This week, Pete and Jen dive into a topic that they are very familiar with, both with each other and with their clients: partnering. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: Why is tension important to a partnership? How might we learn from dancing partners, when thinking about partnerships in our lives? What are some characteristics …

To celebrate six years of recording the podcast together, Pete and Jen noodle on six ideas (plus a bonus) that they wish they had known at the start. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might we better trust in our own ideas? What were the outcomes that Pete was hoping for, for the podcast? And Jen? Why is it so important to …

This week, Jen and Pete noodle on the tool of role playing as a way to safely play out what might happen if what you fear were to actually come true. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What does it mean to role play? What is a pre-mortem? What kinds of questions can we ask ourselves and each other, to think about and unpack fear…

Feeling inspired, Pete shares with Jen an experience of a recent workshop he attended, and together they noodle on what they might learn by watching others in action. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: Why is it important to seek out other people in your industry and watch them work? How might we ask other people about their pro…

This week, Jen and Pete start to scratch the surface on how they think about rejection, and what helps them move through that feeling. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might we reframe rejection as context? How does the addition of information allow for rejection to be less prevelant? What four words does Pete use to help …

This week, Pete and Jen noodle on the assumption that everyone knows the same things that they know, and how they might work in the reverse of that notion. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might leaders run workshops where the knowledge and vocabulary used are built from the ground up? In what ways is it brave to ask a que…

This week, Jen uncovered something that has been hiding just under her nose for a long time, and she and Pete discuss that discovery process. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: In what ways might we seek to problem solve in non-obvious ways? How might we think about the assets, boundaries, and narratives in our lives? What else …

Feeling somewhat indifferent about the idea of indifference, Pete brings the topic to Jen this week for the two of them to noodle on. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How can indifference be a positive thing? And a negative thing? How might indifference allow us to relinquish some control? Where might indifference show up in o…

In their annual episode themed around running, Jen and Pete noodle on the ideas of giving yourself a break, and how that might actually help you move ahead. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might you add more randomness in to your routine? How can a variety of tasks help you to accomplish the same goal? What are some tools…

How might Pete and Jen (and the listeners) say the things they think they cannot say? That is the topic that Pete and Jen dig in to this week. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How can you apply the idea of saying what you think you cannot say in the corporate and theatrical fields? How does this kind of communication actually …

Jen has (once again) coined a new term, and she and Pete noodle on the process of learning how to pirouette, and how that might be applied in many different contexts. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: Why might learning a new skill be more manageable one small step at a time? How might foundational tools, like empathy, be built…

This week, Jen surprises Pete with a topic they have (shockingly) never recorded an episode about: time management. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How does Jen think about time-management? How does Pete think about self-management? What does Jen's Google Calendar look like? And Pete's? To hear all episodes and read full tran…

This week, Jen and Pete noodle on an important (but sometimes under-utilized) facet of feedback: appreciation. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What are the three kinds of feedback? And how does appreciation fit in to that mix? How might you ask for what you need from a coach? How might we utilize self-appreciation? To hear al…

Inspired by a sentiment from Jen's daughter, Pete and Jen explore a network of ideas around the question: What is the bare minimum? Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might we use the bare minimum as a tool of definition? What is a cheeky goal? Is discovering the bare minimum useful in all contexts? To hear all episodes and …

This week, Pete asks Jen to noodle on how they might help their clients maintain the momentum of their coachings or workshops even after they have left the room. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might you encourage clients to reach out to you outside of the coaching time? How are stories a motivating factor, as far as illu…

After a workshop Jen ran with leaders and coaches, she and Pete thrash about two ideas: A great audition is nothing more than smoke and mirrors, and keep it actionable. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is the difference between an audition and acting, or an interview and the job? How might we push aside theory in favor of…

To celebrate Episode, 300, Jen and Pete host a live recording of The Long and The Short Of It, and noodle on questions presented to them by the listeners. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: When do Jen and Pete record each episode before the ship date? What is the most impactful thing that Jen and Pete have learned from each oth…

This week, Jen and Pete ask and noodle on this question: What might happen when you tell someone, who already knows the whole story, the whole story as if they had never heard it before? Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How does telling the whole story show up on a professional level? And on a personal level? What are some str…

This week, Jen and Pete noodle on the flying time of a project, and the relationship between flying time and elapsed time. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is the definition of flying time? Why might a walk or taking time to read a book factor in to the elapsed time of your work? Why are deadlines and working collaborativ…

Please join Pete and Jen for a live recording session of the Long and The Short Of It, celebrating our 300th episode. It will be an Ask Us Anything episode, so please also send in your questions! This event will take place on Monday, June 17th at 6pm Eastern Time, which is Tuesday, June 18th at 8am Australian Eastern Time. To register for this even…

Inspired by the book Unreasonable Hospitality, Pete and Jen noodle on where they can add a bit more unreasonability into their work and every day lives. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might someone practice being unreasonable? Why is it important to think beyond scale? What are some strategies we can employ to introduce …

This week, Jen and Pete take (and sort of fail) the cringe test, regarding the work they have put out in to the world, and noodle on how to be more accepting of their former selves. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is a cringe test? How can we learn from the things we now cringe at? How might we frame our past actions in …

Inspired by the year 2,000, Jen and Pete noodle on the anticipation and building up to a big event, and how we might utilize that planning period in our every day life. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What are some tools to utilize if there is something coming up that makes you nervous? Within a large event or difficult discu…

Inspired by advice from a pediatrician, Pete and Jen noodle on questions that inspire a different perspective when it comes to leadership. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: Is this certain issue bothering me, or is it bothering my client or direct report? How might we think about leadership in terms of the needs of the person o…

This week, Jen and Pete appreciate the idea of looking for the genius in the every person they interact with, from clients to friends to strangers. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What does it mean to assume genius in someone else? Why is it important to have belief in someone, even if they might not have it of themselves? Wh…

Inspired by a book by Priya Parker, Pete and Jen noodle on the idea of how to begin the leading of a gathering, and how that beginning might affect the rest of the experience. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: Why might it be best not to start a funeral with logistics? Why is context imporant, when thinking about a beginning? W…

Inspired by a new aha moment, Jen and Pete noodle on how there might be five points of contact in many different social interactions, and how we might prepare for these exchanges. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What are the five points of contact in an audition? How might the five points of contact apply to many different so…

Inspired by a song by Gloria Estefan, Jen and Pete noodle on the idea of getting up on your feet early in the creative process. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What are the benefits to getting up on your feet early in the creation of a workshop or keynote? Why is context important when getting a new idea up on its feet in fro…

Inspired by an idea from James Clear, Pete and Jen noodle on the categorization of a problem as either a muddy puddle or a leaky ceiling. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is the difference between a problem that is a muddy puddle and a problem that is a leaky ceiling? How might someone determine how to categorize challeng…

This week, Jen and Pete think about procrastination and ask the question: Is this form of procrastination actually helping the work? Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: When might procrastination actually be useful? What is the relationship between curiosity, process, white space, and procrastination? What negative stories do we …

After both having done workshops on feedback, Jen and Pete thrash about the relationship between feedback and dramatic structure. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might feedback follow a three act structure, both in giving and in receiving? When giving feedback, how might we consider the context and circumstances in which …

After a week of riding his own wave, Pete brings Jen the story of his experience and they thrash about it together. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What does it mean to ride the wave, metaphorically? How might we gather momentum to form a wave of our own? What might we do when we are preparing for the wave to come? To hear al…

This week, Jen and Pete share the tools that their clients and they themselves use in order to muster up some gumption. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What are some tactics we could use to help when we are feeling vulnerable or nervous? Why might these tactics be successful, and when is it best to use them? How often do Pete…

This week, Pete and Jen's love of acronyms brings them to a discussion of Shane Parrish's acronym of H.A.L.T. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What does H.A.L.T. stand for? How might H.A.L.T. act as a checklist in the decision making process? What might we gain by checking in with ourselves and others before making a decision?…

Jen and Pete thrash about the process of creating exercises, and think about when it might be useful to use an exercise when trying to help another person (or themselves) to reach a goal or outcome. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is the difference between a note, an adjustment, and an exercise? What are certain situatio…

This week, Pete and Jen dive in to how exciting it can be to be a beginner...and also thrilling and frustrating and scary, and a whole smorgasbord of emotions. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might you seek out ways to become a beginner again? What tools might you utilize when you're a beginner, to help you learn? In what…

This week, Jen and Pete noodle on giving and receiving feedback on a scale of one to ten, combined with the question of what it would take to achieve your desired number on that scale. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might a scale of 1 to 10 actually help thwart perfectionism? Why might feedback given on a scale be receiv…

Having returned from his own solo off-site, Pete shares with Jen about his experience, and together, they noodle on tips and tricks for people looking to create their own version. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is a solo off-site? How might a change in environment help you to think about things that aren't brought up in…

In a highly anticipated episode, Jen generously unveils her STAR|MAP process for Pete and you, the listeners. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is a STAR|MAP? How might we create and follow through with purpose-driven goals? What are some strategies for sticking with habits and plans? To hear all episodes and read full tra…

This week, Pete shares with Jen the idea of subject matter expertise phenomenon (SMEP), and together they noodle on how they might use the knowledge of that phenomenon to help coach leaders. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What does "SMEP" mean, in both business and theatrical contexts? What are four core tenants of leadershi…

In celebration of Quitters Day (January 12th), Jen and Pete noodle on all things surrounding quitting: why someone might quit, what can help us to not quit, and when it might actually be a good idea to quit. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is the relationship between boundaries and quitting? How might we link motivation …

In a thriller of an episode, Jen tells Peter the story of her missing stools, and they noodle on what she learned from the whole experience. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What happened to Jen's stools? What is fundamental attribution error? How might we always assume best intent? To hear all episodes and read full transcrip…

In another annual tradition, Jen and Pete share how they are reflecting on the previous year and how they are planning for the coming year (or five years, in Jen's case). Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What are some useful questions Pete is using to prepare for 2024? What word is particularly exciting for Jen in her goals fo…

In their annual tradition, Pete and Jen go through their favorite things from the past year. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about their favorite: Fiction book Non-fiction book. Podcast. Episode of The Long and The Short Of It. Documentary/TV show/film. Aha moment. Video. Habit. Person. To hear all episodes and read full transcripts…

This week, Jen and Pete noodle on both looking up to someone on a pedestal and being the person put on the pedestal. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What does it mean to put someone on a pedestal? How might status change within the same framework? How might we utilize our idolization of certain people? To hear all episodes an…

This week, Jen comes to Pete needing to be coached on how to approach a big scary thing that she's been working on. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What are some strategies for taking on a big scary thing? Why might it be helpful to imagine what other people may say in response to the thing you're working on? How might we dev…

This week, Jen poses a question to Pete: What would Broadway Jesus do? Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might we take action, based on modeling our idol's behaviors? Why might it be difficult to receive a compliment, and how can we do so with grace? What might imitating an exemplar look like when you're stuck? And when you…

Throwing it back to old video games, Pete and Jen ping-pong back and forth about what we might learn from games like Zelda when thinking about leadership and growth. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: How might we think about challenges in life as quests? What are different ways in which we can level up? How might we find excite…

In this week's episode, Jen teaches Pete about the ways she uses people, places, positions, and purpose to create target lists. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: Why might it be important to make target lists? What are some tactics for discovering people and places that you might want to add to your target lists? How are the li…

This week, Jen and Pete thrash about the idea of getting a group of people together and putting one person in the hot seat, and asking them only questions about the places they are stuck. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What exactly is action learning? And what is it's inverse? How might hearing someone else describe a proble…