S08 E09: The Space Between Stories

Michael McRay welcomes back Harris III for a fascinating exploration of vulnerability, wonder, and influence. Harris shares a powerful story about performing a trick at a conference, then doing something radical—he simply stopped talking. The result? Thirty different people found thirty different meanings, each more profound than anything he could have prescribed. They explore Lisa Cron's framework for narrative influence and why you can't just give someone a transformation—you have to understand their starting point. In this episode, Michael and Harris also discuss: Why vulnerability feels dangerous to leaders and how it's actually the key to connection The neuroscience of wonder and how awe literally opens our minds to new possibilities Lisa Cron's misbelief-truth-realization-transformation framework for influence How magic tricks prove we can be easily deceived and why that matters for storytellers Coming Up Soon Tenx9: June 30th in Nashville, Tennessee STORY Conference 2025: October 9-10 in Nashville, Tennessee (use discount code PODCAST100 for $100 off!) Resources Mentioned Lisa Cron Istoria.com