The Speak Good Podcast

For more than a year, you’ve heard a lone voice at the helm of The Speak Good Podcast, host and Chief Executive Throughliner Brad Phillips. Today, you meet Throughline Group’s other half. Listen in as partner Christina Mozaffari joins Brad to reveal six advanced public speaking tips – from how to present more effective slides to how to improve your look during a virtual presentation. Far from a silent partner, Christina is an experienced trainer, a talented communications coach, and a self-proclaimed recovering (and Emmy award-winning) journalist who uses the best of what she learned on network news – as well as years of public speaking and media training – to help Throughline’s clients become better communicators. After more than 10 years of working together, they still love what they do and the opportunity to find the right set of skills, techniques, and strategies for each client to excel.GUEST: Christina Mozaffari, Partner, Throughline GroupChristina is a partner in Throughline Group, a media and presentation training firm based in New York City and Washington, D.C. She has prepared some of the nation's most-visible government agencies to excel during high-pressured crisis responses, worked with hundreds of top corporate executives and developed a particular talent for training mission-driven nonprofits. She previously worked at NBC News, where she produced stories for NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, and Hardball with Chris Matthews. As a journalist, she covered everything from the 2008 presidential campaign and Hurricane Katrina to the election of Pope Benedict in Rome and the war in Iraq. She was awarded an Emmy as part of NBC’s team coverage of 2008’s presidential election night.Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea

Can you apply the rules of debate to your next dinner conversation? Author and champion debater Bo Seo sees parallels between formal verbal sparring and informal chatter around the table. In this episode, we talk about his book, Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard. Bo makes the case that anyone can relay the skills needed for successful competitive debate into real-life conversations. He says one of the most important skills you can cultivate has nothing to do with the words you use, but rather the attention you bring to truly listening to what your fellow conversationalists are saying. Bo says when you make authentic connections with your verbal opponents and empathize with their stance and opinions, debate becomes transformative – an exercise that not only makes for better personal relationships but can create a more civil society. Bo shares tips and techniques on how to effectively make your case at home, work, and play.GUEST: Bo Seo, Author, Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be HeardBo Seo is simultaneously a world-class debater, a journalist, and a law student at Harvard Law School. In all those facets of his life, strong communication skills are a must. In his new book, Bo draws on his own experiences as a two-time world champion debater and a former coach of the Australian national debating team and the Harvard College Debating Union to share the most effective methods in hashing out disagreements – whether they take place on a debate stage or in a coffee shop. Bo is one of the most recognized figures in the global debate community, having won the World Schools Debating Championship and the World Universities Debating Championship. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, CNN, the Australian Financial Review, and other publications. He’s a panelist on the prime-time Australian debate program, The Drum. Born in South Korea, he grew up in Australia before heading off to Tsinghua University in China where he received a master’s degree in public policy. He’s now studying law at Harvard Law School.Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

As the former editor-in-chief of the lifestyle blog Lifehacker, Alan Henry was well aware of the power of actionable advice in helping others maximize their potential. Little did he know he’d need some of that same advice to knock down professional obstacles that he faced after becoming the editor of the Smarter Living section of The New York Times. In this episode, Alan talks about his new book, Seen, Heard, and Paid: The New Work Rules for the Marginalized, in which he explores the struggles he faced at The Times as a person of color. Often overlooked and kept from interesting work and career-advancing opportunities, he developed a new set of work rules to allow people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ employees to have the same access to success, interesting work, and career opportunities as those with more privilege. Now the senior editor at WIRED, Alan shares some of the new hacks he’s learned for career advancement and offers advice to managers on how to get the most out of all of your team members.GUEST: Alan Henry, Editor, Journalist, and Author, Seen, Heard, and Paid: The New Work Rules for the MarginalizedIn his own words, Alan Henry is a writer, editor, blogger, gamer, streamer, classy geek, recovering physicist, unapologetically Black, and severely opinionated. He’s also a journalist, editor, and author of the book Seen, Heard, and Paid: The New Work Rules for the Marginalized. He’s spent his career sharing the journalism that helps readers make readers embrace technology and use it to work and live better. He’s the former editor of the productivity and lifestyle blog Lifehacker and previously worked as the Smarter Living editor at The New York Times. He is the author of the newsletter “Productivity Without Privilege,” which was launched by his  2019 New York Times piece. He’s currently the senior editor at WIRED and based in New York City.LINKS:Seen, Heard, and Paid: The New Work Rules for the MarginalizedProductivity, Without Privilege newsletter Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

A Republican and a Democrat walk into a bar. They see a liberal buying a conservative a drink, while a priest chats with a rabbi and minister. A CEO is talking with a union leader. A grandmother is there with her granddaughter, while an environmentalist is speaking to an oil company exec. “Is this a joke?” one of them asks. The bartender points to a sign above the bar. It reads: “No talking about religion or politics. It’s how we stay in business.” That’s not how our guest Mónica Guzmán thinks we should be doing business. She believes talking openly about today’s issues brings about better solutions. Yet, she has witnessed how today’s political polarization leads to discord and strained communication among family members, friends, co-workers, and community leaders. In this episode, this director of digital and storytelling at Braver Angels, a nonprofit working to depolarize America, shares ways we can broaden our perspectives to become better listeners and better communicators. Do you want more moments of “I never thought of it that way?” We talk to Mónica about how to make those moments happen. Guest Mónica Guzmán Mónica Guzmán is the author of I Never Thought Of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. She embraces conversations that encourage all participants to think about and assess their unique biases, prejudices, and feelings on matters large and small. This journalist, author, and community collaborator has worked to find the intersection between communications and personal perspectives, so as to generate a greater understanding of where we all stand in times of disruption, political polarization, and a search for truth. Guzmán also is the director of digital and storytelling at Braver Angels, a nonprofit working to depolarize America, and host of the Crosscut interview series Northwest Newsmakers. She’s a 2019 fellow at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, where she studied social and political division, and a 2016 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, where she studied how journalists can better meet the needs of a participatory public.LINKS: I Never Thought Of It That Way: How To Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times Braver AngelsThe Reclaim Curiosity Newsletter Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

For centuries, America has put its collective faith in democracy and capitalism, social and economic systems that have been tried and tested during numerous cultural, economic, political, and civil shifts. Our guest, Jonathan Levy, has identified four distinct ages that have shaped America’s economy and led us to where we are today. In a previous episode, Levy talked about how America rose from its agrarian beginnings to become a world economic power. In this episode, he shares how America wobbled but didn’t fall during the Great Depression, only to be hobbled once again – nearly 80 years later – during the 2008 market meltdown. What’s the next age? Levy theorizes where we might be headed, and the principles we might want to consider in shaping a prosperous and equitable future for all.GUEST: Jonathan Levy is the author of Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. In it, he tracks the history of American economics from colonial times to the Great Recession. Throughout, he uses a historian’s eye to look at how modern economic life and American capitalism were shaped through wealth acquisition, as well as social and fiscal policies. Jonathan is a history professor at the University of Chicago, where his research and teaching spans the 19th and 20th centuries – specifically the relationships among business history, political economy, legal history, and the history of ideas and culture. He’s also a member of the  John U. Nef Committee on Social Thought at the university and the faculty director of the Law, Letters, and Society program. In 2012, he published his first book, Freaks of Fortune: The Emerging World of Capitalism and Risk in America. He lives in Chicago.LINKS:Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United StatesThe Feegee MermaidThe Great DepressionThe New DealThe gold standardThe Wagner ActFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

How did America become the world’s largest economy? By constantly evolving and responding to economic disruptions, says our guest Jonathan Levy. Across four distinct ages, the United States moved from an agrarian past to a capitalistic future, fueled by an economic system in which investors and consumers bank on future profits, while the government directs and sustains that growth through fiscal and legislative policy. In this episode, Levy talks about that shift, as well as the impact that enslaved labor, particularly in the south, had on U.S. economic growth and accumulation of wealth. Given the breadth and depth of the economic history of America, we’ve divided our interview with Jonathan into two parts. In Part I, Jonathan talks about America’s leap from its colonial past to its emergence as the world’s most productive economy by the early 1900s. In Part 2, he’ll bring us through the New Deal and into our present-day boom-and-bust cycles, as well as theorize where American capitalism is headed next. GUEST: Jonathan Levy is the author of Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. In it, he tracks the history of American economics from colonial times to the Great Recession. Throughout, he uses a historian’s eye to look at how modern economic life and American capitalism were shaped through wealth acquisition, as well as social and fiscal policies. Jonathan is a history professor at the University of Chicago, where his research and teaching spans the 19th and 20th centuries – specifically the relationships among business history, political economy, legal history, and the history of ideas and culture. He’s also a member of the  John U. Nef Committee on Social Thought at the university and the faculty director of the Law, Letters, and Society program. In 2012, he published his first book, Freaks of Fortune: The Emerging World of Capitalism and Risk in America. He lives in Chicago. LINKS: Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/227741/ages-of-american-capitalism-by-jonathan-levy/) The American Civil War https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War The Great Depression https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/great-depression-history/ The New Deal https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/franklin-delano-roosevelt-and-the-new-deal/ The gold standard https://theconversation.com/whats-the-gold-standard-and-why-does-the-us-benefit-from-a-dollar-that-isnt-tied-to-the-value-of-a-glittery-hunk-of-metal-150340Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

It’s easy to mock those spouting outlandish and off-base claims on social media networks, but are there more effective ways to counter the spread of misinformation? Our guest Rick Hasen believes there are other solutions to tackling false information – whether it’s spread unintentionally or intentionally – which could pave the way for more lasting change. Is it a matter of personal responsibility? Legislative fixes? Media reform? And what about the responsibilities of Big Tech and social media platforms? In this episode, we talk about his latest book, Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics – and How to Cure It, and some of the legal and political remedies he sees as potential solutions to the threat disinformation poses to our democracy and an informed electorate.GUEST: Rick Hasen, Author, Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics – and How to Cure ItRichard “Rick” Hasen teaches law and political science at the University of California Irvine, where he also is co-director of the university’s Fair Elections and Free Speech Center. His latest book, Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics ― and How to Cure It, examines the dangers of disinformation, its viral spread, and the actors that are helping to push it into the mainstream. He is a nationally recognized expert in election law and campaign finance regulation. He has written more than 100 articles on election law issues, and remedies, in numerous publications. His op-ed and commentary works have appeared in major publications, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Slate. He is also the author of Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy and Plutocrats United: Campaign Money, the Supreme Court, and the Distortion of American Elections.LINKS:Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics – and How to Cure It Results of YouGov poll on 2020 U.S. presidential election Public Research Institute poll resultsJan. 6 , 2021 invasion of U.S. CapitolFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

When you think of models of clear writing and easy communication, do you think of the Federal Government? It turns out one of the leading perpetrators of the bureaucratic lingo and dense legalese that most people detest has been quietly cleaning up its act for the past 10 years. Guests, Katherine Spivey and Katina Rae Stapleton, are federal employees who volunteer their time and expertise to help their colleagues across multiple agencies and offices create government documents and other written resources in plain language. Guided by the Plain Writing Act of 2010, they work to improve U.S. citizens’ ability to access and understand government information and services. In this episode, we talk with them about the importance of clear communications, from everyday interactions that help make policy more understandable, to more urgent situations where words can have life-and-death consequences. GUESTS Katherine Spivey and Katina Rae Stapleton Co-Chairs, Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN)Katherine Spivey is co-chair of the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN), which is a community of federal employees who volunteer time and expertise to support the use of clear communication in government writing. She is a senior communications specialist for the U.S. General Services Administration’s Office of Strategic Communications and coordinates the agency’s plain language program. She also teaches plain language courses for DigitalGov University and other federal agencies. Katina Rae Stapleton is co-chair of the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN), where she also provides training for federal employees on how to clearly communicate with their audiences. As a program officer with the Institute of Education Services (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education, Katina oversees research training programs and provides guidance to the department on communications, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility issues. She is the co-chair of the IES Diversity Council and was secretary of the agency-wide Diversity and Inclusion Council.  LINKS:PlainLanguage.govLaw - https://www.plainlanguage.gov/law/Guidelines - https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/History/Timeline - https://www.plainlanguage.gov/about/history/Digital.gov presence - https://digital.gov/communities/plain-language/Center for Plain Language's Federal Report Card - https://centerforplainlanguage.org/reports/Clarity International - https://www.clarity-international.org/Plain International - https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/Alan Alda – Clear + Vivid podcast, https://omny.fm/shows/clear-vivid-with-alan-aldaScientific American Frontiers TV show https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-American-Frontiers/dp/B000H0SVZOWIRED – 5 Levels https://www.wired.com/video/series/5-levelsFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

As former vice president of corporate communications for Netflix, our guest Steve Swasey had a front-row seat to Netflix’s near-disastrous decision in 2011 to split its video streaming and DVD services. The backlash was swift and threatened to sink what, to that point, had been a highly successful company. In this episode, we talk about the missteps and miscalculations that led to that decision, the subsequent reversal of that decision, and, ultimately, the measures Netflix took to get back on track. Those measures largely reflect a set of principles Steve believes help businesses succeed over time. He calls it HIT (Humility, Integrity, and Trust) and has seen it work across multiple companies and industries. We also talk about the decades he’s spent counseling senior executives on ways to better connect with their employees, customers, investors, and the marketplace, as well as how to weather professional crises. Does he believe there are CEOs willing to follow the three principles he espouses in his HIT approach? The simple answer is yes. For the longer answer, we delve into what happens when they commit to that course of action and what happens when they don’t.GUEST: Steve Swasey, career communicator (Netflix, Kabam, Oracle), writer, and video producerGUEST BIO:Steve Swasey is a longtime communications specialist who has helped companies large and small shape and share their corporate narrative. He is a senior communications adviser with the media company Red Ventures and is a mentor for Road to Hire, a program that connects underrepresented youths to high-earning careers through paid technical training and college access. From 2005 to 2012, he helmed corporate communications at Netflix, and provided guidance and communications expertise during the company's challenging transition to streaming services. He has worked with the mobile game developer Kabam, and earlier in his career held roles at Oracle’s PeopleSoft, Tri-Valley Growers, E&J Gallo Winery, and PR agency Ketchum.LINKS:No Rules Rules, by Netflix Chairman/CEO Reed Hastings and co-author Erin MeyerSilicon Valley's Culture Clash, by Jonathan Knee, The New York TimesFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

Our words are what often help us to frame whether we see the world as a set of problems or opportunities. Communications experts Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres believe that anyone can create meaningful and productive conversations that can be catalysts for change. It comes down to asking the right questions and approaching challenging conversations with creativity. Longtime friends and colleagues, they are co-authors of Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement. For decades, Jackie and Cheri have counseled individuals, companies, institutions, and other organizations on how to use two simple practices to make every conversation count. In this episode, Jackie and Cheri offer the tools and techniques you need to have conversations worth having. (Appreciative Inquiry is an approach developed by David Cooperrider. It fosters positive change in organizations and communities.) GUEST BIOS: Jackie Stavros has more than 30 years of leadership, strategy, organization development and change management experience, and is the creator of SOAR – a strategy to help organizations create meaningful conversations about opportunities and positive change.  she is a professor at Michigan’s Lawrence Technological University College of Business and IT and a senior specialist in Appreciative Inquiry. Jackie earned her doctorate in management from Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Her master’s in business administration comes from Michigan State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Wayne State University. She lives in Brighton, MI, with her husband, Paul, and their kids, Ally and Adam, as well as their dog, Rex. Cheri B. Torres specializes in leadership, team development, and whole system strategic planning. She is the lead catalyst at Collaborative by Design, a consulting firm that she founded in 2009. She’s taught thousands of trainers and teachers around the world in the use and practice of Experiential Learning, Appreciative Inquiry, and other strengths-based processes. She has worked in many sectors, including corporate, government, education, and nonprofit, focusing on shared leadership, teamwork, and collective impact. She holds a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Tennessee, as well as a master’s in transpersonal psychology. She lives in Asheville, NC, with her husband Michael, and their dog, Annabelle, and cat, Ziggy.  LINKS:Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful EngagementYes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive Paperback, by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert Cialdini The Petrified Wood Principle Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

When we look at the world through numbers, our brains can’t always compute the full picture, says Chip Heath, co-author of Making Numbers Count. On this episode, this New York Times bestselling author (Made to Stick, Switch) shares how the right numbers told the right way can be absolutely illuminating. The trick is translating those raw numbers and stats into a language that is more transparent and meaningful, and, ultimately, easier for our brains to understand. Why is this important? Data drives decisions in our lives, as well as for society, whether that’s tackling climate change, making capital investments, or urging for change. When employed correctly, those numbers can bring about powerful “a-ha” moments. GUEST: Bestselling author Chip Heath, Making Numbers CountAs an academic, strategist, and author, Chip Heath has spent his career helping people make their ideas and messages stick. He’s the bestselling author, along with his brother, Dan, of several books, including, Made to Stick and Switch. Their books have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 33 languages. His latest book, with co-author Karla Starr, Making Numbers Count: The Art and Science of Communicating Numbers, provides practical tools and tips to help anyone “speaking” numbers to create more compelling messages and better engage with their audiences. Heath is a professor emeritus in the organizational behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he has taught since 2000. He also has helped hundreds of clients develop ideas and messages that stick. He lives with his family in Los Gatos, California. LINKS:Making Numbers CountHeath Brothers publications Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

At 29, as a newly minted physician in the psychiatry residency program at Columbia University, Dr. Carl Erik Fisher had much to look forward to – that is until his alcohol addiction landed him in New York City’s Bellevue hospital and nearly cost him everything. In this episode, we talk with him about that experience and how it inspired his new book, The Urge: Our History of Addiction. In it, he shares his personal experience with addiction and recovery, and offers a comprehensive look at how society has defined, treated, and tried to control addictive behavior for centuries. Is there a better way to think about addiction? And, can that help us to create more compassionate and effective treatments and strategies? GUEST: Dr. Carl Erik Fisher, Author, The Urge: Our History of AddictionGUEST BIO:Dr. Carl Erik Fisher is the author of The Urge: Our History of Addiction, which explores how, over the centuries, society has historically, philosophically, scientifically, and socially grappled with the nature of addiction, its complexity, and how to treat it. In the book, he draws on his experiences as an addiction physician, bioethicist, and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia, as well as an alcoholic in recovery, as he examines treatments and strategies that have helped, as well as hurt, those struggling with addiction. He has also written for various publications, including Nautilus, Slate, Scientific American MIND, and other outlets. His clinical work focuses on applications of meditation and mindfulness. He also hosts the podcast Flourishing After Addiction, an interview series focused on addiction and recovery. Born and raised in New Jersey, he  lives between Brooklyn, New York, and Lisbon, Portugal, with his partner and son.LINKS:The Urge: Our History of Addiction  (https://www.carlerikfisher.com/book)Twitter, Instagram: @DrCarlErik Dr. Carl Erik Fisher on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DrCarlErik/)Flourishing After Addiction podcast (https://www.carlerikfisher.com/flourishing)Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

Is the popular expression “fake it till you make it” a harmless meme or bad advice for those who follow it? Our guest Sabrina Horn sees it as problematic for society and business leaders, but does she ever think “faking it” has its place in business? What’s the difference between a healthy stretching of the truth and outright fraud? Are there benefits to promising more than you think you can deliver and then delivering on those promises? How does such an accomplishment affect an individual’s confidence and a company’s growth? In this episode, we ask her those questions and more.GUEST BIO: Sabrina Horn is the author of the recent bestseller Make It, Don’t Fake It: Leading with Authenticity for Real Business Success. The book is based on the lessons she learned during her highly successful 25-year career as the founder, CEO, and president of Horn Group, as well as an executive adviser. With a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Hobart/William Smith Colleges, and a master’s in public relations from Boston University, she launched – at the age of 29 – the Horn Group, the well-known U.S. tech communications agency that was based in Silicon Valley. The firm counselled thousands of tech executives and their companies through brand transformation, global expansion, IPOs and acquisitions, and crises. Sabrina sold the business in 2015 to the global marketing agency Finn Partners. Today, this mother of two is CEO of HORN Strategy LLC, a consulting firm focused on helping entrepreneurs and CEOS navigate the early stages of their companies.LINKS:Sabrina's website Sabrina's Book on Amazon: Make It, Don’t Fake It: Leading with Authenticity for Real Business SuccessFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

Do you often say yes when you want to say F*ck no!? Guest Sarah Knight wants you to stop doing that – and she has the tools and strategies to show you how. In this episode, we talk about her latest book F*ck No! How to Stop Saying Yes When You Can’t, You Shouldn’t, or You Just Don’t Want To and how it relates to the powerful pull of reciprocity. In our society, social IOUs are a deeply entrenched concept. If you do something for me, then I’ll do something for you. But what if that “something” is “something” you don’t want to do? And what if it keeps you from doing another something that you want to do? Sarah shares how she learned to eliminate the guilt and say “No!” with confidence and conviction.GUEST BIO:Sarah Knight is the author F*ck No! How to Stop Saying Yes When You Can’t, You Shouldn’t, or You Just Don’t Want To. It’s the latest book in her No F*cks Given Guides, which have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. She’s gained fans and earned critical praise for her profane approach, which she teams with practical knowledge. A Harvard graduate, Sarah was a top book editor in New York City where she worked with bestselling authors Gillian Flynn, David Javerbaum, and many others. In 2015, she left her corporate job, moved to the Caribbean, and published her first book in the series, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck, which is currently in development as a major motion picture. Her TEDx Talk on the subject has nearly 10 million views, and she is in demand as a speaker. She’s also the host of the popular podcast No F*cks Given. Sarah lives in the Dominican Republic with her husband and two rescue cats, Gladys and Mister Stussy.LINKS:Check out Sarah's podcast No F*cks GivenFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

Chances are, at some point, you've felt the sting of not fitting in. If you're a kid, this can be a big blow to your confidence and spirit. What’s a parent to do? If you are Dr. Chris Yandle, you write notes – lots of them. In this episode, Chris shares how his notes to his daughter Addison helped her through a tough year at school. Thanks to social media, his pithy expressions of encouragement, advice, and wisdom (#DadLunchNotes) soon gained a large following – and eventually became a book. Can a few good words help you through the tougher times in your life? If you are lucky enough, they just might.GUEST BIO: Dr. Chris Yandle is the author of Lucky Enough: A Year of a Dad’s Daily Notes of Encouragement and Life Lessons to His Daughter, a book in which he shares more than 150 notes he wrote to his daughter Addison during her fourth-grade year. He has continued to write notes to Addison, and his son Jackson, gaining fans around the world through the book and social media. He is a former college athletics administrator and an award-winning public relations professional. He has spent the majority of his career as a communications professional with NCAA Division I college athletics programs – including the University of Miami and Georgia Tech. Earlier this year, this native of South Louisiana became the assistant commissioner for public affairs with the Louisiana Board of Regents.LINKS:Lucky Enough: A Year of a Dad’s Daily Notes of Encouragement and Life Lessons to His DaughterChris' website Dr. Chris YandleFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

It’s easy to discount conspiracy theories as harmless or simply bizarre. But, in recent years, they’ve bred the kind of misinformation that has given rise to dangerous calls to action and fatal violence – as well as deep rifts between relatives, friends, and colleagues. Is there a way out of this? In this episode, Dr. Nika Kabiri talks about why people believe these theories and how we might counter this misinformation, as well as what strategies we can use to heal the divisions it causes in our closest relationships. GUEST BIO:Dr. Nika Kabiri is a faculty member at the University of Washington, where she teaches decision science. This line of scientific study looks at how humans make decisions – from gathering information to processing that information, and, ultimately, determining what they are going to believe. In the case of conspiracy theories, it offers an understanding of what leads some people to believe something that isn’t true. She also is the founder and owner of Kabiri Consulting. She uses decision science principles to help institutions and companies better understand their consumers and clients. She also is a contributor to major publications and the author of the bestselling book Money Off the Table: Decision Science and the Secret to Smarter Investing.Speak Good Pod LinksFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

Grace – it’s a virtue one doesn’t often see during divisive on-air political debates or in the caustic callouts flung casually and quickly in social media. Our guest, Kirsten Powers, a former political commentator for Fox News and current political analyst for CNN, knows this world well and has something to say about it. She believes in the transformative power of grace when it comes to fostering more civil discourse. In this episode, we talk with her about her new book, Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts, and the new template she proposes for more civil and compassionate political engagement.Kirsten Powers is a political analyst, bestselling author, a USA Today columnist, and frequent contributor to many other media outlets. Previously a political analyst for Fox News, she’s been the senior political analyst at CNN since 2016, where she appears regularly on Anderson Cooper 360, CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, and The Lead with Jake Tapper. A graduate of the University of Maryland-College Park, she started her career working in the Clinton administration, handling media strategy for the U.S. trade representative. She moved on to AOL, where she was vice president for international communications, overseeing the day-to-day communications of AOL businesses outside the United States. She grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and currently resides in Washington, D.C.Kirsten's Book: Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts Speak Good Pod LinksFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

Peanut gallery. Master bedroom. Wheelchair bound. Birth defect.   What do these terms have in common? They all have the power to offend – the first two because of their racist origins and the next two because they're often considered ableist.  As our guest Bella De Soriano points out, the words we use have the power to make people sick - but also to heal. In her work with Healthline Media, De Soriano recently created The Conscious Language Guide to improve patient-provider communication and advance their work toward health equity. Through conscious language, we can ensure better health outcomes for everyone. In this episode, we’ll talk about how an ever-evolving language can create challenges, as well opportunities that can bring everyone closer together.GUEST: Bella De Soriano, Healthline Media’s Senior Public Health Integrity Manager, Medical AffairsGUEST BIO: Bella De Soriano is the senior public health integrity manager for Healthline Media’s Medical Affairs team. She has spent nearly 10 years focused on health equity in research and community settings. Along with Healthline Media’s editorial team, she created The Conscious Language Guide as part of a broader Conscious Language Initiative to ensure Healthline Media’s content is nonjudgmental and inclusive of communities that have historically been excluded. Working across all of Healthline’s brands (Healthline.com, MedicalNewsToday.com, Greatist.com, and PsychCentral.com), De Soriano and her colleagues strive to make content more accessible and inclusive to more people, by addressing systemic bias and health disparities.LINKS:Conscious Language Guide – Healthline’s resource guide for health equity in language.Diversity Style Guide – A resource for journalists and media professionals.UCSF Transgender Clinic (Terminology) – Guidelines for the care of transgender and gender nonbinary people.National Center on Disability and Journalism – A comprehensive disability language style guide.Autism Self Advocacy Network – Resources include books, guides, and articles.National Association of Black Journalists – Stylebook for newsrooms and others, including students, educators, and researchers.National Association of Hispanic Journalists – Cultural Competence HandbookSpeak Good Pod LinksFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

Should U.S. colleges and universities be encouraging more international students to fill their seats? Or, should U.S. applicants be prioritized? Dr. Rajika Bhandari joins us to talk about the shifting political and public sentiments that have influenced the way we think about international students – and immigrants – and the value they bring to America’s overall success. A former international student, Bhandari’s latest book, “America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility,” is a story about her experiences, as well as an insightful analysis about why international students are so important to America’s future.  GUEST BIO: An author, a first-generation immigrant, and Indian American, Dr. Rajika Bhandari is an international higher education expert and a scholar-practitioner with more than 25 years of executive and management experience. She came to the United States in 1992 as an international student in pursuit of a doctorate in psychology. She has since become a mentor to young professionals and is a leader in the study of access and equity to education. She founded Rajika Bhandari Advisors to offer strategic consulting to higher education institutions, nonprofits, multilateral organizations, and governmental agencies. Website Rajika Bhandari Advisors The book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility LINKS: Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpod Check out our blog Got an episode idea?

With polarization and deeply entrenched ideology threatening our ability to truly listen to one another, is civil discourse dead? Our guest John Donvan isn’t ready to admit defeat just yet. In our latest episode, the host and moderator of the Intelligence Squared U.S. debate series shares how he’s seen firsthand how reasoned and constructive discourse can make us all smarter. By focusing on facts, reason, and a respect of other viewpoints, you not only become a better debater, but you may even persuade the most intractable listeners to your way of thinking.GUEST BIO:GUEST BIO:Since 2008, John Donvan has moderated the Intelligence Squared U.S. debate series, which was launched in 2006 with the intent of restoring critical thinking and civility in public discourse through thought-provoking conversations about a wide variety of subjects. Donvan is a veteran network correspondent for ABC, CNN, and PBS, having served in multiple overseas assignments in Moscow, Amman, Jerusalem, and London. He’s a four-time Emmy Award winner, as well as a bestselling author. His 2016 book, In a Different Key: The Story of Autism, who he co-authored with Caren Zucker, was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize.LINKS:DebatesIntelligence Squared U.S. — You can view previous debates on the website.“Genetically Modify Food” debate, Dec. 3, 2014 AppsIntelligence Squared U.S. app on Google Play Intelligence Squared U.S. app on App StorePodcasts:IQ2US DebatesYouTube Channel Follow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?