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The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Being a Strategic Storyteller (with Alexander Jutkowitz)
Podcast: Being a Strategic Storyteller (with Alexander Jutkowitz)

Podcast: Being a Strategic Storyteller (with Alexander Jutkowitz)

How often are you conscious of the story you're telling through your work? You can't afford to create just for yourself. You need to be mindful of how the work you're creating will be received by the educated consumer on the other end. In today's episode, Alexander Jutkowitz shares how to use wisdom, wonder, and delight to weave stories that will connect with your audience with insights from his new book The Strategic Storyteller.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: The Art Of Selective Attention
Podcast: The Art Of Selective Attention

Podcast: The Art Of Selective Attention

Every day we are flooded with information. Some of that information might be helpful in serving our clients or organization, but because there is so much of it we are often unable to step back and look for patterns we can apply. On today's episode, I share some thoughts about the art of selective attention and how to transform information into understanding so that we can create more value for the people we serve.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Making Work That Lasts (with Ryan Holiday)
Podcast: Making Work That Lasts (with Ryan Holiday)

Podcast: Making Work That Lasts (with Ryan Holiday)

Have you ever considered whether the work you're doing today will still be around in five years? How about ten or twenty years? Many people don't think strategically about how to create work that will resonate deeply for a long time to come. Today's guest Ryan Holiday has just released a book called Perennial Seller that examines work that lasts and how it is created and marketed. In the interview, we discuss not just how to make work that stands the test of time, but how to structure your life so that you have the margin you need to create proactively and not just reactively. 

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Avoiding The Comparison Trap (with Carrie Wilkerson)
Podcast: Avoiding The Comparison Trap (with Carrie Wilkerson)

Podcast: Avoiding The Comparison Trap (with Carrie Wilkerson)

When you work as a freelancer, or are doing creative work largely on your own, it can be difficult to find a rhythm that allows you to simultaneously bring your best work into the world, and also keep yourself on-track and healthy. On today's show, Carrie Wilkerson shares her thoughts on avoiding the lure of comparison, running your day like a pro, and keeping yourself on course financially and personally.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Dealing With Difficult Co-workers (with Dr. Jody Foster)
Podcast: Dealing With Difficult Co-workers (with Dr. Jody Foster)

Podcast: Dealing With Difficult Co-workers (with Dr. Jody Foster)

Difficult people can make work miserable. You can control your own work and collaboration, but when there is someone throwing wrenches into the machinery just for fun, it can seriously derail your work and drive you crazy. On today's episode, Dr. Jody Foster is here to talk about her new book The Schmuck In My Office, and help us deal with a few different types of difficult people.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Be More Focused With A Weekly Checkpoint
Podcast: Be More Focused With A Weekly Checkpoint

Podcast: Be More Focused With A Weekly Checkpoint

Many creative pros charge into their week like a bull and collapse over the finish line on Friday. Then, they may take a few days off and the cycle begins again. However, there is little consideration given to their rhythms, and how sustainable their work habits are. On today's episode, I share the importance of building a Weekly Checkpoint into your life so that you're regularly considering not just what you're doing, but also how you're doing it.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Three Daily Habits That Will Change Your Life
Podcast: Three Daily Habits That Will Change Your Life

Podcast: Three Daily Habits That Will Change Your Life

It’s not the big things that take out most leaders and creative pros, it’s the little ones. Over time, they forget to do the small things that position them to bring their best effort to the table every day. Everything might look fine to those around them, but the decay has already begun and they are on a path of slow decline.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: The Power of Little Ideas (with David Robertson)
Podcast: The Power of Little Ideas (with David Robertson)

Podcast: The Power of Little Ideas (with David Robertson)

When you think about innovation, what comes to mind? Blue-sky ideas? Complete disruption? Something no one has ever seen before? Yes, those are important. However, today's guest David Robertson believes that in our pursuit of disruption we often overlook a very valuable source of new value: little ideas. On today's show, he shares how companies and teams are leveraging little ideas to delight their customers and win fierce loyalty with insights from his book The Power Of Little Ideas.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: The Art Of Radical Candor (with Kim Scott)
Podcast: The Art Of Radical Candor (with Kim Scott)

Podcast: The Art Of Radical Candor (with Kim Scott)

At some point in your career, you've probably had "that boss". You know... the one who's either obnoxiously aggressive and issues orders from on-high like the ruler of a small kingdom, or the one who wants so desperately to be liked that they refuse to speak the uncomfortable truth. Maybe - just maybe - you've even been guilty of being that boss from time to time. Kim Scott is here to help. She's the author of Radical Candor, and on today's show she will show you how to avoid Ruinous Empathy, Obnoxious Aggression, and Manipulative Insincerity and create a culture that thrives. 

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Don’t Apologize For Your Existence
Podcast: Don’t Apologize For Your Existence

Podcast: Don’t Apologize For Your Existence

Have you ever been in a meeting, and introduced an idea, then felt the urge to discount or qualify your idea with "well, that's just my opinion", or "just my 2 cents"? Or, do you find the need to apologize anytime you speak up or offer an insight? Please stop. If you're in the room, you have value to contribute and you shouldn't feel the need to apologize for your existence.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: The Two Reasons You Procrastinate or Under-deliver
Podcast: The Two Reasons You Procrastinate or Under-deliver

Podcast: The Two Reasons You Procrastinate or Under-deliver

There are two fundamental fears that are endemic to the work of creative pros, and they both can prevent you from experiencing the work you're capable of doing. In today's episode, I discuss each of them and how they can cause you to self-limit your creating and your leadership and cause later regret.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast Favorites: The Answer To How Is Yes (with Peter Block, from 2008)
Podcast Favorites: The Answer To How Is Yes (with Peter Block, from 2008)

Podcast Favorites: The Answer To How Is Yes (with Peter Block, from 2008)

Over the course of this summer I'm going to share a few legacy episodes of The Accidental Creative podcast. These are some of my favorite conversastions of the past 12 years. Today's episode features a 2008 sit-down conversation I had with Peter Block. 

Peter Block is a man who wears many hats. He is an internationally coveted speaker, a consultant to the biggest corporations in the world, and a best-selling author. Lately he’s also been making a name for himself as a citizen by facilitating conversations within communities. In this interview, Peter discusses uncovering and acting on what matters.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: In Defense of the Steve Harvey Memo (and Boundaries)
Podcast: In Defense of the Steve Harvey Memo (and Boundaries)

Podcast: In Defense of the Steve Harvey Memo (and Boundaries)

About a month ago, a memo from comedian and TV host Steve Harvey made the rounds and earned him a lot of criticism. It was directed at his team, and instructed them not to approach him in public spaces, not to interrupt him when he's in the makeup chair, and not to barge into his dressing room to ask him something. People decried the memo saying it was an indication of Harvey's inflated ego, but I disagree. Yes, he could have handled it differently (and he admitted so himself), but in principle, what he did was healthy. He set clear boundaries to protect his ability to do his job.

On today's episode, I discuss three areas where you also need to set healthy boundaries if you want to be effective as a creative pro. 

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: 3 Ways Leaders Unknowingly Limit Creativity
Podcast: 3 Ways Leaders Unknowingly Limit Creativity

Podcast: 3 Ways Leaders Unknowingly Limit Creativity

There are many things a good leader does to help their team gain focus, stay motivated, and produce great work. However, there are also some very common mistakes that many leaders make that they don’t even know are killing their team’s ability to engage with their work. This is especially true when doing creative work, because it requires tremendous trust and an ability to take risks that could be costly to correct later.

The better you are at setting good rails for your team, the more they will feel freedom to bring their best ideas and work to the table.

Today I discuss a few ways that leaders unknowingly squelch their team’s creativity, and to do about it.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Turn Everyday Hunches Into Brilliant Work (with Bernadette Jiwa)
Podcast: Turn Everyday Hunches Into Brilliant Work (with Bernadette Jiwa)

Podcast: Turn Everyday Hunches Into Brilliant Work (with Bernadette Jiwa)

Where do great ideas come from? For many creative pros great ideas are simply sourced in everyday experience. However, in order to turn those seemingly commonplace observations into brilliant work, you need to know what you're looking for. Today's guest Bernadette Jiwa has just released a book called Hunch that's all about how to leverage your curiosity and empathy to mine your environment for idea gold.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: Real Artists Don’t Starve (with Jeff Goins)
Podcast: Real Artists Don’t Starve (with Jeff Goins)

Podcast: Real Artists Don’t Starve (with Jeff Goins)

We've all heard the myth of the starving artist. Everyone knows that artists have to suffer for their art, live in squalid conditions, and experience great pain in order to produce brilliant work. Except, according to today's guest, that's not really the case. Jeff Goins has just written a new book called Real Artists Don't Starve, and on today's show he shares some of the differences between starving artists and thriving artists, and how you can make enough money from your art to sustain it.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: 5 Ways To Get Out Of Your Own Way (And Do Your Work)
Podcast: 5 Ways To Get Out Of Your Own Way (And Do Your Work)

Podcast: 5 Ways To Get Out Of Your Own Way (And Do Your Work)

No matter how experienced you are or how much great work you’ve produced in your career, there inevitably comes a time when you’ll find yourself “stuck”. This usually has less to do with a lack of ability to do the work and more to do with some kind of psychological or habitual barrier that is preventing you from diving into the heart of the work in front of you. I’ve encountered many of these in my day, both personally and with those I’ve worked with. Here are a few questions to help identify productivity-zapping roadblocks.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: The Story You Believe (with Tom Asacker)
Podcast: The Story You Believe (with Tom Asacker)

Podcast: The Story You Believe (with Tom Asacker)

The story that you believe can either free you or imprison you. On today's episode, Tom Asacker shares what he's learned about how these narratives can prevent you from doing your best work, collaborating with others, and leading at your full potential. Tom has worked with some of the largest companies in the world, helping them unlock how belief drives action, and helping them overcome barriers that are impeding their growth. His latest book is called I Am Keats.

The Accidental Creative
Podcast: When It’s Never Good Enough
Podcast: When It’s Never Good Enough

Podcast: When It’s Never Good Enough

Ever feel like you can't possibly please a boss or client? Or, are you ratcheting up the expectations for yourself (or your team) in a way that makes it impossible for you to be satisfied with an outcome? You might be experiencing something called expectation escalation. However, it's not always the boss or client that's to blame. We often do this to ourselves. On today's episode, I share how to mind your baseline.