Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

Guest Cindy House is the author Mother Noise , a memoir in essays and a regular opener for David Sedaris on his tours across the country. She teaches nonfiction in the Lesley University MFA program and memoir writing at the Gotham Writers Workshop. She also offers private writing classes. Summary This podcast episode explores the art of memoir writing with my guest, Cindy House. Our conversation d...

Guest Neil C. Hughes is a technology writer and the host and producer of the Tech Talks Daily podcast. He is the author of Great TED Talks: Innovation: An Unofficial Guide with Words of Wisdom from 100 TED Speakers. He is also the behind-the-scenes engineer wizard on this and 15 other podcasts. Summary In this episode, Neil and I delve into the rapid pace of technological change and its multifacet...

Summary In this episode, I travel to Wannsee, Germany, a suburb of Berlin, where on January 20, 1942, 15 high-ranking Nazis gathered in a villa to resolve various aspects of the "final solution of the Jewish problem." I need to stand where terror and genocide were launched on a continental scale.

The Takeaway In this episode, I trace the mental and physical journey I took recently in the Netherlands to grasp the murder of more than one hundred thousand Dutch Jews during WWII at the hands of the Nazis. I wanted to move beyond the number and get to the human beings. Physically, the journey took me to several Holocaust-related sites in Amsterdam: the old Jewish Quarter, the Anne Frank House (...

Guest Dave Lampert is the CEO of Food Rescue US, a national non-profit tackling food waste and food insecurity.  Dave spent the bulk of his career in the for-profit sector, including 20 years with Dutch multi-national Wolters Kluwer, building and leading B2B businesses in content and software.  He has also been actively feeding the hungry for over 30 years as a volunteer.  Dave has three grown chi...

Jim Flint has been directing non-profit organizations for the past 25 years. He was the founding director of two youth development organizations, the Fiver Children's Foundation in New York City and the Peak Initiative in Milwaukee. He joined the "Fishing the Good Fight" team in 2022 as the organization's Director of Operations and currently serves at the interim Executive Director Jim lives in So...

Guest Susan Gaetz is the executive director for Casting for Recovery, a national nonprofit serving women with breast cancer using the therapeutic sport of fly fishing. Susan has been a fixture at CfR for many years. She began volunteering for the organization 25 years ago. She joined the national staff in 2010 as Regional Program Manager and became Program Director in 2016. She lives in Austin, TX...

Summary No guest today. Just me musing on the upcoming Father's Day celebration. Given that my father passed away almost forty years ago, I get reflective as the holiday approaches and, more so, as the years between his passing and my age increase. In this episode, I explore why I've been thinking about him more, what I remember about him, why there are gaps in my knowledge, and what I would ask h...

Guests Bill Whiteside is a sales and marketing executive turned software salesman turned lay historian turned narrative nonfiction writer. He is the author of an engaging memoir, Everyone Knows a Salesman Can't Write A Book. To further debunk the myth that he can't write, he's finishing up a much-anticipated book about a little-known incident in Winston Churchill's tenure as Britain's Prime Minist...

Guest Danelle Almaraz , an educational leader with over three decades of experience, is committed to advancing leadership in modern education. At InnovateED, she empowers middle-tier leaders, promoting collaboration, innovation, and growth. Danelle champions continuous improvement, student success, and curiosity, advocating for an inclusive educational experience that enables learners at all level...

Guest Ethan Bryson is the Founder of Natural Urban Forests. Natural Urban Forests is an afforestation company focused on addressing the urgent need to restore native forest ecosystems.  Based in Seattle, Washington we create forests utilizing the Miyawaki method of forest planting with heightened attention to transforming life in the soil. This innovative method enables forests to grow 10x faster...

Guest Dimitry Anselme is the Chief Officer of Growth and Engagement with Facing History & Ourselves. In that role, he innovates program design for school and district implementation and facilitates organizational partnerships in the US and internationally. Facing History partners with educators worldwide to help students prepare for civic life and better understand themselves and the world. Summar...

Summary In this episode, I sit down with four LinkedIn friends/colleagues to discuss Dacher Keltner's book, Awe the New Science of Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life . Each of my guests brings an important perspective to the topic. Dr. Keltner defines awe as connecting to something larger that yourself; "the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current und...

Guest Iain McHenry was born in Belfast and, after leaving school, joined the British Army and had a career that took him all over the world. He was stationed in Germany, Northern Ireland, Canada, The Falkland Islands, and Belgium, and he has completed operational tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone. He has always had a passion for WW1, and after leaving the army, he started...

Guest Tara LaFon Gooch, an acclaimed Keynote and TEDx speaker, is known for her expertise in confidence empowerment. As an international best-selling author, Tara's dynamic presence and passion inspire audiences globally. With an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and certifications from Cornell University and The University of Notre Dame, Tara's transformative message has bee...

Guest Bradley Wright is a professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut and the director of the Life Purpose Lab ( lifepurpose.lab.uconn.edu ). He teaches courses on well-being and research methodology. He is the co-author of The Purpose Journal: Discover Your Destiny and Leave a Legacy . His teaching and mentoring have received departmental and university awards. Bradley grew up in Cali...

Summary This episode explores the importance of storytelling in business communication and life. Inspired by his late wife Jane's spirit, Jarie Bolander delves into the importance of narratives that inspire action. The discussion weaves in Jarie's experience supporting organizations in crafting impactful stories, highlighting a common challenge faced by businesses and non-profits alike. The episod...

Summary I've been podcasting for more than five years and have more than 300 hundred episodes on topics that include space exploration, cooking, history, education, movie scores, the importance of objects in movies, inn-keeping, serendipity, beavers, bagels, nature, and fly fishing—to name a few! And I've been privileged to meet some incredible, giving, wise people. But like most podcasters—all?—I...

Guest As a former teacher turned speaker and happiness coach, Kim Strobel helps schools, businesses, and organizations prioritize their happiness and well-being so they can overcome their fears, discover their joy, activate their limitless potential, and boldly pursue their dreams. She is the author of Teach Happy. Summary This episode focuses on Kim's journey with panic disorder, highlighting the...

Guest Ben Goldfarb is an environmental journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, the Atlantic, Smithsonian Magazine, and many other publications. He is the author of Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet , named one of the best books of 2023 by the New York Times, and Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter , winner of the PEN/E....

Guest Katie Mullen is the founder of MMS Consulting, which specializes in sales training and consulting and has helped Fortune 500 companies from all over the country increase sales, improve performance, and create more customer trust.  MMS Consulting was founded on a several-year research project on the topic of how customers want to be treated.  Hundreds of customers were interviewed on pet peev...

Guest John Camp (he goes by Camp) is Head of Teaching & Learning at the New England Innovation Academy, where he oversees the development of systems to recruit, hire, support, and evaluate teachers. He also supports teachers in developing and implementing the curriculum. He's been a leader and a teacher at various schools throughout his 29-year career.  His experience includes English and writing...

Guest Bennett (Ben) Bratt  helps leaders and their teams create the transformative, inclusive, and enduring changes in their team effectiveness that fuel their most deeply desired outcomes. He is the founder and principal at Team Elements, a consulting and coaching organization that helps identify and resolve issues holding teams back from achieving their desired goals. Ben is the author of The Te...

Guest Dr. Donya Ball is a leader, author, and keynote speaker. She currently serves as superintendent of schools in California. Dr. Ball is a professor of both educational leadership and teacher education and is passionate about studying, writing, and speaking about overcoming leadership hardships. She published her first book of the leadership series, Adjusting the Sails: Weathering the Storms of...

Summary "Getting Unstuck" host Jeff Ikler reflects on recent messages of remembrance that prompt him to consider life's impermanence of life and how he wants to be remembered. The Universe sends us messages to consider and, if we're open to them, to act upon. Facing the task of decluttering after his sister's passing, Jeff embraces "death cleaning" to downsize personal effects. Cherishing artifact...