Story Telling

o Storytelling often works where formal methods fail: it holds attention, supports memory, and motivates.

o Storytelling is rarely taught despite its effectiveness.

o Stories evolve through telling. As a speaker I have noticed that this iterative approach improves a story until it reaches a ‘steady state’ where it is at its most effective, and further embellishment lessens its power. When I write, I iterate until the scene is ‘just right’.

o Slides can kill engagement: PowerPoint easily creates barriers, drains energy, and makes speakers script-readers rather than communicators.

o Unplugged often works better: voice, pause, drama, props, and stories create more powerful engagement than decks with 87 slides. Of course, it demands practice, rehearsal, and the management of discomfort and fear, which is why many avoid such an ‘unplugged’ approach.

o Stories transfer ideas intact: they enable understanding to travel from one consciousness to another without loss of potency.

o Storytelling is universal: whether you are a teacher, speaker, or brand manager, it is THE medium through which ideas land.

Go tell a story.

Michael Wade

has a new book. I’m 50% through it and thoroughly enjoying it. Marvellous language and a smart plot. Get your copy instantly here.

Sleep

What is the cheapest form of torture? Exactly.

o Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive function. o Chronic sleep loss increases the risk of serious health issues. o Even one night of poor sleep reduces focus, memory, and decision-making. o Sleep is essential maintenance. Your brain processes information, consolidates memories, and repairs itself. Skimp on sleep, and everything else suffers.

Most adults need 7-9 hours; if you need an alarm to wake up, you are sleep deprived.

How to improve the quality of your sleep. o Have a consistent schedule (same bedtime and wake time, even weekends) o Ensure the room is dark and cool o Consider no screens 30 minutes before bed o No caffeine after 2pm o Exercise, but not right before bed

Go sleep. Long and deep.

AI over the last six months.

It’s ‘the year of the agent’ where AI systems move beyond simple Q&A to autonomous task execution and multi-agent collaboration. This is my area of experimenting.

Several AI-discovered drug candidates are reaching mid-to-late-stage clinical trials in 2026, marking a shift from computational breakthroughs to tangible medical results. This is of course very exciting.

University of Florida researchers announced a photonic computing chip that performs AI computations using light instead of electricity, promising drastically lower energy consumption; this would be fabulous.

Companies are addressing generative AI’s value-réalisation problem, shifting from individual tools to enterprise-level implementation. This is where I believe the massive job losses will be.

The overall theme: AI is transitioning from experimental technology to production deployment, with infrastructure and practical implementation challenges becoming the primary focus.

How to Beat ChatGPT or How not to Lose your Job to AI.

The Tools of Excellence

Number 58: A Ball and a Wall

A ball and a wall-tennis ball, handball, any ball really-creates meditative, reflective, physically beneficial play that costs nothing and requires no partner.

Throw the ball at the wall. Catch. Repeat. That’s the activity. But within that simplicity lies a calming that can help you feel relaxed and centred.

It’s meditative: the rhythm-throw, bounce, catch-creates the same focused attention as a breathing meditation. Your mind quiets because it’s occupied with simple repetition, not because you’re forcing it quiet.

It’s reflective: the gentle physical activity frees your mind to wander productively. Problems resolve and ideas emerge. The rhythm allows background processing that sitting at your desk prevents.

It absorbs anger: a frustrating day? Throw the ball harder. The wall does not judge or argue back; it just returns what you give.

It’s terrific for mobility: hours of keyboarding create frozen shoulders and stiff backs. Throwing engages your entire body-rotation, reach, movement. It’s unconscious physiotherapy.

I love it and take regular breaks during the day just to play ball against a wall.

Keep a tennis ball in your desk drawer. Five minutes against any wall-office, home, outside-resets body and mind.

No partner is needed. No equipment beyond one ball.

No rules. Just throw, catch, think. And be.

The other 69 are here.

Old School, but it works. Like much ‘Old School’. The Agenda

Many meetings are madness; meetings without an agenda are chaos.

If you receive a meeting invitation without a goal and/or an agenda, here is a suggested reply: ‘Looking forward to it. Could you send the goal and agenda so I can prepare?’ Too often, we receive a calendar invite titled ‘Quick catch-up,’ ‘Touch base’, or ‘Sync,’ and we dutifully show up, not knowing what we are meant to discuss, decide, or achieve. Without that aim and agenda, it is not an effective use of your time, and thus, respectfully decline.

You, on the other hand, will behave differently: before any meeting you initiate, circulate a document that states: o the purpose: why are we meeting? o the desired outcome: what decision or clarity do we need by the end? o the items to cover: a small list of specific topics, with time distributed to each. o the pre-reading: anything people should review beforehand.

This takes five minutes to prepare (if it is not quick and easy to prepare then you are not ready to call a meeting!) and saves hours of meandering conversation. Be respectful of the recipients’ time, be clear, and succinct and prepare attachments with care.

Action: Only offer meetings with a goal and agenda. Only attend meetings with both. Respect the time of others; ask that others do the same of yours.