I’ll soon post my podcast interview with Jordan Harbinger, one of the world’s top podcasters. First I’m sharing this example of Jordan and how to learn to communicate authentically and genuinely—through practice and rehearsal. Think genuineness and authenticity matter in business? How about marriage? This recording features Jordan’s wife talking about how Jordan came off, when she knew he practiced, rehearsed, and taught others to. Practice and rehearsal work because[…] Keep reading →

Tricia Brouk is an incredible director, TEDx Executive Producer, actress, choreographer, and more. She’s worked with names like Richard Gere, James Gandolfini, Kate Winslet, Susan Sarandon, John Torturo, Eddie Izzard, Christopher Walken, Steve Buscemi, and Bobby Canavale. Wow! As host of the Big Talk podcast, she posted our conversation, “Put Yourself in the Background.” From the liner notes: Put Yourself in the Background – Joshua Spodek Summary What is the[…] Keep reading →

EDIT: I recorded a podcast version of this post (episode 63) that covered same views beyond this post: If anything marked the beginning of the industrial revolution, it was James Watt’s steam engine. It wasn’t the first steam engine, but was more efficient than any before. More efficient means using less energy and less pollution, right? Wrong. Each engine, yes, but more people used engines, so Watt engines used more[…] Keep reading →

Since most people I know voted for Clinton, I presume most of my readers did. Though I don’t like Trump as president, as long as tens of millions of Americans voted for him, I hope my readers represent the population more faithfully than the population of lower Manhattan. Trump’s win surprised most Clinton supporters. My reaching out to Trump voters and speaking with them explained a lot to me. The[…] Keep reading →

How to disrespect a leader: Assume he or she was born with something special and didn’t have to work at it. Developing leadership skills and experience is hard and takes years, even decades, risking failure and disaster time and again. Assuming people were just born that way or have something others don’t ignores all of it. I think people believe it to excuse themselves from trying.

I wrote, to follow Ryan Holiday’s Here’s The Technique That Ambitious People Use To Get What They Want, I teach and coach people to get jobs through performance and it works. Schools teach people to react, take tests, and show how great they are. For a posted opening, you’re presenting yourself as a commodity — a slightly shinier one, you hope. It’s based on compliance. Most analytical, geeky types got[…] Keep reading →

I’ve quoted Martha Graham many times. At last I got the video of her saying the words. She describes how a performer achieves freedom through conforming and discipline better than anyone, in my opinion. I believe what she says holds for any active, emotional, expressive, social, performance-based field, including leadership and entrepreneurship. The dancer is realistic. His craft teaches him to be. Either the foot is pointed or it is[…] Keep reading →