. She has spent the past 15 years building the site into a search engine for 2.6 million recipes found in cookbooks, food magazines, and online. Previously, she held senior roles in television and music for the Virgin Group in the UK. Katie Thacher leads CookShelf, which now manages Eat Your Books and is building the next iteration of the product. A lifelong cook and cookbook lover, Katie spent most of her career in product management for consumer tech products, most recently spending 6 years at Amazon working on Kindle and Amazon Music. After leaving Amazon, she wanted to combine her love of cooking with her love of building great tech products, which led her to reach out to Jane about working together on Eat Your Books. In addition, she co-owns a wine bar called Little Thing in Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood. Episode Summary This episode explores how technology bridges the gap between physical cookbooks and digital resources by making more recipes available to cooks. Jane and Katie discuss their journey with Eat Your Books, a platform that helps home cooks easily find and utilize recipes from their personal cookbook collections and an almost endless array of digital resources. They also discuss the role of technology in reducing food waste and how their forthcoming app, CookShelf, will foster a deeper connection to cooking and culinary exploration. Social Media/Referenced https://www.instagram.com/cookshelf.app http://instagram.com/eatyourbookswebsite https://www.facebook.com/eatyourbooks About Jeff Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. "Quetico" (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government. Jeff has hosted the "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity" podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness. Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change. Show Credits "Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It's brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for. "Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.