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“Larry‘s approach to storytelling had my team buzzing, laughing, & bonded.”
Called on “a quest to spark the creativity in everyone” by Oprah Magazine, Larry Smith is the founder of the Six-Word Memoir ® project, a bestselling series of nine books, board game, live event program, and a global phenomenon found in classrooms, conferences, and corporate settings alike.
Larry speaks on the power of personal storytelling across the world. He has been invited to work with teams at Twitter, Levi’s, JPMorgan Chase, Snapchat, Dell, Shutterfly, ESPN and Google; nonprofits including the Zen Hospice Project and Dress For Success, as well as foundations, philanthropies, and schools. He’s a frequent speaker at conferences such as TEDx, PopTech, Summit Series (called “Davos for the Millennials”), the AARP 50+ Convention. He teaches the class, “What’s Your Story? How to Deliver an Authentic Elevator Pitch” in private sessions and on-site at companies.
Prior to founding the Six-Word Memoir project, Larry had a robust career in journalism. He was articles editor of Men’s Journal, executive editor of Yahoo! Internet Life, senior editor at ESPN The Magazine, a founding editor of P.O.V. and editor-in-chief of its sister publication, EGG. While living in San Francisco, he was managing editor of the wire/syndication service AlterNet and an editor at Dave Eggers’ Might Magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, ESPN Magazine, Popular Science, Men’s Health, Salon, Slate, Buzzfeed, and other outlets.
He lives in Berkeley, CA, with his wife, the writer Piper Kerman, and their son.
From the C-suite to the help desk, owning and celebrating our roles is essential to individual satisfaction and company success. This 60-90 minute workshop connects participants to the organization’s mission. As a group and, optionally, in breakout sessions, team members collaborate to create six-word mission statements for their individual roles, teams, and the whole company.
When team members are asked to share their perspective about their individual roles as well as the overall company mission they become more invested in company success. The six word approach is a deceptively simple way for everyone to have a voice. When that happens increased motivation, camaraderie, and stronger sense of purpose follow.
In a high-energy and interactive talk, Larry will take you on a journey from the small-town pharmacy where his grandfather “Smitty” inspired his love of storytelling to his work creating a tool for focused self-expression for individuals and organizations.
Larry will detail how Six Words is a unique way to:
By the end of the talk, everyone in the room will be thinking in “sixes” and have a new tool to apply to their work — and life — in countless ways.
Every session is interactive and all are encouraged to share six words on topics such as:
Larry’s storytelling workshop provides an accessible, positive, and genuinely enjoyable way for employees to celebrate diverse identities, ages, and experiences. As individual Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers share their advice, lessons, and values in six words, attendees minds open and challenging gaps begin to close.
Larry’s most recent book, Six Words Fresh Off the Boat: Stories
of Immigration, Identity, and Coming to America, offers a launch pad for team members to think about their own family histories.
As stories of lessons learned and journeys emerge, a camaraderie and life-affirming understanding permeates the room. Larry ends
the workshop with these six words: ”We are all in this together.“
Organizations with high employee engagement have more than 22% higher productivity and as much as 65% lower rate of turnover, according to a 2018 Gallop Poll. Study after study confirms company culture affects performance: teams that know and trust one another work better together.
The Six-Word Memoir is a lean and adaptable way to:
Larry can work with your company on a one-off workshop, or a longer-term engagement to make Six Words an ongoing, integral part of your on-boarding process.
Each corporate workshop is catered to the client but the goal is always the same: present short-form storytelling as way to increase focus, create connection among employees, and help everyone tell the story of the organization.
“Six Word Smith” integrates well into any number of your company‘s needs in person or virtually (Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc).
“It's incredible what Larry can do to get a team re-energized and focused on a shared mission in just an hour. His approach to storytelling had people buzzing, laughing, & bonded.”
”Larry’s talk for Chase’s corporate culture conference was such a great way to kickoff my team‘s brainstorming in that days that followed. The next morning we had a string of unsolicited emails where people were recapping their experience in six words.“
“Larry’s approach permeated our culture and engagement long after the workshops. Folks loved sharing their stories with colleagues and we saw a lift in engagement and personal commitment.”
“Perhaps the greatest gift Larry imparted was that students felt their stories were important. He gave students a way to be heard, and readers a chance to hear.”
“Larry quickly captures and delights a room and teaches all in it how to build team culture, hone a short-long term mission or goal, find focus, and more.”
“Larry’s work might have seemed a little out of the box for the audience that he spoke to — 300 professional women in the financial assets industry — he could not have been a better choice.”
“It's incredible what Larry can do to get a team re-energized and focused on a shared mission in just an hour. His approach to storytelling had people buzzing, laughing, & bonded.”
”Larry’s talk for Chase’s corporate culture conference was such a great way to kickoff my team‘s brainstorming in that days that followed. The next morning we had a string of unsolicited emails where people were recapping their experience in six words.“
“Larry’s approach permeated our culture and engagement long after the workshops. Folks loved sharing their stories with colleagues and we saw a lift in engagement and personal commitment.”
“Perhaps the greatest gift Larry imparted was that students felt their stories were important. He gave students a way to be heard, and readers a chance to hear.”
“Larry quickly captures and delights a room and teaches all in it how to build team culture, hone a short-long term mission or goal, find focus, and more.”
“Larry’s work might have seemed a little out of the box for the audience that he spoke to — 300 professional women in the financial assets industry — he could not have been a better choice.”
“Larry Smith is on a quest to spark self-expression in everyone.”
— Oprah Magazine
“You could spend a lifetime brainstorming.”
— The New Yorker
“The tiny memoirs are sometimes sad, often funny — and always concise.”
— NPR
“The brilliance is in the brevity.”
— New York Post
Seeking1 the2 fullest3 expression4 of5 life6.
Good1 stories2 always3 beat4 good5 spreadsheets6.
My1 diary2 is3 read4 by5 everyone6.
Fearlessness1 is2 the3 mother4 of5 reinvention6.
Mom1 just2 revoked3 my4 creative5 license6.
Entrepreneurship1 is2 building3 your4 own5 world6.
Now1 I2 obsessively3 count4 the5 words6.
Seeking1 the2 fullest3 expression4 of5 life6.
Good1 stories2 always3 beat4 good5 spreadsheets6.
My1 diary2 is3 read4 by5 everyone6.
Fearlessness1 is2 the3 mother4 of5 reinvention6.
Mom1 just2 revoked3 my4 creative5 license6.
Entrepreneurship1 is2 building3 your4 own5 world6.
Now1 I2 obsessively3 count4 the5 words6.
