Yesterday I joined Rachel Staigar and alternew founder Nancy Rhodes for morning meditation and journaling (if ever there was a day where I needed more calm and connection, that was it). 

Instead of introducing ourselves with what we do, we answered the question. "If you were a vegetable, what would you be?"

I loved the answers (especially brussel sprouts because you didn't know how much you'd love them until you tried them) – they got everyone laughing and loosened up the room.

But mostly I loved this activity because it added creativity and humor to something that might otherwise be mundane.

This is exactly what I do with communication – make it more fun and compelling and creative. 

It's a lot like cooking – I give you a recipe to speak clearly and concisely while also letting your personality shine through. 

Want a peek into my process? 

It also starts with vegetables (and no you don't have to eat anything you don't like). 

• First, we identify your strengths and hone in on your message.
  
  

• Then, we work on your mindset so you never look at communication the same way.
  
  

• Finally, we practice your delivery and add in the spices so you can engage any audience at any time.

Here's how a corporate client described our work together:

"Madeline unlocked so much power in me, and incredibly, she did this in the most lighthearted, subtle and even fun way....Madeline got me to the point where I no longer “need” her help to prepare a presentation. Now I just *want* her in my corner on every talk I give because I’ve seen firsthand her gift for elevating a good-enough talk into something truly powerful and engaging.."

Just like brussel sprouts, you don't know what you're missing until you try it. 

Want to learn more about working together?  Let's chat.

Hi, I’m Madeline.

I help quiet leaders and organizations communicate their story and invite audiences into their world.

I’ve taught hundreds of professionals to confidently speak in public, craft talks that resonate with your audience and lead with authority.

Get in touch at madeline@madelineschwarz.com

I recently read an HBR article discussing why curiosity is vital to an organization’s performance.

It’s vital for decision making, communication and building better relationships at work.

When you’re stuck, curiosity can get you unstuck.

If your project leads are micromanaging, get curious.

If your teammates object to all your ideas, get curious instead of defensive.

Ask yourself what led them to this belief and what made them think this is the best option?

If you’re having difficulty responding with curiosity, picture what you’d do when a baby is crying.

Do you judge them for crying or do you get curious about what’s causing the crying?

What would happen if you applied this same technique at work.

Curiosity is crucial for effective problem-solving. It can help teams:

• innovate and come up with more creative solutions.

• pivot in times of uncertainty.

• show up to difficult conversations with an open mind.

• build trust with colleagues.

• create space for collaboration.

And who doesn’t want more creativity, more possibilities and more collaborative communication?

So how do you move into the space of curiosity if your default is skepticism?

Let your face lead the way.

When you unfurrow your brow, open your eyes and listen with all your senses, you tap into your creativity and see other possibilities that previously weren’t available.

Below are a few guidelines to help:

1. Listen more than you talk

2. Ask more questions

3. Be humble 

4. Approach things with a beginner’s mind

5. Adopt a learning mindset

6. Get curious about where you agree as opposed to defensive about where you disagree

Are you ready to change how you communicate at work and bring out your curiosity? Let's chat.

Hi, I’m Madeline.

I help quiet leaders and organizations communicate their story and invite audiences into their world.

Together we’ll transform how you communicate, at work, at home, in life.

Get in touch at madeline@madelineschwarz.com.

There are tons of books on career change and it can be a bit overwhelming.

If you’re contemplating making a change but don’t know where to start, here are a few books and articles on my short list.

These got me through a layoff, a sprained ankle, and one long summer of self-reflection.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo’s book came into my life at precisely the right moment, when my apartment was overtaken by colorful plastic toys and my schedule was unusually free.

I had just been laid off my from my job and I was nursing a sprained my ankle so I had a lot of time and not enough to to do. When I looked around our apartment, I became acutely aware that every surface was covered with clutter.

I felt like the walls were closing in on me and I whole-heartedly jumped in to Kondo’s process of tidying up.

I unearthed a lot of forgotten treasures, including my first cell phone and a floppy disk from a job I left in 2003. I also dug up a lot of art supplies and other remnants of past hobbies cast aside amidst adult responsibilities. Sorting through almost 40 years of clutter was cathartic and cleared out the mental and physical head space to make some difficult decisions.

I decided  to walk away from a 10-year career in fashion and retail design because it no longer made me happy or aligned with my values. And I took a giant leap of faith and started a business.

If you find yourself at a career crossroads, I challenge you to ask what you’re holding onto?

It might not seem intuitive but decluttering can clear out space for new ideas.

The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna

Elle Luna’s blog post went viral because so many of us have dreams but we don’t have the faith to follow them.

Every time we come to a crossroads and have to make a choice between what we should do and what we must do, we often go with should.

I had wanted to start a business for years, but the world told me I should get another job. That was the safe choice.

The logical choice would have been to stick with my career path.

But I knew that I MUST start a business. The universe was telling me it was time to make a big change. It wasn’t safe, it wasn’t easy, but it was the thing I must do.

Where are you saying should in your life? And what are you afraid of if you decide to pursue what you must do?

The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

A friend recommended this book to me in the midst of my summer of soul searching.

The Artist’s Way is a classic book for creatives who are feeling blocked. Julia Cameron lays out two big ideas, one that I have kept up regularly called Morning Pages, and one that I think is a great idea but that I struggle with called Artist’s Dates.

For Morning Pages you write 3 pages every morning. No rhyme or reason, just 3 pages of stream of consciousness thinking. It’s a great practice to unclutter the mind so that you have space for more creative thoughts and ideas to develop.

For the Artist Date you create time in your calendar for fun and inspiration. You set aside 2 hours a week, by yourself, doing something that brings you joy.

As a business owner, I find this particularly hard but every time I make time to go to a museum, stroll through the park, do a craft project, or take a bike ride, I feel refreshed.

I Could Do Anything if I only I knew What it Was by Barbara Sher

One of the most important takeaways from this book is to stop holding yourself back with sequential thinking. I’ll do A (sign up for an art class, start looking for a job) after I do B (turn 40, get married, get promoted.)

Don’t delay joy. If there’s something that you love to do, do it now. Find time on the weekend, or start with 10 minutes a day.

And if you want help figuring out your next step, I’d be happy to hop on the phone with you. Email me at madeline@madelineschwarz.com and let’s chat.