9 key moments from 9 deep conversations

I love podcasts that have real conversations, and I admire hosts who aren’t afraid to dig deeper, ask unexpected questions, and let the dialogue unfold naturally.

What a joy to be featured in not one, but nine of these.

→ Here are short snippets from each episode

In the conversations, I’ve shared many ideas from the new book. (So that’s a great way to taste it before buying it.)

But you’ll also learn quite a bit about my personal background, some of which I’ve never shared publicly before.

A huge thanks to these fantastic hosts for inviting me on their show for conversations that dig deeper and go beyond the obvious. I loved how much you care. The curiosity you brought to the conversations meant pure joy (links go to the episodes).

Leonard Samborowski on Manager Memo
Timothy Hughes on TimTalk
Mike Phillips on The Leadership Toolkit
Chris Reavis on Leading the Way
Wayne Brown on The ET Project
Shane Cradock on The Inner Edge
Scott Ritzheimer on Secrets of the High Demand Coach
Kumar Dattatreyan on Meridian Point
Sean Meyers on Level Up and Live

Plus this german episode with Marc Fischer on Teammensch

By the way, there’s a new page on my site with all my podcast appearances (with more to come over the coming weeks).

Irresistible

Today might be a good day to check out my podcast. After two years and more than 200 episodes it has a new name to better reflect what the show is about, which is this:

In two minutes, twice a week we explore how great communicators make change happen when they speak with irresistible clarity.

The show’s old name “Leaders light the path” wasn’t 100% clear about this. The title could just as well refer to many different kinds of leadership shows.

But although we tap into many different aspects of leadership, this is not just any show about leadership, it’s a show about how you can inspire action through the words you use.

How can you tell your story in a way that it becomes irresistibly clear? Using words you truly believe in about the things you deeply care about?

The podcast’s new name is “Irresistible Communication”. Why not join listeners from 70+ countries and give it a try?

The Creator’s Adventure

Here’s a tightly packed conversation I had with Bryan McAnulty on his podcast “The Creator’s Adventure”.

We discussed

  • why it’s so hard to focus when you deeply care about something,
  • how you can gradually lead your audience to follow you deep down into that rabbit hole,
  • how an effective money-back guarantee can look like,
  • and so much more …

We also discovered that we share a passion for playing the guitar and found an important business lesson from the way you become better at playing an instrument.

If you’re a creator – or generally have an important story to share – this episode will very likely be worth a listen. You’ll find it on all major podcast platforms (e.g. Spotify or Apple Podcasts) and on YouTube:

2 minutes, twice a week

2 minutes, twice a week might be all it takes to level up your communication and tell your story in a way that it gets you the impact your story deserves.

2 minutes, twice a week is the format of my podcast. One tiny step at a time, it takes you on a journey to ask the right questions about how to tell your story. And find the answers that fit uniquely to you.

It’s not about recipes and formulae. It’s about the underlying principles of communication that allow you to find your own voice. Because we have enough of interchangeable communication. What’s missing is your unique take. My hope is that the “Leaders Light the Path” episodes can support you in expressing it in a way that’s uniquely yours.

When I started the format in January, I felt that we already had an abundance of longform podcasts that take you on a really deep dive on specific topics. What was missing was the short shots of inspirations. Of the kind that you hear in between two longforms. Or that you use to get that final kick just before you start your pitch. Or that you use as a start into the week.

If that resonates, I’d love for you to check it out. You can subscribe on all major platforms.

The true core of your message

As the pandemic brought a lot of businesses to a screeching halt, many of them took this as an opportunity to rethink the path they were on.

Is this still who we are and where we want to go? What really matters to us going forward? How does that align with what matters to our customers? Of all the things we love to do, what’s the biggest positive impact that we can make?

In short, these businesses went looking for their true core.

Jonny Prest from Brand Master Flash and I had an interesting discussion about what that means for businesses, most importantly, what helps businesses to uncover the true core of their message.

I highly encourage you to check out Jonny’s podcast on brand stratgey. If you like our discussion on finding the true core of your message, I’ve assembled an exclusive offer for listeners of the podcast to dig deeper. Head over to Jonny’s page to learn more about it.

New podcast: Leaders Light The Path

I’ve started a new podcast called “Leaders Light The Path”. It’s two minutes, twice a week that get you the influence and impact you deserve.

It’s a podcast about a more human way of communicating. One that skips the superficial and instead is grounded in work that matters. It’s in stark contrast to the default mode of the selfish communicators who care more for themselves than anything.

But if your work really changes things for the better, then it’s by definition not about you but about your audience. And because it is, you don’t need to persuade because they will be dying to know more. Instead make them see by telling true stories, saying words you truly believe in about the things you truly believe in.

This is what great leaders do. By making their audience see, by lighting them the path, they incite action and create movements.

I believe that this is in reach for you. If you truly believe in what you do. If what you do truly changes things for the better. Then, all you need to do is tell the truth. Make your audience see by lighting them the path.

If that’s important to you, please subscribe to this podcast and share it with a friend.

Let’s Talk: Fürchtet Euch nicht!

Heute zu Gast: Daniela Kempkes und Janina Braun von der Kölner Kreativagentur ONOGRIT.

Die beiden haben sich nach erfolgreichen Jahren mit der Agentur Are We Designer zwei Monate lang zurückgezogen, um sich darüber klar zu werden, was sie wirklich wollen. In dieser Zeit waren sie komplett offline und nur auf sich und ihre Gedanken gestellt. Im Gespräch erzählen sie, was sie dabei erlebt haben und wie die Zeit ihnen geholfen hat, die richtige Haltung gegenüber sich selbst, der Branche, den Kunden und ihrer Leidenschaft zu finden.

Wir haben uns unterhalten über den Wert von Schönheit, leere Wände, Ängste, Fairness im Umgang miteinander, Magie, Gefühle, Leidenschaft, Haltung und – ja – auch Weihnachtsmärkte.

Schönster Moment des Gesprächs: Wenn die beiden ausrufen „Fürchtet Euch nicht!“.

Folge 19 als MP3 herunterladen
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Let’s Talk: Mut zu Menschlichkeit

Heute zu Gast: Andrea Joost, Präsentationsberaterin aus Heidelberg und Autorin des Buches „Mit Worten bewegen“.

Wir haben uns unterhalten über Sprachmonster und Informationsabladeplätze, Folien als Sehtest, den Seriositätsvorhang, der den Weg zur Professionalität gerade nicht freigibt und den man deshalb lieber nicht durchschreitet, außerdem über lange Leinen, Angst vor Fehlern, eine Alternative dazu, nämlich Mut zum Risiko, und über die Chancen, die mehr Menschlichkeit in Vorträgen bieten.

Folge 18 als MP3 herunterladen
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Let’s Talk: Die YouTubisierung der Präsentation

Heute zu Gast bei Let’s Talk: Peter Claus Lamprecht, Präsentationsberater und Autor des Buches „PowerPoint und Prezi: Sehr gut präsentieren“.

Wir haben uns darüber unterhalten, wie Facebook, Instagram und YouTube die Präsentationswelt beeinflussen, warum die Zuhörer heute vorformulierte Entscheidungen erwarten und weder Geduld noch Zeit zum Selberdenken und Selber-in-ein-Thema-vertiefen haben, warum deshalb Vertrauen in den Redner immer wichtiger wird, warum Prezi fernsehmäßiger als PowerPoint wirkt, ob PowerPoint oder Prezi überzeugender sind und … ach, am besten hören Sie selbst rein …

Folge 16 als MP3 herunterladen
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Let’s Talk – Staffel 2: Mach’ ma’n Satz draus, Alter!

Wir müssen reden. Über Kommunikation. Denn es ist Zeit für die 2. Staffel von Let’s Talk.

Ich habe wieder spannende Gespräche mit interessanten Persönlichkeiten aus der Kommunikations- und Designwelt geführt und wieder sind dabei manche verrückte Idee, kontroverse Diskussionen, viel Meinung und noch mehr Neugier zu allem rund um das Thema Kommunikation herausgekommen: von der Vorbereitung bis zum Auftritt, von Text bis Design, von Comedy bis Drama und von Kunst bis Kommerz.

Heute zu Gast: Anke Tröder, die seit 25 Jahren an der HAWK Hildesheim lehrt und dort die Präsentationswerkstatt leitet.

Wir haben uns unterhalten über leidenschaftliche Gründer und über Designer, die vor lauter Bild den Text nicht sehen, über verzaubernde Schüchterne, die etwas zu sagen haben, über Museumsführer, die mich durch ihre Gedanken führen, über Vorträge, die einen verführen, und Vortragende, in die man sich verliebt … und natürlich über diese wichtige Regel: „Mach’ ma’n Satz draus, Alter!“

Folge 15 als MP3 herunterladen
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Dr. Michael Gerharz